Moving CG Testimony from the City Planning Commission hearing June 4 th

Hello! We in Carroll Gardens are very thankful to Amanda Burden, Chair of the City Planning Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning, and to the NYC Planning Commission for this unique opportunity to close an administrative loophole in order to protect Carroll Gardens. To date, nearly 700 people have signed a letter of support and are continuing to sign in support of Carroll Gardens Text Amendment. Thank you Commissioner Burden!

Below hear what some of your CG neighbors presented at the NYC Planning Commission Hearing on Wednesday, June 4th.

My name is Maryann Young. I am a property owner and 12-year resident of Carroll Gardens, South Brooklyn, NY. I’m here to lend support to the passage of Carroll Gardens zoning text amendment (CD 6 N 080345 ZRK). And before I go further, I would like to take a moment to thank you Ms. Burden, Ms. Kapur, and Ms. Posner for this long awaited proposal. Your recognition and quick action to correct a wrong is commendable and congratulatory. You have my deepest respect and thanks for your understanding of the dire need of our community to protect and preserve its integrity and historical characteristics.

My quest to preserve this great and wonderful place I live in and call ‘home”, is not for any financial gain or political aspiration. I’m here because I have found a neighborhood worth fighting for.

As I’m aware that there are many sides to every story, I took it upon myself to take a zoning course with the distinguished Doris Diether, a Village preservation advocate for 48 years and a zoning expert of citywide repute. From knowing a little bit more than before on zoning laws, I can proudly say that I learned enough to understand the definitions pertaining to this zoning text amendment proposal.

This is indeed a special situation and discovery that would give back to the community a leverage that will help to protect against the out-of-scale developments within these breathtaking blocks, blocks that were never meant to be destroyed because of an unintentional mistake, especially from a simple word “wide”.

I am in favor of this amendment on the Place blocks because it is by far the best remedy available currently to save the blocks that truly represent this beautiful, unique community.

By protecting the historical nature of these charming blocks …with classic brownstones and well groomed gardens, it will only ADD VALUE to these homes.

More importantly, it will ease the fear of the many generations of families and friends who love their homes, who want to keep their sunshine and open space, and the sounds of quiet calm when they walk the streets home.

The community is behind this amendment. I have spoken to hundreds of my neighbors as I was passing out flyers and fact sheets regarding this hearing and zoning text amendment and overwhelmingly, the people are in agreement. We NEED this zoning text amendment PASSED IMMEDIATELY.

Ms Burden, Distinguished panel, I ask of you today …TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

STAND BY those who represent the GREATER GOOD than the greed of a few. Pass this much needed zoning text amendment now and start the process of providing contextual rezoning to ALL of Carroll Gardens today.

Thank you for listening and acting CORRECTLY. Maryann Young

Link to Text Amendment fact Sheet Prepared by CORD and CGNA

Link to CG Zoning Text Amendment

New Letter of Support for SUPERFUND and New Documentary Film!! for SUPERFUNDGOWANUS.org

The very first Superfund Gowanus.org video is now available at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5mRDOwMyxw

This video has been described as being very "FROGG centric" and created with the "goal to get people to go to the website www.superfundgowanus.org and sign the Superfund Gowanus petition."

More videos are in the works so please stay tuned!

This video can also be found embeeded at: the FIB blog at:
http://foundinbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2009/05/superfund-gowanus.html

LETTERS FROM THE COMMUNITY:

We at CORD are also very grateful to have the following letter to the EPA from one of our most devoted and passionate community members to publish. We encourage more people to write to the EPA! And, please send us your thoughts about the Superfunding of the Gowanus Canal, as well as concerns, memories, of Carroll Gardens/Gowanus etc., so that we can keep in touch with one another. You can use our address at cgcord@gmail.com for your submissions.

Letters like the one below are seen and read by so many different people in our community including our electeds. We encourage you to use your voice to fight with, and to join us!

