In the summer of 2006, the City Council unanimously approved a proposal by the Department of City Planning to rezone approximately 130 blocks in Maspeth and Woodside in western Queens, which are in Community Districts 2 and 5. Most of the rezoning area lies east of the New Calvary and Mt. Zion cemeteries and is bounded by Roosevelt and Woodside Avenues on the north, the LIRR rail cut and 74th Street on the east and the Queens-Midtown Expressway on the south. Queens Boulevard bisects the rezoning area from 50th to 74th Streets.
The primary purpose of the rezoning effort was to preserve and reinforce the established neighborhood fabric and prevent out-of-character development. Additionally, the rezoning addresses the need for new housing opportunities, primarily along Queens Boulevard. The rezoning also contains the first-ever inclusionary zoning (IZ) provision in the borough. Inclusionary zoning programs allow developers to build larger buildings than would normally be allowed by also agreeing to rehabilitate or create affordable housing units.