On August 15, 2000, GNYHA and representatives of its member facilities met with the Chairman of the NYC Planning Commission and representatives of the NYC Planning Department to attempt to resolve problems that would be created for health care building projects by NYC's zoning reform proposal, known as the Unified Bulk Program. The City Planning Department indicated a willingness to work with health care facilities to attempt to address the potential effects the proposal might have on hospital, related education and research facility, and continuing care facility building and modernization projects.

Overview of Proposal: The proposed Unified Bulk Program would, if adopted, be the first comprehensive reform of the City's zoning resolution in 40 years, and is designed to simplify and clarify the City's zoning requirements. In doing so, however, the proposal would impose new height limits and setback controls and would limit the transfer of development rights. The proposal would have a disparate and negative impact on health care facilities, which often require greater floor-to-floor heights to accommodate operating rooms, special equipment, auditoriums, and patient care areas with special service needs. In addition, given that health care facilities often require considerable exterior space and light, they would be unable to build shorter but squatter buildings to respond to the height limitations.

GNYHA Activities: The City Planning Department has asked health care facilities to present specific examples of the proposal's potential negative impact. To facilitate this process, GNYHA will hold a briefing in September at which representatives of the City Planning Department will explain the proposal, and GNYHA members will be able to ask questions regarding the application of the proposal to specific projects. Briefing details will be announced soon.