https://licpost.com/hundreds-speak-out-at-onelic-public-hearing-as-board-votes-near
Community divided over OneLIC plan, hundreds speak during public hearing as board votes near
May 22, 2025
By Shane O’Brien
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More than 500 people filled the Main Stage Theater at LaGuardia Community College on Wednesday evening for a joint Community Board 1 and 2 hearing on the OneLIC neighborhood plan, with testimony stretching over three hours during a passionate and, at times, heated forum.
Over 100 residents offered testimony on the sweeping proposal, which seeks to transform a significant portion of Long Island City by introducing new zoning regulations that would allow for nearly 14,700 housing units—including 4,300 designated as affordable.
The plan is a collaborative initiative between Council Member Julie Won, the Department of City Planning, and the Adams administration. In addition to housing, it proposes more than 3 million square feet of commercial space, new schools, expanded waterfront access, and increased open space, according to supporters.
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Since its launch in November 2023, the plan has drawn mixed reactions. Supporters argue that it would bring much-needed housing, jobs, and community amenities to Long Island City, while critics contend that the proposal favors developers and could lead to the displacement of lower-income residents currently living in the neighborhood.
Those tensions were on full display Wednesday night in the Main Stage Theater at LaGuardia Community College’s Building E (31-10 Thomson Ave.), where both sides turned out in large numbers for the first official hearing on the plan as part of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP).
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Throughout the evening, attendees waved placards reflecting their stance on the proposal. Opponents held signs with messages such as “No Luxury Rezoning” and “Don’t Displace Us,” and regularly interrupted proceedings by chanting “vote no” between testimonies.
Those in favor, on the other hand, held placards proclaiming that the plan would introduce “stronger infrastructure” and “more schools.”
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Critics also raised concerns about the area’s infrastructure capacity, noting that some proposed developments lie outside the Long Island City floodplain and could place additional strain on already overburdened systems.
Supporters, however, encouraged board members to approve the plan, pointing to the city’s worsening housing affordability crisis. They argued that without a significant increase in housing supply, costs would continue to rise—pricing out working families. Proponents also emphasized the plan’s expanded open space, waterfront access, and new schools as essential additions to a growing community.
Opponents countered that none of those amenities are legally guaranteed in the plan, expressing skepticism about whether open space, school seats, or infrastructure improvements would ever materialize. In response, officials close to Council Member Julie Won clarified that such skepticism is not entirely accurate—explaining that Won has made clear she will vote against the proposal during the final City Council ULURP vote unless it includes explicit commitments to community priorities.
Won’s priorities include a fully connected waterfront esplanade stretching from Gantry Plaza State Park to Queensbridge Park in addition to a commitment to permanently affordable housing at a range of income levels. She is also calling for new capital funding for sewage and plumbing infrastructure to address current flooding and support future development as well as expanded school seats and park space, particularly underneath the Queensboro Bridge.
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According to Won’s office, 68 people spoke in favor of the plan during Wednesday night’s hearing, while 35 voiced opposition. An additional 11 speakers did not indicate a clear position. Community Board 2 Chair Anatole Ashraf noted that a majority of those who have submitted written testimony by email so far have also expressed support for the proposal.
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Astoria resident Dan Miller urged Council Member Won and both community boards to support the plan, citing the city’s extremely low 1.4% vacancy rate and emphasizing the urgent need to increase housing supply in Long Island City.
“I urge the council member to support it and to make sure that we get as much housing as possible—all types, affordable and market-rate,” Miller said. “Everything helps. We need every single apartment we can get.”
Numerous members of the Bangladeshi community in Long Island City also expressed support for the project, some holding placards highlighting benefits such as improved infrastructure and new schools.
Rob Basch, president of the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy, acknowledged that the plan is “not perfect,” but said it’s time to move forward after years of delay. He pointed to the fallout from the canceled Amazon HQ2 project, noting that six years later, no viable alternative has materialized.
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As part of the ULURP process, Community Boards 1 and 2 are required to issue their advisory recommendations within 60 days of the plan entering public review on April 21. These will be followed by a non-binding recommendation from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.
Next, the City Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and vote, after which the proposal will head to the New York City Council for a final decision. The mayor retains the authority to veto the plan within five days of the Council’s vote.
Community Board 1 is scheduled to vote on the plan on June 17, with Community Board 2 voting the following day, June 18.
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