Modestly scaled detached homes
Projects & Proposals > Bronx > City Island Rezoning
City Island Rezoning Proposal - Approved!
Introduction/Proposal Summary
The Department of City Planning (DCP) proposes zoning map changes and text amendments to
the Special City Island District. The proposal aims to preserve City Island’s low-rise/low-density
character, maintain the “village” quality of City Island Avenue’s shopping district, and enhance
community access to the waterfront. These recommendations are in keeping with goals
delineated in the Department of City Planning’s 2001 City Island Maritime Heritage Preservation
Summary Report.
City Island is located in Long Island Sound south of Orchard Beach, and is connected by bridge to the eastern shore of
the Bronx in Community District 10. It is about a mile-and-a-half long and a half-mile wide at its widest point. The
island’s main street, City Island Avenue, runs the length of the island from the bridge to the southern end at Belden
Point. It is primarily a residential neighborhood, but it is also well known for its popular seafood restaurants. There are
also a number of marinas, yacht clubs and marine-manufacturing firms, all a legacy of City Island’s illustrious maritime
past. Wherever you are on City Island, you are never far from a beautiful view of the water.
Most of the residential areas of City Island are zoned R3-2, the lowest density
zoning district in which attached or semi-detached multiple dwellings are
permitted. However, most residential buildings on City Island are detached houses
that are built at much lower bulk and density than the current zoning permits.
City Island has begun to experience construction of new attached multifamily
housing that replaces single-family detached houses.
To ensure that new development is in keeping with the existing built context, the Department proposes to rezone most
of the existing R3-2 area on City Island to R3A, a district permitting only one- and two-family detached houses. A two-
block area that is characterized by large single-family suburban-style homes would be rezoned to R2.
To strengthen the existing Special City Island District, the Department proposes to amend the special district text,
focusing on three areas: urban design elements related to residential uses in the proposed R3A and R2 districts and
commercial uses along City Island Avenue; landscaping and screening requirements for parking lots containing 10 or
more spaces; and provisions for waterfront public access on new residential developments on large lots.
Public Review Process
On May 19, 2003, the Department of City Planning certified the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP)
application for proposed zoning map amendments (C030467ZMX). This application, along with the non-ULURP proposed
City Island Special District text amendment (N030468ZRX), was referred to Community Board 10 for a 60-day review
period. Community Board 10 held a public hearing on June 19, 2003, at which it voted unanimously to approve the
application. The Borough President’s office held a public hearing on July 3, 2003. The Borough President issued his
recommendation on July 22, 2003, approving the applications with modifications/conditions. The City Planning
Commission held a public hearing on the applications on August 13, 2003 and approved both applications on September
10, 2003 (read the CPC Reports:
zoning map change, zoning text change). The City Council adopted the proposal
on September 30, 2003. The amended zoning text and map are now in effect
For more information on the City Island Rezoning Proposal, contact the Department of City Planning, Bronx Office, (718)
220-8500.
Projects & Proposals > Bronx > City Island Rezoning
City Island Rezoning Proposal - Approved!
Detached houses line narrow side
streets.
Land Use
residential equivalent, and permit residential development along with marine-related commercial uses. There are
also three clusters of M1-1 districts on the
Projects & Proposals > Bronx > City Island Rezoning
City Island Rezoning Proposal - Approved!
Neighborhood Character & Existing Zoning
City Island has a distinctive urban village pattern. The island’s commercial spine,
City Island Avenue, runs the length of the island from the bridge to the southern
end at Belden Point. Low-rise and low-scale detached houses line the narrow side
streets. There are a few small apartment buildings, and in recent years some
semi-detached and multi-family attached townhouse developments have begun to
be built. Most of the lots (84 percent) on City Island contain a residential or mixed
residential/commercial use.
Commercial uses, which are mostly located along City Island Avenue, make up
about three percent of the land uses. The island’s popular seafood restaurants
tend to be concentrated on either end of the island. The village core area in the
middle of the island, between Bay and Carroll streets, contains many mixed-use
buildings with ground-floor storefronts and apartments or offices above. Boat-
related uses along the waterfront include marinas, yacht clubs, sailmakers and other marine manufacturing firms.
Existing Zoning
City Island is predominantly zoned R3-2, with C1-2 and C2-2 commercial overlays
on portions of City Island Avenue. Residential and community facility uses are
permitted in R3-2 zoning districts, with a height restriction of 35 feet and a
maximum floor area ratio (FAR) of 0.5 with a 0.1 attic allowance. R3-2 zoning
districts allow for a variety of housing types including one- and two-family
detached and semi-detached houses, garden apartments and row houses.
In December 1976, the City Planning Commission amended the Zoning Resolution
by creating the Special City Island District which was subsequently approved in
January 1977 by the Board of Estimate. Among its provisions is a maximum
building height in residential zones of 35 feet in order to maintain the
neighborhood’s existing low-rise character. (In 1989 lower density contextual
zoning amendments placed 35-foot height restrictions on all new construction in
R3-2 districts citywide.)
Three small areas on City Island are zoned C3. C3 districts have an R3-2
waterfront. The M1-1 district is a light manufacturing district with a maximum
permitted FAR of 1.0. On City Island, the predominant manufacturing uses have historically been boat-related and
marine manufacturing firms.
Projects & Proposals > Bronx > City Island Rezoning
City Island Rezoning Proposal - Approved!
