Monday, December 29, 2008

Calling for new Community Board 6 Members: Applications Due January ONE, 2009!

Holiday Greetings from CORD!!

The time to get your applications in to Community Board Six (our community board) in order to be considered for service to the board is FAST APPROACHING!!

January 1, 2009 is the deadline! Please see the application below at our Dec. 18th CORD post and/or go to the website and see for yourself. The more people that apply for the community board the better as it sends a message that we all do indeed care about Carroll Gardens and we are willing and able to participate in the decision making process for our beloved neighborhood.

Calling for new Community Board 6 Members: Applications Due January ONE, 2009!

Please consider serving our community by submitting a New Member Application Community for Community Board 6 to the offices of our Borough President Marty Markowitz and to our Councilman Bill DeBlasio.

The deadline is in a few short weeks! (January 1, 2009). Learn more about Community Board 6 and find this application at http://brooklyn-usa.org/Pages/Community_Board/getinvolved.htm

CB 6 covers: Red Hook, Carroll Gardens , Park Slope, Gowanus, and Cobble Hill.

If you have questions please write us at cgcord@gmail.com

""The Community Boards play an important role in improving the quality of life for all citizens of Brooklyn, but many people don't know about them. We urge you to learn how your Community Board can help you, and how you may be able to help your Community Board.

Membership
Community Boards are local representative bodies. There are 18 throughout Brooklyn . Each Board consists of up to 50 unsalaried members appointed by the Borough President, with half nominated by the City Council Members who represent the community district. Board members are selected by the Borough Presidents from among active, involved people of each community, with an effort made to assure that every neighborhood is represented. Board members must reside, work or have some other significant interest in the community.

Meetings
Boards meet once each month. At these meetings, members address items of concern to the community. Board meetings are open to the public, and a portion of each meeting is reserved for the Board to hear from members of the public. In addition, Boards regularly conduct public hearings-on the City's budget, on land use matters, and other major issues-to give the people of the community the opportunity to express their opinions" (CB 6 Website)

CB 6
250 Baltic Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718.643.3027
Fax: 718.624.8410
Email: info@brooklyncb6.org
Website: www.brooklyncb6.org

For a separate application to Community Board 6 to become a CB 6 Committee Member please refer to this email sent by Craig Hammerman:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DECEMBER 22, 2008
CONTACT CRAIG HAMMERMAN
(718) 643-3027, EXT. 205

OPEN MEMBERSHIP FOR BROOKLYN CB6 COMMITTEES

It's that time of year again when Brooklyn Community Board 6 (CB6) reconstitutes
the composition of its standing committees. Although CB6 committee membership
must be composed primarily of a majority of Board Members, membership is also
open to Non-Board Members as well. This allows for broader, grassroots public
representation on the Community Board's standing committees, and encourages and
facilitates citizen participation in local government within our communities.
The Brooklyn CB6 district includes the neighborhoods of Carroll Gardens/South
Brooklyn, Cobble Hill, Columbia Street District, Gowanus, Park Slope, and Red
Hook.

Individuals who wish to serve on a committee can pick up a Committee Membership
Request form from the CB6 District Office at 250 Baltic Street (between
Court/Clinton Streets), Monday through Friday between the hours of 10AM and 4PM,
or download the form from the CB6 website at www.BrooklynCB6.org/announcements .
Appointments to committees for a seven-month term are effective February 1,
2009. Pending approval of proposed by-laws revisions, we will be shifting our
annual appointment calendar to begin on September 1 each year beginning in 2009.
There will be a second, mandatory application process during Summer 2009 for
September 1 committee appointments. Non-Board Members who are appointed to a
committee enjoy the same participatory rights and are expected to fulfill the
same member-related responsibilities as Board Members serving on committees.

