Sheepshead Bay Rezoning at 2959 Avenue Y Certified — Planners Press for Floodproofing and Use of Latest NYC Sea‑Level Projections



Sheepshead Bay rezoning at 2959 Avenue Y was certified by the City Planning Commission on Sept. 9, 2026, after commissioners pressed the applicant to clarify climate‑resilience measures — including elevations, floodproofing, emergency egress and compliance with the Waterfront Revitalization Program (WRP) and its requirement to use the most recent NYC flood projections. Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=8773 https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303

# What’s happening
– The City Planning Commission certified a rezoning for 2959 Avenue Y in Sheepshead Bay.
– The applicant sought an R5-to-R7D rezoning and MIH mapping for the site.
– Certification occurred at the Sept. 9, 2026 CPC special review session.
Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=8773 https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303

# Why it matters
– Neighbors, future residents, and the proposed school face coastal flood and evacuation impacts.
– Building design, floodproofing, and WRP compliance determine operational safety and usable hours for the school.
Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9038 https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303

# Key details
– Project: proposed seven‑story mixed residential and community facility building, ~80,000 sq ft.
– Units and parking: 38 dwelling units and 38 parking spaces proposed.
– Zoning actions: rezoning from R5 to R7D and a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) area mapped.
– Affordability: applicant proposes 11 income‑restricted units under MIH.
– Location and flood status: Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn Community District 15; inside the coastal zone and within the 2% (500‑year) floodplain.
– CPC action: application certified at the Sept. 9, 2026 meeting.
Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=8773 https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9129 https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9038

The City Planning Commission certified a private rezoning application for 2959 Avenue Y in Sheepshead Bay on Sept. 9, 2026. Commissioners raised specific questions about flood resilience and asked the applicant to demonstrate compliance with WRP policy 62, which they said requires integrating the most recent New York City climate projections. Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303

**City Planning Commission (CPC)**
– Role or jurisdiction: Reviews and votes on land‑use applications under ULURP and related certification proceedings.
– Action taken or responsibility: Held the Sept. 9, 2026 special review session and certified the 2959 Avenue Y application.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Certification recorded Sept. 9, 2026.
Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303

The application is a private proposal submitted for Sheepshead Bay, represented in the record as associated with Councilmember Ena Vernikov. The applicant was identified in the presentation as Yeshiva (spelled variably in the record) seeking zoning map and text amendments to allow a seven‑story mixed building with a school and four floors of residential above. Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=8773

**Yeshiva Orhhatura / Yeshiva (applicant as named in record)**
– Role or jurisdiction: Private applicant seeking rezoning and MIH mapping at 2959 Avenue Y.
– Action taken or responsibility: Proposed construction of a seven‑story, ~80,000 sq ft building with a school and 38 dwelling units.
– Relevant numbers or dates: 38 dwelling units; 11 proposed income‑restricted units under MIH; presentation at Sept. 9, 2026 CPC meeting.
Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=8773 https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9129

Commissioners directed two specific resiliency questions to the applicant and the project team. First, they asked what measures — such as elevating occupiable spaces, floodproofing below‑grade areas, and providing emergency egress — are planned for the school and residential uses given the site’s coastal location. Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303

The second question asked how the project demonstrates compliance with policy 62 of the Waterfront Revitalization Program (WRP), which commissioners said requires integrating the most recent NYC climate projections on sea level rise and flood risk. The speaker asked that the applicant explicitly discuss whether they are using those projections in their WRP statement. Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303

**Waterfront Revitalization Program (WRP)**
– Role or jurisdiction: City program governing waterfront projects and requiring consideration of coastal flood risks.
– Action taken or responsibility: Its policy 62 was cited by commissioners as requiring integration of the latest NYC climate projections in WRP analyses.
– Relevant numbers or dates: Policy 62 referenced during the Sept. 9, 2026 CPC Q&A.
Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303

The project team replied that the building’s program is arranged with the school uses below daytime‑only occupancy and residential stacked above, and the presenter said they would make sure the applicant addressed resiliency details in follow‑up. The record shows the presenter committed to obtain more specific resiliency information from the applicant. Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9038 https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303

The record of the Sept. 9 meeting shows the application was certified after those exchanges; the transcript does not record a submission of detailed design documents on resiliency during the session. Commissioners requested that the applicant clarify how resilience measures are integrated into final design and WRP compliance in subsequent materials. Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303 https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9038

What to watch next: whether the applicant files written materials or permit‑level drawings showing elevations, floodproofing methods for below‑elevation spaces, emergency egress arrangements, and explicit use of NYC’s latest flood projections in the WRP analysis. Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=9303

If you need the exact timestamps or copies of the CPC presentation slides and the WRP statement cited at the meeting, those materials are part of the public record for the Sept. 9, 2026 City Planning Commission session. Source: https://youtu.be/VRSDPNhzo-8&t=8773


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