Councilman Eric Ulrich this week announced his intention to run in the special election for Public Advocate.

By Michael V. Cusenza

After weeks of speculation, City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) announced on Monday that he is running for Public Advocate in the upcoming special election for the citywide post that Tish James will vacate on Jan. 1 when she is sworn in as State attorney general.

Ulrich, 33, made it official with a 70-second YouTube video filmed in his native Ozone Park.

“Now, more than ever, New Yorkers are looking for someone who’s willing to stand up to Mayor de Blasio and his so-called progressive agenda,” Ulrich said.

For years, the councilman, who has represented South Queens on the council since 2009, has been quite vocal about his disdain for de Blasio and his politics, often relishing his role as the wily fly in Hizzoner’s liberal liniment.

“If you ask the mayor who on the City Council annoys him the most,” Ulrich said at a 2017 Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic meeting, “he’ll tell you it’s me.”

The YouTube clip presents more of that anti-de Blasio bravado. Ulrich uses the platform to make his case as the best man to bring checks and balances back to Gotham politics.

“I’m running for Public Advocate because I believe that we as a city deserve better, and because I want to give a voice to the majority of New Yorkers who this mayor continues to ignore,” Ulrich said. “Time and time again, this mayor has let us down, or he sold out the people of this city in exchange for a campaign contribution or a political favor. It’s no secret that it’s the special-interest groups and the lobbyists that are calling the shots at City Hall. It must end. And it can end.”

Ulrich enters an already crowded fray. On Wednesday, Gotham Gazette estimated that there are “roughly two-dozen candidates who have officially declared or indicated they are exploring a run in the expected February special election for New York City Public Advocate.”

Some positive and negative changes are on the way to Select Bus Service lanes along Cross Bay Boulevard.

By Michael V. Cusenza

The Saturday “rush hour” limitations on parking in curbside Select Bus Service lanes along Cross Bay Boulevard south of Liberty Avenue have been lifted, according to area elected officials.
State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach), who have been in discussions with the City Department of Transportation for months to amend the active hours, made the announcement on Thursday in front of C-Town Supermarket on Cross Bay Boulevard and Sutter Avenue.
“When I first saw that the curbside SBS lanes would be in effect on Saturdays, I knew that had to be changed. There is no rush hour on Saturday, so I felt that day should be given back to the drivers, allowing them to park and access the local businesses,” Addabbo said. “I am glad to see that DOT heard the frustrations and followed through on their promise to continue to look at the SBS route after it was implemented to see how it affected the residents and business owners.”
When the new Q52/Q53 Woodhaven-Cross Bay Corridor bus service began in November, curbside SBS lanes were active during the morning and afternoon rush hours, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, frustrating area residents and business owners who lamented the loss of valuable parking spots.
Pheffer Amato praised DOT for the “common sense” move.
“Our local businesses are the heart and soul of South Queens, it is great to see the Department of Transportation listen and work with our community to ensure residents can have the ability to access their local businesses and facilities,” she said.
Addabbo called the Saturday change a big win for area entrepreneurs. Since November, Addabbo, Pheffer, City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), and Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) have been inundated with business-constituent concerns regarding the negative impact of the City’s latest SBS venture.
“While it is important to expand bus service to neighborhoods like the Rockaways, where transportation options are limited – it is crucial the expansion does not come at the expense of residents and local business owners,” Ulrich said.
“Many businesses were negatively affected by the SBS lanes,” Addabbo added. “This change is a step in the right direction to make the roads accessible for everyone and I appreciate DOT’s willingness to work with the local electeds and the community.”
In other SBS news, on Monday DOT announced that, beginning Feb. 20, it will be issuing bus lane camera violations along the Cross Bay route.
If you drive, park, or stand in a bus lane during hours of operation you face fines ranging from $115 to $150, DOT noted.
Each corridor has signage indicating the hours that the bus lanes are operable, and that the lanes are camera enforced. The department indicated that it issues warnings to motorists for at least 60 days prior, per state law, when the cameras are first operated to ensure that drivers are informed about the program. Since violations are issued against the vehicle, not the driver, points are not deducted from motorists’ licenses.

By Michael V. Cusenza

South Queens Assembly candidate Stacey Pheffer Amato last week hosted supporters at the formal grand opening of her campaign headquarters in Rockaway Beach.

The Democrat, who is vying to succeed Phil Goldfeder in the 23^rd District, welcomed more than 100 guests to the Rockaway Beach Boulevard office.

“Truly overwhelmed by such a strong showing of support from my friends, family and community!” Pheffer Amato wrote on her Facebook page last Thursday evening. “Thank you to everyone who came out to help me open my office tonight and kick start our campaign! I could not have asked for a better night!”

It’s been a busy week for the Rockaway Democratic district leader. On Tuesday, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and the New York State Nurses Association endorsed Pheffer Amato.

“Stacey’s commitment to ensuring every family receives the best possible healthcare makes her the clear champion of working New Yorkers and the values we hold dear,” said Helen Schaub, 1199SEIU vice president for Policy and Legislation. “At a time when healthcare is transforming, she will ‎fight for access to needed services and high quality jobs. Stacey will be a powerful voice in Albany for the working people of Queens.”

Goldfeder stunned colleagues and constituents in June when he announced that he would not seek a fourth term in Albany. The popular pol’s next stop will be Yeshiva University, where he is slated to step in as director of Government Relations in January.

Goldfeder quickly endorsed Pheffer Amato, calling her “that strong voice who will continue our work to ensure every family can recover from [Superstorm] Sandy, have access to transportation, and look forward to a better future for themselves and their children.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

Finally.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last Friday released the highly anticipated Draft Integrated Hurricane Sandy General Reevaluation Report and Environmental Impact Statement, or Rockaway/Jamaica Bay Reformulation Report, which examines coastal storm risk management problems and opportunities for the East Rockaway Inlet to Rockaway Inlet and Jamaica Bay project area that was devastated by the impacts of Superstorm Sandy in October 2012.

