Thursday, August 30, 2007

Town Hall Meeting Still Resonating One Week Later!!

This appeared in today's Queens Ledger:

Dateline : Thursday, August 30, 2007
Attacking Overdevelopment on Several Fronts

By Shane Miller

Downzoning? Landmarking? Moratorium on all new construction? Yes, yes, and yes, say residents of Carroll Gardens.
Such was the general consensus at a town hall meeting hosted by Councilman Bill de Blasio, which saw upwards of 100 people pack into Scotto Funeral Home on 1st Place last Thursday evening. De Blasio told the crowd that it was the first in a series of meetings he planned to host to address concerns of overdevelopment in the neighborhood, which is sandwiched between the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the Gowanus Canal.
"We need to get tightly organized as a neighborhood," de Blasio told the crowd.
Several large development proposals have galvanized the Carroll Gardens community, a neighborhood characterized by its attached rowhouses and brownstones and distinctive front-yard gardens, which in addition to giving the neighborhood its namesake as well as qualifying for a "wide streets" classification, which allows developers greater density.
One of the most notorious development plans on the table is located at 360 Smith Street. De Blasio and local residents have organized several rallies in protest of the project, which originally called for an eight-story building on what is now essentially a parking lot near the Carroll Gardens subway stop.
According to de Blasio, developer Billy Stein intended to submit revised plans sometime this week, in part because of the intense opposition to the project.
"We are going to make it difficult for them to do something crazy," de Blasio told the crowd.
The sale of the International Longshoreman's Association building site at 340 Court Street was also a source of concern. The large lot size means that the new owners, developers The Clarett Group, could build a 21-story building as of right.
"The developer doesn't have to go to the planning board or the city," said Assemblywoman Joan Millman, who along with Congresswoman Yvette Clarke attended the town hall. "He doesn't have to go to anyone."
Millman said that she met with representatives from The Clarett Group, who told her that it was premature to be discussing plans, as an architect hasn't even been hired to design the site.
Carroll Gardens residents received a minor victory recently, as the Department of City Planning (DCP) agreed to undertake a downzoning study. De Blasio said that the rezoning area would include everything west of Hoyt Street, but later said that he misspoke and meant to say west of Bond Street. In a nutshell, the downzoning would place a 50-foot cap on new buildings.
DCP, however, has refused to publicly state a time frame for the rezoning. Even if the study were started today, it would likely take months to complete, and the ensuing Uniform Land Use Review Process (ULURP) and subsequent public review periods could take up to seven months to complete.
That gives developers plenty of time to get projects started, prompting many last week to call on a moratorium on all new construction in Carroll Gardens. Several members of the audience wore yellow tags and held signs that read "Moratorium Now!"
Rita Miller of Carroll Gardens Organization for Respectful Development gave the most impassioned case for a moratorium. She said the unchecked overdevelopment was not only ruining the character of the neighborhood, but taxing the infrastructure, including schools and mass transit.
"You wouldn't get a pet for your home without making certain preparations," said Miller. "We deserve the same respect as a parakeet."
Bob Furman of the Four Borough Neighborhood Preservation Alliance (4BNA) told the crowd that such a moratorium would be illegal, a position de Blasio has taken in the past. Miller, however, said she had a letter from DCP head Amanda Burden, which expressed interest and support for a moratorium
A DCP spokesperson clarified the agency's position on Monday, stating that a moratorium is untested and would likely have to go through the ULURP process as well, which could delay any rezoning.
Furman also urged residents to support expanding the areas of Carroll Gardens that are landmarked. Currently, there are about four blocks of the approximately 80 in the neighborhood that are protected. Once a district is scheduled for a hearing before the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC), all development must stop, which would work much like a moratorium.
Furman said that he and three other members of 4BNA met with LPC chair Robert Tierney in July.
"He said, 'we'd love to do it, but we don't have the staff,'" recalled Furman.
Furman did say that a former employee of LPC could be hired to complete a landmarking study, the findings of which LPC would use to determine the historical significance of the district. The 4BNA has requested $40,000 from de Blasio to begin the process.
But while the city has agreed in theory to downzone much of Carroll Gardens, they have very different plans for the portion of the neighborhood along the Gowanus Canal.
On July 17, the city issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for roughly 5.8 acres of land at the intersection of 5th and Smith streets known as the Public Place site. The guidelines of the RFP called for the creation of at least 400 housing units, some of which will be set aside for senior housing.
"We need to make sure that new development is in synch with the surrounding neighborhood," said de Balsio, "but where we have the opportunity for more density, we should use that to create affordable housing. I'm going to push the spectrum."
Not every one is excited about the prospect of development along the canal, however. Marlene Donnelly of Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus (FROGG), for instance, would rather see the area along the canal restored to a natural wetland state.
Donnelly worries that more development, along with the proposed Atlantic Yards project, will only tax the canal further, and that the areas around the Gowanus Canal are being rezoned to facilitate a downzoning of the greater Carroll Gardens area.
"There are trees that could be planted that would suck up stormwater like crazy," she argues. "It is no place for housing."
Donnelly cites a study completed by the Army Corps of Engineers that recommended employing bio-remediation techniques to clean the area around the creek.
"Caps always fail," she adds. "On top of that, you are going to have 100 trucks a day hauling dirt to Pennsylvania where it can be incinerated, and then trucks hauling more dirt to back to replace it."
Donnelly agrees with de Blasio that Carroll Gardens needs to address a senior population that is being consistently displaced by rising rents, but doesn't believe that developing the area along the Gowanus Canal is the only option.
"Why are we putting them down by the water?" she asks, arguing that affordable senior housing could be negotiated with developers in other parts of Carroll Gardens. "That is what should be happening."