CB6 COMMITTEES OPEN TO PUBLIC PARTICIPANTS:

. Economic/Waterfront/Community Development and Housing
. Landmarks/Land Use
. Parks/Recreation/Cultural Affairs
. Public Safety/Environmental Protection/Licenses/Permits
. Transportation
. Youth/Human Services/Education


Committee Membership Request forms must be received at the District Office no
later than January 14, 2009 for consideration in initial annual reconstitution
of committees. Additional requests for membership may be made at any time
throughout the year, but appointments will be made based on the availability of
openings.
# # #
Happy Solstice all!

Best, Craig

Craig R. Hammerman
District Manager
Brooklyn Community Board 6
250 Baltic Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201-6401

t. 718.643.3027
f. 718.624.8410
w. www.BrooklynCB6.org
e.
districtmanager@...

Serving the neighborhoods of Carroll Gardens/South Brooklyn, Cobble Hill,
Columbia Street District, Gowanus, Park Slope and Red Hook


Friday, December 19, 2008

Farewell Frank Verderame. We will dearly miss you!



[Photo Credit: Tom Callan/Brooklyn Paper]

Frank Verderame, a former State Assemblyman and beloved Carroll Gardens activist
passed suddenly this week, leaving us at CORD breathless with the loss.

Frank was an important CORD member, and he will be sorely missed.
He was a singular man: Frank was exceptionally intelligent, thoughtful, but intense. When Frank spoke his mind people listened, because he usually knew exactly what he was talking about, and he could back it up. In the matter of the Subway Plaza jurisdiction, which is a matter of great debate at 360 Smith St/ Oliver House/ 131 Seconda Place, Frank was a veritable expert with detailed personal records dating back years.

Bob Guskind at Gowanus Lounge wrote this week:
"...We had sat in awe and listened to Mr. Verderame’s recollections that the public actually owned the plaza rather than the developer. Of course, supporters of the development disagreed, but we believed that Mr. Verderame was correct and that the developer and the public officials who supported the development knew that Mr. Verderame’s intimate knowledge was truly correct." RG Link

At the end of the GL article we have seen the following comment:
"Frank was a beloved Father, friend and neighborhood activist who had incredible knowledge and personal dedication toward the betterment of Carroll Gardens. I propose that a great way to honor his memory and this longime dedicaton to the community is to have a street in Carroll Gardens, park or garden named after him." Link
We couldn't agree more with this proposal.

Another dedicated CG activist, has written,
"Frank was an incredible person that you will meet once in your life time. A person who represented great integrity, intellect, and passion for his community and neighbors." Again we couldn't agree more

Frank Verderame was treasured at CORD, helping us so many times and giving of his time to us. He was a true community elder with a long memory of life in Carroll Gardens
. He was always generous with his time his advice, and always willing to share his wisdom and experience. He was a straight shooter and called things as he saw them whether one liked it or not. But most of all, he was first and foremost a gentleman in the truest meaning of the word. Blessings to you, Frank and may you rest in peace. We will miss you!

CORD

The funeral service for Frank will be held Saturday 12/20/08 Mass at St. Mary's time: 9:30am. You can meet at the funeral home around 8:15am to walk down with his family to St. Mary's.
Frank Verderame will be buried at St. Charles Cemetery in Farmington, LI.

BELOW WE FEATURE THE LETTER FRANK VERDERAME WROTE RECENTLY TO BORO PRESIDENT MARTY MARKOWITZ, AND EARLIER, THE MEMORANDUM HE WROTE TO COUNCILMAN BILL DeBLASIO. WE FEATURED BOTH OF THESE ON THIS BLOG. PLEASE SEE THE LINKS.

Sunday, June 1, 2008 Link

Former NYS Assemblyman AND 70 CG year resident speaks in support of Zoning Text Amendment

To: Marty Markowitz, Borough president, Brooklyn

Dear Sir:

Where did the WIDE STREET concept come from?

Pursuant to the laws of 1846 & 1850, (copies previously submitted),

the area of FRIST,SECOND,THIRD AND FOURTH PLACES,

Between Henry Street on the West, and Smith street on the east,

were created and mapped for residential development.

