Testimony of CORD Co-Founder Triada Samaras at the Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adam's Meeting on the Gowanus Re-Zone

My name is Triada Samaras. 

I am opposed to the current Gowanus Rezoning plan and urge a pause in the overall process.

I am a member of the Gowanus Canal CAG / Citizen's Advisory Group and I co-founded Carroll Gardens CORD / Carroll Gardens Coalition for Respectful Development with my neighbors in 2007. 

I bought my home in Carroll Gardens in the mid 1990's.  I'm a single mother and working artist. I worked many years to be able to own my home in Carroll Gardens.

In my arts education career I have worked exclusively in public settings with the neediest communities in NYC and urban NJ for over 30 years.  I have been a committed community and arts activist and vocal activist for respectful development for all that time.

The truth here about the health and safety issues of this rezoning are not visible to many of those who are here admirably raging for housing justice for the neediest New Yorkers and who believe this rezoning is a good thing.

I urge everyone to carefully read the DEIS which has mistakes and major flaws throughout it.  It is irresponsible for NYC to railroad this community during this time when we are trying to emerge from a pandemic.  Gowanus deserves better.

Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez has publicly called for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Gowanus rezoning to be re-done with the federal agencies, as required by state and federal law.

Neither social nor economic nor environmental justice is being served by this misguided and rushed re-zoning.  I am opposed to this current re-zoning plan and urge a pause in the overall process until a comprehensive study is done at  *"Public Place" and other coal tar remediation areas that fully documents the the human health impacts of living over a coal tar contaminated site.

As a CAG member I can tell you that the City of New York is currently in total non-compliance with the EPA.  In addition, this ULURP process has been entirely illegal and undemocratic until a few days ago.

Affordable housing is indeed an issue in New York City but the proposed rezoning puts the neediest New Yorkers directly in harms' way due to: **chemical contamination, ***inadequate  CSO planning, and perhaps worst of all:  the location of the land in a flood zone that was ****well-documented during Hurricane Sandy as having toxic flood waters flooding the surrounding streets.

Triada Samaras

CG CORD Co-Founder

Gowanus Canal CAG Member

More Info:

* NYS Just Degraded the Environmental Clean-Up at Public Place / Former Citizen's Manufactured Gas Plant Site

https://pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/2020/08/nys-dec-just-degraded-environmental.html

** Contamination at MGP Sites

https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/24922.html

*** Poonami:  Storm Floods Gowanus Canal with Raw Sewage

https://vimeo.com/288874841

**** Gowanus Canal Flooding Brings Contamination Concerns

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/06/nyregion/gowanus-canal-flooding-brings-contamination-concerns.html

**** Photos: One of America's Most Extensively Contaminated Water Bodies is Flooding

https://observer.com/2012/10/gowanus-canal-flooding/

 

I have been a committed community and arts activist and vocal advocate for respectful development in Brooklyn for all that time.  The truth here about the health and  safety issues of this proposed rezoning  are not visible to many of those here who are admirably arguing for housing justice for the neediest Nyers and  who believe this rezoning is a good thing.   I urge everyone to carefully read the EIS which has mistakes and flaws throughout it. It is completely irresponsible to railroad this community during this time when we are trying to emerge from a pandemic.  Gowanus deserves . Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez has publicly called for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Gowanus rezoning to be re-done with the full participation of federal agencies, as required by state and federal law. Neither social nor economic nor environmental justice is being served by this misguided and rushed rezoning.

I am opposed to the current rezoning plan and urge a pause in the overall process until a comprehensive study is done at "Public Place" and other coal tar remediation areas that fully documents the human health impacts of living over a coal tar contaminated site.

Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez has publicly called for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Gowanus rezoning to be re-done with the full participation of federal agencies, as required by state and federal law. Neither social nor economic nor environmental justice is being served by this misguided and rushed rezoning.

As a CGA member I can tell you that The City of New York is currently in total noncompliance with the EPA. In addition this ULURP process has been  entirely illegal and undemocratic until a few days ago.

