COMMUNITY BOARD SIX
ECONOMIC/WATERFRONT/COMM. DEV. & HOUSING COMMITTEE
FEBRUARY 22, 2010
ATTENDANCE:
PRESENT:
B. ATKINS S. BURZIO J. FRANCIS
B. LESTER R. LUFTGLASS C. MOLINARI
D. REISS L. SONES B. STOLTZ
P. THOMAS
EXCUSED:
P. BLAKE H. CHERNOFF S. MILLER
G. O’CONNELL Y. ROMAN
ABSENT:
C. DAVIS E. FELDER Y. GIRELA
D. PECHEFSKY
GUEST ATTENDANCE:
J. VOGEL - REP. FOR HON. VELMANETTE MONTGOMERY, STATE SENATOR .
D. WILEY - REP. FOR HON. NYDIA VELAQUEZ, MEMBER OF CONGRESS
J. NACHOWITZ NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP.
A. GENN NEW YORK CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP.
M. WEISS R. SLOANE P. CARSON
E. DENNEHY A. CAMPBELL D. SAUCHELLI
MINUTES
Motion was made to approve minutes of the previous meeting held on November 16, 2009. The motion passed unanimously.
Update and discussion with representatives for the Economic Development Corporation on various issues related to Piers 7-12 including, but not limited to, a recap on recent Atlantic Basin Upland Roundtable workshop regarding use of Pier 12 parking lot, status of Phoenix Beverages tenancy and occupancy of Pier 7 and Pier 11 and followup on related issues, status of lease for PortSide New York’s cultural use space at Atlantic Basin, update on cold-ironing initiative for Red Hook Cruise Terminal, and update on ongoing work with the Department of Small Business Services to integrate economic activity at the waterfront into direct support for the local, neighborhood economy.
Pier 11 – parking lot – 2 acres – bus parking • 300 days a year – it is vacant • EDC wants it for community purpose late spring – early fall. Summer used by buses. • Formulated list that will lead to RFP that should lead to programming within next few years. • Doesn’t need to be a not for profit. If business, EDC will require some community benefit. • Can register on EDC website for RFP. • Could possibly be concerts, etc.
Salt Piles – Product is now capped and managed ___________ to prior delivery. ASI had allegedly made promises regarding managing salt piles in the future. Dan Wiley explained the recent meeting with DOS
and salt piles. Loading and unloading is a big problem. Permit to have salt pile in Red Hook is DEC so they might be the best agency to address the issue. Community Board receives periodic complaints, even after the last shipment.
DEC permit may control best practices. Current lease may speak to whether salt storing is allowed. Requests for the lease have gone unanswered.
Does the salt also contain additives or any other materials that might be unsafe?
PortSide NY Lease • Hope to have license going for this summer. Negotiations are ongoing.
Water Taxi to Governors Island still ongoing but not from Atlantic Basin this summer.
Cold Ironing • Shore power. Reduces use of diesel fuel when idling. • Rep. Velasquez provided funding to study cold-ironing on waterfront. • PSC is considering the rate to charge for the electricity. Carnival will retrofit ships to allow for this. EDC reps have unionized the community members to support this with PSC.
Phoenix Beverages – Lease recently signed between EDC and Phoenix Beverages. Lease provides that Phoenix improve on its trucks using clean energy technology.
Public Access - EDC believes that the greenway can be integrated into _______ portside. EDC reps believe CB6 needs a “Ports 101” forum. Phoenix recently joined SW Brooklyn IDC. Phoenix has leased piers 7 and 11. They plan to relocate their Queens facility to Red Hook. About 500 jobs will be created – 20 year lease. Phoenix has a fleet of 100 trucks. Entire fleet must be converted to commercial natural gas (CNG). Barging goods up the Hudson is still on the table.
Review and discussion of committee’s agenda – pending and potential matters to come before the committee.
Future topics and issues: • Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce
• FAC CGA
• Stalled development • Local hiring policy • Affordable housing • Opening of cement plan • Sugar factory • Red Hook Neighborhood beautification • Public forum – linking port for community • Sub committee regarding ports.
A motion was made to thank Rep. Velasquez for her support.
There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 8:53pm.
Thanks for getting (and posting) the Phoenix lease. The section about CNG requirements and benchmarks is helpful. Unfortunately, the lease doesn't seem to include other issues that we raised. I can't find an explicit requirement that they keep all truck traffic between piers 7 and 11 internal, but I assume that's the intent of the section on p.
19. It indicates that vehicle access is limited to the north and east, and it cites the map in Exhibit A, but the map doesn't show the northern piers so the route is not clear. Also, there's nothing about employment/outreach. I guess we just have to hope that they keep to their word on that.