{"id":939,"date":"2014-12-20T19:31:39","date_gmt":"2014-12-20T19:31:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/develop.mtopp.org\/?p=939"},"modified":"2021-01-20T22:44:17","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T22:44:17","slug":"trojan-horse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/20\/trojan-horse\/","title":{"rendered":"Trojan Horse"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Objections to the Resolution<\/h5>

MTOPP wasn\u2019t opposed<\/strong> to the entire resolution<\/strong>, we are opposed to several sentences<\/strong> in that resolution that would have acted like a Trojan Horse<\/strong> and undermine everything that we did not want<\/strong> to happen \u2013 “Paragraph 3) Create opportunities for affordable housing development. \u2013 Identify areas for inclusionary zoning.\u00a0 And <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Paragraph 4) Increase residential and retail density along transit and commercial corridors<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>

– Allow contextual mixed-use developments along commercial corridors including Empire Boulevard.<\/em><\/strong>“<\/p>

First, it was noted in the minutes of CB 9 ttp:\/\/www.communitybrd9bklyn.org\/docs\/CB9_-<\/em> that the resolution<\/strong> was a result of a summary<\/strong> of the communities desires<\/strong> and wishes based upon a March 17, 2014, meeting held by CB9. According to the recorded session<\/strong> http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5M1Fp9pvjHg&feature=youtu.be, the community<\/strong> is clearly stating <\/strong>that it did not<\/strong> want sky scrapers<\/strong>, increase residential density (more<\/strong> people<\/strong>) and wanted to preserve<\/strong> the affordable community<\/strong> it lives in. It was against <\/strong>developments that have a so called 20% affordable<\/strong> component and a 80% luxury competent, <\/strong>because of the negative impacts<\/strong> of displacement<\/strong>, ecological issues and existing high residential <\/strong>density that currently exists in the community.<\/p>

Second, from the minutes of the meeting clearly denotes Pearl Miles<\/strong>, an office manager<\/strong>, as the sole author<\/strong> of this document.\u00a0 So the question is asked, who<\/strong> ever uses words<\/strong> like corridors<\/strong>,<\/p>

contextual developments<\/strong>, residential density, inclusionary zoning<\/strong>? These are highly specific words<\/strong> that planning people<\/strong> are familiar with but<\/strong> surely not<\/strong> the layman<\/strong>, which implies she was helped or may not<\/strong> even be the author<\/strong>?<\/p>

Third, let\u2019s see what it really means.\u00a0 Well along transit<\/em><\/strong> and commercial<\/strong><\/em> corridors<\/em><\/strong> in this context it means major streets<\/strong> that have transit access<\/strong> and commercial zoning<\/strong>. This would mean, Washington Ave<\/strong>, Bedford Ave<\/strong>, Flatbush Ave<\/strong>. And remember it said including<\/em><\/strong> Empire Blvd, which means more than<\/em><\/strong> just Empire Blvd<\/strong>.\u00a0 Yes Empire Boulevard is the only one that is commercial<\/strong> but all the other corridors<\/em><\/strong> have transit<\/em><\/strong> access,<\/strong> so it includes those as well!<\/p>

Fourth, identify Inclusionary zoning<\/em><\/strong>, is a specific zone that city planning has created that allows for developers to gain 33% more floor space than allowable by law if it includes 20% affordable units.\u00a0 Thus allowing them to build higher!<\/p>

Fifth, what is going to happen<\/strong> on these corridors<\/em>,<\/strong> you are going to increase residential density<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>

This means adding more people<\/strong> into the community, because residential<\/em><\/strong> means \u00a0residences <\/strong>– apartments, condo, coops etc\u2026 which equals people. Where? On the corridors<\/em><\/strong> that have transit<\/em><\/strong> access and commercial<\/em> zoning<\/strong>. Now if you identify any of these corridors as an inclusionary zone, you will add another 33% more residential density, because you are adding 33% more building!<\/p>

Sixth, it goes even further and says it will do contextual development<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 Some of these corridors<\/em><\/strong> already have residential development<\/strong>, so if you are going to add<\/strong>, it will have to be up<\/strong>, right?\u00a0 But how far up<\/strong>, \u00a0it will be contextual<\/em>.<\/strong>\u00a0 That means City Planning will look around and say what is high<\/strong> in this community and let\u2019s build to that height<\/strong>, being within context<\/strong>!<\/p>

Seventh, let\u2019s look at our community and see what are the highest buildings<\/strong> that are near our transit and commercial corridors<\/em><\/strong>. On Flatbush<\/strong> Ave you now will have a 23 story<\/strong> building (626 Flatbush). On Washington<\/strong> Ave there is the Tivoli Towers which is 24? stories<\/strong>. On Empire Blvd<\/strong> there is Ebbets fields that are 25 stories<\/strong>.\u00a0 Thus theses corridors would be prime target<\/strong> for the inclusionary zones<\/strong>, because it would remain within context of the current structures and allow for 33% more space even if the land space wouldn\u2019t allow it normally.<\/p>

