Gowanus Rezoning Proposal by Late Spring or Summer

As the Toll Brothers firm seeks its own zoning approval for a big project on the Gowanus, a proposal for rezoning the neighborhood, which would create a framework for significant changes in the industrial neighborhood in the future, could be ready by late Spring or early Summer. (A number of meetings have taken place over the last year.) The likely time frame was noted by Brooklyn Planning Director Purnima Kapur. Ms. Kapur, in an interview with GL, said that additional community sessions would be held next month and that a draft plan would follow. "We're going to go out next month and remind people where we were," she said. "We're working on a draft proposal. Our hope is to have it by the end of spring or summer." The exact timetable depends on the extent of basic agreement or disagreement over the plan. "It's a process of building consensus," she said. A full land use review process will follow, once a draft plan is produced. The plan will determine which parts of Gowanus are rezoned to allow for residential development as well as the density of building that is allowed. The Toll Brothers firm is applying for separate land use approval to build a big Gowanus development. Their project would be considered before the overall Gowanus rezoning is in place.