Community Boards
June 12, 2009
CB8 Recap: Treatment Center, Street Closings & Elections
Reader Collin Hodges files this report from last night's Community Board 8 general meeting...Under the threat of last night’s rain, residents of Brooklyn’s Community Board 8 made their way to the board’s last general meeting until September. The acting chairperson, Robert Matthews, opened by welcoming representatives of the evening’s venue, the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, located on Classon Avenue between Park Place and Prospect Place. Particularly notable was the fact that it was Robert Matthew’s last meeting as chairperson, as he is to retire after serving an impressive 23 years on the board.
Two representatives of the 77th Precinct were the first to step before the crowd, testifying that crime had dropped by 17.9% and that they are on track for even further reductions. Their announcement that police foot-patrols will be reinstated on Franklin and Bedford Avenues led to the most widespread enthusiasm, despite several residents expressing worry about the possible overflow of crime onto Kingston Avenue and points east.
Easily the most anticipated issue of the night, however, was the Housing and ULURP Committee’s presentation of their resolution on the Peter Young Homeless Center scheduled for re-opening at 1140 Pacific Street. (A report on their earlier meeting is here.) Their resolution was presented largely as expected, stating that Community Board 8 will take an official stance against the center, and it passed by a landslide of 25 to 6 with 11 abstentions. A representative of the intake center was present, but her testimony was met largely with indifference and hostility, though the representative cited real estate concerns as one major reason for establishing the center on Pacific Street. Some residents were also upset over a suspected “bait and switch” from a more benign version to the currently proposed residential treatment center, though the representative vehemently maintained that she “had no knowledge of residential treatment” before the proposal was altered. In response, a board member stated that CB8 maintains 6 times more social service centers within its borders than the average for the city.
Perhaps surprisingly, one of the more contentious issues for the public turned out to be the June “Summer Streets” closure of Vanderbilt Avenue...
Continue reading "CB8 Recap: Treatment Center, Street Closings & Elections"
CB2 Recap: Navy Green, 470 Vanderbilt Green-lighted
Our Community Board 2 correspondent reports back on Wednesday night's general meeting; the Local also has extensive coverage of the meeting.
A Public hearing about Navy Green (previously reported) preceded the general meeting with a presentation by the developer. No one spoke in opposition but one person questioned the decision to include no on site parking. A second public hearing was held concerning 470 Vanderbilt Avenue’s rezoning (also previously reported) — the developer made a presentation (in which he mentioned that he was indeed still in discussions with Whole Foods) and there were no other speakers. The Public hearings were closed and the meeting began. Navy Green (at left) was approved as requested unanimously with one abstention. A second vote passed 23-12 requesting that some onsite parking be incorporated. 470 Vanderbilt (at right) was approved unanimously with no abstentions.
Eight new Board members were introduced. They are Kay Casanova, Thomas Conoscenti, Michael Epstein, Terrance Know, Kenn Lowy, Jesse Strauss Alejandro, Varela and Siobhan Watson. Two of eight have college degrees in City Planning. Rob Perris gave a shout out to Brownstoner.com in his presentation on the Community Board's new web site — to be activated shortly. Rob was mentioned in a comment on the post about the Community Board rally at City Hall.
June 10, 2009
Rally to Oppose Community Board Budget Cuts
Yesterday morning several hundred community board members from around the city gathered on the steps of City Hall to protest proposed budget cuts that would shave an average of $20,000 from each of the city's 59 community boards (18 in Brooklyn); the protesters were joined by four borough presidents as well as mayoral hopeful William Thompson. Councilwoman Letitia James said that Council budget negotiators have "laid a line in the sand that you will not touch the budgets of the community [boards]." Lots of photos from the event in this Flickr set.
Borough Leaders Rip Citywide CB Budget Cuts [NY Daily News]
May 22, 2009
CB6 Parks & Recreation Meeting Recap
Another report from a community board blogger...
Last summer, Brooklynites spent many a sunny day at Pier 1, the preview of the Brooklyn Bridge Park opened by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation (BBPDC) and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy. Summer turned to fall and Pier 1 closed, but Wednesday night’s meeting of the Parks and Recreation Committee of Community Board 6 drew a good sized crowd to discuss the status and future development of the Park. BBPDC President Regina Myer made a presentation about the Park’s design and construction, State Senator Daniel Squadron discussed the Park’s financing and governance, and residents of CB6 came prepared to talk about the community’s role in planning the Park—or lack thereof.
Myer was up first to speak about the current status of the Park’s construction and planning...
CB2 Land Use Committee Hearing Recap
Another report from one of our citizen bloggers...
