The City Council's Zoning Subcommittee will hold a public hearing on the proposed bikes-in-buildings zoning amendment.

BIKE PARKING BENEFITS

• The proposed regulations will help to reduce carbon emissions, helping to create a more sustainable, green and healthy city. 
• The proposed regulations are part of a coordinated multi-agency effort and a key component of Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC 2030 strategy to improve New Yorkers' mobility, health, and fitness.
• The proposed regulations would support and encourage bicycle ridership as a transportation option by providing a secure and enclosed place to store bikes at home and at work.
• The new proposal would require that bicycle parking spaces be enclosed, secure, and accessible to designated users, such as residents, employees, or in the case of public parking garages, the general public.

BIKE PARKING ZONING TEXT SPECIFICS

• Requirements would apply to new buildings, enlargements of 50% or more, and conversions to residential use.
• In order to address a wide range of building configurations, bicycle parking may be provided in a variety of locations, including in a cellar (where spaces are typically located), on the ground floor of a building, or in a parking garage.
• Fifteen (15) square feet would be required per bicycle parking space. The amount of parking space required per bicycle can be reduced to as little as 6 square feet with the submission of a more efficient layout. Required bicycle parking would not be counted toward floor area, with limits on size of the floor area deduction. 
• Residential buildings with more than 10 units must provide secure bike parking for 50% of the units, or one space for every two units.
• Commercial office buildings must provide one space for every 7,500 square feet. Retail and most other commercial uses, as well as most community facility uses, must provide one space for every 10,000 square feet of floor area. Smaller buildings, where three or fewer bicycle spaces are required, can waive the requirement. 
• Universities and hospitals would be required to provide secure bike parking but special provisions would allow these institutions to locate spaces more flexibly in a campus setting.
• For industrial and semi-industrial uses, religious institutions, and certain other facilities, bicycle parking would not be required, but if provided would not count toward floor area.
• New public parking garages would be required to provide one (1) bicycle parking space for every ten (10) automobile parking spaces.
• The City Planning Commission may authorize a reduction or waiver of bicycle parking spaces when subsurface or below-ground infrastructure conditions make bicycle parking infeasible.
• The City Planning Commission has incorporated modifications to the original application to reduce the requirement for affordable senior housing, and to allow reduced requirements for affordable housing when necessary to avoid conflict with subsidy limitations.

Written Comments: If you intend to submit a written statement and/or other documents please submit 20 sets of each. Anyone wishing to submit written testimony may submit their comments in writing to: Land Use Division New York City Council 250 Broadway, 16th Floor New York, NY 10007