Affordable housing is indeed an issue in New York City but the proposed rezoning that we are talking 

about puts the neediest New Yorkers directly in harm's way due to: chemical contamination. inadequate CSO planning, and perhaps worst of all: the location of the land in a flood zone that was well-documented during Hurricane Sandy as having toxic waters flooding the surrounding streets.

Triada Samaras

CG CORD Co-Founder

Gowanus Canal CAG Member

Tell Community Board 6 to Vote NO! on the Current Gowanus re-zoning plan!

Tell Brooklyn Community Board 6 to Vote NO!!!

on the current dangerous and ill-conceived

Gowanus Re-Zoning Plan!

 Send a letter to CB 6 by clicking

https://www.voiceofgowanus.org/cb6_land_use_letter

Tell Brooklyn Community Board 6 to Vote NO!!!

on the current dangerous and ill-conceived

Gowanus Re-Zoning Plan!

See this Voice of Gowanus Page:

What is the "Gowanus Re-Zone?"

https://www.voiceofgowanus.org/what_is_the_gowanus_rezone

Brooklyn Community Board 6 Must Vote No! This week on the proposed Gowanus Re-zoning Plan

As CG CORD just posted via Voice of Gowanus:

Brooklyn Community Board 2 has voted NO! to the Gowanus Re-Zone with good reason.  It is a flawed and very dangerous plan. LINK   

Kudos to CB 2 for doing what is right for the community and its residents!!

Now it is Community Board 6's to do what is right and also vote NO! to the proposed Gowanus re-Zoning Plan.  

There are too many unsettling and dangerous risks in the proposed Gowanus Re-Zoning plan.  Human health and lives are at stake!

Please read some of the public testimonies against the plan CG CORD has recently posted:

Here

Here

Here

CG CORD urges Brooklyn Community Board 6 to Vote NO! Please share this post with your neighbors and community and join us in calling for a NO to the current and ill-considered Gowanus re-zoning plan.

CG CORD

Brooklyn Community Board 2 Votes NO! to Gowanus reasoning plan



From Voice of Gowanus

"GOWANUS REZONE: Brooklyn Community Board 2 Committee VOTES NO"  “It is not affordable. Now you’re building something on a contaminated canal. It’s not right.” "The proposed Gowanus Rezoning stumbled hard out of the gate as the first public body assessed its merits last week following the June 3rd joint community board hearing. The committee found the proposed rezoning plan deeply inadequate and unsafe. A vote of “NO” ensued." "On Wednesday, June 9th, Brooklyn Community Board 2’s Land Use Committee voted 6-4-0 against the Gowanus Rezone. The first community board vote on the de Blasio Administration’s massive Gowanus Rezoning resulted in a dressing down of the city’s proposal based upon the lack of real housing affordability in a plan rife with developer giveaways. It also centered on concern about longstanding health & safety issues as the City looks to put low-income New Yorkers on polluted, toxic land along a waterbody with major flooding problems. " Committee Members Question the Rezoning "In open debate, Committee Member Esther Blount gave voice to the community’s frustration, speaking out in opposition to the Gowanus Rezoning: “I feel like the people who need housing can’t get it but we keep talking about ‘affordable.’ ‘Affordable.’ It is not affordable. Now you’re building something on a contaminated canal. It’s not right.”" "Denise Peterson, Vice-Chair of the Economic Development & Employment Committee, spoke about community opposition to the Gowanus Rezone, saying: “The conversation has to change because it seems like there’s always the wiggle… All those who come to the table to discuss “affordable” housing—and the word “affordable” has more interpretations than I ever heard in my life… It’s not fair… Something has to change. It’s to the benefit of the developer… The rich get richer.”" City Attempts - Yet Again - to Dismiss Human Safety Issues "During the public meeting, Jonathan Keller of the Department of City Planning attempted to dismiss the health & safety concerns raised by committee members, falsely claiming: “Depending on the type of hazardous material, they shift in different ways… Coal tar will just keep sinking.” " "Keller’s misleading comments run directly counter to the engineering-based assessments and professional expertise of Christos Tsiamis, the lead engineer for the Environmental Protection Agency who is overseeing the clean-up of the Gowanus Canal. Tsiamis stated at a public meeting in December 2020 that toxic vapors could rise and be trapped inside of the proposed buildings, posing significant health hazards to future low-income residents; he also said he would not live in those buildings himself."  Community Boards Should Vote No "Brooklyn Community Board 2’s Land Use Committee is to be applauded for engaging in real discussion and considering the broader and longer term implications of the city’s disastrous rezoning plan for Gowanus."   "Voice of Gowanus encourages Community Boards 2 and 6 to vote NO on the Gowanus Rezone, and to trust the assessments of scientific experts. But don’t take our word for it: Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez has publicly called for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Gowanus rezoning to be re-done with the full participation of federal agencies, as required by state and federal law."  #### - info@voiceofgowanus.org Voice of Gowanus http://www.voiceofgowanus.org/