As part of Community Board 2's Land Use Committee meeting on Wednesday night, there was a public hearing on the special permit extension for the gasoline station at 838-846 Fulton Street also known as 489-93 Vanderbilt Avenue. This is a renewal of an extent special permit until 2017. The station, which been there since at least 1950, has service bays and new gas pumps. The representative of the owner made a presentation. No one spoke against it and the community board has not had any complaints about it in at least 5 years. After the public hearing was closed, a motion was passed, unanimously, to recommend approval of the extension.
Two presentations followed. The first was on Navy Green- Wallabout Bay (pictured at right). This is a 455 unit development- 223 rentals, 102 co-ops or Condo, 23 4-story 2-family townhomes and 95 supportive housing units. It’s a development on City-owned property north of the BQE. The developers include Dunn Development Co, L and M Developers LLC, Pratt Area Community Council (for the supportive housing) and BCHS Inc. It will be built in three stages with the co-ops/condos and town homes dependent on the housing market at the time. 22% of the rentals will be at 40% of AMI, 40% at 60% of AMI, 6% at 80% of Ami, 16% at 100% of AMI and the balance (16%) market rate. There will be no on-site parking as the EAS (environmental assessment statement) found it unnecessary. This exception requires a zoning override. The development will provide onsite bicycle parking.
Navy Green will have two eight-story buildings on one end at two of its corners adjoining a lot across the lot that is privately owned. There will be two 12 story on the other ends corners on the end of the block. Between the eight- and twelve-story buildings there will be on each of the side streets the 23 4-story townhomes. A central green space will open to all residents but not publicly accessible. The supportive housing will contain 95 supportive housing studio apartments. 57 for the formerly homeless and the balance for people making no more than 40% of AMI. There will be social services on site 24 hours a day seven days a week.
The second new development up for discussion was 470 Vanderbilt Avenue (pictured at top). This is a request for a rezoning of a block on Vanderbilt Avenue at Atlantic Avenue and Vanderbilt. This is a 365-unit rental development. To be eligible for the inclusionary zoning bonus at least 20% of the units must be affordable. The developer is using 80% of AMI as the affordability measure; 24% of the units are scheduled to be affordable. The developer had originally proposed a higher number of affordable housing but in consultation with Council member James who asked that more two-bedroom apartments be made available (as opposed to one-bedroom or studios), the affordable housing component contains 29 two bed room apartments in the 85 set aside. The space set aside for the affordable housing remains the same. The developer also needs a variance as to the street wall (to accommodate his design and not force him to build up to the street wall) and a courtyard variance to accommodate the design (with a larger courtyard than required). There will be a two-level underground garage as of right accommodating 320 cars. The developer is looking for a supermarket for the site and announced that Whole Foods is under consideration for the site.
Note: these two presentations were both made prior to City Planning certifying the development for the City’s ULURP (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure). It is anticipated that these two will both be certified shortly and since the Board must decide these within a certain number of days-and the committee will not be meeting again for the summer, the Chair requested that there be motions made concerning both developments in concept.
The Committee voted to approve in Concept Navy Green unanimously with one abstention and 470 Vanderbilt unanimously with no abstentions.
Below, CB2 considers two Landmarks applications...
May 21, 2009
CB7 Votes in Favor of Sunset Park Rezoning Plan
Today we have another Community Board report from a reader...
The full CB7 Board vote went as planned last night, despite a large crowd of protesters outside of CB7 with whistles and banners, led by the founders of SPAN (Sunset Park Alliance of Neighbors). The organizers' goal appeared to be to spread misinformation about the rezoning: that it would not curb development and that it would bring more condos, higher rents and greater displacement. In the end, many from the mixed crowd of Chinese and Latino residents had to be escorted from the meeting after the vote.
The disruptions did nothing to stop the CB7 Board from overwhelmingly approving the ULURP with the provisions of lowering the rezoning of 4th Ave from R7A with an affordable housing incentive (8 stories) to R6A to ensure the views from Sunset Park (from the park) to the harbor and help preserve many affordable housing units in place and lower income rent. R6A would have far less incentive for developers to demo existing stock and build new condo projects. There was also the addition of the recommendation by CB7 to include the rezoning as an anti-harassment special district, putting further assurances in place that owners/developers cannot illegally evict tenants in the name of creating newer housing stock.
Sunset Park Rezoning Review Begins [Brownstoner]
Sunset Park Rezone Plans Meet the Community [Brownstoner]
Sunset Park One Step Closer to Rezoning [Brownstoner]
May 20, 2009
Community Board 2 Transportation Meeting Recap
Today we're pleased to run the first of our Community Board reports by and for the community...