United, we can fight more effectively for the preservation and much- needed respectful development of our beloved Carroll Gardens! Register for our free newsletter on the right hand side of our blog at www.carrollgardenspetition.blogspot.com. This way you will be sure to get all the latest news and communications from CORD.

Thank you.
CORD

"Below is my letter I submitted to the EPA in support of the Gowanus Canal Superfund nomination. I hope you have an opportunity to read this letter and discover why I wrote it. And maybe you will have the time to write one too! Please go to the following sites for more information regarding the Gowanus Canal Superfund Me campaign. Thank you for taking the time to care." M.Y.

http://www.carrollgardenspetition.blogspot.com/

http://www.pardonmeforasking.blogspot.com/

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Document ID EPA-HQ-SFUND-2009-0063-001
Document Title National Priorities List; Proposed Rule No. 50

My name is Maryann Young. I am a thirteen year resident and property owner in Carroll Gardens and I support the Gowanus Canal Superfund.

I am writing in support of this project because I care about my community and I care about the people who live here.

There is a quote on the CarrollGardenspetition.blogspot.com that reads:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world...Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

I’ve worked along side with these small groups and I can tell you…they are incredible people (CORD, SoBNA, USBA, CGNA, FROGG, and bloggers like Pardonmeforasking and Gowanuslounge to name a few.) They are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, educated professionals, and teachers, real people who also care about their community and the people who live here. Their dedication and determination to preserve and protect the integrity of our neighborhoods has been fought with truth and honesty, and with respect to others.

I find them passionate in what they believe in, highly intelligent, and rational in their perspective of the community’s issues. They are hard-working, tireless, and extremely generous. I am so proud to know them. They are my heroes.

They have been there for us at every community meeting, and at every public hearing testifying passionately and reporting diligently back to us.

They have dedicated many hours standing on the streets collecting signatures on petitions and letters urging our elected officials to help preserve our surroundings, and posting announcements of community hearings for all to see and know.

They have thoroughly researched and gathered all the information and facts needed for the fight to protect us.

They have generously and selflessly spent their own money and precious time to represent us all.

I believe in their sincerity and dedication to help protect and preserve this wonderful community and I stand by them.

Because of them, I support the Superfund nomination of the Gowanus Canal. I too, believe that the clean-up of this canal must be done first before we build. I too, believe that the safety of everyone as well as any future residents should be protected, and I too, believe that with the community behind this project we can lessen the time it would take to clean. We are a loud and active group of community-minded individuals. We would be vigilant in making sure that something will be done this time. Many know that this community is united and will not sit and wait for whenever. The time and opportunity is now.

Please don’t let the special interest groups and developers dictate what the real community wants. Our voices are much stronger than their hired lobbyists or PR firms. Our voices have been heard through the lies and half truths that have been and are now being spread by those with short-sighted vision, desperation and greed. I know that the opposition is trying to set up a self-fulfilling prophecy in everyone’s mind that the government will do absolutely nothing once the canal is nominated. They have underestimated this community.

We all know that the Canal is highly toxic. There are scientific studies available that state the findings. Do we really want to pretend that all is fine? Do we really want to take the chance and endanger the lives of many who will one day reside there? It doesn’t make any sense why any one would oppose this project knowing how toxic the land is. Are we being brainwashed into the “wear more sunscreen and shades” mentality while we are going through global warming? Are we “putting the cart before the horse”?

I don’t fear the negative labeling or stigma implications in this area from the Superfund listing. This community prevailed from dangerous conditions long ago of redlining to heavy crimes. It is the unity of this community and the strength of its people that make this place great.

I wholeheartedly support the Gowanus Canal Superfund.

Yes, clean up Gowanus Canal and start now.

Thank you for taking the time and coming out to tell us. You made a lot of sense…Cleaning up the canal would benefit the whole community in the long run.

Gratefully,

Maryann Young, Court Street, Brooklyn, NY

Finally, for a good read:

Brooklyn's Lavender Lake Needs Superfund by Joshua S. Verleun May 26, 2009

http://www.gothamgazette.com/article//20090526/255/2925

We need your help at Thursday's Land Use Meeting at CB 6!

