Friday, December 7, 2007

All that digging and shaking in Carroll Gardens spells: "MORATORIUM NOW!"

Dear Mayor Bloomberg, Borough President Markowitz, Assemblywoman Millman, Councilman DeBlasio and Ms Burden,

We just happened to notice this 12/7/2007 Gowanus Lounge story: A Lot of Digging and Shaking at 340 Court Street link.

This is not exactly bore testing going on here---we don't think they generally use a bulldozer for that. Please see all these complaints on file link.

It seems as though the wild construction cowboys are at it again. We, for one, are not surprised, as we at CORD have been saying this all along.
Amanda Burden has asked the Borough President for "guidance" in identifying areas in critical need of zoning adjustments----
Do you think this type of flagrant disregard and disrespect for not only the community, but the law constitutes a need for some type of protective action? Would you characterize our needs as critical yet?
Who is watching out for our safety?
Who is protecting our property?
Why does it seem as though the developer's rights and interests are put before ours?
Don't you agree that an immediate interim moratorium is more relevant than ever for Carroll Gardens?
Can you think of another method that could be employed to immediately safeguard our community from this type of abuse?
Even the commencement of a rezoning study will not stop many of the proposed projects from beginning---it may even encourage more cutting of corners, which generally creates an even more dangerous atmosphere.
In this instance, it seems as though the people in charge of the 340 Court St project were under the impression that as long as they told the community the building would not be too tall, they could do whatever they wanted.
We need your help. We need it now.Please.
Sincerely,
CORD
Carroll Gardens Coalition for Respectful Development

CORD HISTORY:

With the "Protect Our Homes" petition, CORD was formed in May, 2007. This petition arose as an overwhelmingly negative response to the coming of the over-sized 360 Smith Street Development at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place (Aka Oliver House; aka 131 Second Place). This petition, which had well over three thousand signatures, led to a new zoning text amendment in summer of 2008.

To: Our Elected Officials, Community Leaders, The MTA:
(MAY, 2007)

We the undersigned Carroll Gardens homeowners and residents, are appalled by the "as of right" ruling which allows owners and developers to erect buildings in our neighborhood with no regard to the impact they will present to our quality of life and the value of our homes........

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?crlgrdns