The streets, which were originally called CARRIAGE WAYS,

Were Established at only TWENTY-FOUR (24) FEET wide, no larger than any other street lying in a WEST to ESAT direction, in the immediate area of Carroll Gardens.

The laws further provided for THIRTEEN (13) FEET sidewalks on

each side of the CARRIAGE WAYS. The laws further provided for the building lines on each side of the SIDEWALKS be set back an additional THIRTY-THREE FEET, FIVE AND ONE QUARTER INCHES (33’ 5 ¼ “) to create an area to be designated as COURTYARDS only.

As residential buildings were developed, the COURTYARDS were to be used and controlled “exclusively by the adjoining landowner”. The COURTYARDS had restrictive covenants thereon, such as, building thereon was not permitted.

There is nothing stated in the laws of 1846 and 1850 that indicate these PLACE-BLOCKS were to be considered WIDE STREETS. In my 70 plus years I do not recall any PUBLIC REVIEW or any procedure resembling a ULURP procedure to declare them WIDE STREETS.

Since 1846 & 1850 until recently, there was never an issue of WIDE STREETS. It is only within the last couple of years, the BUILDING DEPARTMENT (or the Department of City Planning, in their “infinite wisdom” , ADMINISTRATIVELY, not as a result of any open community forum, and/or review, declared them WIDE STREETS. And, as a result, started to issue building permits to Developers permitting them to build up to SEVENTY (70) FEET in an area where existing buildings are only 45 to 50 feet.

As a result Developers are DESTROYING our neighborhood for profit, based on an “ADMINISTRATIVE LOOPHOLE” created by the Building Department and the Department of City Planning. It appears they are using the distance between the face of the buildings on the north side of the street to the face of the buildings on the south side of the street , amounting to ONE HUNDRED SIXTEEN FEET (116’) TEN AND A HALH INCHES (10 ½ “) to classify it as a WIDE STREET.

They failed to take the STREET as it was originally planned is only TWENTY-FOUR FETT wide. Certainly NOT a WIDE STREET by any imagination.

So, I repeat, where did the WIDE STREET concept come from? It certainly did not come from the laws of 1846 & 1850, the laws that actually created these Streets (Places).

There is only one nswer:

The Building Department and/or The Department of City Planning ADMINISTRATIVELY made the decision to classify them as WIDE STREETS, in error of the mathematics above, to permit developers to build their “OUT OF CONTEXT” buildings and heights and destroy our neighborhood.

There is one on Fourth Place; One on Second Place; One on Third Place; and another one being planned on Third Place. Currently there is one being built on the corner of First Place, near the corner of Smith Street, and another being built on Second Place at the corner of Smith Street over the Carroll Street Subway Station. This one is unique; the address was originally promoted as 360 Smith Street, but the actual entrance to the residential building will be on Second Place. Since the Developer is using the WIDE STREET concept of Second Place, he recently changed the address to 131 Second Place.

This charade must be stopped.

I respectfully urge the Borough President to advise the Department of City Planning to expedite the reversal of the WIDE STREET concept to its original status as NARROW STREETS as it was originally intended. I further request that this procedure be accmplish4ed by ADMINISTRATIVE process rather than a lengthy public review which would only permit these developers to continue their destruction of our community.

Frank. J. Verderame

Former NYS Assemblyman

Cc: Copies of the Laws of 1846 & 1850

(previously submitted by mail)


Wednesday, October 10, 2007 Link

Is there any more doubt who owns the open subway plaza? (Nope)



MEMORANDUM

TO: Councilman Bill De Blasio

FROM: Frank J. Verderame

(Former Assemblyman)

Member CGNA Executive Committee

SUBJECT: SUBWAY PLAZA

Northwest corner, 2nd. Place & Smith St.,Bklyn,N.Y.


PREFACE: It is "MIND-BOGGLING", and difficult to understand that Mr. Donald Bloomfield of the MTA is still in denial of any responsibility and of any jurisdiction of the Subway Plaza Courtyard after a legal opinion was issued to him after 10 years of refusing to accept any responsibility; and to this date, another 10 years later, still refusing to accept any responsibility.

