Council elects Land Use chief and other committee heads.

In one of the most closely watched New York City Council appointments, Councilwoman June m. Eisland, (D-Bronx) has been elected to chair the powerful Land Use Committee.

Eisland, who served on the committee before being named to head it, competed for the post mainly with fellow Vallone-loyalist Archie Spigner of Queens (REW Dec. 11). Spigner, who also serves on the committee, will hold the new post of deputy majority leader. He will also continue to head the Housing and Buildings Committee.

The Land Use Committee was created when the revised city charter abolished the Board of Estimate and placed the major authority for public and private land use and zoning with the Council. The committee's first chair was Councilman Jerry Crispino (D-Bronx). Therefore, in addition to loyalty to Vallone, geography was said to be on her side.

Eisland, a full-time council member since 1979 and a former head of the Transportation Committee, arrived at elected office via Community Board work. She headed Community Planning Board 8 in the Bronx. The Councilwoman said she would use lessons learned from that work and the inactive building to forge long-range planning for development.

The Land Use Committee has the unenviable position for working with the Site Selection Committee on the mayor's plan to close barracks-style homeless shelters and build 24 smaller shelters throughout the city in residential areas. The recently announced plan has already caused evoked widespread anger and criticism in the city's neighborhoods.

The Land Use Subcommittee heads are: Walter McCaffrey (D-Queens) zoning and franchises; Stephens DiBrienza (D-Brooklyn) landmarks, public siting; and C. Virginia Fields (D-Manhattan) permits, dispositions and concessions.

Stanley Michels

Get Pivotal Job

There was some concern last week when Stanley Michaels (D-Manhattan) was named to head the Environmental Protection Committee, which will make decisions concerning asbestos and sanitation. Michels established himself as a non-friend to real estate when he co-sponsored the commercial rent control bill in the Council.

Other appointments and re-appointments include: Finance -- Herbert Berman (D-Brooklyn); Transportation -- Noach Dear (D-Brooklyn). Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan) will head Contracts, a former subcommittee that will have oversight authority over the city contract but will not award contracts. Economic Development will still be lead by Jerome O'Donovan (D-Staten Island). had voted against commercial rent control.

The new expanded council -- 51 from 35 councilmen -- took office last week. Onlookers say this council is at last a true representation of the city's population. Twenty-five percent of the seats are held by blacks and 16 percent by Hispanics and, for the first time, there are two openly gay members. There is also a group of about 10 councilmen that are expected to be dissenters against Speaker Peter Vallone.