(a)        Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this Section, the City Planning Commission may permit the construction of railroad passenger stations in all districts, provided that the following findings are made:

(1)        that the principal access for such use is not located on a local street;

(2)        that such use is so located as to draw a minimum of vehicular traffic to and through local streets in residential areas; and

(3)        that vehicular entrances and exits for such use are provided separately and are located not less than 50 feet apart.

The City Planning Commission may prescribe appropriate conditions and safeguards to minimize adverse effects on the character of the surrounding area, including requirements for shielding of floodlights or surfacing of access roads or driveways.

In addition, the Commission shall require the provision of adequate accessory off-street parking spaces necessary to prevent the creation of traffic congestion caused by the curb parking of vehicles generated by such use, and shall determine the required spaces in accordance with the purposes established in this Resolution with respect to other major traffic-generating facilities. The Commission shall require, in any event, not less than 20 spaces for the temporary parking of automobiles, and three spaces for buses.

(b)        In Community Districts 4 and 5 in the Borough of Manhattan, the City Planning Commission may permit the construction of railroad passenger stations and ventilation facilities or other facilities or services used or required in connection with such railroad passenger station or in connection with an underground railroad right-of-way that provides access to such railroad passenger station, and may permit waivers of applicable bulk regulations, other than floor area ratio, in connection with such ventilation facilities, or other facilities or services, provided that the following findings are made:

(1)        that the principal access for such railroad passenger station is not located on a local street;

(2)        that such railroad passenger station is so located as to draw a minimum of vehicular traffic to and through local streets in residential areas;

(3)        that any vehicular entrances and exits for such railroad passenger station are provided separately and are located not less than 50 feet apart;

(4)        that the locations of at-grade entrances to such railroad passenger station are well situated in relation to existing at-grade pedestrian circulation patterns;

(5)        that any below-grade pedestrian circulation elements provided in connection with the railroad passenger station are well integrated with any existing or planned below-grade pedestrian circulation networks providing connections to and from other transportation facilities; and

(6)        for ventilation facilities or other facilities or services used or required in connection with a railroad passenger station or in connection with an underground railroad right-of-way that provides access to a railroad passenger station, that:

(i)        any bulk modifications are the minimum necessary for the proper operation of the facility; and

(ii)        the design of the facility will blend harmoniously with the surrounding area or that a process has been created with the purpose of ensuring that the future design of the facility takes into account existing conditions and anticipated development in the surrounding area.

Railroad passenger station entrances provided pursuant to paragraph (b)(4) of this Section and railroad passenger station emergency access stairs, located within publicly accessible open areas of zoning lots subject to the provisions of Section 81-542 (Retention of floor area bonus for plazas or other public spaces), shall be permitted obstructions within such publicly accessible open areas, provided that the Commission finds that any encroachment within such publicly accessible open areas by such entrances or emergency access stairs will facilitate improved pedestrian circulation to, from and within the proposed railroad passenger station.

The special permit shall provide that such publicly accessible open area shall be designed and improved in connection with the installation of entrances or railroad passenger station emergency access stairs pursuant to a site plan accepted by the Chairperson of the Commission. The proposed site plan shall be referred to the affected Community Board, City Council Member and Borough President. Included with the site plan shall be a report to the Chairperson demonstrating that any comments and recommendations of the affected Community Board, City Council Member and Borough President have been considered, as set forth in a written response to such comments or recommendations. Where design modifications have been made in response to such comments and recommendations, the report shall identify how the design has been modified. The Chairperson shall not accept such site plan prior to 60 days after such referral. A publicly accessible open area improved pursuant to an accepted site plan shall be deemed to be certified pursuant to Section 37-625 (Design changes) and the standards set forth therein. Subsequent modifications of the site plan for such publicly accessible open area, including modifications involving the co-location of transportation facility entrances, shall be subject to this paragraph. An application to modify the site plan to facilitate the co-location of railroad passenger station entrances may be filed by the transportation agency seeking to co-locate a transportation facility entrance in the publicly accessible open area or by the property owner. Such application shall include evidence of consultation with any transportation agency with existing or planned facilities located in the publicly accessible open area. The modified site plan shall also be referred to such transportation agency by the Chairperson for comment

The Commission may prescribe appropriate conditions and safeguards to minimize pedestrian and vehicular congestion and to minimize adverse effects on the character of the surrounding area, including requirements for shielding of floodlights, surfacing of access roads or driveways, mitigation of pedestrian impacts, signage requirements, or screening or placement of the facilities or services permitted pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section.