Community Board 7 members voted unanimously on Nov. 16 to approve re-zoning changes for Webster Avenue and select blocks in Norwood and Bedford Park. The borough president’s office will hold its own public hearing on the zoning changes on Thursday, Dec. 2 at Borough Hall, 851 Grand Concourse.

“This has been a long four-year project,” said Fernando Tirado, district manager of Community Board 7. “We hope that with the help of City Planning we can turn this [stretch] into an inviting area for people to come in.”

The Board is proposing to “up-zone” Webster to make it more attractive for residential and small-scale commercial development and to “down-zone” neighborhoods in Norwood and Bedford to prevent developers from turning homes and small buildings into high-rises.

Webster is home to several heavy commercial businesses, auto shops, parking lots and vacant lots. Many business owners hadn’t heard of the re-zoning plans. When informed of the plan, Mr. Power (he wouldn’t give his first name), the owner of G&M Parking on Webster, was immediately concerned. “The idea of zoning and adding new buildings sounds great on paper. However, what is going to happen when you remove my business and residents have nowhere to park?”

Carol Samol, of City Planning, said old businesses will not be forced out.