A Curb Cut on Landmarked St. Marks Avenue? Really?

In the suburbs and in communities all over the country the town or local boards make up standards for property upkeep because it keeps up the value of the neighborhood. My brother was once reported to the board by a neighbor for having grass that was 8 inches high, not the mandated 6. Now that's insanity. But more to the point, you own your house, NYC still owns the actual land and a curb cut cuts into public property. It also takes away street parking- so will this homeowner pay the city for the special privilege of taking public property for his own use?

It's all well and good to talk about letting a property owner do whatever he wants- its a nice captialist idea but the reality is we don't live in vacuums. We live in communities and we all have compromises to make in order to do so.

And lastly- he's breaking the law. That's nothing to support.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 10:51 AM

I also think posting the facebook link was very uncool and this is no place to expose someone to attacks and tirades. I am going to ask Jon to remove it. I may not like what they're doing, but there are legal ways to deal with it. I also don't see the necessity of putting the actual address in the initial post. That's really unnecessary- I may not agree with what this person is doing but I don't think she deserves this.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 11:20 AM

It's not right for the neighbors to go after her on the web. No way, no how. If there is a disagreement about the curb cut, they should have kept it amongst themselves.

That said, likely DOB made an error in approving it and the curb cut shouldn't be allowed. Just reiterating my initial point- the front yard may be hers- the sidewalk and street aren't. Therefore the community does have a right to say something. But they should do it like adults.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 11:41 AM

I wrote to Jon asking him to please remove the actual address too but he refused. I understand its part of the "information" but really- we would have had just as much discussion without knowing the house number anyway. I emailed him further.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 2:13 PM

Maly- we don't know anything for a fact. we don't know how the approval got done, who's responsible or the homeowner's intent. And even if they did game the system (which we don't know) this is a private homeowner. The whole mob attack thing is crazy- she isn't a public figure and it's one thing to have your neighbors pissed at you. It's another to post this on the internet and make her vulnerable to every nutjob and wacko out there. I'm sorry- a curb cut does not mean her life should be exposed or destroyed.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 2:41 PM

I agree its a horrible idea and I am dead set against this but that doesn't mean jon should conduct a witch hunt. Who made him the arbiter of life and wouldn't it be better to wait until we had all the facts, not just a vengeful neighbors take on it? Sorry but Jon shouldn't be using his blog as a personal weapon. It sucks and I hope the homeowner talks to a lawyer. I'm all for freedom of the press and the internet- but not if its going to be used (and has been done in the past) to try to destroy someone over something like this. WOnder how any of us would feel if it were happening to them?

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 2:53 PM

Maly- are you the ratting neighbor? I'd hate to have you as mine. Or on a jury. There are 2 sides to every story and before we hang someone out to dry I'd like to know all the facts and make an informed decision. As for the tenant- its a little hard to believe they can be summarily kicked out without notice. Sorry but this is NYC after all. This is not the whole story.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 3:05 PM

z- let's see- house address posted- check

name posted- check

facebook page posted- check

anonymous neighbor posts some facts and lots of conjecture to make homeowner look bad- check

Having Jon Butler crow about publicly embarrassing you on the say so of aforementioned vengeful and anonymous neighbor- check.

Have neighbors post anonymously your personal business on a witch hunting blog thread- check.

Note- on the original forum thread the OP did not post an address and it was Jon who said. let's try public embarrassment.

That doesn't say much for Jon either.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 3:12 PM

Maly- well don't you think its a matter of their paperwork and what they were told? It has nothing to do with the day the block was landmarked and if they go through with this I hope LPC makes them revert to the original front yard. If they are doing something illegal to the tenant, she should give them hell in court- and in this city, she can.

But the point is that the homeowner's name and address and personal business were posted, supposedly in the interest of landmarking, but I can say for sure it was more out of vengefulness, not community interest. What's next- someone objects to our choice of flowers so they put you up for ridicule on brownstoner? My neighbor thinks the ivy on the house encroaches hers so I get to be roasted on Brownstoner? If you're so interested in accuracy and fairness, the neighbor should post their own name and address.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 3:21 PM

On that we agree, Maly :-)

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 3:26 PM

dibs- but this is not a COTD or an HOTD. It's a spite fest and the address is out there now- no big deal to find the other personal info. Its a spitefest and its really crap because yet again, we don't know all the facts of how this was done. We can question the legality and whether or not the homeowner acted maliciously, but its still pretty unethical to post a story like this with only one set of facts and without the other side of the story. Sorry- I don't believe in witch hunts and I like to get all the facts before I go after someone.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 3:36 PM

two cats- indeed its not and I hope the tenant takes her to court. But for the record she has to be given at least 30 days notice so the tenant does have rights. And if the landlord wants to get tough, she could find herself fighting for a long time to get out a tenant who won't have to pay rent for that time. If they had any kind of written agreement prior to the sale, now would be the time to pull it out.

But that said- I would still want to hear the other side of the story before I publicly pilloried anyone. And even then, unless all of us want our private lives to be fodder for the internet, I don't think its the way to go. Every neighborhood dispute? Where is it going to stop if we use the internet to bludgeon everyone we know or disagree with- and I don't mean public issues and persons. To use the internet as a threat to force someone to do what you want? So not good.

Posted by: bxgrl at September 23, 2009 9:39 PM