Columbia’s student Blog, The Bwog, has an amazing play-by-play of today’s City Council Land Use Committee Meeting (including the photo of the protest outside seen here). The Committee approved both the Community Board 9 197-A Plan and Columbia’s expansion plans. Among the gems included in The Bwog’s recount: “Even a confused Melinda Katz–chair of the Land Use committee–concedes that it doesn’t make sense to vote on both [plans], since one supersedes the other.” and “Incisive questions asked by councilors throughout the meeting include ‘Wait, which way did Community Board 9 vote?’ and ‘What’s a 197(a) plan?'”
The full Council meeting went down in a similar fashion. Both plans were approved, but the issue of the fact that Columbia’s plan stands in opposition to the 197-A was not addressed. Kudos to Councilmember Charles Barron for attempting to stop the insanity (though unsuccessfully). More specifics on the voting after the jump.
Subcommittee on Planning, Dispositions and Concessions (chair – Garodnick): On the 197-a plan: All 5 Approve
Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises (chair – Avella): On the 197-c or Columbia University Expansion/Rezoning: 7 Approve, 1 opposes (chair – Tony Avella), 2 Abstain (Vann and Gioia)
Full Land Use Committee (chair – Katz) *motion to delay vote, put forward by councilmember Barron: All oppose except Avella, Vann, Barron, Mendez, and Ignizio
On the 197-a plan: All Approve
On the 197-c or Columbia University Expansion/Rezoning: 19 Approve, 5 Oppose (Avella, Barron, Ignizio, Fidler, and James), 6 Abstain (Mendez, Gioia, Foster, Monserrate, Vallone, and White)
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December 23, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Tom Lowenhaupt
“Kudos to Councilmember Tony Avella for attempting to stop the insanity (though unsuccessfully). ”
Good to hear that “communitybasedplanning” has come out in favor of this action.
March 5, 2008 at 9:10 pm
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[…] the Council follow the precedent it set in the case of Manhattanville and approve both the Solow plan and Community Board 6’s 197-a Plan, although one violates the […]
March 12, 2008 at 8:18 pm
More Info on the Campaign’s Draft Legislation «
[…] that of Manhattanville, described in the article by Council Member Tony Avella, where the Council approved a plan that was in conflict with the Community Board’s 197-a. The same circumstances arise again […]