Hello from CORD!

Monday morning we received this heartfelt email from a passionate Carroll Gardens resident, and we are re-printing it for all to see in anticipation of tomorrow night's (Thrs., Aug. 28th) important Community Board 6 Public Land Use Meeting at PS 32 on Hoyt Street in CG. (Meeting details below). It captures the emotions of so many of us.


"Attn: All.....We need your help.

As you know, the Carroll Gardens zoning text amendment passed recently protecting the beautiful 15 blocks of garden streets that truly represent this great neighborhood. It was a tough fight and with the persistent of great people from CORD, CGNA, SoBNA, Cobble Hill, Gowanus, Red Hook, Columbia Heights, and other surrounding grassroot associations, we won. This was a small and significant win for the whole community in helping to prevent the out-of-scale developments that can destroy the integrity of this historic community. The zoning text amendment limited height at a 55' maximum level (approx. 5 stories high).

Our next important step is to get a contextual rezoning study in place to protect the rest of this unique neighborhood. To achieve this successfully, we need to continue to demand for respectful developments throughout this community. The developer of 360 Smith Street (above the subway) is petitioning for an exemption with the BSA (Board of Standard and Appeal) claiming that he has laid a substantial amount of his foundation (according to DOB... only 20%) and is requesting to have an extension to continue his development of 7 stories.

We as a whole community need to stand and say "NO". If he is allowed to continue, not only will this be a contradiction to the hard work and fight to preserve this great neighborhood by so many, but it may be a start in damaging our chances of getting contextual rezoning for us all.

I love Carroll Gardens. I love the sunshine, open space, and the sounds of quiet calm when I walk the streets. I love the friends I have met and the kind neighbors and families of many generations. I love the history and the stories being told while sitting on stoops by tree-lined streets. I LOVE CARROLL GARDENS. This is my "HOME". I will continue to protect it as best as I can. Will you help me too? The Community Board 6 LandUse committee is meeting to heard Stein's petition. We need you to come and stand by us to say "NO" to Stein. We need to let the Community Board members and the BSA know that this community is against Stein's petition. If you can make it, the time and location is below. If not, please cut-n-paste the letter also below and email to the community board at

info@brooklyncb6.org

Thank you everyone. Thank you for all your great support and help..."

Maryann and Ringo"

WHEN: THURSDAY, AUGUST 28^th/CB 6 Land Use Meeting

TIME: 6:00 PM

PLACE: P.S. 32 317 HOYT ST. (bet. Union and President)

ENTRANCE on Union St

A PASSIONATE ENDORSEMENT FROM A CG RESIDENT

CORD JUST RECEIVED THIS HEARTFELT LETTER LAST EVENING FROM A CG RESIDENT AND TIRELESS COMMUNITY ACTIVIST:

"Over two years ago, my life was my own. My dog belonged to me only. I didn’t think of anyone or anything. My world was just me and Ringo.

Over two years ago, I walked the streets alone in peace and calm, in comfort and contentment. The world was just me and Ringo.

Ringo and I marched for peace alone. We begged for truth alone. We pleaded for justice alone. We felt that what we believed in didn’t really matter to anyone. We had seen mankind become intolerable and desensitized to being human. Many had become a product of trends and materialism that offered NO substantive gratification and only producing an endless need of want.

Then one day, in a split second, our lives were changed. The peace and calm, the comfort and contentment when we walked the streets, the unconscious connection that we felt in this community ALL that we never questioned and only enjoyed could be lost in a blink of an eye.

Developers discovered the hidden magic that surrounded us. Like greedy children, they wanted it all. Our communities, our neighborhoods that we love were now being inundated with the greed of want.

Developers started cashing in on the delicate balance of human-scale living, the unique and historic character that had provided comfort to many families of many generations, and the histories of many lives who built with pride a place they could call a home.

