Int 0508-1999

Int. No. 508 By Council Member Spigner (by request of the Mayor) A LOCAL LAW To amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to site eligibility limitations on benefits pursuant to section 421-a of the real property tax law. Be it enacted by the Council as follows: Section 1. Subdivision (a) of section 11-245.1 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as renumbered by chapter 839 of the laws of 1986, is amended to read as follows: a. [Where] Except as provided in subdivision (a-1) of this section where eligibility for benefits under section four hundred twenty-one-a of the real property tax law is sought for any construction commenced on or after November twenty-ninth, nineteen hundred eighty-five on the basis that such construction shall take place on land which, on the date thirty-six months prior to the commencement of such construction, was improved with a nonresidential building or buildings and was under-utilized, the underutilization of the land must have been such that each building or buildings: (1) contained no more than the permissible floor area ratio for nonresidential buildings in the zoning district in question and a floor area ratio which was twenty percent or less of the maximum floor area ratio for residential buildings, or (2) [has] had an assessed valuation equal to or less than twenty percent of the assessed valuation of the land on which the building or buildings were situated, or (3) by reason of the configuration of the building, or substantial structural defects not brought about by deferred maintenance practices or intentional conduct, could no longer be functionally or economically utilized in the capacity in which it was formerly utilized. For purposes of this subdivision and subdivision (a-1) of this section, construction shall be deemed to have commenced on the date immediately following the issuance by the department of buildings of a new building (based upon architectural, plumbing and structural plans approved by such department) on which the excavation and the construction of initial footings and foundations commences in good faith, on vacant land and for the entire project site, as certified by an architect or professional engineer licensed in the state, provided that installation of footings and foundations is similarly certified by such architect or engineer to have been completed without undue delay . §2. Section 11-245.1 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision (a-1) to read as follows: (a-1) Where eligibility for benefits under section four hundred twenty-one-a of the real property tax law is sought for any construction commenced on or after the effective date of the local law that added this subdivision on the basis that such construction shall take place on land which, on the date thirty-six months prior to the commencement of such construction, was improved with a nonresidential building or buildings and was under-utilized, the underutilization of the land must have been such that each building or buildings: (1) contained no more than the permissible floor area ratio for nonresidential buildings in the zoning district in question and a floor area ratio which was fifty percent or less of the maximum floor area ratio for residential buildings, or (2) had a assessed valuation equal to or less than fifty percent of the assessed valuation of the land on which the building or building were situated, or (3) by reason of the configuration of the building, or substantial structural defects not brought about by deferred maintenance practices or intentional conduct, could no longer be functionally or economically utilized in the capacity in which it was formerly utilized. For purposes of this subdivision, construction shall be deemed to have commenced as provided in subdivision (a) of this section. §3. This local law shall take effect immediately. 1 3