Also, please note the following statistic which clearly is a lowball - an "estimated 100,000 people" will be removed if we rezone this bit of the district.
The Board is in tatters. The latest to reach my ears beggars belief, and I'll see how much is true enough to print. Pearl Miles is taking the brunt of frustration, but there's plenty of finger-pointing to go around. I wish we'd just vote and be done with it. Basically if we don't show overwhelming support for a study, it ain't gonna happen. You read it here first. We're on the mat, folks, and the count has begun.
So regardless whether outside forces, even malevolent outside forces, have been responsible for the current state of affairs, it becomes clear that if you don't want something to happen all you need is the gumption and the gall to stick your neck out and scream. The long version of the story, though, is that the City will continue to make decisions that are in its perceived best interests, and we're only a small cog in the greater remaking of Brooklyn, NYC, Without the zoning study there will be continued disappointments and chaos to endure. But then, as long as Alicia's happy, we should all be happy. After all, she has the big guy in her corner. Plus, as a commenter noted, she's taken her show on the road. Seems she's just getting started.
Dear Neighbor
This is when you know that you God is on
your side!
This storm saved us!
Here was their Plan:
Place 26 community board members
on the
the ULURP committee, that was
scheduled for Monday.
Within that group there would be enough to create a
voting block
to get the "same" resolution
passed.
Ignore the community's
applications to be put on the ULURP
stating they didn't have enough
time to process the applications.
Have the police present and have
anyone who speaks that isn't
a committee member removed and/or
arrested.
Keep the same parameters,
including Empire Blvd that
City Planning has specifically stated it wants to
up zone
to 10-12 stories
starting!
Pass this resolution that would
allow City Planning to decide
where they will up zone and on
whatever blocks they choose!
This means, all along the Parameter of the
Park and Garden
could face up zoning, inclusionary
zoning etc...
Washington Ave, Flatbush Ave, Empire Blvd,
Ocean Ave.
Also the entire Area would see an increase
in density,
with now six story being the
average,
but which could go up from 7
to 10 stories,
when putting in the zoning into affordable
or inclusionary categories.
Then on Tuesday, without the
resolution being an agenda item
where the community would be able
to protest it and speak on it.
They would introduce it during the
"Business" session,
where the community can not speak
and then place it for a vote
and there you have it! The same old
resolution presented and passed!
However, there was one problem with their
plan,
It seemed that God wasn't in favor of
it!
And how could he be.
This plan poses to remove an estimated
100,000 people from this community!
People who have lived here all their
lives,
worked and struggled to create a
safe environment,
when the city ignored it, refusing
to provide proper services
to it thousands of
residents.
Now the Mayor is saying he has a
plan, which is the same
plan as Bloomberg, because nothing
has changed!
He wants to create affordable
housing when the results
have shown time and time again that what we get
instead of affordable housing
is unaffordable
communities!
All because of Greed and
corruption!
Everyone knows they don’t' want Empire
Blvd for affordable housing
they want it for those Park
Views
And Everyone knows that they won't stop at
12 stories
they will go to 20 stories to get those
views!
There are other parts of this
community that could have "affordable" housing
that won't endanger 100 year old
homes, the removal of low and moderate
income families or pose a
risk of sky scrapers being built
But City Planning won't
even consider these areas, because
it isn't what the developers
want!
And they are willing to break every
law to get their way.
In fact Winston, the Director of the
Brooklyn Office of City Planning
has stated publically last
Thursday, Jan 22,
that if we don't give
them Empire Blvd to put 10
to 12 stories up
they will not rezone this
community!
How does a City Agency get the
power to threatened a community
that they will not do their job,
if we don’t sacrifice our homes
and community to allow developers to make
money!
The city officials have watch CB9 executive
board break the law, commit criminal
acts
falsify documents, and even some
political entities have also engaged
in criminal misconduct, like
the falsifying of documents, attempting to
bribe
and these agencies have stood by and have done
nothing!
But there is a greater force out that and it is
proving to be just that!
A Greater Force!
That is working for us and is
on our side!
But as the saying goes
"God helps those who help
themselves"
So don't give up the
fight!
Because we will win this
one!
Alicia,
www.mtopp.org
(718) 703-3086
www.mtopp.org
(718) 703-3086
17 comments:
Good luck with getting support, vocal support, for the study to counter Alicia.
The area is only half of CB9, and for the most part, likely consists of people who are either in line with Alicia or following her blindly (she is throwing out all the right words). If the study included more of CB9, you may be able to find more people who understand the purpose of the study and and who can help push it through.
I guess we should all prepare ourselves for more storage and some hotels on that strip of Empire and more towers along the park as empty lots are filled in or buildings torn down and rebuilt.
I believe the area will change no matter what happens with this study, for the better I might add, but without the study, it will will come at a cost, a significant and irrevocable cost, to the current residents.
You can't make this stuff up!
You CAN make this stuff up. And she's gotten quite good at it. :)
Actually, a good portion of the area indicated for study is in already-landmarked areas (Ocean on the Park, Chester Court, and the original Prospect-Lefferts Gardens Historic District) and so won't be affected. I live here and know many others who also do; we are perfectly capable of understanding the purpose of the study, thanks. Indeed, most of the people I've spoken with who actually do live in this area (renters and homeowners) are in favor of the zoning study and have said the same to many people, including Eric Adams and Jesse Hamilton.
