Gowanus Residents Debate Future of Area

“Lander’s whole process was rigged to create a forced consensus to give the developers a green light to go forward,” said an 11-year resident of Gowanus at the Take Back Gowanus meeting Wednesday, referring to Councilman Brad Lander’s series of public meetings earlier this year.

Proposals from speakers at the meeting were wide ranging. Some mentioned in a story in the Brooklyn Eagle:

*An end to residential development on the banks of the canal.
*Designating the first few floors of any new residential building as manufacturing.
*Upgrading infrastructure, whether tied to new development or not.

Some of the proposals aimed to reform the political process:

*Reform the environmental impact process so developers do not hire the reviewers.
*Requiring a community vote on any rezoning.
*Hiring a community liaison to monitor development and negotiate with developers.
*Creating a tenant advocacy group to prevent evictions.

The group may change its name and hold future meetings, said the story. What do you think of the proposals?

Disparate Factions Unite to “Take back” Gowanus From Overdevelopment [Brooklyn Eagle]
Photo by ZuziC2013