The City Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday on recommendations to decrease the size of the project. Ratner says he’s on board. What does this mean? This from NY 1.

Developer Bruce Ratner says he’s on board with a scaled-down plan for his Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn.

The project has sparked many protests in the past but Wednesday’s vote went off with little fan fare. That does not mean everyone is happy with the plan.

"Because it is located at the intersection of three of the borough’s major commercial thoroughfares, a level of density is appropriate," said City Planning Commission Chair Amanda Burden. "It will bring vitality, investment, energy and excitement to this great borough."

"The adverse impacts of this proposed project outweigh all of the social benefits. They include traffic mitigation. They include the displacement of a significant number of poor people and people of color," said Brooklyn City Councilmember Letitia James. "It will result in instant gentrification."

The panel has recommended that developer Bruce Ratner reduce the size of three towers, eliminate an estimated 382 apartments and add an acre of open space.

However, the proposed building known as "Miss Brooklyn" would not be scaled down, making it the tallest building in the borough.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz says even with the changes, it will be impossible to make everyone happy.

"There are some groups that under any circumstance will never support this, either because they’re against eminent domain, which will be very modestly used in this project, extremely modestly," he said. "There are those that are against major developments and they are not going to be swayed."

Critics say even a scaled down project is too big and, ultimately, the City Planning’s recommendations won’t matter because the project still needs approval from the state Public Authorities Control board, which includes Governor George Pataki, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.

"City Planning has no say in this project. It’s a recommendation," said Daniel Goldstein of Develop-Don’t Destroy Brooklyn. "I think that it’s a sad day yesterday for city planning and urban planners in general, because what we have is a massive plan with no urban planning going on, just recommendations."

A spokesperson for Forest City Ratner says the company will work with the planning department to ensure the success of the project.