We are glad that the community board passed this resolution, but they used the word “potentially” and the process continues.

Can you do an important email action and reiterate your support for a restriction on chain stores in the largest area possible? It takes less than a minute to send three emails at once to our local officials when you click here.

Finally, here is a link to a bilingual flier, in English and Spanish, that you can post in your lobby or favorite local store providing information about the proposal.

Thanks again for taking action to support small independent businesses in our neighborhood. If your tenant association or co-op board would like to invite me to make a presentation about this issue and the work of Village Preservation, do not hesitate to contact me at 212 475-9585 x 33, or reply to this email.

If your tenant association or co-op board would like to invite me to make a presentation about this issue and the work of Village Preservation, do not hesitate to contact Harry Bubbins at 212 475-9585 x 33, or at hbubbins@gvshp.org.

Read the resolution below:

East Village Special Commercial District” Resolution

WHEREAS, the East Village has historically been a diverse residential community, known as a first stopping place for immigrants and the place where modern public housing was born in New York City; and

WHEREAS, the East Village is home to ten NYCHA developments with nearly 10,000 residents, more than 1,500 Mitchell-Lama units at Village View and Village East Towers, and a large number of additional subsidized housing units, making it a significant home to low- and middle- income New Yorkers even as median household incomes and asking rents continue to rise throughout the borough of Manhattan; and

WHEREAS, the East Village has unique historical and architectural characteristics, as reflected by the East 10th Street Historic District and the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District designations which recognize the vibrant cultural history of the area, where commercial businesses have long reflected the needs of a diverse residential population; and

WHEREAS, despite this history, in recent years the East Village has experienced a loss of retail diversity, a saturation of destination nightlife businesses, and an influx of national chain stores; and

WHEREAS, this change has resulted in decreased daytime foot traffic, growing ground floor commercial rents and vacancies, and a sustained loss of independent businesses providing affordable goods and services, which is jeopardizing the retail environment that has historically served the residential population of the neighborhood; and WHEREAS, this has had a particularly adverse impact on the many small businesses and arts and cultural organizations that are so meaningful to the community; and

WHEREAS, there are widespread quality of life issues due to the transformation of the neighborhood into a weekend nightlife destination, including noise, pedestrian congestion, and vehicular congestion, particularly creating problems on residential side streets with nonconforming “grandfathered” commercial uses that often include eating and drinking establishments with 4 am closing times; and

WHEREAS, Community District 3 continues to lead the City in NYPD commercial noise complaints;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, Community Board 3 seeks to designate a Special Zoning District to promote and preserve the unique and varied retail character of the neighborhood; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the boundaries of this Special Zoning District would extend south from 14th Street to Houston Street, with 2nd Avenue as a western boundary and Avenue D as an eastern boundary; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, this Special Zoning District will follow the existing Special Enhanced Commercial District model which has previously been mapped in several commercial districts throughout New York City; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, this Special Zoning District may potentially:

• Place restrictions on storefront size and street frontage of new and expanding commercial establishments;

• Prohibit the combining of storefronts within buildings, across separate buildings, and across separate zoning lots;

• Place restrictions on new eating/drinking establishments that impact the quality of life in residential areas;

• Prohibit formula retail establishments throughout much of the district, only allowing such establishments on 14th Street and Houston Street; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, in the coming months Community Board 3 will continue to discuss this topic at public meetings and conduct neighborhood outreach to solicit feedback directly from the community, community organizations, and local elected officials on all elements of this proposal before making any final zoning recommendations.

Finally, here is a link to a bilingual flier, in English and Spanish, that you can post in your lobby or favorite local store providing information about the proposal.

Thanks again for taking action to support small independent businesses in our neighborhood.