475 Ninth Avenue Associates LLC v. Bloomberg

2 Misc. 3d 597, 773 N.Y.S.2d 790, 2003 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1579
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedDecember 2, 2003
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 2 Misc. 3d 597 (475 Ninth Avenue Associates LLC v. Bloomberg) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
475 Ninth Avenue Associates LLC v. Bloomberg, 2 Misc. 3d 597, 773 N.Y.S.2d 790, 2003 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1579 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2003).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Charles J. Tejada, J.

Introduction

This proceeding is initiated by petitioner, 475 Ninth Avenue [599]*599Associates, pursuant to article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules, by way of order to show cause, to enjoin respondents, Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of the City of New York, the New York City Department of Transportation and the Department of Transportation’s Commissioner Iris Weinshall, from constructing a permanent pedestrian barricade on the sidewalk on Ninth Avenue between 36th Street and 37th Street, to prevent pedestrians from crossing the Lincoln Tunnel’s Ramp C.

Specifically, petitioner alleges a violation of lawful procedures in that respondents have failed to undertake an environmental analysis for an “unlisted action,” pursuant to New York’s State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA), Environmental Conservation Law § 8-0109 and 6 NYCRR 617.7, and the City Environmental Quality Review rules, 62 RCNY chapters 5-6, that respondents have acted in excess of their jurisdiction, that respondents have violated the petitioner’s due process rights, and that respondents have trespassed on petitioner’s property. Further, petitioner alleges that respondents’ action constitutes an unconstitutional taking without just compensation, that respondents’ action is arbitrary and capricious, and that it would have an adverse impact on local development plans.

Respondents oppose the relief sought contending that the permanent pedestrian barricade is a traffic control device “type II” action, exempt from SEQRA environmental review procedures, that they are statutorily authorized to regulate pedestrian and vehicular traffic on New York City streets, that the pedestrian barricade will be installed on city owned property, that there is no constitutional or statutory requirement of notice or a public hearing for the installation of a traffic control device, and that a pedestrian barricade on one street will not significantly impact local development plans.

Background

Petitioner is a real estate investment and management company which owns a recently completed 12-story, mixed use building, with ground floor retail space at 475 Ninth Avenue, between West 36th Street and West 37th Street. According to petitioner, such approved retail uses were part of the goals and plans for the community and were intended to increase pedestrian activity and enhance the pedestrian environment along Ninth Avenue.

On September 22, 2003, respondents began the construction of a permanent pedestrian barricade along the west side of [600]*600Ninth Avenue between 36th and 37th Streets to prevent pedestrians from crossing the Lincoln Tunnel’s Ramp C.

On September 24, 2003, petitioner filed an order to show cause and an ex parte application for a temporary restraining order (TRO) was granted.

On or about October 3, 2003, petitioner filed a notice of revised verified petition demanding a trial by jury.

On October 6, 2003, oral argument was heard on petitioner’s application for injunctive relief. At the conclusion of the hearing, this court reserved decision on the underlying matter, but continued the TRO.

On October 9, 2003, the TRO was vacated.

On October 21, 2003, petitioner filed a verified reply to respondents’ answer.

Upon consideration of the order to show cause, answer, reply, affidavits, exhibits and the oral arguments, petitioner’s request for a permanent injunction is denied based on the following.

Discussion

CPLR 7803 (3) provides for limited judicial review of administrative actions, stating, in part, that the only questions to be considered in a proceeding under this article are: whether a determination was made in violation of lawful procedure, was affected by an error of law or was arbitrary and capricious or an abuse of discretion. (CPLR 7803 [3].)

Petitioner’s first argument for injunctive relief centers on its contention that respondents’ construction and installation of a permanent pedestrian barricade will have a significant adverse impact on the environment, in that it “will cause a diminution in value of petitioner’s property.” Therefore, petitioner argues that respondents should be required to undertake an environmental analysis as required for an unlisted action by SEQRA.

Indeed, section 8-0109 (2) of SEQRA provides that “[a]ll agencies . . . shall prepare, or cause to be prepared by contract or otherwise an environmental impact statement on any action they propose or approve which may have a significant effect on the environment.” (ECL 8-0109 [2]; Chatham Green v Bloomberg, 1 Misc 3d 434 [2003].)

However, respondents assert that the pedestrian barricade is a traffic control device that is an exempt “type II” action under SEQRA. Specifically, SEQRA divides actions into type I, type II and unlisted actions. A type I action carries the presumption [601]*601that it is likely to have a significant adverse impact on the environment and may require an environmental impact study. Type II actions are not subject to environmental impact review because these actions have been determined not to have a significant adverse impact on the environment. Unlisted actions must undergo an environmental impact study to determine if the action may have a significant adverse impact on the environment (Chatham Green v Bloomberg, 1 Misc 3d 434 [2003]).

Consequently, the threshold question presented to this court is whether a permanent pedestrian barricade, designed as a traffic control device to block pedestrian traffic across a city street, is per se an exempt type II action not subject to SEQRA review. Indeed, this issue appears to be a question of first impression. (Cf. Chatham Green v Bloomberg, 1 Misc 3d 434 [2003] [where the court held that because the barricades installed by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) restricted road access to vehicular traffic in the downtown Manhattan area, the NYPD was mandated under SEQRA to conduct an environmental analysis to determine if an environmental impact statement was required].)

Whether the permanent pedestrian barricade in question is a type II or an unlisted action is not simply a matter of labeling by petitioner or respondents. Although “a court may not substitute its judgment for that of the board or body it reviews unless the decision under review is arbitrary and unreasonable and constitutes an abuse of discretion” (Matter of Pell v Board of Educ. of Union Free School Dish No. 1, 34 NY2d 222, 232 [1974] [citations omitted]), a mere assertion by respondents that the permanent pedestrian barricade, at issue, is a type II action does not foreclose review of respondents’ determination. Instead, the court’s review of respondents’ determination is limited to the facts and record adduced before the agency when the administrative determination was rendered (Matter of Levine v New York State Liq. Auth., 23 NY2d 863 [1969]).

A review of the record before this court leads to the conclusion that respondents’ determination that the permanent pedestrian barricade at issue is a type II traffic control device not subject to SEQRA review is a reasonable interpretation of applicable statutes. The respondents reached this conclusion by looking to Vehicle and Traffic Law § 153, which defines traffic control devices as “[a] 11 signs, signals, markings, and devices . . .

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2 Misc. 3d 597, 773 N.Y.S.2d 790, 2003 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1579, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/475-ninth-avenue-associates-llc-v-bloomberg-nysupct-2003.