197-a plans, named for the city charter section that created them, are a form of community-based planning intended to let local residents, representatives, and organizations guide the development that impacts them most. A 197-a plan can encompass a geographic region ranging from a small neighborhood to the entire city and can take the form of a comprehensive “master plan” addressing all development issues in the area or focus on a specific planning goal like rezoning or waterfront revitalization. The plan must be sponsored by a community board, borough board, Borough President, the Department of City Planning (DCP), the City Planning Commission (CPC), or the Mayor. Independent organizations, such as neighborhood associations or local nonprofits, may draft plans but need the appropriate community board, borough board, or borough president to approve and submit the proposals on their behalf.

Officially recognized community-based planning was first written into the city charter in 1975, but the original descriptions were so vague that, other than a Manhattan waterfront plan developed directly by the DCP, no 197-a proposals were even submitted until 1987. Hoping to streamline the process, a 1989 charter revision called on the CPC to develop a uniform application format and review process. That process went into effect in 1991. Under the CPC guidelines, a 197-a proposal undergoes two stages of review. The first is a “threshold review” by DCP and CPC to ensure the plan meets basic prerequisites for consideration (a clearly defined scope, adequate supporting documentation, proof of consultation with area residents and government agencies during the planning process, sufficient analysis of the economic/environmental impacts posed by the plan, etc.). The second “substantive review” phase consists of a series of evaluations, including an environmental review by DCP, a public review administered by the appropriate community or borough board, an assessment by the CPC, and a final hearing by the City Council. To date, twelve plans have been adopted by the City, with ten submitted by community boards, one by a borough president, and one by the DCP.

The 197-a program is meant to get communities more involved in the planning process and, in turn, help the City tailor planning decisions to fit the community’s needs and goals. Some believe, however, that those aims are not being met by the current process because 197-a plans are not subject to adequate enforcement measures. The 1991 CPC rules determined that 197-a plans would serve merely “to guide subsequent actions by city agencies,” meaning that the plans are advisory in nature and do not have the force of law. For instance, rezoning decisions laid out in an approved 197-a do not automatically go into effect. In the recent case of Columbia University’s controversial West Harlem expansion, the City Council approved both a 197-a plan from Community Board 9 and a rezoning petition by Columbia, despite acknowledged contradictions between the two proposals. As a result, critics argue that the actual impact of the plan on a community’s development is minimal. They also contend that the lengthy and uncertain approval process and substantial funds required to develop a plan (the DCP provides technical assistance but no financial support) discourage communities from even beginning to draft a 197-a proposal. To date, only nine of the city’s 59 community boards have ever submitted a plan.

In 2000, a coalition of community boards, neighborhood groups, and environmental organizations formed the Community-Based Planning Task Force to “create a more meaningful role for communities in New York City’s planning and decision-making processes.” Working with the Municipal Art Society Planning Center, the Task Force released a list of policy recommendations in 2005 aimed at strengthening the City’s community-based planning process. Among the Task Force’s recommendations were two primary suggestions: 1) increase public awareness of community boards and the opportunities they provide for local participation in the planning process; and 2) ensure that community boards and community organizations have access to the necessary tools and expertise to design and implement plans. To date, none of the Task Force recommendations have been adopted by the City. However, in 2007 the MAS Planning Center began hosting an annual Livable Neighborhoods Program at Hunter College, which provides community board members and neighborhood advocates with free training and tools to help them navigate the planning process. Additionally, MAS and the Task Force launched a website, The Campaign for Community-Based Planning, which features local planning news and resources like an interactive atlas of community-based plans in New York City.

Last Updated: November 15, 2008