Dutch farmers were the first European settlers in the area. In 1904, Cord Meyer bought 600 acres which were later divided into 6,000 lots, primarily consisting of single-family homes. In 1909, the Russell Sage Foundation purchased approximately 175 acres to develop a fully planned garden city which became known as Forest Hills Gardens. Almost 100 years later the area has maintained its quaint sense of community characterized by tree-lined streets, colonial and tudor-style homes and use of open space.
The area proposed for rezoning is currently zoned R3-2, a district that permits a variety of housing types including garden apartments, row houses and semi-detached and detached houses. The
floor area ratio (FAR) is 0.6, including an attic allowance and the maximum building height is 35 feet, with a perimeter wall no higher than 21 feet.
C1-2 and C2-2 commercial overlays are mapped along portions of Metropolitan Avenue permitting local retail and service uses with a maximum commercial FAR of 1.0.
 View Zoning Comparison Chart.
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