NYC Board of Standards & Appeals

An integral part of the Citys system for regulation of land use, development and construction, the Board of Standards and Appeals was established as an independent board to grant relief from the zoning code. When New York Citys zoning was first established in 1916, it was intended to be generally applicable to large areas or many sites. However, it was anticipated that certain individual parcels of land could be unduly restricted by the regulations, and that the City would be subject to increased claims of unconstitutional taking of private property. Historically, appeals boards were created all over the country when municipalities established land use regulations. By providing relief through the Board, the possibility is significantly reduced for broad constitutional challenges to the overall zoning. The existence of the Board, in fact, protects the ability of the citys government to regulate development of private property. The Board, pursuant to the 1991 City Charter, contai...