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Zoning bonuses for fresh food in New York City
- danielsimpkins0
- Jan 8, 2024
- 1 min read
A bonus for affordable housing and a bonus for design excellence. Why not a bonus for 15 minute neighbourhoods?
In 2009, the New York City Planning Department created FRESH (Food Retail Expansion to Support Health).
The program is designed to improve fresh food options in sections of New York by providing an incentive that allows for one additional square foot or residential floor area for each square foot provided by a fresh food store, (up to maximum of 20,000 square feet), along with reduction in parking requirements and increases in size for light manufacturing areas.
There was an update made to the program in 2021, with the department’s report attached. Since the 2009 introduction the report finds:
there had been a clustering of supermarket applications and the report recommends new criteria to limit potential oversaturation
the requirement to have windows on half of any wall that faces the street was impractical and difficult for existing buildings
as the program was proposed to be expanded into more low density residential neighbourhoods the waiver for parking requirements should be made for up to 10,000 square feet of retail area.
In February 2023, the City Planning Department was reporting the program has incentivised 30 stores within walking distance of 1.2 million previously underserved residents. With a further 21 stores in various stages of development, which will offer fresh food choices to another 300,000 under served residents.
Which makes me think, why not have a bonus incentive not just for fresh food, but also all everyday needs outlined in our regional plans. Bonuses for education establishments, for health service facilities, for early education and care facilities, for restaurants and cafes. Bonus residential floor space for everyday needs.
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