BROOKLYN COMMUNITY BOARD 6
GENERAL BOARD MEETING
PROSPECT PARK RESIDENCE
1 PROSPECT PARK PLACE
SEPTEMBER 11, 2013
ATTENDANCE
PRESENT:
E. ANDERSON R. BASHNER P. BELLENBAUM
N. BERK-RAUCH J. BERNARD D. BRAVO
F. BROWN C. CALABRESE E. CAUSIL-RODRIGUEZ
SR. R. CERVONE N. COX E. FELDER
P. FLEMING Y. GIRELA R. GRAHAM
V. HERAMIA J. HEYER H. HUGHES
G. KELLY M. KOLMAN A. KRASNOW
D. KUMMER R. LEVINE H. LINK
S. LONIAL R. LUFTGLASS D. MAZZUCA
T. MISKEL G. O’CONNELL, JR. C. PIGOTT
L. PINN M. RACIOPPO G. REILLY
R. RIGOLLI M. RUIZ M. SCOTT
D. SCOTTO M. SHAMES E. SHIPLEY
M. SILVERMAN B. SOLOTAIRE L. SONES
E. SPICER J. STRABONE J. THOMPSON
S. TURET D. WILLIAMS
EXCUSED:
S. LONIAL
ABSENT:
D. GIULIANO A. MCKNIGHT P. MINDLIN
GUESTS:
L. JACOBSON, BOROUGH PRESIDENT MARKOWITZ’ REPRESENTATIVE
C. ZINNEL, COUNCIL MEMBER LANDER’S REPRESENTATIVE
T. SGRIGNOLI, ASSEMBLY MEMBER BRENNAN’S REPRESENTATIVE
T. SMITH, ASSEMBLY MEMBER MILLMAN’S REPRESENTATIVES
O. JONAS, STATE SENATOR MONTGOMERY’S REPRESENTATIVE
J. HAMILTON, STATE SENATOR ADAMS’ REPRESENTATIVE
Z. OTT, STATE SENATOR SQUADRON’S REPRESENTATIVE
Complete list of meeting attendees on file at District Office.
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1st Vice-Chairperson Thomas Miskel called the meeting to order at 6:56pm and began with a moment of silence for all those who lost their lives in and because of 9/11.
ADOPTION OF MINUTES
Board Member Rick Luftglass made a motion to accept the minutes of the July’s general meeting, seconded by Board Member Lou Sones.
VOTE: 37 YEAS, 0 NAYS, 0 ABSTENTIONS
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
TIME: 6:58 P.M.
CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT………………………………………………………....….DANIEL KUMMER
Chairperson Daniel Kummer expressed on behalf of the Community Board condolences to the family of Lydia Buffington who passed away unexpectedly on July 3, 2013. Bill Appel, the Executive Director of the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation, described Lydia as the "heart and soul" of the organization. In addition to her long years of tireless work in Carroll Gardens as a housing and tenant advocate, Lydia also faithfully served on our Economic/Waterfront/Community Development & Housing committee where her presence and expertise will surely be missed. I'd like to thank our district office staff, District Manager Craig Hammerman, Assistant District Manager Leroy Branch and Office Manager Liza Santiago for representing us at the funeral mass this morning, and would like to convey our sympathies to the Buffington family.
DISTRICT MANAGER’S REPORT………………………………………….…….CRAIG HAMMERMAN
District Manager Hammerman waived his report.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
TRANSPORTATION/PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE……...........THOMAS L. MISKEL, CO-CHAIR
………….……….SAYAR LONIAL, CO-CHAIR
Chairperson Daniel Kummer reported to the Board that the committee reviewed the Department of Transportation's proposal to redesign 4th Avenue traffic corridor.
Motion: by Committee;
Recommendation to approve a proposal by the Department of Transportation to redesign 4th Avenue traffic corridor (between Atlantic Avenue and 15th Streets) with the following conditions: 1) That the department return to the Community Board with specific proposal(s) to review before any other changes are implemented for 4th Avenue, including but not limited to the addition of loading zones, bicycle corrals, bicycle lanes, metered parking, etc.; 2) That the prohibited southbound left-turns be further reviewed with an eye toward including additional signage and/or other strategies that would minimize the impact of turning traffic that is displaced specifically to 5`h and/or 10`h Streets; 3) That the department return to the Community Board with an evaluative report one-year after the project implementation; 2
4) That the department collects new traffic and pedestrian counts in the vicinity of the Whole Foods Market at 3rd Avenue and 3rd Street, within 6 to 12 months after the store opens; and, 5) That the department further review and develop plans to beautify the 4th Avenue corridor beyond the limited plantings suggested in the revised plan.