We first communicated with each other for 10 years (1988-1998) also with Mr. Hilton Rosen, the previous landowner of the parking lot area, when the Subway Plaza was not being maintained by anyone. We the community, was forced to go to the Boro-President, Mr. Howard Golden, for assistance in clarifying these issues. Mr. Golden' referred the matter to the Corporation Counsel, Law Dept of the City of New York~ for a legal opinion JANUARY 1998. Mr. Theodore Okin, Chief of the Title Bureau

of the Law Dept, issued in JANUARY 1999, a detailed report

of a legal opinion as to the TITLE and JURISDICTIONAL EASEMENTS held by the MTA/NYCTA over the entire SUBWAY PLAZA. A copy of this report was forwarded to Mr. Bloomfield of the MTA by

Mr. Okum, on MARCH 1, 1999. ( A copy of these communications are enclosed herewith)


HISTORY:

To better understand the title issues, it is necessary to know the origin of the existence of the COURTYARDS. Back in 1846

and 1850, the particular area of LUQUER STREET, north "to FIRST PLACE; and HENRY STREET east to SMITH STREET, was originally named LUQUER PLACE before the streets were mapped. In mapping these streets, the CITY retained ownership of an area consisting of 33 ft,Si inches from the inside line of the sidewalks, which were to be installed at 13 feet wide, thus a total of 46 ft,Si inches from'the sidewalk curb.

These COURTYARDS, owned by the CITY were placed under the jurisdiction of the Dept. of Transportation with the intention of possibly "WIDENING" the streets in the future. This, after over 150 ye~rs, has not been accomplished or contemplated.

The adjacent landowner was charged with the responsibility for its upkeep and maintenance; and, was precluded by restrictive covenants to build on it, nor use it for a car port or driveway, unless the adjacent building had a legal garage space therein.

The theory for the adjacent landowner to be responsible for the COURTYARD, is that the landowner had EXCLUSIVE USE AND SOLE CONTROL over the COURTYARD. They are used solely for beautification and access to the adjacent landowners property. It should also be noted, ,the COURTYARDS can. not be DEEDED

or TRANSFERRED to anyone else. They are still, today, owned

by the CITY OF NEW YORK and under the jurisdiction of the DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION This why they are called "WIDE STREETS",

which is the loophole that Developers use to build higher than the traditional height, a total misconception of law, and, should never be permitted by the CITY'S BUILDING DEPARTMENT.

In fact, if the COURTYARDS were under the jurisdiction of the BUILDING DEPARTMENT, it would legally follow that, the WIDE­STREET" concept would no longer apply.

-2-


Returning to the SUBWAY PLAZA, It appears that in 1928-1931,

the CITY transferred ownership jurisdiction of the COURTYARD areas A, B, C & D ,of the MAP enclosed, to the MTA/NY~TA for purposes of building the SUBWAY system. There does NOT appear

to be any record the MTA/NYCTA ever transferred the ownership/ jurisdiction of any of the COURTYARD areas back to the CITY. This is also true of the COURTYARD area on the southwest corner of 2nd. place and Smith Street. (The COMMUNITY GARDEN)

You will also note therein, the MTA/NYCTA has both SURFACE and

'" .

SUBSURFACE easements of the COURTYARD areas, A,C & D.

PARCEL "A", northwesterly part of the PLAZA, which includes

the SUBWAY stairway, is burdened by both Surface and Subsurface easements for the transit system. These easements are intended to form a part of a PEDESTRIAN CORRIDOR from Second Place to the stairway. Jurisdiction is with the MTA/NYCTA.

PARCEL "C", the southern portion of the PLAZA, is within the

" 1 ~

COURTYARD area of Second Place, officially laid out on the CITY

MAP as an ORNAMENTAL COURTYARD. Jurisdiction is with the MTA/NYCTA.