 

Comments on the Gowanus Re-Zone by Marlene Donnelly, FROGG and CAG Member

 CB6 GOWANUS REZONE Statement Jun 3, 2021

My name in Marlene Donnelly for the past 30 years I have lived,

worked, and raised my family along the Carroll Garden’s side of the

Gowanus canal; and have also been active member of the Gowanus

EPA Superfund CAG, a member of the community group FROGG.

Today I am speaking for myself and my family.

First, I would like to say how very disappointed I am in my city

government’s handling of the ULURP process under the pandemic. It

has been sad to see the city administration that calls itself a

‘Progressive” government of the people, acting in an utterly suppressive

manner, in its efforts to hand over huge land-equity increases to

corporate developers at the expense of civic democracy.

The city’s insistence on this zoom session, allowing investors living in

places like New Jersey, equal footing in a ULURP process meant for the

local community, is not something the community agreed to. We can

only hope that none of these present practices will be allowed to

continue to muzzle communities as we move on from this pandemic.

My primary comment on this CB6/CB2 ULURP session is regarding the

whole of the DEIS. New York State SEQR law tells us that all “involved

agencies” must take part in preparing the DEIS for land-use changes as

proposed for Gowanus. Gowanus has a number of “involved agencies”

like the EPA, FEMA, NYSDEC, and possibly even the Army Corp and

HUD, that have jurisdictional responsibilities in Gowanus. They are

“involved agencies”. That these agencies may merely “comment” on the

DEIS, denies the public and the Community Boards the opportunity to

review input of these “involved agencies”.

It is my understanding that this means the current DEIS is insufficient

in meeting the legal requirements of New York State SEQR law.

Members of CB6 and CB2, who will be asked to vote on this action, are

not being given the complete environmental assessment that a proper

DEIS, prepared by all “involved agencies” would. CB6 and CB2

members each must consider that actions taken on this current

iteration of the DEIS may be irrelevant.

I am here today to ask that all members of CB6 and CB2 withhold any

action and vote on the Gowanus ULURP, until City Planning issues a

revised DEIS prepared with all “involved agencies”, as required under

New York SEQR law. Both the community and these Community

Boards are entitled to comment on a legitimate DEIS, one that reflects

the inputs of each “involved agencies” as their existing jurisdictions in

Gowanus require. Please table this current action at this time.

Marlene Donnelly

studio460@msn.com

Gowanus Re-Zone Testimony from CORD Co-Founder Triada Samaras

This testimony was submitted to Brooklyn Community Board 6 last week regarding the Gowanus Rezoning Plan.  CG CORD is firmly opposed to this plan for many reasons.  See below.  CG CORD

Submitted by:  Triada Samaras

Member:  Gowanus CAG and

Co-Founder Carroll Gardens CORD/Coalition for Respectful Development

My name is Triada Samaras. 

I am opposed to the current Gowanus Rezoning plan and urge a pause in the overall process.

I bought my home in Carroll Gardens in the mid 90s. I'm a single mother and working artist. I worked many years to be able to own my own home.

I am a member of the Gowanus Canal CAG Citizens Advisory Group and I co-founded Carrol Gardens CORD/Coalition for Respectful Development with my neighbors in 2007.  

