6/28/2007

The latest Carroll Gardens activism in a nutshell.

I received an email from CORD this morning about their progress on the petition against the potential building on 360 Smith Street. I was also told that someone has posted tiny pamphlets to the trees at the Carroll St. station. If I wasn't alerted to this my uncaffeinated self would of sleep walked right on by them. A lot of time and care were put into these little three fold pamphlets put out by another new Carroll Gardens activist group "The Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Squirrel Association". Will the powers that be take a squirrel seriously? Read below what CORD's take is on it.
Here is an update from CORD:

"So far our petition has generated 7oo signature in under a week! (on-line and off-line combined)...please continue to spread the word! Thank you Thank you!....and now.....If anyone wants to help us/volunteer to make signs or collect sigs they can email us at the blogsite (where they can also sign the petition)and now,here's a little story i will call "just plain nuts"...Someone has posted tiny fliers on the trees at the 'endangered" subway plaza (F train at Carroll St) at the site of the proposed development: 360 Smith Street.While you can magnify the text in the pics i will also write some of it here:inside it reads: "We've been handed our eviction notice! Soon all the trees that have been our homes will be chopped down to make room for a 70' tall building. Let your chirping be heard and help preserve the character of this neighborhood we all love! Under that it says: Just have a human sign this, put it in a stamped envelope and address it to:
Ms. Amanda Burden, Chair
NYC Department of City Planning
22 Reade St.
NY, NY 10007-1216

Dear Ms. Burden:

On behalf of all the squirrels of Carroll Gardens, we need your help to preserve our beloved neighborhood. It is nuts to build a 70' tall building at 360 Smith St. and 2nd Place. 2nd Place is a lovely brownstone street with 35' deep front gardens decorated with flowers, statues and fountains.The proposed Scarano building would stick out like a sore paw! The
developer is exploiting a loophole in the zoning law that is unique to Carroll Gardens. He can build a bigger because 2nd Place is technically a "wide" street due to the deep front gardens. (The developer is also allowed to claim the new private school which is built on an adjacent portion of his property is a "community facility" to gain more square footage for his proposed new building. Cord) Though it may be in the letter of the law, it is surely not in the spirit of the law. Don't let this happen on your watch! We respectfully request a moratorium on all new construction over 50' tall in Carroll Gardens until this issue can be properly addressed.

Sincerely, XXXXX"

on the back it says "c. 2007 Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Squirrel
Association (CGNSA)" on the front it says: "Squirrels Unite! All the trees on this plaza will soon be cut down...Don't be left out in the cold this winter with no place to store your nuts!"

The CORD blog has also picked up this story and is advising petition signers and readers that they"can also e-mail Ms. Burden. Go to this link:
Limit your email to 150 words or less"

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