PARCEL "D", The COURTYARD area west of the PLAZA is likewise rapid transit property. This is the area the MTA/NYCTA permitted the adjoining landowner 'to fence in for the purposes of his parking lot, in VIOLATION of COURTYARD RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS,

as a trade-off for maintenance of the SUBWAY PLAZA, which I might add, was never accomplished, at the expense and detriment of the community.

PARCEL "B", The northeastern part of the PLAZA, which includes the Newstand, is burdened by Subsurface easements only. It would appear from land records to be private property. However, "aside from the newstand, PARCEL "B" is physically indistinguishable from the rest of the PLAZA, and is OPEN and IN USE by the GENERAL PUBLIC "

-3-


It was recommended in the Legal opinion, heretofore mentioned, that "it would seem appropriate that PARCEL "B", the remaining fo~rth, be acquired for the rapid transit system.

It was alluded to, by Mr. Stein, that the MTA/NYCTA is contemplating to transfer jurisdiction and the responsibility, to the adjoining landowner, to maintain the entire SUBWAY PLAZA and COURTYARD.

It should be noted that adjoining landowners to CITY owned COURTYARDS have responsibility to upkeep and maintain only because they have "EXCLUSIVE USE AND SOLE CONTROL" of said courtyard. In this case of the SUBWAY PLAZA, Parcel A,B & C, are NOT in anyway under the EXCLUSIVE USE AND SOLE CONTROL of the adjoining landowner, and, as such should in NO WAY have any jurisdiction Df the SUBWAY ~LAZA. The MTA/NYCTA

CAN NOT and MUST NOT be permitted to transfer this jurisdiction and responsibility~ Further, COURTYARDS ARE NOT DEEDABLE.

"

."

It should be further noted, over the years the entire SUBWAY PLAZA was paved and trees were planted by the PUBLIC, through various community groups, at NO expense of the MTA/NYCTA, nor the adjoining landowner. In addition, in the 901s, the CITY OF NEW YORK~ when paving the sidewalks of Smith Street, the community successfully a~ranged for the entire SUBWAY PLAZA

to be re-paved and trees re-planted. There is no record of any monetary contribution from either the adjoining landowner,

nor the MTA/NYCTA. They both, ignored and refrained from their responsibility.

CONCLUSION:

1. COURTYARDS are NOT, legally transferable to private landowners.

The MTA/NYCTA MUST NOT be permitted to transfer ownership and/or jurisdiction of the COURTYARD in front of the SUBWAY entrance (Parcel "A") to the adjoining landowner.

-4-


2.Created by DPE, Copyright IRIS 2005

3. The SUBWAY PLAZA was ,originally built to form a PEDESTRIAN CORRIDOR to the transit system; and was further intended to be for the EXCLUSIVE use by the GENERAL PUBLIC.'

As it was suggested by the City's LAW DEPT, in their report, Parcel "B", the newstand area, should have been acquired

by the Transit System. It is a direct pathway to the Transit System from Smith Street.

3. The MTA/NYGTA MU~T enforce their SURFACE EASEMENTS on the ENTIRE SUBWAY PLAZA, to keep it OPEN and FREE of encumbrances for the SAFETY and COMFORTABLE access to the Transit System.

4. The SUBWAY PLAZA should be deemed a "pUBLIC DOMAIN" since it was created to be OPEN and NOTORIUS for a COMMON USE by the COMMUNITY, an exclusive use by the GENERAL PUBLIC.

5.As heretofore indi~ated, if the COURTYARD issue of overall jurisdiction was transferred from the CITY DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION to the CITY DEPT OF BUILDINGS, with its restrictive covenants as they presently exist, it would eliminate the WIDE-STREET concept, and, all future opmen~ssues would be eliminated.

SEPT. 17, 2007

Encl: Copies of documents, heretofore mentioned. cc: Assemblywoman Joan Millman

Senator Martin Connor

Congresswoman Yvette Clark

C G N A , COR D, FRO G G


Thursday, December 18, 2008

Calling for new Community Board 6 Members: Applications Due January ONE, 2009!

