Monthly Newsletter, April 2018
Board Meeting Wednesday March 14, 6:30 p.m.
Brooklyn Community Board Six
Monthly Newsletter
April 2018
Welcome to Our New Newsletter
Welcome to the new Brooklyn Community Board Six Newsletter. The first thing you will notice is that the name is blank. The Sixth Sense is a name from the past, and while we at BKCB-6 will always respect and build upon our strong history and foundation, we need to move away from the last century* and look towards the future.
Our community is strongest when we celebrate our diversity and acknowledge that Red Hook, Park Slope, Gowanus, Columbia Waterfront, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens are each amazing neighborhoods, but when knit together to form Community Board Six make for an even stronger community. It is with that understanding and the desire to ensure that residents and businesses that call our district home are aware of what the Board is doing we have revamped the newsletter to better reflect our motions and votes.
Some of our goals with this monthly newsletter are to:
More clearly demonstrate the motions BKCB-6 takes on issues
Increase the dialogue between those who receive the newsletter and the Community Board office
Through the increased dialogue provide greater transparency
Provide community updates
General information sharing
Thanks and have a great month!
An early test of the back and forth with the community, is the fact that we want to hear from you as to what we should name the newsletter. We will accept names over the next month and then bring it to a vote of the BKCB-6 Executive committee. Please send all names to info@brooklyncb6.org.
*The Sixth Sense , a film starring Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment and Directed by M Night Shyamalan, came out in 1999
Chair's Report
Normally the Chair's Report is filled with recaps of meetings, acknowledgements and thanks. This month’s report actually featured two items that ultimately came up for a vote. While unusual, these were time sensitive matters that couldn’t or shouldn’t wait for the following month’s committee meetings.
Support of Congress Member Nydia Velazquez Superfund Enhancement Act. Congress Member Velazquez has asked for community support prior to introducing this bill, which would enhance the current Superfund program by reinstating the "Superfund Tax" on chemical and oil industries. The Superfund Tax was repealed in 1995 due to pressure from the Chemical and Oil lobbies. The reinstated Superfund Tax would finance:
Tax deductions for small businesses, home owners, and renters forced to relocate from in or near a Superfund site. The maximum tax deduction would be $10,000.
A "Disaster Loan" pilot program, administered by the Small Business Administration, annually appropriating $10,000,000 for fiscal years 2019 through 2023, providing direct loans to eligible small businesses, home owners, and renters that have been forced to relocate from a Superfund site.
Economic Injury Loan program for small business forced to relocate from a Superfund site.
It is important to note that the bill language originally offered tax deductions and the Disaster Loan Pilot Program only to small businesses. Feedback from our Economics, Waterfront, Community Development and Housing committee led to the bill including home owners and renters in both of those programs. The Board voted unanimously to support the bill.
A motion was made to request that the NYC Department of Transportation immediately undertake a study to ensure pedestrian safety at 5th Avenue and 9th Street in the wake of the horrific accident on March 5th. The Board voted unanimously to support the motion. To view the Board's letter to Mayor de Blasio and NYC DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, click here.
Economics, Waterfront, Community Development and Housing
NYCHA Wyckoff Gardens
The committee and the Full Board passed a motion to send a letter drafted by the Wyckoff Gardens Tenant’s Association to NYCHA, requesting that NYCHA respond to the letter and share the information with us prior to our upcoming review of the City’s Next-Gen Housing proposal for the parking lot at Wyckoff Gardens. To view the Board's letter to NYCHA Chair Shola Olatoye, click here .
Landmarks
236 / 238 President Street
The Board was made aware of an attempt by neighbors of 236 and 238 President Street to receive an individual Landmark designation for both addresses. As such, we formally asked the Landmarks Preservation Commission to expedite their initial review of this application to determine if it was worth sending to our Landmarks committee for consideration. In conjunction, we asked the Department of Buildings to refrain from granting any permits for work that would alter the exterior historical character of these buildings until the Landmarks Preservation Commission had an opportunity to review the matter and determine if it was worthy of referral back to BKCB-6. At this time, BKCB-6 took no official position on the properties landmark designation. To view the Board's letter to the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Department of Buildings, click here .
