COMMUNITY BOARD SIX
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
LONG ISLAND COLLEGE HOSPITAL
MEETING ROOM
APRIL 11, 2011
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE:
PRESENT:
D. KUMMER J. BERNARD G. KELLY
M. KENTON T. MISKEL G. REILLY
D. REISS M. SHAMES
EXCUSED:
R. BASHNER P FLEMING M. KOLMAN
N. LALLI R. LEVINE R. LUFTGLASS
S. TURET
ABSENT:
T. ALEXANDER B. ATKINS S. BURZIO
E. SPICER D.C. VITO
GUESTS:
HON. STEPHEN LEVIN, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
HON. BRAD LANDER, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
ALEX DELISI – REP. FOR HON. DANIEL SQUADRON, STATE SENATOR
B. BROOKHART P. BLAKE E. RYAN
D. LOWIN R. MYER R. SLOANE
J. FRANCIS C. KONHEIM
*** M I N U T E S ***
Presentation and discussion with representatives for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation on the Draft Report prepared for the Committee on Alternatives to Housing.
A quorum was not present.
David Reiss, our delegate to CAC (Community Advisory Council, a 27 member group that advises the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation).
Two possibilities: 1. Reject this process – outcome due to artificial limitations on the process.
2. Comment on the BAE study: Take a middle of the road approach that accepts parts, rejects parts.
- CAC has a special meeting on April 20. - Written testimony due by April 25.
Daniel Kummer – would it be practical to try to convey this 90-minute meeting content to the board?
Glenn Kelly – Parks committee has made a resolution to kick it back to CAH to take a harder look at Watchtower.
David Reiss – there is a political risk that we delay or otherwise derail the progress.
Mark Shames – What has CB2 said/done on this matter?
Daniel reported that a draft resolution is being considered by CB2, which they will consider on April 13th, which rejects the finding that Watchtower violates threshold and requests CAH authorize BAE to study this alternative further
Daniel Kummer – Third option is to authorize David to vote his conscience as our representative on the
CAC.
Glenn – my concern is that in a city with scarce park land as it is, to take part of it for housing is a poor risk.
Discussion on the options.
Discussion on whether the board should reject the threshold of a self-funding park in general.
Discussion of the failure to address the operating expenses as well as revenue.
Martha Kenton – consider charging for secure bike parking in addition to regular bike racks.
Gary Reilly – opposed to the construction of a parking deck on multiple grounds including environmental and the recent debacle of the Yankee Stadium parking deck experience.
Resolution:
We commend the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation for finding many ways to pay for the park without the need for more housing, in keeping with CB6’s long-standing position against housing inside this park.
BAE has already identified millions of dollars in potential revenue that have the potential, at a minimum, to drastically reduce the need for housing revenue to sustain the ongoing operations of BBP.
CB6 believes the CAH could go further that it has in identifying revenue. Specifically, as originally proposed the BAE consultant should analyze the potential revenue opportunities involving the currently tax-exempt Watchtower Society properties. CB6 calls on the CAH to reconsider their finding that this revenue source does not meet the study threshold parameters and to consider a fuller range of other revenue opportunities.
There not being a quorum, there was a consensus of those present in favor of the above motion.
New Business.
District Manager Craig Hammerman reports that there is an upcoming issue of ConEd ending their policy of providing free parking for their employees at their Third Street Yard location by leasing open lots proximate to the yard as part of an overall effort by the corporation to reduce operating costs to defray future rate increases. The company has already discontinued leases for parking lots around their Coney Island, East New York and College Point facilities. The two lots the company current lease are on 6th Street (80-100 parking spaces, lease expires April 30th) and 3rd Street (roughly 92 spaces, lease expires next year, will be converted to ConEd fleet vehicle use only effective May 1st), both west of 4th Avenue.
ConEd reports that the owner of the 6th Street lot has no immediately plans for the site and is open to negotiate directly to anyone wishing to continue to park there at their own expense.
The district office has received complaints, mostly from ConEd employees but also residents from the area who fear additional competition for scarce on-street parking. Flyers had been posted in the yard’s break room and circulated under the windshields of neighborhood vehicles urging complainants to contact the Community Board and elected officials.
Motion: Brooklyn CB6 calls on ConEd and its employees to work together to reduce the impact of this situation on the community, specifically by aggressively promoting employee commute options that decrease reliance on single-occupancy vehicle commuting to the site, and to make more efforts to hire and assign employees who live locally and are not dependent on driving to the site.
The minutes were submitted by Gary Reilly