New York City intends to make sure that zoning codes are a tool for preventing the risks of flooding.
The New York Department of City Planning is currently working to update Flood Resilience Zoning rules adopted after Superstore Sandy. According to an explainers post on the NYC Planning website, the department is working with community members and property owners to create and approve a citywide zoning text amendment.
The Flood Resilience Zoning update is a part of the OneNYC plan, according to the post, and the new zoning amendment will be informed by the department's efforts "in specific neighborhoods – in residential, commercial and manufacturing areas – throughout the city’s floodplain…" The new zoning codes were preceded by climate resilience design guidelines published in June 2017.
In addition to explaining the risk of flooding in any given year in different parts of the city, the post also explains the relation between zoning and flood risks. According to the post, flood resilient zoning can reduce flood risk, promote resilient and vibrant neighborhoods, and plan for adaptation to climate change and sea level rise.
The department also created a video to explain these concepts and more in a visual format.
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