Yesterday, City Council Member Bill de Blasio formally introduced a resolution calling for an immediate downzoning study for Carroll Gardens and a halt on construction of anything taller than fifty feet both of which were subjects of a rally on Tuesday. The Carroll Gardens group, CORD said that “for all intents and purposes, he asked for the interim moratorium that we have been hoping for” and that CORD is “most appreciative of this first step. Councilman DeBlasio promised this to us back in September and he has delivered. ” The CORD group also said that “we think it took courage to take this very politically unpopular idea to the Council Chambers.”

A moratorium measure introduced in 2005 by Council Member Tony Avella has languished. That proposal would have banned all development and demolition once a rezoning study started. Mr. de Blasio did not sign on as a supporter of that bill.

“We think that this is the way change begins,” CORD said in an email sent out last night. “It starts with thinking about things differently, challenging what is no longer working and looking for a way to do and make things better. What was introduced on January 30th, in the NYC Council Chambers was a small, but very good first step. We must remember that real change takes determination, purpose, conviction and tenacity. It takes resolve. January 30th was Resolution Day.” It is unclear what impact the resolutions will have. The City Planning Department has said it is committed to a Carroll Gardens rezoning study. At the same time, a significant upzoning of neighboring Gowanus is far along in the process, which can take 18 months or more before plans are submitted to the City Council for approval.