The long-stalled analysis will ultimately determine the best possible coastline defense to protect the whole Rockaway peninsula and communities surrounding Jamaica Bay from storms and floods in a way that is sustainable over the long-term, both for the natural coastal ecosystem and for nearby neighborhoods.

The Tentatively Selected Plan, with a price tag of several billion dollars, extends along approximately 152,000 linear feet of project area from the eastern end of the Rockaway Peninsula at Inwood, Nassau County, to the western end of the peninsula, at Breezy Point, where the plan wraps around the existing shoreline past the Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge. Near Jacob Riis Park a storm surge barrier crosses Rockaway Inlet landing at Floyd Bennet Field, Brooklyn. The plan continues up Flatbush Avenue before turning west along the existing shoreline and continuing west until Norton Point.  From Norton Point, the line of protection continues on the north side of Coney Island, crossing Coney Island Creek.  From Coney Island Creek it continues north along the shoreline to high ground.

The plan along the Atlantic Ocean Shorefront consists of:

• A reinforced dune (composite seawall) with a structure crest elevation of +17 feet (NAVD88) and dune elevation of +18 feet (NAVD88), and a design berm width of 60 feet extending approximately 35,000 LF from Beach 9th to Beach 149th. The bottom of dune reinforcement extends up to 15 feet below the dune crest.
• A beach berm elevation of +8 ft. NAVD and a depth of closure of -25 ft. NAVD;
• A total beach fill quantity of approximately 804,000 cy for the initial placement, including tolerance, overfill and advanced nourishment with a 4-year renourishment cycle of approximately 1,021,000 cy, resulting in an advance berm width of 60 feet;
• Obtaining sand from borrow area located approximately 2 miles south of the Rockaway Peninsula and about 6 miles east of the Rockaway Inlet. It’s about 2.6 miles long, and 1.1 miles wide, with depths of 36 to 58 feet and contains approximately 17 million cy of suitable beach fill material, which exceeds the required initial fill and all periodic renourishment fill operations.
• Extension of five existing groins; and construction of 13 new groins.

The alignment along Jamaica Bay and Rockaway Inlet (on the Queens side) consists of:

• Reinforced Dune along the shoreline in Reaches 1 and 2 of the Atlantic Coast Planning Reach, from Beach 149th Street to Breezy Point.
• Levee and from approximately B227th Street north overland across Breezy Point, thence eastward from B222nd Street to B201st Street. Approximately 450,000 cubic yards of sediment required for levee construction.
• Concrete floodwall south along B201st Street extending east along north side of Rockaway Boulevard to B184th Street, thence north to existing shoreline. Concrete floodwall continues east to storm surge barrier approximately 2,300 ft. east of the Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge/Marine Parkway Bridge.
• A 3,970-foot storm surge barrier across Rockaway Inlet from near Jacob Riis Park to Floyd Bennet Field.

The public comment period will open on Sept. 2 and end on Nov. 2, according to the USACE. For more information, visit nan.usace.army.mil.

It has been a formidable, faith-testing fortnight for our beloved borough.

Two weeks that most of us wish we could simply hit an existential Delete button and be done with forever.

Alas, no, we are saddled with these last 336 hours – and the raw, emotional aftermath of the soul-scarring events contained therein.

The Howard Beach community has been wracked by palpable grief, anger, and anxiety since the violent, vicious murder of Karina Vetrano, who was beaten, raped, and strangled while out on her daily run inside Spring Creek Park on Aug. 2.

Two weeks later. No suspects. No person of interest. No durable lead.

Asked if his family has had time to heal, Phil Vetrano replied that he doesn’t believe they’ll ever truly be able to.

Then, on Aug. 13, a sweltering summer Saturday in the city, an admired imam and his assistant are gunned down on Liberty Avenue as they walked home from afternoon prayers at their mosque.

The alleged perpetrator has been caught. But investigators still don’t have a motive.

The question on many minds: Is it hate?

While the answer at the moment is uncertain, we definitely witnessed simple acts of unmitigated love this week that give us hope for the next fortnight and forever.

As a result of the assassination of the cleric and his assistant in Ozone Park, Muslims across the country have expressed anxiety over walking to and from their houses of worship. No worries, said so many on social media.

I’ll walk with you.

And a movement of hope was born out of a dire need for humanity and humility.

“I’m big and tall and scary looking, and I love you and I want you to feel safe #IllWalkWithYou” Willem Smith tweeted to any Muslim having second thoughts about going outside alone.

This simple, gargantuan gesture made me think of a line of dialog I cribbed from a recent film.

“You’re a kite dancing in a hurricane.”

These last two weeks have been the ultimate sh*t-storm for our southern Queens communities. But I see so many unbreakable kites on the horizon…and hope is not far behind.

By Michael V. Cusenza

Hundreds of south Queens civic leaders, concerned residents, and business owners gathered in Woodhaven last Saturday to voice their opposition to the City’s Woodhaven-Cross Bay Boulevards Select Bus Service project.

Organized by the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association, the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation, Woodhaven Business Improvement District, and the Queens Public Transit Committee, the rally called more attention to the massive, transformative plan that, according to the Department of Transportation, aims “to implement Select Bus Service improvements that make existing bus service substantially faster and more reliable, while maintaining needed traffic flow and parking, and also making the corridor safer for all users. A combination of bus lanes, signal optimization, and transit signal priority can reduce bus travel times and greatly reduce the variability that congestion imposes on bus service. These measures will also improve schedule reliability and thereby improving overall transit quality.”

The groups that led last weekend’s rally disagreed.

“The de Blasio administration is planning dramatic changes that will ruin Woodhaven and Cross Bay boulevards,” they wrote on a flyer promoting the event.