The City of New York is in total noncompliance with the EPA. In addition this ULURP process is  entirely illegal and undemocratic.

Affordable housing is indeed an issue in New York City but the proposed rezoning puts the neediest New Yorkers directly in harm's way due to: chemical contamination. inadequate CSO planning, and perhaps worst of all: the location of the land in a flood zone that was well-documented during Hurricane Sandy as having toxic waters flooding the surrounding streets.

Using the 'affordable housing' issue as a reason to proceed with this re-zoning is both cynical and dangerous.

It is completely irresponsible to railroad this community especially during this time when we are trying to emerge from a pandemic. Moreover New York City is ignoring the public's rights to a voice in this matter.

I am opposed to the current rezoning plan and urge a pause in the overall process until New York City is fully compliant with the EPA.

I am opposed to the current rezoning plan and urge a pause in the overall process until a comprehensive study is done at "Public Place" and other coal tar remediation areas that fully documents the human health impacts of living over a coal tar contaminated site. 

Triada Samaras

CG CORD Co-Founder

Gowanus Canal CAG Member

Gowanus Re-Zone Testimony from CG CORD Co-Founder, Rita Miller

 

This testimony was submitted to Brooklyn Community Board 6 last week regarding the Gowanus Rezoning Plan.  CG CORD is firmly opposed to this plan for many reasons.  See below.  CG CORD

rita miller	Thu, Jun 3, 5:06 PM
to Michael

Submitted by: 

Rita Miller, CORD Co-Founder, Carroll Gardens Resident

June 3, 2021

We all frame and reference things in our personal lives as before, during or after important events.

Covid has made us collectively frame and reference  the events in our lives. Before Covid, life was different for all of us.

We are now in the "during" phase of Covid . There's some light at the end of this tunnel but we are still in the tunnel.

That is why going through this rezoning process now seems surreal.

Before Covid, a community group I co- founded, CORD, questioned the wisdom of increasing our population by 20,000 with no details as to how we were to absorb this increase with the limited services and fragile infrastructure we have in place.

 We asked CB6 publicly, at meeting and via a signed petition, for town hall style meetings so we could question our local, state and federal agencies about our concerns before the actual rezoning time clock began to tick.

Before Covid, our questions were apropos of a plan of this size and scope.

Before Covid, CB6 chose not to pursue our request.

During Covid, many of us are still grappling with grief, anxiety, lingering illness and great uncertainties. Everything around us feels like it is shifting beneath our feet. 

And - We have no idea what the "After" will be like. 

Yet somehow, during Covid, the rezoning clock has begun ticking and what we are seeing hasn’t changed one bit. It is exactly the same proposal as before. 

 Many different questions now come to mind...time limits allow me to mention only a few-

Many small businesses have been devastated. Will they return?

Many jobs, if you still have one, have become home based. This plus urban life phobia has more New Yorkers leaving the city every month. Will they return?

How many businesses with remote workers will still maintain all, some or none of their office space?

What will that former office space be transformed into? What would be its best next use in the "After"?

Given the exodus of so many, Will there still be a need for thousands of affordable housing units in the "After"?

Will there still be demand for any type of housing in the "after"?

Would we benefit more by expanding our ability to promote and encourage manufacturing in the area rather than increasing residential capacity in the "After"?

And the most obvious question: when so much is in flux, why is this rezoning being pursued at all?

Before Covid- our Mayor, both of our Councilmen, City Planning and I suspect the majority of both of our Community Board members and no doubt quite a few incentivized developers, had a dream of a rezoned Gowanus 

During Covid, it seems more like garden variety denial - a refusal to see that our lives and this city have already changed and continue to do so as we speak. 

So CB2 and CB6 members...I ask you to Choose not to pursue this rezoning now.

Like so many of our Before Covid plans and dreams that have been placed on hold in the "during"...

This plan must also be placed upon a shelf  - to be taken down and closely looked at again when we are finally, in the "After".

Rita Miller 

CG CORD Co-Founder

cgcord@gmail.com