There were two public hearings concerning new licenses for outdoor cafes at last night's Community Board 2 Transportation Committee meeting. Both owners made a presentation and there was an opportunity for anyone to speak either in favor or against. There was no one other than the owner for the one at 82 Washington Avenue, Mojito Cuban Cuisine (above), and one person raised a question about the sidewalk and bad weather for Deniz at 662 Fulton Street. Deniz’s representative suggested that when its bad weather the sidewalk café will be closed. The committee recommended approval of both licenses. They will be voted on by the full Board at the next full Board Meeting in June.
The next item on the agenda was a presentation by the Bridge Division of the NY City Department of Transportation. A major repair and renovation of the Brooklyn Bridge is planned to begin in the fall and be completed in approximately 3 and ½ years. The renovation will result in partial closing of at least one of the two road ways during most weeknights and 24 closings of the Bridge on weekends. The Bridge will always maintain its east bound (Brooklyn Bound) lanes-even if they have to be on the west bound roadway of the Bridge. Obviously the west bound (Manhattan) lanes would be closed and traffic diverted to either the Manhattan Bridge or the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. When the diversion is in effect there will be 5 westbound lanes of the Manhattan Bridge available. Traffic mitigation and significant disruption may occur. Throughout the construction on the Brooklyn Bridge the pedestrian and bicycle paths on the Bridge will be maintained at all times.
More news about the bridge construction and a new street plaza for Schermerhorn Street on the jump...
Continue reading "Community Board 2 Transportation Meeting Recap"
January 14, 2009
Closing Bell: Want to Be on Your Community Board?
Streetsblog reminded us that the February 13th deadline for submitting an application to be on one of Brooklyn's community boards is fast approaching. Are you ready to make a difference in your neighborhood? Find your assigned community board and apply.
Photo by shawn.l
May 22, 2008
'A Good Day for the Community Boards'
Community Board advocates held a press conference outside of City Hall yesterday to speak in support of the boards in advance of a Council hearing on the budget. The city's 59 community boards are facing budget cuts and some say they're in danger of becoming obsolete. According to an email sent out by Community Board 6 District Manager Craig Hammerman, "it was a good day for community boards," with Borough Presidents Markowitz, Carrion and Stringer spearheading the press conference and Councilmembers Yassky and de Blasio also backing the event. Hammerman writes: "At the press conference, dozens of speakers from the various Borough Presidents offices and the Community Boards across the City moved the action indoors to speak at the hearing. Many City Council Members themselves took advantage of the venue to restate their support for the Community Boards, including Council Members de Blasio, a member of the Council's budget negotiation team, and Gonzalez who both pledged to 'stand with us' and 'go to bat for us' in the budget process. Several Council Members, including Council Member James, suggested to us that the Community Boards would come through the budget process whole. Of course, until the ink dries on an adopted budget anything can happen. And unexpected things often do in this City."
End Days for Community Boards? [Brownstoner]
Photo by jebb.
May 20, 2008
End Days for Community Boards?
Brooklyn's community boards probably won't be accomplishing much of consequence over the next year, according to an article in today's Daily News. Our borough's 19 boards recently submitted requests to the city for things they'd like to see happen in fiscal year 2009, like a new sewer in Prospect Heights and a new police precinct in Bushwick. The city has told most boards to keep dreaming, and it's only committing to small measures like getting new printers for Bushwick's firehouse. The city also plans to slash the already meager budgets community boards have to play with. "They're basically sounding the death knell for community boards," said CB1 District Manager Gerald Esposito. Is it true? Could we really be witnessing a slow sunsetting of community boards? And if that turns out to be the case, what's going to replace their role?
Brooklyn Community Boards Expecting a Lean 2009 [NY Daily News]
CB6 Chief Talks Community Board Budget Cuts [Brownstoner]
Photo by Bryan Bruchman.
