ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

摘要

The New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division held that a neighborhood revitalization plan for the Inwood neighborhood in Manhattan was properly approved by an "involved agency," i.e., the New York City Council, in accordance with the state's environmental quality review statute, even though the approval preceded the approval under the statute for environmental concerns by the "lead agency," i.e., the City's deputy mayor, by two months. In re Northern Manhattan Is Not For Sale v. City of New York, - N. Y. S. 3d -, 2020 WL 4210411, 2020 N.Y. Slip Op. 04235, Index 161578/18 (N.Y. App. Div. July 23. 2020). The New York City Economic Development Corporation commenced a study in 2015 of the long-term future of Manhattan's Inwood neighborhood, which resulted in the release in June 2017 of the Inwood NYC Action Plan ("Plan"), which was updated in December 2017. The Plan entailed rezoning and $400 million in capital and programmatic investments to revitalize Inwood, i.e., construction of a new mixed-use building including replacing the existing library with a new library facility, revised residential zoning providing for affordable housing, new waterfront parks, park and street improvements, and a new performing arts center. Moreover, if the rezoning allowed for new residential development, the City's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing ("MIH") program mandated permanent affordable housing in new residential buildings.