Eighth, there are also the negative consequences that would arise out of this rezoning study and that is the displacement of the current community.\u00a0 \u201cIncrease residential density along the transit corridors<\/strong>\u201d, according to a HUD Publication on Sustainable Communities,\u00a0 “has the potential<\/strong> to spur gentrification<\/strong> and displace residents of low-moderate-income areas<\/strong>.”<\/p>

Thus these four simple lines<\/strong>, that Tim Thomas said was so innocent<\/strong> and nothing for us to complain about could give the power to City Planning<\/strong> to build 20 – 30 story buildings<\/strong> all along Washington Ave<\/strong>, Flatbush Ave<\/strong> and Empire Boulevard<\/strong>!\u00a0 What is deemed the most expensive<\/strong> and valuable property<\/strong>, because of its proximity<\/strong> to the Park and Garden<\/strong>.<\/p>

Is this what the community said it wanted at that March 17th meeting? <\/strong><\/p>

There was no restriction<\/strong> to this resolution, there was nothing that said not Flatbush<\/strong>, not Washington Ave<\/strong>, all it said was including Empire Boulevard<\/em><\/strong>, and why because if they didn\u2019t pinpoint<\/strong> an area they wanted to development that sentence<\/strong> would not have gone past the few players involved<\/strong>.\u00a0 But it just added Empire<\/strong> it did not exclude Flatbush<\/strong>.\u00a0 All the players, that were pushing <\/strong>for this resolution<\/strong>, had was City Planning\u2019s<\/strong> \u201cword<\/strong>\u201d that they will be \u201cnegotiating<\/strong>\u201d with Community Board 9<\/strong> as the study<\/strong> was going along<\/strong>.<\/p>

City Planning said<\/strong> this resolution was one of the best resolutions<\/strong> they have ever gotten<\/strong> from a Community Board<\/strong> because it was so broad<\/strong>!\u00a0 Why because there was so many possibilities<\/strong> for developers<\/strong> to make money<\/strong> and do as they please as they negotiate <\/strong>with the community,<\/strong> who by that time would be just advisory<\/strong>! Yes let\u2019s look at that one.<\/p>

Powerlessness of CB 9 and the Borough President<\/h5>

Borough President Eric Adams<\/strong> and Community Board 9<\/strong> would act purely as advisory<\/strong>.\u00a0 The Borough President<\/strong> does not<\/strong> have any power to create \u201cpolicy<\/strong>\u201d which is law<\/strong>. Rezoning is law<\/strong>! He has no veto power<\/strong> and would be in the same position<\/strong> as the community<\/strong>. The only power<\/strong> that he now has is through the Community Board itself<\/strong>.\u00a0 By appointing people<\/strong> and then demanding that they do his bidding<\/strong>!<\/p>

Thus Eric Adams<\/strong> has no power to negotiate<\/strong> or even promise<\/strong> to protect<\/strong> this community, once this resolution<\/strong> would have been in the hands of City Planning<\/strong>.\u00a0 Watch the documentary \u201cMy Brooklyn\u201d! <\/strong>And you will see how City planning<\/strong> behaves<\/strong> with the community<\/strong> at this level<\/strong>.<\/p>

What we are asking at this point is for this resolution to be withdrawn<\/strong> and a new one created<\/strong>. One that has tighter controls<\/strong> to ensure we are not<\/strong> taken advantage of<\/strong>. Clear language<\/strong> that includes height restrictions<\/strong>, specific areas<\/strong> to be studied etc\u2026 No increase<\/strong> in residential<\/strong>, we are already the densest populated area in Brooklyn! A resolution<\/strong> that comes from the community and is based<\/strong> upon what the community truly wants.<\/strong><\/p>

Not a free pass <\/strong>for developers<\/strong> to come here and change<\/strong> the entire character<\/strong> of our neighborhood with no thought of\u00a0<\/strong> the suffering<\/strong> of the home owners<\/strong> and tenants<\/strong> in our community<\/strong>.<\/p>

Finally, City Planning<\/strong> and others have said but it is only a study<\/strong>. No<\/strong>, because what you study<\/strong> is what you will get<\/strong>.\u00a0 City Planning will spend thousands of dollars<\/strong>, years of creating it and they will find that up zoning<\/strong> (which was requested by the community, in that resolution paragraph 3 and 4,<\/strong> which they will cite<\/strong>!) is a great idea<\/strong> and the \u201cstudy<\/strong>\u201d will prove that<\/strong> and they will pass it<\/strong> and that will be that!<\/strong><\/p>

NO Residential On Empire Blvd!<\/strong><\/p>

Preserve Our Affordable Community!<\/strong><\/p>

Down Zone Empire Blvd!<\/strong><\/p>

No Inclusionary Zoning!<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Objections to the Resolution MTOPP wasn\u2019t opposed to the entire resolution, we are opposed to several sentences in that resolution that would have acted like a Trojan Horse and undermine everything that we did not want to happen \u2013 “Paragraph 3) Create opportunities for affordable housing development. \u2013 Identify areas […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-939","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fight-against-rezoning","category-knowledge-is-power"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/939","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=939"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":945,"href":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/939\/revisions\/945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=939"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mtopp.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}