Ringo and I knew if we didn’t do anything, all would be gone. We knew then that we must act to protect and preserve what is priceless to us. So we sought and found people who were of like-mind. They opened our eyes and made us believe in hope once again. They were individuals who inspired and showed us the way to stand for what is right, what is truth and to do it with integrity and honesty. They were the grass root groups of CORD, SoBNA, FROGG, USBA, CGNA, Hoyt Street Alliance, Cobble Hill, and other community activists. They ALL stood as ONE to defend our neighborhoods from the greed of want. They tirelessly, selflessly, generously, and respectfully put forth the honest truth of the issues that concerned us. They fought for what was fair for the greater good with no financial gain or political aspiration.

However, politics became a need for us to be part of the current reality of today. Several individual members of the local grass root groups joined forces to find that someone who would understand our issues, who would stand with us and vote for the health, safety and preservation of our neighborhoods first and foremost.

Ringo and I were proud to be part of this newly formed team that had organized a “Dazzle Me” forum at the local library on the first warm and sunny day in April. All five democratic 39th District City Council candidates and one green party candidate sat in a small library auditorium and got grilled with tough questions that reflected our concerns happening in our neighborhoods. Several days afterward, we pulled each democratic candidate and interviewed them separately. Our choice after numerous meetings among our new group was JOSH SKALLER.

Josh speaks our language. He listens to us. He understands our causes. Among the five democratic candidates, JOSH SKALLER was the one we chose to represent us and our community needs. He is a true man of principle and belief in serving the people that put him in office. He is genuinely kind, highly intelligent, and is by far the most progressive candidate on the ballot.

If you have seen Ringo and I walk the street with petitions in hand and realized how the issues of our neighborhood do matter to us, if you have been stopped by us and listened, then please join us and vote for JOSH, this Tuesday. JOSH SKALLER is the ONE. GO VOTE. Tuesday, September 15, 2009."

Maryann and Ringo

The Clock is Ticking......Just Do It!! Send your comments to the EPA!

The clock is ticking...

Have you written your EPA response yet?

Here is a beautifully written letter written by a local resident who expresses precisely what we at CORD feel about the EPA plan to clean-up the Gowanus Canal:

JUST DO IT!!!!

Remember the deadline is:  
April 27, 2013.

Mail your comments to:
Christos Tsiamis
Project Manager
Central New York Remediation Section
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
290 Broadway, 20th Floor
New York, New York 10007-1866
e-mail: GowanusCanalComments.Region2@epa.gov

OR, contact Natalie Loney, Community Involvement Coordinator, at 212-637-3639, loney.natalie@epa.gov.



Letter from our neighbor: 

April 10, 2013

Mr. Christos Tsiamis

Project Manager

Central New York Remediation Section

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

290 Broadway, 20^th Floor

New York, NY 10007-1866

Dear Mr. Tsiamis:

Words cannot fully express my gratitude I have for you and your (Region 2) team. Your expertise and passion in doing the right thing to protect our environment and the overall health and safety of this community have been proven many times over with your dedicated and transparent commitment in working closely with us and helping us to understand the full Superfund process.

Scientifically technical and politically sensitive, you and your team were there to clarify and balance the differences and to unite a community toward a comprehensive cleanup so desperately and deservingly due.

To find a place you can call home is a rare find. To find a place with selfless, generous, caring community-minded people is a blessing. I have been fortunate to come across both and now triple-blessed to have you and your team a part of it.

I wholeheartedly support the PRAP and deeply believe and trust you and your team will thoroughly clean and protect the Gowanus Canal for us now and all future generations to come.

With the deepest respect and thanks,

Maryann Young

Carroll Gardens Resident and Condo Owner

Active Community Members

Alternate member to the Gowanus Canal Superfund Community Advisory Group

Friends of CORD, FROGG and DSCBBB (Developing Stronger Brooklyn Communities Block by Block)

Heartfelt Testimony from the Text Amendment Hearing at the Boro Pres's Office

Last week's text amendment hearing at the Borough President's office was just step two in very democratic process---We will still need to let City Planning and the City Council know how we feel when their time comes too----but we are taking this process one step at a time! Please sign up for our free CG CORD newsletter at Feedblitz.com on the right hand side of this blog if you have not already done so. Thank you.