PHOTO CAPTION: Rita Miller of the Carroll Gardens Organization for Respectful Development urges Councilman Bill de Blasio to back a moratorium on new development in Carroll Gardens at a town hall meeting hosted by the councilman last Thursday evening. Link

Note: Please encourage your neighbors and friends to SIGN the Carroll Gardens petition if they have not done so already. Link

Friday, August 24, 2007

Town Hall Event Notes!

Hello from CORD!
For those of you who did not attend last night's standing room only(!) Town Hall Meeting at Scotto's Funeral Home, please see today's Gowanus Lounge for all the latest!
Friday, August 24, 2007
"
Carroll Gardens Meeting Addresses Development Moratorium, Other Issues" Link
Many continued thanks (!) to Bob Guskind, Blog Owner for his on-going, thorough coverage of our stories here in Carroll Gardens ever since Bob first broke the story "Heavy Metal Coming to Smith Street?" at Curbed on 5-24-2007 and "Smith Street Could Get Very Very Shiny" at Gownaus Lounge on May 25, 2007.
CORD

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Calling ALL PETITION SIGNERS/SUPPORTERS!!
Here are the Town Hall Meeting details:
Councilman Bill deBlasio has annouced there will be a TOWN HALL MEETING this Thursday night, August 23, at Buddy Scotto Funeral Home at (First Place/Court St. in Carroll Gardens)
at
6:30 PM. Topics will include: Rezoning. Landmarking. 360 Smith Street.
We urge you to put mark your calendars NOW!
If you care about our neighborhood you should attend.
CORD

Saturday, August 18, 2007

CALLING ALL PETITION SIGNERS!

Calling ALL PETITION SIGNERS!!
Bill deBlasio has annouced there will be a meeting a TOWN HALL MEETING this Thursday night, August 23, at Buddy Scotto's funeral parlor at (corner of Court Street and First Place in Carroll GArdens).
We urge you to put mark your calendars NOW!
Please stay tuned here for up to the minute details!
CORD

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Letter from City Planning

Hello from CORD!
Today we received another answer back from one of the NYC departments we contacted with our CORD petition: the Department of City Planning.

Dear Concerned Citizen:
Thank you for your letter regarding the neighborhood of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Brooklyn is experiencing an incredible resurgence and reaping an unprecedented level of investment, and development. While we welcome growth, this wave also puts pressure on many lower density neighborhoods across the borough currently suffering from out of context development. The Department of City Planning seeks to balance between the needs for the future growth of the city and preserving the character of these neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn, including Park Slope, South Park Slope, Fort Greene/Clinton Hill, Dyker Heights, Bay Ridge and Bedford The Department works closely with communities in arriving at a fine grained block by block zoning proposal addressing the unique context of each neighborhood.

We are aware that members of the community are concerned about the proposed building at 360 Smith Street. As you note, this development is proceeding "as of right" under the current zoning. I appreciate your request for a review of of the current zoning in this area. We agree that such a study makes sense, and are committed to pursuing it, but because of the numerous neighborhood re-zoning efforts we have underway in communities throughout Brooklyn, we are unable to commit to a precise timeframe. Please note that any moratorium, whether temporary or permanent, is required by law to go through the Uniform Land Use Public Review Process, as well as an environmental review.
Very sincerely,
Amanda H. Burden, Director
Department of City Planning
It seems ironic that while any building moratorium is required by law to go through the Uniform Land Use Public Review Process as well as an environmental review, (lengthy, public reviews) an "as of right" building development, even a massive one such as the one at 360 Smith Street, does not!
CORD

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

The Lot is Now Empty

Many people have been asking us:
What is currently taking place at 360 Smith Street?
While we do not have all the answers, a few things are certain and can be ascertained by inquiring at some of the sources listed in our right-hand sidebar (hint, hint).
The building development is a certainty.
The lot now is empty and the house at 125 Second Place has been vacated. Its new ownership is hardly a secret anymore, but it is "unknown" what is next for this lovely brownstone. The developer of 360 Smith street, Mr. Billy Stein, is "as of right" and Second Place is, unfortunately, seen as a "wide street" according to the current NYC zoning regulations which, together with the "community facility" (the adjacent, Hannah Senesh School) give the developer significantly more allowable square footage on which to build (FAR). While this interpretation of the zoning regulations may not reflect the spirit of the law, or the character/scale of the neighborhood, it is legal. No community review is necessary in this case as it is "as of right".

The building will be 70 feet high with a few setbacks, and will house from 44-46 units. Thus, the proposed building is much taller and far denser than anything currently on the block or in the general vicinity, and is sure to have an enormous impact on our neighborhood. The building plans, despite their approval by the DOB, have still not been made available to the general public despite normal protocol calling for the contrary. It is rumored that the current, approved plans at the DOB consist of much, if not all, of the original design concept (the Scarano "Heavy Metal" building: see www.curbed.com on 5/24/2007 for the early pic). We know some changes are being made to the facade.
PS There is no news on that "upcoming" Bill deBlasio meting re: 360 Smith Street.
CORD

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