The proposed SBS path is based on the existing Q52/53 bus route – a vital north/south thoroughfare carrying over 30,000 daily bus riders in the World’s Borough, along with heavy traffic volumes.

“South Queens is in danger of cardiac arrest because its main artery is clogged,” said Mike Scala, first vice president of the Queens Public Transit Committee.

“The corridor is served by several local, limited, and express bus routes,” the DOT has said. “Many travelers use these routes to connect to intersecting subway services in addition to going directly to businesses and schools along the corridor; however, the bus service is not as effective as it could be, as buses can be caught in congestion and the layout of the street makes bus stops difficult to reach for neighborhood residents.”

However, SBS project concerns include the removal of a lane of traffic on both sides of the boulevards, banning left-hand turns at certain intersections, and the addition of bus stops to medians.

“We want the de Blasio administration to know how unwanted the SBS plan is,” said Alex Blenkinsopp in the days leading up to the rally. “We want to educate the many people who are unaware of this plan and allow them to register their opposition. And ultimately, we want DOT and MTA to wake up and scrap this proposal, replacing it with something that actually accounts for the community’s concerns and needs.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

The following op-ed piece was submitted to The Forum by Alex Blenkinsopp of the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association.

Transportation in southern Queens must be improved. The question is whether the Select Bus Service plan for Woodhaven and Cross Bay boulevards is the right approach. The answer is clear: This plan is foolish, expensive, dangerous, and absolutely wrong for the Boulevard.

That’s why multiple local organizations are hosting a rally this Saturday, Aug. 6, to fight the plan. The rally will be held at noon at the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue, at the southeast corner (outside the bank), rain or shine. We hope to see you there.

It’s also why there’s a petition against this plan, which you can sign online at WWW.SAVEOURSTREETS.NYC or by calling (718) 296-3735.

Consider what the SBS plan will do:

First, it will eliminate two lanes of traffic 24/7, allowing only buses to use them. This means the same amount of traffic, squeezed into fewer lanes. It also means tickets for drivers who enter the bus lanes. It promises more congestion.

Second, this plan will move major bus stops off of sidewalks and onto medians. Bus riders will wait on islands with traffic passing by on both sides. Someone running to catch a bus at a median stop will now need to cross traffic, which is dangerous. In the winter, the snow is not currently cleared for pedestrians who rely on these islands for safety, so why should we expect them to be clear when bus riders are waiting there?

Third, this plan will prohibit left turns onto cross streets like Union Turnpike, Rockaway Boulevard, Penelope Avenue, and 101st Avenue. This will hurt nearby businesses. It will also divert drivers down side streets, increasing traffic on residential roads. This will be dangerous to families and detrimental to quality of life, especially because many vehicles diverted down residential streets will be delivery trucks.

Fourth, this will likely reduce parking. The Department of Transportation and MTA, which are guiding this plan, have been evasive about the parking impact. But consider Hoffman Drive by the Queens Center Mall, where the design plans erase more than a dozen parking spots.

Fifth, the proposal will cut half a dozen bus stops from the Q52/Q53 routes. DOT has been unclear about the proposal’s pricetag. DOT initially said a whopping $200 million. Then DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg reportedly testified that it was $400 million. Amid uproar, DOT backpedaled. We taxpayers can’t know how high the cost will climb.

DOT and the de Blasio administration are shoving this plan down our throats. They claim to want community feedback, but they ignored input from residents and local organizations; “feedback sessions” were really just attempts to sell their proposal. DOT fails to provide requested data or to reply to correspondence.

DOT also refuses to examine alternatives to the SBS plan, like running bus service along the inactive Rockaway Branch train tracks. And it won’t try easier solutions first—like extra-long “articulated” buses, off-board fare payment, synchronizing traffic lights, running more buses, a high-occupancy vehicle lane, or better enforcement of traffic laws.

DOT’s track record in our community is dreadful. They’ve taken four years to install a speed bump in Woodhaven. DOT causes traffic jams outside a local school by denying parking to school buses transporting special-needs children. DOT persistently failed to fix its broken lights in Forest Park, even when there was a serial rapist prowling the park. I can go on and on.

We don’t trust DOT, and we doubt their competence. It’s time to scrap this foolish plan and go back to the drawing board, this time with true community input. Until then, we’ll continue to fight.

Blenkinsopp is the director of Communications for the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association.

By Michael V. Cusenza

City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) came out swinging this week, fast and furiously – blasting the mayor for his “poor handling” of a Superstorm Sandy reconstruction program, then demanding the immediate resignation or termination of Hizzoner’s top storm recovery official.

The political pugilism started on Monday morning on Beach 117^th Street in Rockaway Park, where Ulrich ripped Mayor Bill de Blasio at a press conference, saying the mayor “refuses to take responsibility for the failure of Build it Back. There is a total lack of accountability and compassion.”

Ulrich lambasted Build it Back and the current administration “for not delivering on their promise to help people get back into their homes after Superstorm Sandy.”

To illustrate his point, Ulrich held the event in front of the unfinished home of the Nichtern family, Ellen and her mom. The Nichterns have been out of their home for the past five months, during which time Build it Back has not done any work on the residence, Ulrich said, nor has Build it Back remained in contact with Ellen to let her know the status of the project.

Ulrich called Build it Back’s treatment of Nichtern “and the many people in the same situation entirely unacceptable.

“Like so many of my constituents affected by Superstorm Sandy, Ellen Nichtern has been let down by the bureaucrats at Build it Back,” the councilman continued. “This program is a complete disaster. Everyone knows it.”

Ulrich, who is openly flirting with a campaign to unseat de Blasio next fall, also said that Build it Back Director “Amy Peterson should resign today and allow new leadership to run the program more effectively. If she won’t resign, Mayor de Blasio should fire her.”

