New York, NY, March 22, 2004—The Center for New York City Law at New York Law School announced today that it has added resolutions of the New York City Council Land Use Committee to its fully searchable Web site, www.citylaw.org.   

The 51 members of the City Council are responsible for the final review of some City Planning Commission (CPC) determinations. Once CPC has issued a report, it files that report with the City Council. The Council will automatically review: zoning map changes, zoning text changes, housing and urban renewal plans, and disposition of residential buildings (except to non-profit companies for low-income housing).  

The City Council is the fourteenth New York City administrative agency that regularly sends administrative decisions to the Web site for uploading in searchable format.  The site boasts 15,000 decisions, some from as far back as 1968.  Access is free.  

Other agencies that have made their decisions available on the Center’s Web site include:   

• Department of Buildings
• Board of Standards and Appeals
• Environmental Control Board 
• Loft Board
• City Planning Commission
• Mayor’s Office of Contracts
• Department of Consumer Affairs
• Tax Appeals Tribunal
• Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings
• Office of Collective Bargaining
• Conflicts of Interest Board
• Commission on Human Rights
• The Landmarks Preservation Commission  

“The Center’s Web site is a virtual public library of New York City administrative decisions,” said Ross Sandler, director of the Center for New York City Law and a professor of law at New York Law School. “It is an open window on city government. For the first time anyone can search at the same time all six New York City land use decision-makers—City Council, Landmarks, City Planning, BSA, Loft Board and Buildings.”  

Information on the Center’s Web site is provided free with support by: 

• Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher
• Charles H. Revson Foundation
• Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
• The Community Trust
• Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
• New York City Council, Gifford Miller, Speaker
• New York Law School  

ABOUT CENTER FOR NEW YORK CITY LAW

Founded in 1993, the Center for New York City Law publishes CityLaw, a bi-monthly journal reporting New York City legal and administrative decisions, and CityRegs, a bi-weekly newsletter on new and proposed city regulations. The Center’s Web site, www.citylaw.org, provides an open window on city government, making over 15,000 city administrative decisions from 14 agencies available free of charge in a searchable, comprehensive online database. The Center’s Director, Professor Ross Sandler, is former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation.  

Contact:
Ross Sandler, Professor of Law and Director, Center for New York City Law,             212.431.2869, rsandler@nyls.edu, www.citylaw.org  

Jim Hellegaard, New York Law School Public Affairs, 212.431.2191, jhellegaard@nyls.edu  

###