Reminder! Thursday is the Public Scoping Meeting regarding the Toll Brothers Project!

This is a typical hunk of raw sewage that appears on the Gowanus Canal after a good rain. Imagine HOW much more there is going to be once there are 1000's of new residents in the area? Clean up of the canal is not slated to happen until after construction starts! FUN!

Just a reminder about the public scoping hearing happening on Thursday. If you aren't much of a speaker but have something to say about it you can also send in written comments. The below is taken from the "Friends of Bond" blog. Go there for more information.

My compadre Katia over at Pardon Me for Asking blog has made an excellent point about how the schools may be effected by the rezoning. Read it here.

Get the whole Public Scoping Document here.

PUBLIC SCOPING HEARING

When: THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2008
Where: NYC DEPT OF CITY PLANNING, SPECTOR HALL, 22 READE STREET, NYC, 10007
Times: SESSION ONE: 2-5:30 PM
SESSION TWO: 6-8:45 PM

Dear Neighbors,
As many of you are aware, the Toll Brothers, a very large, luxury developer has set its sights on two blocks in our neighborhood. Some of you may have attended the community meeting on Monday, March 3rd to learn more about this project. Toll Brothers wants to build approximately six hundred units of housing, ranging in heights up to twelve stories in that three acre space.

Since the area is not zoned for this type of development, several steps must be taken with the city before any construction work can begin.

One of these procedures is a scoping hearing with City Planning where the residents of our neighborhood get to speak their mind, raising important questions and issues about the things they like or dislike about the proposed project.

The following is a list of subjects that the developer must address according to a Scoping Document which must be filed with the city before work can begin on the site. Look over the list. Whether you are concerned, for instance, about how larger-sized buildings might affect your sunlight, how almost 600 new units and their occupants will affect the amount of raw sewage flowing into the canal, or how the additional cars might affect parking and traffic conditions, this is your chance make your voice heard.

At the scoping hearing, each person has three (3) minutes to orally communicate their concerns. It’s best to speak from the heart, sharing a personal anecdote or experience related to your question or area of concern.

Here is the list of subjects:

Land Use, Zoning and Public Policy, Socioeconomic Conditions (what will happen to the residents and businesses as a result of this project), Community Facilities and Services (this includes schools, emergency response availability, health services) Open Space, Shadows, Historic Resources,Urban Design/Visual Resources, Neighborhood Character, Natural Resources,Hazardous Materials, Waterfront Revitalization Program, Infrastructure, Solid Waste and Sanitation Services, Energy, Traffic and Parking, Transit and Pedestrians, Air Quality, Noise, Construction Impacts, Public Health, Alternatives (what kind of development/ improvements could you envision there?)

PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT PUBLIC PROCESS!

There is also an opportunity to address your concerns in writing. Written comments must be sent in before March 24, 2008 and should be focused on a particular area of concern, using factual data to support your points. If you are planning on writing a letter, one copy should be sent directly to City Planning, to the following address:

Robert Dobruskin
Dept. of City Planning
22 Reade St.
New York, NY 10007

A copy of the same letter should be sent to Community Board 6, to be kept on file:

Community Board 6
250 Baltic St.
Brooklyn, NY 11231