Copyright Bayswater Civic Association 2015, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23
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City of Yes Letter
You can send the below letter by copying it and pasting into your e-
Send your e-
City Council at landusetestimony@council.nyc.gov. Closing date is soon.
Council Member Selvena Brooks Powers chief of policy, Julian Martin at jmartin@council.nyc.gov. Council Member Brooks Powers’ e-
Dear Councilmember Brooks Powers:
At several Bayswater Civic Association meetings the City of Yes proposal was discussed. I’m sure that you are well aware that the Bayswater community is adamantly opposed to it as demonstrated at these meetings. My neighbors and I are pleading with you to vote NO as it will be the destruction of our community and the Rockaway Peninsula in general.
I know that you are aware that the Far Rockaway “revitalization” has increased the Far Rockaway population by 50%. The eastern end of the Rockaways has already taken the brunt of over-
*The entire Peninsula is a flood zone. So much so that just a heavy rainfall causes our basements to flood often. The Department of Buildings does nothing to stop or close down the many absentee landlords & homeowners who illegally convert 1 family homes into multiple apartments with multiple kitchens, many of which include (unlawful) basement dwellings. Yes, basement apartments in flood prone areas are supposed to be illegal even under the “City of Yes” proposal, yet they already exist! The inhabitants of these illegal conversions know not to answer the door when DOB comes knocking and after 3 unsuccessful entry tries by DOB, the case is closed. We certainly cannot depend on DOB to monitor even more conversions, ADUs & basement apartments which would be considered legal if the proposal passes when they are already ignoring the presence of existing violations which endanger both residents of these units and neighbors nearby.
Also consider the lack of egress in attic and basement apartments along with fire safety issues. There are many other safety issues to support why present building laws don’t allow additional housing or other type structures to be built within close proximity of a home on its lot or even close to the property lines that separate one lot from another. All of these precautions would be voided if the proposal is allowed to pass putting your constituents and their homes in danger.
Another point to consider is that Bayswater is not close to a “transportation hub.” The only way out of our community is by car, bicycle or foot. While we in Bayswater don’t wish this proposal to take effect on any part of the Peninsula, there are other parts of the Rockaways with more transportation options readily available such as 116th street which has buses, trains, ferries, etc and yet the western end has not been oversaturated with high-
There are a few community boards that might welcome some of these zoning changes, but one size does not fit all. The fact is that most of the community boards in Queens and most of the civic associations in Queens are opposed to the City of Yes.
Of course, there are many other reasons why the City of Yes proposal will be the death knell of Bayswater and other communities on this unique Rockaway Peninsula as well as much of eatern Queens. Please don’t allow the further deterioration of Bayswater and the Rockaways. Don’t help destroy our communities with more overdevelopment and removal of existing zoning laws. The Bayswater Civic Association and its homeowners worked very hard years ago to downzone our community to only allow 1 or 2 family new home construction, to maintain a suburban quality of life with less density and a slower pace of life. We are constantly being challenged to maintain these.
The City of Yes would bring a little bit of Manhattan into every neighborhood. We don’t want to live in Manhattan.
Please vote no to the City of Yes proposal!
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
[name]
[address]
Far Rockaway, NY 11691