On Tuesday, April 10th, the Landmarks Preservation Commission ruled that they would calendar these two addresses for consideration in the coming months.
Additionally, our Landmarks committee took two motions for conditional approval to the March Full Board, and both were ratified:
Approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness application for storefront facade renovations, a new secondary egress door, and a rear yard extension at 76-82 St. Marks Avenue, under the condition that the applicant use brick or brick veneer on visible sides of the rear yard extension. (31 Yeas, 4 Nays, 0 Abstentions)
Approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness application for a new rooftop staircase bulkhead, near placement of stained glass windows, and a new first floor double door at 608 5th Street, under the condition that the applicant reduce the size of the bulkhead from front to rear so as to be less visible from the street. (29 Yeas, 6 Nays, 0 Abstentions)
Land Use
Proposed 280 Richards Street Overhead View
Our Land Use committee sent two motions to the March Full Board.
Conditional approval of an application submitted to the Department of City Planning for a grant of authorization pursuant to Section 62-822(a) of the New York City Zoning Resolution to modify the location, area and minimum dimension requirements of Section 62-50 (General Requirements for Visual Corridors and Waterfront Public Access Areas) and, in conjunction therewith, 62-332 (Rear Yard and Waterfront Yards); and an application for the grant of authorization pursuant to Section 62-822(b) of the New York City Zoning Resolution to modify the requirements of Section 62-513 (Permitted Obstruction in Visual Corridors) and Section 62-60 (Design Requirements for Waterfront Public Access Areas) at 280 Richards Street.
The applicant must commit in writing to include a public bathroom on the esplanade.
The applicant must enter into an agreement with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to remediate debris on the site.
The applicant must conduct an independent investigation into causes of flooding on Beard Street and present their findings to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection.
The applicant must cover the existing piles of dirt on the site immediately.
Approval of an application submitted to the Board of Standards and Appeals for a special permit pursuant to Section 73-44 of the New York City Zoning Resolution to permit the reduction of accessory parking spaces for a proposed altered building at 288 4th Avenue with uses in the parking requirement category B1.
Both motions passed the full board. 280 Richards Street was supported by a vote of 25 Yeas, 7 Nays, and 4 Abstentions. 288 4th Avenue was supported unanimously. To view the Board's resolution regarding 280 Richards Street, click here . To view the Board's resolution on 288 4th Avenue, click here .
Permits & Licenses
Our Permits & Licenses committee voted to deny - for the second time in a row - the renewal of the liquor license for Woodland (AKA Prime Six, Inc.) at 242 Flatbush Avenue. This vote was based on years of community feedback and page upon page of 311 complaints made by residents of the surrounding blocks. The Board voted to ratify the motion to deny with a vote of 32 Yeas, 0 Nays, and 1 Abstention.
Our District Office and Permits & Licenses committee have supported the back-to-back denial votes by participating in repeated attempts over multiple years with a wide range of stakeholders to bring Woodland into compliance not just with the State Liquor Authority (SLA) regulations, but with prior agreements they've made with the community and with basic, dignified and neighborly consideration. The view the Board's letter to the SLA on this matter, click here.
The SLA has finally recognized the situation. Woodland's liquor license is currently operating under the State Administrative Procedure Act (SAPA), which is to say Woodland is under review by the SLA for a series of violations.
Brooklyn Community Board Six has long been on record with the SLA regarding the issues surrounding this establishment. We ask that neighbors experiencing these issues continue to report them to 311, the 78th Precinct, the SLA, and your State elected officials and continue to communicate with our District Office.
The Permits & Licenses committee took five other motions to the March full board, each of them passing unanimously:
Motion to approve a new on-premises liquor license application submitted to the State Liquor Authority on behalf of Popina NYC LLC at 127 Columbia Street (between Kane Street/Degraw Street).
Motion to approve an alteration to an existing on-premises liquor license submitted to the State Liquor Authority and an application to the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs to permit a sidewalk café with 4 tables and 8 chairs on behalf of Varrio 408 at 412 5th Avenue (between 7th Street/8th Street).