April 14, 2008
Shucks! Oyster Bar Dredges Up Controversy on Hoyt
For the past several months, a Community Board 6 committee has been considering a local business owner's application to get a liquor license for a bar he wants to open on Hoyt and Union. The board examined whether zoning allows for a drinking establishment in the building, which is adjacent to the Black Mountain Wine Bar, and also heard from some neighbors (especially a group called the Hoyt Street Alliance) who were opposed to the proposed business for a number of reasons, including the fact that it's near a school and the stretch of Hoyt it would open on is primarily residential. After chewing on the application for a long time, CB6 finally voted in favor of the liquor license application last week, but controversy about the establishment and the board's vote (which is ultimately only advisory, though it's weighed by the State Liquor Authority) is still alive on the web. Pardon Me For Asking has penned a couple of withering posts on the topic, writing, "As far as I am concerned, C.B.6 just signaled to all restaurateurs that this district is a free for all and that residential streets are as good as any to open bars," and also including commentary from former CB6 member Barbara Brookhart about the decision. Brookhart said "it appears that the Board gave more weight to a few residents that approved having the restaurant and bar, than the block association's petition of about 300 names against the approval of the license." Meanwhile, on the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association message board, a couple people have had a more tempered opinion of the board's actions. One CB member, who voted against the liquor license, nevertheless notes that "commercial use is legal, although non-conforming to current zoning at that location," while another nearby resident wrote, "Actually, I think the folks on Hoyt have a point, though having the existing bar there has been an amenity which brightens an otherwise isolated area, and impacts positively on our community." The business owner who made the application for the oyster bar is Jim Mamary, the successful Smith Street restaurateur who was behind Patois and other notable eateries.
Community "Business" Board 6 Sticks It To Hoyt & Bond Residents [Pardon Me For Asking] GMAP
April 2, 2008
CB6 Chief Talks Community Board Budget Cuts
Last weekend the Times had a piece about the big budget cuts the Bloomberg administration is looking to impose on the city's 59 community boards. The article points out that CBs may have to try to rustle up private funding to compensate for the funds shortage from their already anemic budgets (most get about $200,000 a year, the majority of which goes to the boards' salaried employees). Close to home, the cuts will hit Community Board 6—which serves Carroll Gardens/South Brooklyn, Cobble Hill, Columbia Street District, Gowanus, Park Slope and Red Hook—hard, says CB6 District Manager Craig Hammerman. "It's not possible for us or the majority of community boards to absorb these cuts without them affecting our personnel," says Hammerman, who notes that for the 18 years he's served on CB6, the board has gotten no budget increases from the city, and that the only extra cash they've seen came out of collective bargaining agreements. The city wants each board to cut approximately $16,000 from its fiscal year '09 budget, which amounts to "around $944,000 from a $61 billion budget," says Hammerman. "The only thing I can speculate is that the mayor doesn't like us," says the district manager. Hammerman, who is running for the City Council spot Bill de Blasio is vacating, concedes that it's high time for a reconsideration of how communities are represented in city government, since the current community board model hasn't been tweaked in 20 years. "I don't pretend that community boards are the end all be all, and the system certainly has its problems," he says. "But community boards provide one of the only means of checks and balances for the executive branch of the city and help people who are affected by what the administration decides." The community board budget cuts will be considered by the City Council when it reviews the budget, but with a leaner, meaner budget on the table this year, the Council is going to have to make tough decisions about the magnitude of funding cuts facing many agencies, including the Dept. of Ed and the FDNY. "The Council needs to decide whether the community boards rank high enough on their radars, and they've got a lot of pressure from other agencies on them this year," says Hammerman. A letter regarding the cuts that Hammerman has just sent to the borough president and Councilmembers is on the jump.
Community Boards Face Big Budget Cuts [Brownstoner]
Continue reading "CB6 Chief Talks Community Board Budget Cuts"
W'Burg Builders Sue, Say Rezoning Like Eminent Domain
Rezoning and eminent domain (and landmarking) have been the hottest topics in Brooklyn development over the years, and a group of Williamsburg property owners are saying they're one in the same. Dozens of property owners affected by last week's Grand Street rezoning are preparing to sue the city, as detailed in The Real Deal. The owners charge the proposal was ramrodded through the approval process to prevent their participation. One petitioner said eminent domain is almost better. "The government is required to compensate you for the loss at some sort of market rate," he said. "Whereas in zoning … there's no requirement for compensation and a very limited requirement for notice." John Isdith and his father, Carlos, pictured above, are among dozens of small-time developers who, now forced to reduce their project, said they're considering joining the suit. Do the two have similarities? Which is more unfair—downzoning or eminent domain?
Williamsburg Developers, Homeowners to Sue City [TRD]
Council Green-Lights Grand Street Rezoning [Brownstoner]
March 14, 2008
Community Boards Face Big Budget Cuts
A few months ago the city told community boards that they were going to be looking at budget cuts of $5,000 for the next fiscal year, a fate that CBs across the city were a little less than thrilled to hear about. As it turns out, though, the Bloomberg administration is now looking to slash the budgets of New York's 59 community boards even more as part of the larger citywide belt-tightening. Next year's budget, as currently planned, will involve every community board losing 8 percent, or $16,000, from their $200,000 budgets. While $16,000 doesn't seem like a huge amount of money, it is for most community boards, which have to pay for all staff members and office operating costs from the $200K they receive every year. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer is opposing the cuts, and CB6 District Manager Craig Hammerman spoke out against them at this week's general board meeting, noting that in the 16 years he's served on CB6, they've never received a budget increase. “It gets to a point where you cut to the bone," he said. "The city can’t have it both ways. They didn’t share anything with us in the good times but now they expect us to give up in lean times."