Please consider serving our community by submitting a New Member Application Community for Community Board 6 to the offices of our Borough President Marty Markowitz and to our Councilman Bill DeBlasio.

The deadline is in a few short weeks! (January 1, 2009). Learn more about Community Board 6 and find this application at http://brooklyn-usa.org/Pages/Community_Board/getinvolved.htm

CB 6 covers: Red Hook, Carroll Gardens , Park Slope, Gowanus, and Cobble Hill.

If you have questions please write us at cgcord@gmail.com

""The Community Boards play an important role in improving the quality of life for all citizens of Brooklyn, but many people don't know about them. We urge you to learn how your Community Board can help you, and how you may be able to help your Community Board.

Membership
Community Boards are local representative bodies. There are 18 throughout Brooklyn . Each Board consists of up to 50 unsalaried members appointed by the Borough President, with half nominated by the City Council Members who represent the community district. Board members are selected by the Borough Presidents from among active, involved people of each community, with an effort made to assure that every neighborhood is represented. Board members must reside, work or have some other significant interest in the community.

Meetings
Boards meet once each month. At these meetings, members address items of concern to the community. Board meetings are open to the public, and a portion of each meeting is reserved for the Board to hear from members of the public. In addition, Boards regularly conduct public hearings-on the City's budget, on land use matters, and other major issues-to give the people of the community the opportunity to express their opinions" (CB 6 Website)

CB 6
250 Baltic Street,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718.643.3027
Fax: 718.624.8410
Email: info@brooklyncb6.org
Website: www.brooklyncb6.org


NEW MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FOR

COMMUNITY BOARD NO. ____

NOTE TO APPLICANTS: You must be a New York City resident to serve on a community board. To qualify for a particular board, you must live, work in, or have a professional or other significant interest in that board’s district. Conflicts of Interest Board rulings require that applicants disclose whether they or their employers derive any income representing clients before the community board (i.e. attorneys, architects, consultants, etc.). These rulings do not automatically exclude one from board membership, but the information is essential.

THIS APPLICATION MUST BE NOTARIZED AND RETURNED BY MAIL. DO NOT FAX.

Please type or print clearly in ink. Do not leave any areas blank. If questions do not apply, indicate “n/a” or draw a slash through the section.

Name: _____________________________________________________________________

(Last) (First) (M.I.)

COMMUNITY INTEREST (check all that apply)

LIVE IN DISTRICT *WORK IN DISTRICT *PROFESSIONAL/SIGNIFICANT INTEREST

* Please describe: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

neighborhood of interest _____________________________________________________________

Have you attended a Meeting of this community board in the past year? YES NO

ARE YOU CURRENTLY SERVING (or have you previously served) as A MEMBER OF A COMMITTEE OF THIS COMMUNITY BOARD? YES NO If so, please list committee(s) _________________________________________

How many hours per month can you devote to community board activities? _______

Have you ever served on a community board? YES NO

If yes, complete the information requested below. Please note if you were a public member of a board committee.

CB No. COUNTY DATES SERVED POSITION HELD COMMITTEE

______ ________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________

______ ________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________

______ ________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________

aS A COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER, YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO SERVE ON 2 OR MORE COMMITTeES. (Committees MAY vary with each community board)


INFORMATION AS DENOTED BY (**) BELOW WILL NOT BE MADE PUBLIC

CONTACT INFORMATION

FULL NAME ____________________________________________________

**Home Address (include apt. NO.) _______________________________________________________________

City_________________ STATE ________________________ Zip_____________

**PHONE NUMBERS

Home (____) ________________________ MOBILE (____) ________________________

Work (____) ________________________ fax (____) ________________________

**EMAIL ADDRESS _________________________________________________________________________________

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

**Employer _______________________________________________________________________________________

**Your Title/Position _____________________________________________________________________________

**EMPLOYER Address ___________________________________ City __________ ST ______ Zip ___________

**Telephone (____) ___________________ **YEARS WITH EMPLOYER _______________

COMMUNITY/CIVIC INTERESTS

Community Activities (List all civic and community organizations, neighborhood associations and/or any other groups. Please indicate if you hold any executive positions, including board of directors.)