Projects & Proposals > Bronx > City Island
Rezoning
City Island Rezoning Proposal - Approved!
Zoning Proposal
Zoning Map Changes
•
Rezone sixteen blocks and portions of nine blocks from R3-2 to R3A.
The area proposed to be rezoned is characterized by one- and two-family detached houses. The R3A zoning district, which
permits only one- and two-family detached houses on lots with a minimum 25-foot lot width, will ensure that new residential
development is compatible with existing development patterns.
•
Rezone portions of two blocks on King and Minneford avenues from R3-2 to R2.
These blocks contain large detached houses on larger lots. The R2 district, which
permits single-family detached houses on larger lots with a minimum 40-foot lot
widths, will ensure that new residential development will be in keeping with the
existing development patterns in this area.
Typical home in proposed R2 district
• Remove C1-2 and C2-2 commercial overlays from five blockfronts. These blockfronts are predominantly developed with
residential uses along with some vacant lots or vacant commercial storefronts. Eliminating the commercial overlay will reflect
existing development patterns and may help concentrate local service and retail uses in the village core (between Bay and Carroll
streets), thereby strengthening its retail/commercial character.
•
Rezone a portion of a block from M1-1 to C3 and R3A. This area, located on the Long Island Sound waterfront at the south side of
the foot of Schofield Street, contains a condominium development and an accessory marina. This residential conversion of a
manufacturing building was permitted by Board of Standards and Appeals variance. The rezoning will bring the existing use into
conformance.
Zoning Text Amendments
City Island Avenue Village Core
The mid-section of City Island Avenue, between Bay and Carroll streets, contains a pedestrian-oriented mix of residential and
commercial uses. Within the core, at least three blockfronts have older attached buildings, ranging in height from one to five
stories, with ground-floor glazed and transparent storefronts and apartments or offices above. Buildings like these could not be
replicated today, because they exceed the maximum allowable FAR. Under the existing zoning (R3-2/C1-2 and R3-2/C2-2), which
allows a maximum commercial FAR of 1.0, new development tends to be a one-story commercial establishment with adjacent
parking.
Current character of City Island
commercial area.
Typical development under existing FAR. Expected development under proposed
text.
The following provisions would be added to the City Island Special District zoning text to facilitate mixed-use buildings with ground-
floor commercial and one or two floors of residences above.
• Require ground floor commercial uses within the village core
• In all commercial overlay districts on City Island Avenue:
- no longer count ground floor commercial floor area in mixed-use commercial/residential buildings that front on City Island
Avenue, effectively increasing the maximum allowable FAR to 1.6
- require parking for residential uses but waive parking requirements for restaurants that require fewer than 15 spaces,
similar to the existing parking waiver for other commercial uses
- require glazing for at least 50 percent of the total surface area of the ground-floor wall for commercial and mixed-use
developments
- require that security gates be at least 75 percent open
Urban Design Regulations for Residence Districts
Residences on City Island are predominantly one- and two-family detached houses, the majority with pitched roofs. Detached
garages in the rear of the side lot ribbon are also typical on the island. In several areas of City Island small bungalows or cottages
are clustered together on a single zoning lot, a higher density development pattern that respects neighborhood character but that
is not permitted under existing zoning. The following text amendments would allow for continuation of these prevailing building
forms.
• Increase minimum roof pitch to seven (7) inches vertical for every foot of horizontal on detached residential buildings. This
proposal will ensure that new roof pitches would be consistent with existing ones, and create more useable interior space in the
attic.
Pitched roof with usable attic space Shallow-pitched roofs on new semi-
detached development
• Provide a 100 square-foot floor area bonus for a detached garage in the rear of the side lot ribbon.
• By City Planning Commission authorization, allow for the clustering of one- or two-family detached houses with shared parking
and shared private open space on existing large zoning lots (25,000 sf or greater).
Many homes have detached garages Cluster Developments
Urban Design Regulations for Parking Lots
The City Island Special District zoning text contains screening requirements for parking lots accessory to commercial uses. The
Department proposes to tighten the requirements in order to create more attractively screened and landscaped parking lots and to
provide for appropriate buffering between parking lots and adjacent uses, especially residences. In addition, the proposal would
prohibit front yard parking on City Island Avenue and would encourage consistent building streetwalls and a pedestrian-friendly
environment.
Parking and Screening Regulations
Current Proposed
Proposed
• Prohibit front yard parking on all non-waterfront lots for all uses on City Island Avenue.
• Require enhanced landscaping and screening for all parking lots containing ten (10) or more parking spaces. Depending on
whether a parking lot fronts a street, adjoins a residential use, or adjoins a commercial use, the requirements will vary with regard
to fencing and shrubbery. In most cases chain link fences will not be permitted unless they are located in a planting strip and are
screened with shrubbery.
Community Access to the Waterfront
New requirements for large waterfront properties would enhance waterfront public space and strengthen east/west access to the
waterfront, a particular benefit for the many island residents who do not live on the waterfront and who now have limited
opportunities for direct access to it.
• Require a modest public access and waterfront sitting area for new residential developments on lots 65,000 square feet and over
with a minimum 100 feet of shore frontage. This proposal is in keeping with the original intent of the Special District, to strengthen
City Island’s connection to the water and water-related uses.
Projects & Proposals > Bronx > City Island Rezoning
City Island Rezoning Proposal - Approved!
Projects & Proposals > Bronx > City Island Rezoning
City Island Rezoning Proposal - Approved!
