Dear friend,

November, 2018

There’s a very important upcoming meeting that will help save small businesses in the East Village I want to urge you to attend. Please come to:

Community Board 3 Economic Development Committee Wednesday November 7th
6:30pm — The Lee – 133 Pitt Street (at Houston)

Agenda item # 2 for the meeting is “Special district update and start framework for boundaries and restrictions.” Last month’s agenda item was “Implementation of Special District,” so thanks to your support and participation we are making important progress at moving towards adoption of a proposal for a “special district” that would limit where chain stores can locate in the neighborhood.

This will be an opportunity to show your support by attending and to speak in support of the East Village Special Retail District. You can sign up to speak at the front table and when called upon, say “I support a “special district” that will limit where chain stores can locate in the

East Village.”

You can learn more about some of the potential effects of implementing a Special District by reading this short report by our friends at East Village Community
Coalition: 2015 Preserving Local, Independent Retail report.

It has been over a year since more than a hundred local residents and business owners attended a CB3 Public Forum to support the need to foster diverse and independent businesses in the neighborhood. We want to reverse the dramatic loss of small ‘mom & pop’ businesses over the past ten-plus years.

A special district is a zoning tool that can be tailored to individual neighborhood needs. In this case we hope to implement one that limits the size and location of chain stores.

More on that Special Zoning District proposal here.
And forward this Petition for a Special District in the East Village to your friends and neighbors. Thanks for all you do.