Article in CityLand concerning proposed zoning changes.
Document Category: Zoning Reform - City of Yes
Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for New York City’s Economic Recovery
Report from Mayor Adams of the City of New York dated March 10, 2022. Appears related to June 1, 2022 press release. Does not mention reform of zoning resolution concerning dancing.
City Council 2021 – Resolution re Amendment to Zoning Resolution to Allow Dancing
New York City Council 2021 Resolution 1728 calling upon the Department of City Planning to refer out, by the end of 2021, an amendment
to the text of the Zoning Resolution to allow dancing and entertainment as-of-right in all eating and
drinking establishments. The resolution included the following self-serving statement: “WHEREAS, the Council did all it could do to legalize dancing and entertainment in eating and drinking establishments when it repealed the Cabaret Law by passing Introduction 1652-A for the year 2017, to repeal the Cabaret Law and legalize dancing and entertainment”
Mayor Adams Outlines Vision for “City of Yes,” Plan for Citywide Zoning Initiatives to Support Small Businesses, Create New Housing, Promote Sustainability
Press Release June 1, 2022 New York City Mayor Eric Adams today laid out a plan to use the city’s zoning tools to support small businesses, create affordable housing.
Nightlife-Loving Mayor, Offers Plan to ‘Let the People Dance’ New York Times, June 1, 2022
The New York Times published an article by Jeffery C. Mays and Julia Carmel on June 1, 2022 concerning Mayor Adams’ initiative to reform prohibitions against dancing in the Zoning Resolution. The article misses some important points, and, alas, for no reason as to the purpose of the article, repeats the debunked claim that the Cabaret Law targeted racially mixed jazz clubs in Harlem.
Letter to Council Member Reynoso February 28, 2020
Letter to City Council concerning lack of action in reforming the Zoning Resolution bans on dancing, after the 2017 repeal of the Cabaret Law which had little impact on increasing venues offering dancing.
Letter 3-06-2019 to Department of City Planning Requesting Review of Zoning Resolution re Dancing
Third letter to Department of City Planning discussing the 1989 changes to the Zoning Resolution made in response to the Chiasson cases striking down portions of the Cabaret Law as to music performances, and noting the lack of response to prior letters. There was no response to this letter. On conclusion is that the DeBlasio administration had no intention to move forward with removal or restrictions against dancing.
Letter 2-18-2019 to Department of City Planning Requesting Review of Zoning Resolution re Dancing
Second 2019 letter requesting Department of City Planning to take the lead in providing a zero-based analysis of each provision of the Zoning Resolution affecting dancing and requesting mapping to show areas in City where dancing was banned.
Letter 2-12-2019 to Department of City Planning Requesting Review of Zoning Resolution re Dancing
Letter to DCP requesting mapping of areas where dancing is prohibited. Despite the recognition that the 2017 repeal of the Cabaret Law did not affect the Zoning Resolution’s ban on dancing in many sections of the City, a year later no visible action or movement had taken place to remove the restrictions. This letter was the first of three intended to determine if the Department of City Planning was taking any action to study amendment to the Zoning Resolution.
Sugarman Presentation to Nightlife Advisory Board V. 3
Concurrent with repeal of the Cabaret Law, the City Council established a new Nightlife Office and provided for a Nightlife Advisory Board. The board held hearings. On March 13, 2019 Alan Sugarman presented a comprehensive PowerPoint, shown here in a post-hearing edited version.