Several elected officials, including de Blasio, quickly came to Peterson’s defense.

“When Mayor de Blasio took office and appointed Amy Peterson to run the program, not one homeowner had received a check or seen construction. That is why this administration immediately overhauled the program and took over direct management – resulting in 80 percent of homeowners served to date. Further, $120 million in reimbursement checks have been issued to residents,” said Raul Contreras, spokesman for the Mayor’s Office. “We are continuing to elevate and rebuild homes across the city to complete the program – as the Mayor committed – by the end of this year.”

And on Monday afternoon, Councilman Mark Treyger (D-Brooklyn) said that “Build it Back may face challenges, but Amy Peterson is not one of them. She deserves much credit for improvement of [the] program post-Bloomberg.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

Several community advocacy groups are set to lead a rally next month against the proposed Woodhaven-Cross Bay Corridor Select Bus Service plan.

The demonstration, which is being organized and produced by the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association, Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation, Woodhaven Business Improvement District, and the Queens Public Transit Committee, is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 6, at noon at the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue.

The proposed SBS path is based on the existing Q52/53 bus route – a vital north/south thoroughfare carrying over 30,000 daily bus riders in the World’s Borough, along with heavy traffic volumes.

According to the City Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the massive project’s goal is “to transform the corridor into a complete street with faster/more reliable bus service, safer streets for all users, and improved traffic and local conditions.”

According to the WRBA, the goal for the upcoming event is to send a clear message to Gracie Mansion and City Hall.

“Thousands of people along Woodhaven and Cross Bay boulevards strongly oppose the de Blasio administration’s SBS plan,” the civic wrote in a statement to The Forum. “Because DOT and MTA have attempted to ignore and downplay the community’s objections, we need this rally to get our voices heard.

“We want the de Blasio administration to know how unwanted the SBS plan is. We want to educate the many people who are unaware of this plan and allow them to register their opposition. And ultimately, we want DOT and MTA to wake up and scrap this proposal, replacing it with something that actually accounts for the community’s concerns and needs.

“Last year, organizations pushing an agenda that ignores our community’s concerns held a so-called ‘rally’ outside City Hall. That event supposedly indicated support for SBS in our community. Yet that event was held far away from here, and included almost nobody from our community. Moreover, it was very poorly attended, even though a massive, influential public affairs agency touted it.

“We who will actually be affected by this plan do not have powerful lobbyists or outside organizations speaking up for us. So we need to speak up for ourselves.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) have introduced new legislation that empowers the Environmental Protection Agency to oversee airplane noise issues across the country, including areas near John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports.

Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration oversees such issues. However, Schumer and Gillibrand said that they feel that the EPA is better fit to address noise pollution because airplane noise can greatly impact the environment and individual quality of life.

“Communities in the New York- metro area have long struggled with incessant airplane noise caused by the highly-trafficked skies above and it’s time we set up an office dedicated to tackling this issue head on,” Schumer said. “Airplane noise is a major quality of life issue and that’s why it makes sense for the EPA to take the lead role in addressing these matters. This legislation will once again set up an Office of Noise Abatement and Control at the EPA so that environmental experts can address airplane noise.”

Schumer’s and Gillibrand’s bill, “The Quiet Communities Act of 2016,” restores the EPA’s control over airplane noise matters and reestablishes a dedicated office of noise abatement.

Due to budget cuts in 1981, the EPA’s Office of Noise Abatement and Control was dismantled and the FAA was given oversight into all matters regarding aircraft noise pollution.

The legislation was introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) in the House of Representatives. Under the proposed law, the EPA would conduct research on the impacts of noise and provide technical assistance and grants to communities to mitigate noise. It would also require the Office of Noise Abatement and Control to carry out a study on airport noise, examining FAA noise-measurement methodologies, the threshold of noise at which health impacts are felt, and the effectiveness of noise mitigation measures at airports.

“The federal government must take more proactive steps to address the concerns of New Yorkers who are affected by airplane noise, and this bill will give the EPA the ability to act,” said Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

Schumer and Gillibrand noted that they have long supported measures to help address the issue of airplane noise in airport communities. Specifically, the senators successfully pushed for a hotline phone number for airplane noise complaints. And, after Schumer’s urging, New York directed the Port Authority to hold regular roundtable discussions in collaboration with FAA representatives and other affected parties regarding issues at the two major New York airports. Schumer has urged the Port Authority and FAA to install additional noise monitors at airports and use the data collected to make decisions about changes to flight patterns. Earlier this summer, the senators urged the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to complete its Part 150 noise studies as quickly and thoroughly as possible so that it can begin taking noise mitigation steps.

The Part 150 studies aim to evaluate noise impacts to the communities surrounding JFK and LaGuardia Airport and, once complete, Schumer and Gillibrand said that the studies will recommend measures to mitigate excessive noise where possible.

By Michael V. Cusenza

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) recently ripped the House for the final version of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, which did not feature any provisions to mitigate aircraft noise over the borough; and for the lack of transparency and the manner in which the bill was brought to the House Floor, pointing out that members were not allowed to offer any amendments, provide input, or address concerns of labor unions.

The measure, which passed Monday night, reauthorizes funding for the FAA and other air-travel programs.

“The absence of any measures to combat the problem of excessive aircraft noise over Queens and other affected communities across the country is a huge disappointment,” Meng said. “I have consistently called for this important legislation to include provisions to mitigate airplane noise. This bill would have allowed for an opportunity to directly address the issue, and the previous version of this legislation included ways to deal with it. It is also very unfortunate that this bill was rushed through while keeping House members out of the process. Our borough continues to be bombarded by the roaring sounds of aircraft noise that constantly disrupts the quality of life in our neighborhoods. A solution must be reached and I will keep up the fight until we achieve one.”

