N.Y.C. Charter § 201: Section 201. Applications for zoning changes and special permits.

a. Applications for changes in the zoning resolution may be filed by any taxpayer, community board, borough board, borough president, by the mayor or by the land use committee of the council if two-thirds of the members of the committee shall have voted to approve such filing with the city planning commission. All such applications involving changes in the designation of zoning districts under the zoning resolution shall be subject to review and approval pursuant to section one hundred ninety-seven-c, and one hundred ninety-seven-d, except as set forth in section one hundred ninety-seven-e. For applications involving other changes in zoning resolutions and regulations, the commission prior to taking action upon any such application shall refer it to the affected community boards or borough boards for a public hearing and recommendation, provided, however, that applications described in paragraph four of section two hundred, shall be referred to affected community boards and the affected borough president in accordance with the expedited land use review procedure set forth in section one hundred ninety-seven-e.

b. Applications for special permits within the jurisdiction of the city planning commission under the zoning resolution may be filed by any person or agency. All such applications for the issuance of special permits shall be subject to review and approval pursuant to section one hundred ninety-seven-c and section one hundred ninety-seven-d.