How did up zoning of Empire Blvd get Requested?
According to the Minutes of Community Board 9, http://www.communitybrd9bklyn.org/docs/CB9_-_Meeting_Minutes_March_2014.pdf
Pear Miles – District Manager (paid employee of NYC) went to a forum on March 17, 2014 at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens and out of this event, she created a resolution. This resolution unfortunately isn’t a part of the minutes and MTOPP's request to get it have been ignored (but don’t you worry, we will get it (smile)).
On March 25 at Community Board 9, Pearl presented a resolution to be passed. I am making the assumption that this resolution, requested City Planning to study Empire Blvd, to changed from commercial to mix-use residential to “increase residential and retail density..” and “contextual mixed-use development”, because that is the request that City Planning got from Pearl Miles.
This “contextual development”, means The study will look at existing structures and will build up according to what already exists (contextually). In our case, that would be Ebbert’s Field, which has twenty-five story height and is right behind Empire Blvd! This will “increase residential density” and fall right into “contextual development.”
As Professor Angottii stated, the parameters of the study is what they will study and what they will then vote upon! And out of the 140 rezoning study requests that turned into applications, 140 were approved!!!
At this March 25 Community Board 9 meeting there were only three members of PPEN that spoke about the resolution that was being presented. There were no other community groups, block associations tenant groups, church groups etc… apart of this discussion.
There was opposition to this resolution being passed. Several board members pointed out several issues.
- No community input in the drafting or creation of this resolution
- It didn’t go through any standing committee.
- Done as a rush job.
- Some Community Board 9 Members were not notified of the resolution.
- Not enough information about rezoning.
So what we have is a resolution that was created, not by a member of the community but a paid employee of New York City, that was passed without proper notification, no community input, not derived from any standing committees, with language that is vague and unclear.
This resolution would give City Planning the Power to....
- Put an estimated 24,000 – 42,000 people in our community
- Build 25 story buildings all along Empire Blvd.
- Create a massive wave of displacement of People primarily of color (estimated 100,000 people)
- Put the homes boarding on Empire Blvd (Sullivan Place) in the shade, blocking out sunlight for almost 12 hours!
- Cause untold construction damage to property owners, all along Empire Blvd, (Sullivan Place, Sterling St. and Lefferts Ave), as these 100 year old small two story homes are pounded for years in this construction nightmare.
- Turn a residential community into a tourist community.
- Change our affordable community into an unaffordable one!
All because one person made a summary of an Educational Forum! No one should have that kind of power! This resolution will be challenged!
No Residential On Empire Blvd!
Down zone Empire Blvd, Contextually!
Preserve Our Affordable Community!!!