Meng noted that a previous version of the bill (the Aviation, Innovation, Reform and Reauthorization Act) that was not voted on included noise-related provisions for which she and the Quiet Skies Caucus. The AIRR Act included processes for notifying communities near airports of flight-path changes and a study on the health impacts of noise exposure.

In July 2015, the Quiet Skies Caucus, led by Meng, sent a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that outlined noise-mitigation measures to be part of the FAA bill:

• Mandate a robust community engagement process, including pre-decisional public hearings, for any new flight paths or procedures or changes to existing flight paths and procedures;
• Require FAA to use supplemental metrics when considering the impact of aviation noise on affected communities and lower the acceptable DNL threshold from 65 to 55 DNL
• Clarify that airport operators are legally allowed to implement-and should strongly consider-mitigation options in communities experiencing aircraft noise levels of less than 65 DNL
• Mandate independent research on the health impacts of aviation noise

“Every day, millions of Americans are forced to contend with acute levels of noise from passing aircraft-noise that disrupts their homes and businesses, negatively affects their health, and reduces their overall quality of life. We believe the 2015 Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act offers a unique opportunity to address this serious issue,” the officials wrote in the missive addressed to Reps. Bill Shuster and Peter DeFazio.

Although airplane noise has long existed over Queens, Meng noted, the problem increased significantly in 2012 due to the FAA’s implementation of new flight patterns over the borough.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

Elected officials joined the City Housing Recovery Office last week to unveil a pilot program to address abandoned, Superstorm Sandy-damaged properties in several Big Apple communities.

The plan will allow the City to identify and purchase deserted, run-down 1-4 unit homes in one strategically chosen neighborhood in each of the three major Build it Back boroughs: Brighton Beach in Brookly; Edgemere in Queens; and New Dorp on Staten Island.

Properties, HRO Director Amy Peterson noted, will be identified through a canvassing effort outlined below, vetted by a Technical Review Committee, and their owners will be invited to apply to the Build it Back Acquisition Program for further eligibility review, benefit determination, acquisition offer and closing.

“The pilot program is an exciting extension of Build it Back’s work – leveraging federal dollars provided by HUD to solve a local problem that our selected neighborhoods have faced since the storm,” said Amy Peterson, Director of the New York City Housing Recovery Office. “To ignore the abandoned properties would not only negatively impact the homeowners that Build it Back strives to serve, but would ultimately endanger the investment of public dollars used to restore and improve the housing stock in these communities.

According to the administration, the methodology for determining which neighborhoods to target for the program resulted in a focus on Sandy-impacted neighborhoods in which the problem of abandoned properties is most prevalent. To ensure that the selected neighborhoods matched those where the most recovery work is occurring, only neighborhoods where 50 or more Build it Back repair, elevation, rebuild or acquisition applicants reside were considered.

The City has pledged an external physical assessment that will be combined with a review of other relevant property specific information to create a more detailed assessment of potential abandonment.

“While many residents returned to their homes after Sandy, there are still properties that have been abandoned leaving blight right in the middle of our communities,” said City Councilman Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton). “Now, Build it Back is stepping up to secure those properties to find better uses for the land in flood zones, so neighborhoods like Edgemere are not left dealing with eyesores. I’d like to thank Amy Peterson for working to identify these homes across the city and finding ways to use that land to lift up these communities.”

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-Brooklyn and Staten Island) added, “We’ve been working with the City of New York to formulate this plan to address the problem of abandoned properties, which have plagued our neighborhoods following Hurricane Sandy. Many buildings were left structurally-unsound by the storm, in danger of collapsing at any moment, and some have served as breeding grounds for harmful mold. We also fielded an unsettling number of complaints of rodent infestation on properties like these. If these buildings are not surveyed, cleaned and repaired, not only will our recovery efforts be impeded, but a new set of health issues could arise in communities full of families that have suffered enough in the storm’s wake.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

The low-lying south Queens communities of Old Howard Beach, Hamilton Beach, and Broad Channel are vulnerable to tidal flooding today, and the conditions are only expected to worsen with projected sea level rise, according to the Department of City Planning, which presented current planning initiatives and priorities for Queens on Monday at a joint meeting of the Borough Board and Cabinet at Borough Hall.

However, particularly in Old Howard, DCP has indicated that it is possible to maintain a strong neighborhood “by supporting resilient retrofits and through investments in street-end infrastructure upgrades.”

Hamilton Beach and Broad Channel are far more challenging, DCP noted. A lack of infrastructure solutions presents obstacles to mitigating the impacts of sea level rise.

The unique built environment of Hamilton Beach and Broad Channel – narrow lots, and narrow, low-lying streets – pose challenges for resilient retrofitting and reconstruction. Existing R2, R3-1, and R3-2 Zoning Districts do not account for narrow lot frontage in the residential areas of these communities, DCP noted. Additionally, new, higher flood elevations present physical and economic challenges to the two commercial corridors: Cross Bay Boulevard and Coleman Square.

However, City Planning pointed out that there are opportunities to identify changes to zoning, both in residential areas and business corridors; to maintain neighborhood character, facilitate customer access to businesses, and enable resilient retrofits and building.

“The strategy for Hamilton Beach and Broad Channel,” according to DCP, “is to plan for adaptation over time by deploying a zoning treatment to denote high flood risk, and restrict future residential development to detached buildings, while making it easier for property owners to make investments in resiliency.”

The analysis of these communities is part of DCP’s Resilient Neighborhoods planning initiative, which works to identify neighborhood-specific strategies to support the vitality and resiliency of communities in the floodplain and prepare them for future storms.

According to the agency, each study considers the unique character of each community and the specific issues and opportunities, but is guided by a set of common goals: Reduce risks from natural hazards such as flooding and coastal storms; foster economically and socially vibrant communities that are able to adapt to changing conditions; and coordinate land use planning with rebuilding activities and infrastructure investment.

