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DCP liaison outlines agency role; says rezoning effects take time and MTA station timing may be delayed
Summary
Nate Efron, senior borough planner in the Bronx office of the Department of City Planning, told the committee that DCP manages zoning and land‑use applications but does not enforce building permits; he offered to provide data and act as a liaison for Board 11.
Nate Efron, senior borough planner in the Bronx office of the Department of City Planning (DCP) and the board’s liaison, gave an overview of the agency’s role and the limits of its authority during the Sept. 18 committee meeting.
“DCP is the Department of City Planning. So we're the keepers of, the city zoning resolution,” Nate Efron said, describing the agency’s responsibilities for land‑use applications, neighborhood studies and liaison work with community boards.
Efron explained that DCP handles rezoning and land‑use review (including projects that enter the city’s uniform land‑use review procedure) but does not enforce building permits; the Department of Buildings enforces code and permit compliance. He advised that many new building projects are “as‑of‑right” under existing zoning and therefore may proceed without additional land‑use hearings.
On the Metro‑North station project, Efron said the most recent update DCP had indicated funding/targets for stations to open in 2027, but committee participants noted reports that the schedule had been pushed into 2028. Efron also said DCP and other agencies are coordinating capital commitments associated with rezoning but that, as of the committee meeting, board members had not yet seen new housing development directly tied to recently approved rezonings in Board 11.
When asked about changes to affordability or AMI levels for a previously presented project at 2560 Boston Road, Efron said such changes are often administered by other agencies — notably the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) or the city’s housing development entities — and that questions about post‑approval changes should be routed to those program administrators.
Efron offered to circulate available statistics or updates to the board and agreed to be a point of contact for the committee on land‑use questions. The committee did not take any formal action as a result of the briefing.