ORGANIZATION


DATES


TITLES


ADDRESS























PLEASE STATE WHY YOU BELIEVE YOU WOULD BE AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY BOARD MEMBER AND PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU BELIEVE WOULD BE USEFUL IN CONSIDERING YOUR APPLICATION. (Include relevant skills, interests and/or resume.)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

REFERENCES

Name _______________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________

Telephone (_____) ______________________ affiliation/Relationship ____________________________________

Name _______________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________

Telephone (_____) _______________________ affiliation/Relationship ____________________________________

Name _______________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________

Telephone (_____) _______________________ affiliation/Relationship _____________________________________

Identification and Statement

I am a U.S. citizen YES NO If no, permanent resident YES NO

I (check one) HAVE NEVER HAVE been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony. (If you have, describe and explain on a separate sheet of paper and attach it to this application.)

I am not employed by a council member whose district covers parts of this community board district, or by the Brooklyn Borough President. I am not employed by the State or City of New York in a position at or above the level of assistant commissioner or have secured a mayoral waiver allowing me to serve on a community board and have affixed a copy hereto.

I affirm that I am a New York City resident and that I am at least 18 years of age.

I HEREBY AFFIRM THAT ALL THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS TRUE AND ACCURATE TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE.

SIGNATURE ____________________________________ DATE _________________________

Sworn to before me this _______ day of ____________, 20_____

NOTARY PUBLIC or

COMMISSIONER

OF DEEDS _________________________________

OFFICIAL USE ONLY:

COUNCIL DISTRICT: _____ DATE RECEIVED: ___/____/____ DATE INPUT: ___/____/____

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Deadline Extended to Write Your Written Comments re: Scoping Hearing for Public Place

SCOPING HEARING FOR PUBLIC PLACE DETAILS:

Because the scheduling of this week's scoping hearing for Public Place
came so close to - and during - the holiday
season, the time to submit written comments pertaining to the DEIS/CEQR
application has been extended to January 23, 2009 as opposed to the
standard timeframe of 10 days, which would have put the expiration of
the comment period at December 26, 2008.

The written comments are
incorporated into the EIS analysis with the same requirements as
comments provided verbally at the scoping session last Tuesday.

CORD

Monday, December 15, 2008

SCOPING HEARING FOR PUBLIC PLACE TUESDAY

To: Elected officials and community groups surrounding the Public Place site

From: Gowanus Green Partners

We wanted to remind you that a public scoping meeting for the Gowanus
Green proposal (aka Public Place) will be held on Tuesday, December
16, 2008, at 5 PM at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 2nd floor auditorium (the
Court Room), located at 209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. HPD
is the lead on the proposal. The environmental documents are
available for download on the HPD website at:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/developers/Gowanus-Green-proposal.shtml

We hope you will join us at the scoping session and provide your
thoughtful comments and feedback on the proposal there, and in writing
until January 23, 2009.

Heather Gershen

Director of Housing Development

Fifth Avenue Committee

621 DeGraw Street

Brooklyn, NY 11217

T 718 237 2017 x133

F 718 237 5366

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Where is the "fairness" and the "equity" or even the common sense at the BSA?

Where is the "fairness" and the "equity" or even the common sense at the BSA?

The Board of Standards and Appeals- The BSA was established to promote equity and fairness to developers in NYC. Its history has shown that the higher percentage of decisions favor developers, many who have commenced building and are suddenly presented with a zoning change.

The case of 131 Second Place is unusual in that instead of a zoning change, a text amendment was passed to lift an erroneously labeled designation on 15 blocks in Carroll Gardens. These blocks were designated “wide streets” in 1976 simply because they have long front gardens. At that time it was done without the procedures required presently, which the community had to undergo in order to remove that label and return to the true designation of “narrow streets”, as all other streets in CG.