City Planning officials have said that the agency anticipates that the Resilient Neighborhoods study and report will:

• Build off outreach from other efforts, including the NYC Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency, and NY Rising programs.
• Provide clear, concrete information to residents on potential strategies for increasing resiliency that are implementable.
• Shape recommendations based on robust public outreach.
• Result in the implementation of regulatory changes through ULURP and make recommendations for infrastructure improvements.

As DCP has noted, Superstorm Sandy “was a stark reminder of the vulnerability of New York City’s coastal neighborhoods. Some communities suffered extensive damage, and numerous home and business owners continue to struggle to rebuild and recover. Others were largely unaffected by flooding in this storm, but remain at risk from future storms. Moreover, federal flood maps, which show a substantially larger floodplain, combined with increasing flood insurance premiums, present new economic challenges for many communities.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

Of the 1,257 newly minted Members of the Service who graduated last week from the Police Academy, 100 have been assigned to the various commands within Patrol Borough Queens South.

“You are coming along at an ideal time – a force that is succeeding more and more, innovating more and more, is proving its abilities more every day,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said to the probationary officers during the commencement ceremony at Madison Square Garden. “And you’re going to be change agents. You’re going to be the next generation that makes us better, that bonds police and community in a way we’ve never seen before. You are going to be part of that generation that will look back on in years and say, we’re the generation who brought policing to the next level.”

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton added, “We have sought to do everything in our power to improve your training.”

The rookies now find themselves part of that successful, innovative police force to which de Blasio referred in his remarks. And for Bratton, the cornerstone of that force is Neighborhood Policing.

Rolled out in December 2015, the Neighborhood Policing Plan, now in 31 commands, is designed to greatly increase the cop/community connectivity without in any way diminishing the NYPD’s crime-fighting capabilities.

“We want to police with the community, not at the community,” said Assistant Chief Terrence Monahan, one of the architects of the NPP.

The plan divides precincts into four or five fully staffed sectors that correspond, as much as possible, to the boundaries of actual existing neighborhoods. Sector officers assigned to these sectors work the same neighborhoods on the same shifts, increasing their familiarity with the local residents and local problems. The radio dispatchers, supervisors, and sector officers work together to maintain “sector integrity,” meaning that the sector officers and sector cars do not leave the boundaries of their assigned sectors, except in genuine emergencies. The plan seeks to foster a sense of ownership among sector officers for the people, the problems, and even the perpetrators in a particular sector; a sense of geographic responsibility and accountability.

“It operationalizes community policing in a way that eluded previous models and reestablishes the primacy of patrol as the backbone of preventive policing,” Bratton said.

Eight precincts comprise PBQS, and its headquarters is the 107^th Precinct in Fresh Meadows. Assistant Chief David Barrere is the commanding officer.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

Elected officials joined concerned southern Queens and Rockaway civic leaders last Friday in urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release the draft report and immediately thereafter hold neighborhood meetings regarding the proposed Rockaway Reformulation Study – the long-stalled analysis which will ultimately determine the best possible coastline defense to protect the whole Rockaway peninsula and communities surrounding Jamaica Bay from storms and floods.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach) have also penned a letter to the USACE NY District, detailing the significance of the draft report and public forums.

“Families in southern Queens and Rockaway deserve to have ample opportunity to understand the report and provide formal feedback on the plans in the draft report,” Schumer and Goldfeder wrote. “We understand the Corps plans to release the draft report shortly and we urge you do this in a timely manner that maintains the current schedule without delay and looks to expedite it where possible.”

Initially, the Superstorm Sandy relief bill that was signed into law required that the feds pick up 65 percent of the project. Immediately after the bill’s passage, Schumer said he began working with the USACE and Office of Management and Budget to re-categorize the effort as “ongoing construction,” and therefore eligible for full federal funding.

However, the bill was passed into law over two years ago, and the Corps has yet to release the draft General Reevaluation Report publicly or hold formal community meetings—the next steps in the process to start construction.

Schumer and Goldfeder said it’s time for the feds to give Rockaway the update it deserves and one it has been patiently awaiting.
“Rockaway residents, some of whom are still feeling the devastating impact of Superstorm Sandy, deserve to see the essential details on the Rockaway Reformulation Study being planned in their community and have an opportunity to provide feedback,” Schumer said. “The Army Corps should release the draft plan and engage with the community ASAP. Public meetings will allow residents to voice their concerns, improve the plan and ask important questions that affect their future.”

Immediately after Sandy, the USACE allowed for emergency sand replacement to protect Rockaway from future storm surges. The Corps has since completed that work, placing 3.5 million cubic-yards of sand in Rockaway. But since that sand placement, Rockaway already experienced significant erosion. The long term comprehensive coastal storm risk reduction plan for Rockaway and Jamaica Bay requires the completion of hard, protective features including a sea wall, jetties, and groins.

“Communities in Rockaway and around Jamaica Bay are only as strong and resilient as the weakest link in our storm protections,” Goldfeder said. “The Army Corps’ proposed Rockaway Reformulation Study has the potential to strengthen our shorelines and protect thousands of families from the devastation from sea level rise and storms like Sandy. With the future of our communities at stake, families deserve to see the long awaited study released, work commence and the Army Corps ensure our voices are heard at every step in the process.”

The USACE New York District told The Forum that the draft report is on its way.

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers appreciates Sen. Schumer and Assemblyman Goldfeder’s ongoing interest and support for the reformulation report for Rockaway. The New York District is in the process of finalizing the draft reformulation report and it is expected to be released for public review in July 2016. Public information meetings are scheduled to be conducted beginning in late summer regarding the report.

Sen. Schumer and Assemblyman Goldfeder will be informed directly by the New York District of planned public information meetings prior to the meetings.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

From the Lower Chamber to higher education.

Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder’s (D-Howard Beach) next stop will be Yeshiva University, according to the school, which made it official on Tuesday.

