Monday, July 13, 2009  Court fight promised over new building
rules  From The Wonkster:  New rules at the Department of
Buildings will go into effect Monday that require all zoning
diagrams for approved buildings be put online.  But as part of
that rule, the public will be limited to comment on those
approvals for only 45 days. Public comment is now unlimited.
What the buildings department says is streamlining the
development process and will encourage public comment, advocates
and elected officials charge that the public’s voice is being
silenced.  At a rally this afternoon, mayoral candidate Tony
Avella, comptroller candidate John Liu and public advocate
candidate Norman Siegel, as well as the Queens Civic Congress
and the Historic Districts Council, blasted the administration
for the rule change. They urged the department to rescind its
plan or to prepare for an arduous court battle.  ...advocates
say the new rule is obstructionist and could, Siegel
hypothesizes, lead to more structurally unsound building