Yonkers, NY Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)

O. No. 3-2013 and amended 2022 and 2024, the Yonkers Green Buildings Code (City Code Chapter 50) applies to "covered projects": nonresidential developments over 15,000 square feet or residential developments with more than 25 units, where the City is the record owner of the land or building used for municipal or school purposes, and the work involves new construction, renovation, or expansion. Under § 50-4, any covered project entering the design phase 90 or more days after the legislation's effective date must be designed, constructed and certified to meet the Yonkers Green Building Standards, which the Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Buildings must implement within 30 days of passage and review annually with a report to the City Council (§ 50-3).

The Commissioner may exempt a project in writing under § 50-4(B) if no appropriate Yonkers standard exists for that building type, or if applying the standard is not practical, in which case the Department may substitute lesser or different green building standards. All exemption determinations must be documented in the Department's record. Site plan applications for nonresidential projects over 15,000 square feet or residential projects over 25 units must also include a green buildings survey in a form approved by the Commissioner (§ 50-5). A 2022 amendment added § 50-6, requiring new nonresidential or residential developments with parking garages or lots of 10 or more spaces to provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure for at least 5% of total parking spaces and not less than two spaces, installed per Article XXI of the Zoning Chapter (Chapter 43).