Motion to approve an alteration to an existing on-premises liquor license application submitted to the State Liquor Authority and an application to the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs to permit a sidewalk café with 5 tables and 10 chairs on behalf of Chela at 408 5th Avenue (between 7th Street/8th Street).
Motion to approve a new on-premises liquor license application submitted to the State Liquor Authority on behalf of The Bklyn Juice Co., LLC at 75A 5th Avenue (between St. Marks Avenue/Prospect Place).
Motion to approve a new on-premises liquor license application submitted to the State Liquor Authority on behalf of Waterfront Partners LLC at 215 Columbia Street (between Sackett Street/Union Street).
Transportation & Public Safety
Proposed Bike Corral outside PS 118
Our Transportation & Public Safety committee brought one motion to the full board - Approval of a NYC Department of Transportation plan to install a bike corral at the northwest corner of 7th Street and 4th Avenue, outside of PS 118. The corral was requested by PS 118. The Board unanimously ratified the motion to approve the bike corral.
April Full Board Meeting Information
Tuesday, April 24 at 6:30pm
P.S. 32 Auditorium
317 Hoyt Street (between Union Street and President Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Click here to preview the April Full Board Presentations
Click Here for March Full Board Meeting Minutes
Public Information & Announcements
Click Here to view the 2018 Alternate Side Parking Schedule
NYC Ferry's Spring 2018 Schedule began April 2!
Click here for the full schedule.
Things to Do in the District
Join PortSide New York aboard the Mary A. Whalen for Second Sunday TankerTime from 5pm until Midnight on May 13th at its docked location in Atlantic Basin. TankerTime repeats on the second Sunday of every month, from May through September.
Bring dinner, drinks, a book... Lounge in a hammock, read books from the PortSide maritime library. Stretch out in a lounge chair, immerse yourself in the maritime ambiance of the Mary Whalen's location. At 9 pm, the musicians jam of Mediterranean music starts and runs until midnight.
Part of the PortSide New York's MARY Month of May festival in honor of the 80th Birthday of the Mary A. Whalen on May 21, 2018.
Join the Gowanus Canal Conservancy for Expo Gowanus in Thomas Greene Playground, Saturday May 19 from 11am - 3pm. Visit over 30 activity stations with environmentally-themed art, science, engineering, dance and music performances. Try hands-on activities with solar power, weaving, painting, robotics, and more! The event will feature the Carnival of Connectivity , Gowanus artists, poets and performers who will engage adults and children in playful, spontaneous experiences.
Who's Who at CB6
CB6 2018 Officers:
● Sayar Lonial, Chairperson
● Mike Racioppo, First Vice Chairperson
● Pauline Blake, Second Vice Chairperson
● Jerry Armer, Treasurer
● Elena Santogade, Secretary
District Office Staff:
● Vacant, District Manager
● Ty Beatty , Assistant District Manager
● Liza Santiago-Sierra ,Community Associate
● Helena Miskel, Office Volunteer
Newsletter Production :
● Ty Beatty & Sayar Lonial
CB6 Committee Chairs:
● Jerry Armer, Finance/Personnel & Law, Landmarks Co-Chair
● Richard Bashner, Waterfront/Community Development
● Vacant, Human Services
● Peter Fleming, Land Use, Elections
● Glenn Kelly, Parks/Recreation
● Ariel Krasnow, Housing
● Sayar Lonial, Executive
● Robert Levine, Landmarks Co-Chair
● Rick Luftglass, Budget, Economic Development
● Eric McClure, Transportation Co-Chair
● Thomas Miskel, Transportation Co-Chair
● Mike Racioppo, Permits & Licenses
● Mark C. Shames, Environmental Protection
● Matthew Silverman, Public Safety
● Suzanne Turet, Education & Youth Services
Visit the Brooklyn Community Board Six website
Visit the Friends of Brooklyn Community Board Six website
Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6, Inc. supports the work of Brooklyn Community Board 6 in improving the quality of life in the district. Friends provides planning, advocacy, research and administrative resources to supplement the limited capacities and budget of the Community Board, thus enabling it to properly carry out its City Charter mandated tasks of evaluating the needs of the district and advocating on behalf of its communities.
Friends of Brooklyn Community Board 6, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (Federal EIN 04-3780020). Donations are welcome and are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
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