My name is Maryann Young. I am a property owner and 12-year resident of Carroll Gardens, South Brooklyn, NY. I’m here to lend support to the passage of zoning text amendment. But before I go further, I would like to say to you that I have NO financial gains or political aspiration in this quest to preserve what I know from my heart that this is a great and wonderful place to live, a place I call my “Home”.

As I’m aware that there are many sides to every story, I took a zoning course with the distinguished Doris Diether, a Village preservation advocate for 45 years and a zoning expert of citywide repute, and learned enough to understand the purpose of the text amendment change.

I can honestly say to you that this is indeed a special situation and discovery that would give back to the community a leverage that will help to protect against the out-of-scale developments within these breathtaking blocks, blocks that were never meant to be destroyed because of a loophole, especially from a simple word “wide”

I am in favor of this amendment on the Place blocks because it is by far the best remedy available currently to save the blocks that truly represent this beautiful, unique community.

By protecting the historical nature of these charming blocks with beautiful brownstones and well groomed gardens, you will only ADD VALUE to these homes.

More importantly, you will ease the fear of the many generations of family and friends who love their homes, who want to keep their sunshine and open space, and the sounds of quiet calm when they walk the streets home.

The community is behind this amendment. I have spoken to hundreds of my neighbors as I was passing out flyers and fact sheets regarding this hearing and zoning text amendment and overwhelmingly, the people are with us.

Mr. Borough President Markowitz, all community board members, and elected officials, I ask of you …DO THE RIGHT THING.

Stand by those who represent the GREATER GOOD than the greed of a few. Pass this much-needed zoning text amendment today.

Thank you for listening and acting CORRECTLY.

A MESSAGE FROM CORD: JOSH SKALLER TOPS OUR POLL FOR NYC COUNCILMAN!!

HELLO FROM CORD

Today is a very exciting day for us. As you know, we reached out to you to ask how you would feel about CORD endorsing a City Councilmember candidate. When we reached out to you for your opinions, we felt that one candidate in particular exhibited the type of qualities that we think are necessary to successfully work for and effectively serve everyone in our district.

We are delighted to tell you that you responded with enthusiastic support for our candidate of choice, the next Councilmember of the 39th District, Mr Josh Skaller.

This is a big step for all of us but we know just how important a role this particular elected position plays in all of our daily lives. We think that Josh Skaller is the right person for the job.

Over the next few weeks, we will be looking for your support. There will be petitions circulating all over our district. Over the next few days, we will be sharing more information about the petition drive with you. We are so pleased to announce to you today that several very dedicated community activists will be joining us in this most important petition drive.

You know them. They are your neighbors. We are very pleased to announce that the following hard-working volunteers, all members of our very own community will be joining CORD co founders, Lucy DeCarlo, Rita Miller and Triada Samaras in this most important Primary ballot petition drive.

Glenn Kelly

Marlene Donnelly

Steven Negrycz

Robbin Slade

Benjamin Ellis

Mary Hedge

June Negrycz

Gerry Miller

Katia Kelly

Vince Joseph

Jacqueline Raque

Steven Miller

Maryann Young and Ringo

Bette Stoltz

Elizabeth Lind.

CORD

A Moving Tribute and Letter from a Carroll Gardens/Gowanus Community Member to the EPA About Its Potential "Deal' with the City of New York

May 31, 2016

Re: Gowanus Canal Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order for Remedial Design, Removal Action and Cost Recovery

Dear Director Walter Mugdan:

I appreciate your administrative team’s effort in trying to mediate the EPA’s Superfund position with the City of New York and coming out to Brooklyn to explain it. However, I still believe that Glenn Kelly was on target with his comment that the agreement between EPA and the City of New York may very well be “a problem to a solution rather than a solution to a problem.” I am writing to ask you to consider that possibility and either reject the agreement or amend it to prevent any delay and move the remediation forward as stated in the ROD. Please don’t allow the City to alter or change what has been thoroughly researched, written, approved and signed off in the ROD.