The District 23 representative is slated to step in as director of Government Relations for the Manhattan-based research institution.

“I have dedicated my life in public service to ensuring a better future for all our families. This begins by providing our children with a world-class education that will enable them to be successful and contribute to the community,” said Goldfeder. “I’m excited to utilize my diverse experience to advance the mission and goals of the University.”

Goldfeder stunned colleagues and constituents earlier this month when he announced that he would not seek a fourth term. He has officially endorsed Rockaway Democratic district leader Stacey Pheffer Amato as his successor in the Assembly.

“It has been a real pleasure to serve alongside Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx). “Phil’s departure, while a tremendous loss for the Assembly, will be a great gain for Yeshiva University. His leadership, energy and enthusiasm have been an invaluable contribution to the Assembly and to the state of New York. I wish him all the best in this new role.”

Goldfeder’s career in public service began as a community liaison for the City Council. He went on to become Queens director for the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit under Michael Bloomberg. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) later hired him as his office’s director of Intergovernmental Affairs. In September 2011, Goldfeder emerged victorious from special election for the D23 seat.

“I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Phil for many years from the time he worked in the Mayor’s Office, through his work with Senator Schumer and most recently as a New York State legislator,” said Andrew (Avi) Lauer, vice president for Legal Affairs and general counsel at YU. “I look forward to working closely with him and have every confidence that he will represent YU with the same passion, professionalism and vigor as he has his constituents for so many years.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

With the 2016 legislative session – and its last-minute brokering, bloated bills, and late-night votes – in his rearview mirror, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach) this week devoted some time to the District 23 campaign, formally endorsing Stacey Pheffer Amato as his successor in the Assembly.

“During my five years in office, we have been able to come together as a community and work to improve the lives of families across southern Queens and Rockaway. For all our progress, there is still so much work left to do. That’s why it’s important that we have a strong voice for our families who will fight for the issues that matter most,” Goldfeder said in a statement issued on Monday. “Stacey Pheffer Amato will be that strong voice who will continue our work to ensure every family can recover from Sandy, have access to transportation, and look forward to a better future for themselves and their children. Audrey Pheffer was a mentor to me and if her experience is any indication, I have no doubt her daughter Stacey will be an equally great advocate for our community. I’m proud to enthusiastically endorse Stacey Pheffer Amato for the New York State Assembly and I urge everyone to join me in supporting her in the upcoming election.”

Pheffer Amato is a Democratic district leader and the daughter of former D23 Assemblywoman and current Queens County Clerk Audrey Pheffer. She declared her candidacy earlier this month.

“Whether in our recovery from [Superstorm] Sandy or ensuring a better future for our children, we have always achieved great things by working together,” Pheffer Amato said. “I look forward to the chance to work together at home and in Albany to continue this fight in the years ahead.”

Retired City public school teacher and Rockaway resident Alan Zwirn is running on the Republican line.

Assembly District 23 includes Ozone Park, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Hamilton Beach, Broad Channel, and Rockaway.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

Two elected state officials this week heaped praise on both houses of government following unanimous votes in the Senate and Assembly in favor of a five-year extension to landmark legislation preventing the dumping of toxic materials into Jamaica Bay.

“As a member of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, I believe Jamaica Bay is a critical natural resource and an environmental jewel that needs to be carefully protected. I am pleased that we have passed this legislation ensuring that existing environmental safeguards for the bay will remain in place for at least another six years,” said State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach), who worked with Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach) on the bill. “We need to remain vigilant to ensure that our beautiful bay isn’t allowed to become a dumping ground for harmful pollutants.

Last Thursday, lawmakers in both chambers approved a bill to create a five-year extension to legislation prohibiting the dumping of toxic materials into the borrow pits – areas of deeper water depths in the bay created by projects that excavated, or “borrowed,” seabed sediments for use in other areas – under the bay. This extends through 2022 language in state Environmental Conservation Law requiring permits for filling borrow pits with materials generated by dredging projects in area waterways. Under this restriction, Goldfeder and Addabbo said, the sediments must also meet the State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Class A criteria for chemical contamination, the state’s highest sediment classification.

The DEC spells out sediment classification in its Technical and Operational Guidance Series, a compendium of regulatory and enforcement mechanisms aimed at protecting New York water quality in the state’s lakes, rivers and coastlines. The TOGS classifies sediment by Classes A through C based on the levels of chemicals and heavy metals present, with Class A indicating “no toxicity to aquatic life,” while Class C confirms “acute toxicity to aquatic life.”

The Class A requirement in Goldfeder and Addabbo’s bill would provide the highest level of environmental protection to the bay and surrounding habitats.

“Jamaica Bay is a vital resource for the entire community. It supports so much of the recreational and economic activity that benefits thousands of families across southern Queens and Rockaway. It is also critical habitat for our fragile coastal ecosystem and we have a responsibility to preserve and protect it,” said Goldfeder. “Extending the ban on dumping toxic materials into the Jamaica Bay borrow pits will ensure that we continue to maintain this special place now and for future generations.”

According to Goldfeder and Addabbo, the future of the bay’s borrow pits has long been a point of contention between state and federal officials and area residents and environmental activists.

The largest and deepest borrow pit is directly adjacent to John F. Kennedy International Airport, which supplied landfill for expansion projects at the transit hub. Borrow pits have also been created for the construction of Floyd Bennett Field and other public works.

In the mid-1980s, the legislators said, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed filling the borrow pits with sediment generated by dredging in New York Harbor. According to the southern Queens environmentalist group Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers, the proposal was an effort on the part of the government to dispose of sediments deemed too toxic under federal guidelines for dumping in the ocean. The waters around Jamaica Bay form part of the National Park Service’s Gateway Recreational Area, and fall under the jurisdiction of the DEC.