The Boro President, City Planning and City Council voted unanimously to quickly correct the misnomer. Our leaders saw the urgent need to regulate overdevelopment in our small, low rise, historic community. This support was evident in Amanda Burden’s statement that “the DNA of a neighborhood should not be destroyed.”

Yet, the BSA feels that developers have “the right of way “in our neighborhood. The developer of 131 Second Place, does not have to abide by the new amendment. But every home owner will have to do so. The developer has a small percentage of foundation, yet it is a serious consideration taken by the BSA, even though that very same foundation is needed no matter what is built . The BSA has judged that the developer will have considerable loss if he complies with the new ruling. His loss is really less profit which may not be true if he built something like the more desirable and highly demanded town houses.

We have an amendment to control building height, but this developer can ignore it,on the grounds that he started his foundation, thanks to the BSA.

This developer is allowed to build higher than any home or apt. house in our neighborhood, thanks to the BSA.

This developer, along with the BSA, make the legal amendment to restrict height , and the leaders who promoted and passed it, look like a sham, a trick, a deception.

Where is the fairness and equity to the community and the city leaders who have fought so long and hard to save CG? Where is the “common sense” upon which all laws are based?

Lucy DeCarlo

CORD Co-Founder
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn


Brooklyn Poet, Graziella Radici, who often writes about development issues for Gowanus Lounge has also written passionately about the illogical decisions that seem too often to prevail at the BSA:


FROM GOWANUS LOUNGE (link)

GL’s resident poet, Graziella Radici, who has been on sabbatical in the Cayman Islands tending to financial matters, is back. And so, we are proud to present her work about the BSA.

Ode to the BSA

Here I stand at the BSA
In the invisible room for another day

A board says:
Bye-bye, to neighborhoods 1-2-3 but….
Developers: We’ll make room for you in a JIFFY!

Never was a view so clear
Where the rights of so many New Yorkers
Are trampled each year

In a democracy, community voices do really matter
And neighborhoods are not a thing
An ill-advised board can simply splatter

The BSA is a numbers game: cynical at best,
That immediately needs to be laid to rest

Oh how I wish upon a star
That Avella’s BSA reforms
Could see the light of daylight
Near and far

And that greed for once could take a back seat
So that we real New Yorkers could stop to weep.

c.. Graziella Radici 2008

DEFEND GOWANUS PETITION!

CORD HAS JUST RECEIVED THIS FROM KEVIN DUFFY. PLEASE READ AND SIGN!
THANK YOU. CORD




Subject: Petition DEFEND GOWANUS
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:33:50 -0500
From: Kevin.Duffy


Hi All-
I wanted to share this petition I created online that essentially takes an adopted resolution by the Sierra Club of New York to protect the environs of the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.
Some of you may be very well acquainted with Gowanus and its long industrial history, but presently there is a debate ensuing on permitting an exemption to allow for spot rezoning. This rezoning will open the development of residential housing along the waterway. This development, while promising for the community, will disrupt the environmental balance of the canal. The canal currently has not received any public funding for remediation and likely will not receive the appropriate funds going forward. Private development has committed to invest BUT in very limited capacity.
There are over 50 LETHAL pathogens in the canal which are contained by a natural state of remediation. Any disturbance will elevate the levels of toxicity and risk of exposure to nearby residents (including my family, friends and neighbors). More disconcerting is the risk of potential tidal surges that will spill the waters of the Gowanus into our adjoining communities. Gowanus is currently designated by FEMA as a flood zone.
You voice will represent the defense of the health and safety of the Brooklyn communities and our Gowanus environs. You are not obliged to sign, but your support will not go unnoticed or underappreciated.

If you can click this link and look for the button on the web page which states "view whole petition" you will be able to review yourselves. The more this petition can be distributed electronically, the greater its support.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/defend-the-gowanus

Happy Holidays

Kevin

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