When I started my involvement in community activism, I was just an observer. As I sat and listened to the many different layers of viewpoints, I sensed that many community members all have experienced the City’s evasive tactics for many decades.  This agreement reminded of the day that Cas Holloway from the City of New York presented the City’s grand Alternate clean-up plans to the community. They spent thousands of dollars to divert the nomination. It seems that we have circled back to their plan. If so, I plead with you not to let that happen or we will lose the timely momentum that have been achieved toward the clean-up already.

Around 2008, I joined a group of grassroots activists to preserve and protect our community. I had no financial or political aspiration to get involved, only a love for a neighborhood I called my “home”. During my involvement, I have been so honored to have met many genuinely kind, generous and selfless individuals. They have become my heroes and now my extended family (Pardon Me for Asking blogger, Katia Kelly and her husband Glenn Kelly; CORD founders, Rita Miller, Triada Samaras, Lucy deCarlos; FROGG founders, Linda Mariano, and Marlene Donnelly, and so many others) These people matched my beliefs in wanting to protect and preserve the historic beauty and open space we were so lucky to have and live in.

Around 2009 a new group of people were added to my list. It was You and the Region 2 staff (Christos Tsiamis, Natalie Loney, and Brian Carr). I hung on every word you said. You and your team were straightforward and sincere to our concerns. You and your team left us feeling safe. You were known among us as the “white knight on a white horse” here to finally stand for what you represented as a government agency to protect the environment and the health and safety of the people. You promised transparency, you promised to work and listen to our community and you kept those promises. I created buttons to send out our message and to stand strong with those who were sent to protect our environment. I wore my buttons proudly and I meant every word that was written. With your support and guidance, we formed a CAG group and combined over 60 community organizations and at large members to report back to you of what we needed. You listened and understood our concerns and accommodated where you could. When the ROD was signed, sealed and delivered to us. We all believed this was the LAW, a powerful tool to move the cleanup forward. We believed the assurance that if a PRP doesn’t take action that the EPA Superfund takes over and does the work and afterward retrieves 3Xs times the cost back.  The Region 2 team amazed us with their commitment and their determination we were finally seeing the light on the other side of the tunnel.

This agreement with the City of New York, however throws me off that path of hope for a clean canal. I fear that the extended time you allowed the City the further away our goal to a clean and healthy canal will be. You and your staff will retire and new members with little knowledge and commitment will let the time slip further. The agreement is too open for interpretation and I feel the City will find again another loophole.

I believe and stand by Katia Kelly, PardonMeforAsking blogger of her thorough analysis of this action you are about to embark into with the City. This is a land grab and the City is using your sense of fairness against you and us and it seems that the EPA Administrative team has given up and dismissed the plead of the whole community.

The amazing CORD ladies have captured and summed up in their public comment sent to you on May 24, 2016 which bears repeating* (see LINK) all my disappointment, as well as my confusion on the pending agreement between the EPA and the City of New York.

Yes,” it is all so terribly disheartening and sad.”

CORD founders (Rita Miller, Triada Samaras, Lucy deCarlos), Katia Kelly, Marlene Donnelly, and Linda Mariano have always spoken “truth to power” and have always been dedicated to the purest form of community activism. They continuously fight to do the right thing voluntarily with no political or financial aspiration.  Lately they have been villainized by nonprofit groups who receive funding from the City of New York and accused of environmental injustice in order to weaken their creditability. If you know them as I do, all these false accusations are deterrents. In reality, they have inspired me to always do the right thing and never give up. They are the true meaning of Margaret Mead’s quote: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world, indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

If the agreement with EPA and the City is a done deal will you seriously consider CORD, FROGG and Katia Kelly’s concerns and amend the agreement accordingly. Will you do the right thing too and stand with us again to move the full cleanup of the Gowanus Canal forward without further delay?

Yours respectfully,

Maryann Young

Owner/Resident Carroll Gardens, and CORD Alternate, CAG