Four years ago, Goldfeder and Addabbo partnered with the Ecowatchers to introduce legislation banning the dumping of the toxic materials into the bay. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law in 2014—however the language included a June 30, 2017, expiration date, leading to this most recent extension proposal.

“The Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers commend Assemblyman Goldfeder and Senator Addabbo for passing this critical legislation and we urge to Gov. Cuomo to sign it,” said Ecowatchers President Dan Mundy, Jr. “It is fitting that the assemblyman’s last bill before leaving office will provide long-term protection for this community and environment and put a halt to a horrible plan which was driven purely by economics. Assemblyman Goldfeder is going out the way that he has served his constituents from Day One, which is fighting the good fight looking out for the families he served and protecting beautiful areas like Jamaica Bay for generations to come. Environmental groups around the bay applaud Assemblyman Goldfeder and State Senator Joseph Addabbo’s efforts to get this bill passed.”

In his statement, Mundy referenced Goldfeder’s recent announcement that he will not run for a fourth term. His current term ends on Dec. 31. Goldfeder has endorsed Stacey Pheffer Amato in the general election.

“It has been a pleasure to work with Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder in protecting the delicate ecology of Jamaica Bay, which includes unique salt marshes, and taking action to prevent any environmental degradation that may result in a loss of wildlife habitat, compromised water quality and other negative consequences for the area,” Addabbo said.

For now, the assemblyman and the senator are basking in what they have called “an eleventh hour victory” – both houses unanimously voted in favor of the bill during the evening of the last scheduled day of session for the year (later extended into Friday).

By Michael V. Cusenza

The de Blasio administration recently released new renderings of the Citywide Ferry vessels that will be hitting New York’s waterways when Phase I of the service sets sail next summer.

Nineteen boats will be operating at 21 landings across the five boroughs. Mayor Bill de Blasio boasted about some of the specs and features for each vessel, which include:

• Capacity for 149 passengers along with space for bikes, strollers, and wheelchairs.
• ADA accessibility and compliance.
• Boats are 26 meters vs. the standard 22 meters.
• Ferries primarily being built out of aluminum, which is light weight and increases fuel efficiency.
• Use of T3 Engines to reduce emissions and noise.
• Innovative hull design to limit wake and maximize fuel efficiency.
• Free Wi-Fi throughout the vessel.
• Heated decks that increase each vessel’s resiliency and durability, especially during winter months.

“The overall concept of these new vessels reflects our desire to deliver a system that builds on our strong record of environmental efficiency, sustainability and resiliency,” said Cameron Clark, vice president and general manager of Hornblower, the California-based operator of the CFS.

De Blasio announced in March that the seaborne service is on track for a 2017 start date. The Phase I Rockaway, Astoria, and south Brooklyn routes will be ready for the first 2017 voyages. When fully operational by 2018, the Citywide Ferry Service will carry an estimated 4.6 million trips per year across six routes.

Additionally, the CFS is expected to generate at least 155 “new, good-paying jobs” in New York Harbor, de Blasio said.

“The greatest city in the world deserves the greatest ferry system in the world. That’s exactly what New Yorkers are getting with these modern, efficient boats that come with Wi-Fi, charging stations, and plenty of space to move around comfortably,” the mayor noted. “Most importantly, when we launch Citywide Ferry next summer we will be connecting New Yorkers in transit-starved neighborhoods with good jobs and opportunities all over the city.”

The plan still is for the ferry to be pegged to the price of a MetroCard, and launch at $2.75 per trip. The project is expected to cost approximately $325 million. The City has said that it is investing $55 million in infrastructure upgrades, including building 10 new ferry landings and rehabilitating six others; and that it is also providing $30 million in operating support per year, over a period of six years.

“The addition of citywide ferry service will give locals and visitors more reasons to explore the City’s vibrant and multicultural neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs. We welcome the new service and look forward to providing our visitors even better access to all of the excitement New York City has to offer,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company, the City’s official destination marketing organization.

“Ferries have been an underused part of our transit system for nearly a century. Having new ferries to support the mayor’s water transport plan will go a long way toward correcting that imbalance,” added Sam Schwartz, president and CEO of Sam Schwartz Engineering and former City Department of Transportation commissioner.

The administration also recently announced that five New Yorkers who take a two-minute survey about Citywide Ferry through the website will automatically be entered to win one of five annual Citywide Ferry passes once service commences next year. Winners of the annual passes will be announced as Citywide Ferry gets closer to launch with one entry per person. For more information, visit CitywideFerry.NYC.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) and Jamaica Hospital Medical Center this week announced that they have formed a social media partnership to distribute information regarding public health and wellness to the residents of Queens.

Ulrich’s office will collect constituents’ health questions and concerns and pass the most popular and pressing inquiries to the hospital’s community affairs team, who will then get answers from some of JHMC’s top doctors before creating user-friendly posts for Facebook and Twitter.

Both Ulrich and Jamaica Hospital will share the items with their respective social networks. In addition, Ulrich said he will save printed copies of all the posts for constituents who do not use social media.

“I’m excited to partner with Jamaica Hospital so together we can provide Queens residents with important health and wellness information,” Ulrich said. “With so much misinformation that circulates the internet, it’s important we ensure residents have access to accurate, up-to-date information regarding their health. This partnership does just that. It will help residents stay healthy, informed, and safe.”

One of the first issues the partnership will address is the Zika virus, which has infected 691 people in the United States and more than 1,300 in territories of the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We are happy to be working with Councilman Eric Ulrich. He shares our passion for improving the health of the communities we serve,” said Michael Hinck, director of Public Affairs for Jamaica Hospital. “There are regions in Queens where the rate of developing certain chronic illnesses are considerably higher when compared to the rest of New York City. Our hospital and Councilman Ulrich will collaborate to provide area residents with information that will help them to live a healthier lifestyle.”