North Flushing Rezoning
Previous North Flushing zoning
Prior to 2009, most of North Flushing was zoned for single-family detached housing (R1-2 and R2), with approximately
50 blocks zoned for multi-family apartment units (R3-2, R4, R5, R5B in blue). A portion of Broadway-Flushing had
already been rezoned from R2 to R1-2 in 2005, which requires 60' wide properties as a minimum instead of 40'.
Teardowns of older housing began to occur in the late 1990s, accelerating a decade later, with new McMansion-type
housing increasingly built due to "flexible" zoning and building laws in the R1 and R2 zones. Also, teardowns followed
by the construction of multi-family buildings were beginning to happen in the R3-2, R4 and R5 zones.
50 blocks zoned for multi-family apartment units (R3-2, R4, R5, R5B in blue). A portion of Broadway-Flushing had
already been rezoned from R2 to R1-2 in 2005, which requires 60' wide properties as a minimum instead of 40'.
Teardowns of older housing began to occur in the late 1990s, accelerating a decade later, with new McMansion-type
housing increasingly built due to "flexible" zoning and building laws in the R1 and R2 zones. Also, teardowns followed
by the construction of multi-family buildings were beginning to happen in the R3-2, R4 and R5 zones.
Current zoning based on Paul's plan
After the adoption of the North Flushing Rezoning that I co-authored in 2009, most of the R2 zoning was replaced with
R2A (yellow), with 12 additional blocks added in that were formerly zoned R3-2 and R5. The R1-2 zone in Broadway-
Flushing was rezoned to R1-2A, the first neighborhood to be have "anti-McMansion" zoning for larger lots, to better
protect the single-family houses there. Additionally, more than 80% of the former R3-2 and R4 zones were rezoned
to contextual one and two-family zones: R3-1 (red) which allows semi-attached one and two-family houses; R4A (pink)
which allows one and two-family detached houses; and R4B (olive) which allows one and two-family rowhouses with
no parking in the front yards. R4-1 has been mapped in one small area to protect the one and two-family semi-detached
houses located there. Much of the former R5 area has been rezoned R4 or R5B to lower the maximum height and
density of potential new construction. Many commercial overlays have also been reduced in order to curb "commercial
creep" on side streets.
R2A (yellow), with 12 additional blocks added in that were formerly zoned R3-2 and R5. The R1-2 zone in Broadway-
Flushing was rezoned to R1-2A, the first neighborhood to be have "anti-McMansion" zoning for larger lots, to better
protect the single-family houses there. Additionally, more than 80% of the former R3-2 and R4 zones were rezoned
to contextual one and two-family zones: R3-1 (red) which allows semi-attached one and two-family houses; R4A (pink)
which allows one and two-family detached houses; and R4B (olive) which allows one and two-family rowhouses with
no parking in the front yards. R4-1 has been mapped in one small area to protect the one and two-family semi-detached
houses located there. Much of the former R5 area has been rezoned R4 or R5B to lower the maximum height and
density of potential new construction. Many commercial overlays have also been reduced in order to curb "commercial
creep" on side streets.
Articles
CB 7 alters East Flushing rezoning plan, Times Ledger, 4/14/2005
Flushing rezone set for next year: Avella, Times Ledger, 12/5/2008
North Flushing to get long−awaited rezone, Times Ledger, 2/2/2009
Flushing rezone set for next year: Avella, Times Ledger, 12/5/2008
North Flushing to get long−awaited rezone, Times Ledger, 2/2/2009