On the other hand, many of the loudest MTOPP supporters (apart from Alicia Boyd herself, of course) do not live in this neighborhood at all. Kind of like her disrupting the meeting in East New York the other day pretending to be from that neighborhood until she got called out on it.
I've gotten to the point where I want to see where Alicia takes her sh@t show and then point fingers at her when the needs of our community get ignored.
I've also gotten to the point where I've come to realize that PLG really isn't a true community. We are pockets of a community and within those pockets we have a lining of fear, hate, racism, bigotry, and selfishness as the glue that holds it all together.
Let the storage places, hotels, fast food restaurants, let them come. The "community" has spoken and Alicia and her peeps have made it known loud and clear that they don't care about the community or the people who love in it, so let's let them have what they want so they can be "happy".
(and I'm only slightly kidding)
I would love to believe that I had the ability to speak on behalf of god as well as people who shared my hue.
I am sad I can only speak on behalf of myself.
Carmen, for better or for worse, I think you are spot on.
I hope that CB9 realizes that Alicia's "concerns" are not addressed by a DCP study or a lack of a study. The neighborhood is changing rapidly, and all sorts of negative occurrences associated with gentrification are, too. That will continue to happen regardless of zoning. At the moment, really, the only thing at stake is ensuring that we do not get skyscrapers where we do not want them.
"And you never ask questions
When God’s on your side"
Bob Dylan
This list shows that one does not need high rise buildings to achieve massive change:
http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/44634/links-to-the-big-16-developments-in-western-crown-heights/p1
Alicia has been absolutely, unequivocally vocal about keeping the strip of Empire Blvd SPECIFICALLY between Rogers and Flatbush completely unchanged in terms of zoning. When she first started ramping up efforts to rally folks against the zoning study (not long after changing her org's name from Movement to Protect Prospect Park, which she obviously is not that concerned about), she spoke about an idyllic strip of "mom and pop" store fronts, restaurants, cultural entertainment. Of course, all of these are ideas that sound great, but are unlikely to happen because of how much it would cost to convert stretches of the boulevard into storefronts. If anyone was willing to spend that kind of money knocking down the old warehouses that are there now, do we really believe they'll build something affordable for "mom and pop" businesses in their place? Now we're going to get stuck with whatever we get. I'm sure she's a block association favorite...
Tim, I found the following at nyc.gov regarding the process for reviewing zoning study requests:
Community Board Review
Within sixty (60) days of receiving the certified application, the Community Board is required to hold a public hearing and adopt and submit a written recommendation to CPC, the applicant, the Borough President and when appropriate, the Borough Board. The ULURP rules include provisions relating to the notice and conduct of a Community Board public hearing. ULURP provisions also govern the quorum, vote and content for a Community Board recommendation. If a Community Board fails to act within its time limit or waives its right to act, the application proceeds to the next level of review.
So has CB9 failed to act within 60 days of the application submission? Who was the actual applicant? The borough prez would be the next rung up the ladder. So what's the deal?
When mom and pop stores become more profitable than storage locations and fast food, that is what will be built.
Until then....
http://www.selfstorage.org/ssa/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutSSA/Factsheet/default.htm
https://www.franchisehelp.com/industry-reports/fast-food-industry-report/
That kind of bold print use should really be banned. It makes the annoying ideas even MORE annoying.
Hi Maggie! Thanks for the good question and showing serious interest.
We're nowhere near the application phase, and the ULURP clock doesn't start til a completed application is filed by the Dept of City Planning. All we're doing is asking Planning if they'd CONSIDER submitting an application. From the time we ask, there will probably be a year or two of meetings, dialogue, and actual study, before the application is submitted.
The app is near the end of the process. We haven't even begun (because the motion from last March was rescinded). We had begun to move forward, then all hell broke loose.
I can't believe that I am the first one to post this classic Blue's Brothers clip here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKZSqd5Y8nA
Damn, this process is confusing and getting confusinger all the time! Is there any reason that a group of concerned citizens could not submit an app directly to the CB9? I got the impression, perhaps wrongly, from nyc.gov that anyone could apply. If that's true, why not just get some people together to fill out an app and then put in in the CB9's lap. Would that not bypass some of the recent and current chaos?
Yes, Maggie! In fact, PPEN proposed just that - a text amendment that would limit height. You, me, anyone can propose a zoning study and change.
BUT...they will be blunt with you whether your application has a chance, and the reasoning behind it. You won't have to go through the laborious process in order to find out whether you can get an application through ULURP.
You could also bring your idea before the ULURP committee of CB9 and they could assess whether the community might be behind such a chance.
The reason so many "applications" make it through ULURP is that they are vetted throughout the process, and if they look doomed to failure, the department doesn't wast it's time advocating for it. So, say, the BP and Mayor and/or City Council person don't like it, why bother?
It's not that confusing really. It's the jargon, and the "timeline" that trip people up. The best way to learn about it, though, is to look at other rezonings and see what transpired.
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