jurisdiction

Public Design Commission


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Jurisdiction

The Public Design Commission has jurisdiction over City-owned property in general. However, there is shared jurisdiction over scenic landmarks and exemptions for some public authorities and most housing projects.

With the exception of public art, interior work is not subject to review.

Landmarks Preservation Commission

Per Local Law 77 (1995), the Charter was revised to outline the shared jurisdictions of the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and the Public Design Commission with regard to individual landmarks, historic districts, and scenic landmarks depending on project type.

The Public Design Commission has binding jurisdiction over the following elements within scenic landmarks: installation or conservation or art, construction of new structures, and works of landscape architecture. Where the Public Design Commission is binding, LPC has advisory review. A written report from LPC must accompany the Public Design Commission submission.

LPC has binding jurisdiction over all work to individual landmarks and historic districts, with the exception of the installation or conservation of art, as well as alterations or additions to existing structures within scenic landmarks.

Public Authorities

Public Authority Law provides some Public Authorities with an exemption from Commission review based on various criteria. For instance, projects of the School Construction Authority or the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York are exempt based on funding, whereas the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s projects are exempted based on the program of the project. Some authorities do not fall under any exemptions; for instance, there is no such provision for exemption for the Power Authority.

Housing

New York City Housing Authority property is not City-owned, and therefore it is not subject to Commission review. Housing Preservation and Development's (HPD) projects are not typically on City-owned property. HPD therefore submits an extremely limited number of projects that fall within the Tenant Interim Lease Program.