Board Member Judith Thompson stated that she has driven on 4th Avenue in Sunset Park and was frustrated because of the painted markings on the ground. DOT should “build up” with cement where the markings are as well as including beautification enhancements for the medians in the proposal.
Board Member Jeff Strabone spoke in favor of the motion stating that 4th Avenue is a deadly speedway. No one should expect to drive fast in New York, especially in Brooklyn. DOT is totally right to calm traffic on 4th Avenue. We have heard the numbers of injuries 646 in 5 years; we can have fewer with this plan. We also heard that this plan would be good for drivers too. He does not want anyone else to die on 4th Avenue, so let’s turn 4th Avenue from a deadly speedway into a proper Brooklyn street.
Board Member Gary Reilly stated that the issue is less about what 4th Avenue is and what it could be, but more about what the kind of 4th Avenue we want and deserve and he thinks this plan moves us into that direction.
Board Member James Bernard stated that he has never heard of any disagreement with the thrust of the proposal, people would like to preserve the 3rd Street and 9th Street turns. He wished we had more time to digest the proposal and the stats on the turns. It just does not make any sense, a lot of traffic and angry drivers will be pushed to 5th Avenue and a little more traffic on the side streets like 5th and 10th Streets is still bad. We can ask for other things to happen at 3rd and 9th Streets to make it safer.
Board Member Peter Fleming stated that he agrees with his colleague that he does not disagree with the intent or the majority of the things they want to do in this proposal, there are elements of it that they have not thought enough about and that because they don’t seem to have the tools to think about them they kind of just sort of gloss over them a little bit. He wished that we had the power to be more specific about what we like and what we don’t like, but it is probably not worth it and he will agree with it by and large but there are elements to it that he does not agree with.
Board Member Benjamin Solotaire spoke in favor of the motion stating that 4th Avenue is changing and developing and although he understands the issues of the residents on 10th Street, we need to make it safer for the community overall.
Board Member Suzanne Turet stated that she agrees with the motion but is frustrated that DOT will not reconsider the removal of southbound left turns on 3rd and 9th Streets.
Board Member Elly Spicer spoke out against the motion stating that the removal of the southbound left turn onto 9th Street is ludicrous. In Sunset Park along 4th Avenue there is not the same type of community, i.e. a cemetery-vs.-commercial strip, so it is hard to make the comparison between the two neighborhoods.
Board Member Roger Rigolli stated that the plan sounds good. Like they mentioned they used theory first and then practical application. Why couldn’t they use theory with everything stopped and let pedestrians cross, with one side making a left turn when that goes red the opposite side makes the left turn and see how that works with theory, it might work the other way too. What he dislikes is when Board Members use sensitive feelings and bring that into play here he thinks that is wrong. Emotions should not be a part of these meetings because sympathy should not work here. We should have rules and regulations and stick to the subject without getting emotional and bringing emotional people into this.
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Board Member James Bernard asked if we could amend the motion to include not removing the southbound left turns from 4th Avenue at 3rd and 9th Streets. Chairperson stated that we already ask DOT to eliminate those elements and they stated no.
Board Member Philip Mindlin stated that the arguments in favor of this proposal, i.e. number of deaths, number of injuries may be relatively small in regards to not allowing the turns on 3rd and 9th Streets, while the arguments for not implementing are based on emotions not data. In his mind the data wins.
Board Member Judith Thompson stated that when making the decision we must also consider the change in the community around 3rd Street, i.e. Whole Foods, and the new residents coming to the neighborhood from new developments in regards to safety on 4th Avenue.
Board Member Gary Reilly stated that DOT has reported that we get the most conflicts, the most accidents and the most injuries from 3rd and 9th Streets.
VOTE: 21 YEAS, 3 NAY, 2 ABSTENTIONS
MOTION PASSED
TIME: 9:51 P.M.
COMMUNITY SESSION
Eric McClure thanked the Community Board for reviewing the revised plan and for adopting it.
NEW/OTHER BUSINESS
No new business.
Motion: by Board Member Roger Rigolli, seconded by Board Member Eric Anderson To adjourn the meeting.
VOTE: 26 YEAS, 0 NAY, 0 ABSTENTIONS
MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY
TIME: 9:50 P.M.
Minutes submitted into the District Office by Assistant District Manager Leroy Branch on July 19, 2013.
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