Coney Island / Discuss

me-myself-i    says:

WHEN: March 3rd, Tuesday, 6:30 PM
WHERE: Lincoln High School
ADDRESS: 2800 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 112

Community Board 13 will hold a public hearing on the city rezoning plan. It's expected to be as lively and contentious as the June 24 scoping session at Lincoln, where testimony went on till 10pm and was documented by film-makers.

An email received from Save Coney Island says:

WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND:
Save Coney Island encourages all Coney Island Lovers to attend this Community Board Hearing or submit your written testimony (address below) to convince the Community Board to oppose the City's inadequate plan.

The Community Board hearing is an important event in the rezoning process because the City places a lot of importance on the vote of the Community Board. The City has presented their plan for the rezoning of Coney Island (to review this plan Click Here). This rezoning will determine how Coney Island is redeveloped. Save Coney Island is opposed to the proposed plan because it:

1) Reduces the area reserved for amusements to a narrow 9-acre strip. "We are concerned that the proposed area set aside for open-air amusements is of insufficient size and that as a result this revitalization effort will not be successful," the Municipal Art Society warned. A New York Times editorial called it "an area that is simply too small to attract enough rides and attractions to bring back the big crowds."

2) Allows high-rise towers of up to 30 stories in the core amusement district. The N.Y. Times editorial warned: "The hotels could too easily become a wall, blocking public access to the sideshows and the rides, the boardwalk and the ocean. The hotels also squeeze the outdoor rides into a narrow strip"

3) Tempts developers to tear down historic Coney Island landmarks. The lots containing Nathan's and other historic structures along Surf Avenue would be rezoned to allow for high-rise towers.

4) Clears the way for chain retail and other generic commercial uses. Allowing large formula restaurants and chain retail establishments into the amusement district's core would take land away from amusement uses and erode Coney Island's unique character.

The ULURP (to learn more about ULURP process--http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/luproc/ulpro.shtmll) process to instill this inadequate plan is under way. The 2nd step in the process is the Community Board Hearing. Please attend this meeting and urge the Community Board to:

1) Expand the acreage allotted to outdoor amusements. Nine acres is not enough. Land that is not specifically zoned for amusements will be lost to amusements forever.

2) Keep high-rise towers out of Coney East. Hotel towers and other high rises belong north of Surf Avenue and west of Keyspan Park, not in the heart of the amusement district.

3) Provide safeguards against the displacement of small businesses and local entrepreneurs by chain operations. The rezoning should include a greater mix of maximum footprints to encourage a more diverse and desirable mix of businesses, and it should incorporate formula business restrictions (http://www.newrules.org/retail/formula.html).

If you would like to speak at the hearing please call Community Board 13 at 718-266-3003 to reserve your time to speak. Speakers are allowed 2-3 minutes to give their testimony.

You can also submit your written testimony by writing a letter to:

Community Board 13
1201 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn NY 11224
Originally posted at 7:05PM, 21 February 2009 PST ( permalink )
me-myself-i edited this topic 11 months ago.