Coney Island #2: Rezoning Process Begins, 2019 Completion Date

The approval process for the Coney Island rezoning will be a long and technical one, including things like the upcoming Public Scoping Meeting. The session will be held on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 6:00 PM at Abraham Lincoln High School, which is located at 2800 Ocean Parkway. In (relatively) plain English, the meeting will lay the groundwork for a Draft Environmental Impact Statement. In advance, the city has posted several document: an Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS), Positive Declaration and Draft Scope of Work. Those with a keen interest in Coney Island and an ability to read planning documents can download them here. (All are in PDF form and there are links to each document.)

The documents lay out the details of the zoning changes. Among the interesting tidbits on the pages we skimmed is an estimate that the projects will start in 2009 and won't be completed until 2019. What is called the "reasonable worst case development scenario" is interesting. This is what would happen if all the development allowed by he rezoning were maxed out: 1.4 million square feet of entertainment, retail and enclosed amusements, 4,800 apartments and between 6,300 and 8,300 parking spaces including replacements for the 1,100 that would be lost next to KeySpan Park.