January 11, 2008
CB6 Looks to Ensure Responsible Development
Community Board 6—which covers Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Cobble Hill, Red Hook and Park Slope—is starting to work on a couple of initiatives meant to address the district’s “continued wave of development,” according to Chairperson Richard Bashner. The preliminary ideas, which were announced at this week’s general board meeting, include coming up with a process to make it easier for people to report construction violations and trying to ensure that all contractors working in the district follow a to-be-determined code of conduct. The power-to-the-people initiative may involve generating a standardized violation checklist that would be distributed to CB6 residents. The idea would allow the man/woman on the street to use the form to tick off violations they notice at construction sites and then submit the checklist to CB6 or the city. The initiative targeted at contractors, meanwhile, is likely to encourage (or possibly demand) that developers require work crews to follow certain practices, and it’s going to be fine-tuned by CB6 subcommittees in upcoming months. Think these ideas will help curb irresponsible development?
Calls for a CB6 Buildings Oversight Committee [Brownstoner]
October 19, 2007
CB1 to Burg Bar: We Hate You, Don't Leave Us
The owners of a Williamsburg bar that's frequently incurred the ire of neighbors came to the conclusion that the only way to appease the 'hood was to put a cork in their business. Just one hitch: Community Board 1 has been making it almost impossible for the owners to close shop (according to the owners). Since opening three years ago on Bedford and North 11th, hip-hop bar Triple Crown's been on the receiving end of tons of noise complaints and has frequently been ticketed by police officers. Its owners say the complaints and ticketing continued even after they spent nearly $40,000 in early '05 to soundproof and reconfigure the bar's space. They decided to get out of the bar game about a year ago since the constant fines were making it nearly impossible for them to turn a profit. "We were never making a lot of money," says Myles Tipley, who partnered with his cousin Kit Tipley and friend Michael Pappalardo to open Triple Crown. "And then as soon as we'd start doing well, we'd get fines. It was just really frustrating."
But the trio's frustrations didn't end there...
Continue reading "CB1 to Burg Bar: We Hate You, Don't Leave Us"
October 11, 2007
CB6 Budget: The Big 10
Last night Community Board 6 voted to adopt a long list of budget requests for Fiscal Year 2009. What follows are the board's top 10 capital budget requests, which are supposed to signal to the mayor's office and city agencies the projects the board considers most in need of funding:
1. Reconstruction of Court St. (Atlantic to Hamilton)
2. Subway Station Rehab at Smith/9th Street
3. Relocation and Construction of 78th Precinct House
4. Repair 9th St. Flooding (2nd Ave to Gowanus Canal)
5. Construction of Conover Street Extension (Pioneer to Hamilton)
September 12, 2007
Calls for a CB6 Buildings Oversight Committee
Sunset Park’s got one, so why can’t we? The sentiment was part of a call at last night’s Community Board 6 meeting to establish a buildings and construction subcommittee, a la the one on CB7. A number of board members noted it would make a lot of sense to have a group focused exclusively on construction issues since so much CB6 business involves scrutinizing new developments. CB6 Chair Richard Bashner said the board would look into the idea, which means it’s sure to be chewed on at upcoming meetings. While the proposal sounds like something of a no-confidence vote for the DOB, it seems like a reasonable enough notion for a community board whose neighborhoods include plenty of new construction (hello, Fourth Avenue). And hey, we hear that Park Slope is next to some project that’s supposed to be the largest in Brooklyn, or something.
Latest Restaurant Additions
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Chickadee Chick
added November 6, 2009 12:00 PM in Park Slope -
Vutera
added November 5, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Park Cafe
added November 4, 2009 12:00 PM in Park Slope -
Bahia
added November 3, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Aqualis Grill
added November 2, 2009 12:00 PM in Fort Greene -
Wombat
added October 30, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Organic Heights
added October 29, 2009 12:00 PM in Park Slope -
Giardini Pizza
added October 28, 2009 12:00 PM in Carroll Gardens -
Rye
added October 27, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Bati
added October 26, 2009 12:00 PM in Fort Greene