By Howard Koplowitz
Community Board 13 unanimously elected Cambria Heights resident Brian Block as its new chairman Monday, replacing former Chairman Richard Hellenbrecht, who has held the post since 1996.
Hellenbrecht chose not to seek another term because he wanted a break and thought there should be new blood on the executive board. Only one executive board member, Second Vice Chairwoman Angela Augugliaro, retained her post. The others were not interested in being on the board and no other members were nominated beyond the slate given by CB 13’s nominating committee.
Also elected were Tanya Cruz as first vice chairwoman, Anup Ramnuth as treasurer and Sanu Thomas as executive secretary.
Block, who was the board’s executive secretary this year and is a member of the Cambria Heights Civic Association, said he was reluctant to become the chairman, but the nominating committee was insistent that he run and he agreed.
The Cambria Heights man said he took the post knowing he could rely on Hellenbrecht, who would still be on the board, for advice.
“I have to lean on Richard and, Richard, I’m gonna need your help. I want to lean on everyone — the old-timers and the new members ,” Block said. “I know I cannot fill Richard’s shoes. But the one thing I will do is take the shoes, Richard, you’re wearing now — I’m going to continue what you started.”
In other business, the board agreed with conditions to give approval to rezone a Rosedale property so it can go from being an auto-use site to retail.
Adam Rothkrug, an attorney representing the applicant at South Conduit Boulevard and Lansing Avenue, said the owner wants the property to be rezoned as a C1-3 commercial overlay.
Rothkrug said the site has had auto-related uses since the 1930s and is currently used to store vans.
When the community was rezoned five years ago, Rothkrug said, commercial overlays were added for properties east of the site and was asking for the overlay to be extended.
He said the owner is proposing to build 7,800-square-feet of retail space and agreed not to rent it out to businesses deemed undesirable by the community, including pawn shops, check cashing stores or fast food drive-thrus.
“We’re looking for a first-class tenant here,” he told the board, such as a bank and a fresh food supermarket. “We’re going to hold out until we can get tenants who will be here a long time, hopefully.”
If the rezoning is approved, Rothkrug said the property will have to undergo environmental testing because of its history of auto-related use and would have to be cleaned up if findings show high levels of gasoline in the soil or other contaminants.
CB 13 Land Use Committee Chairman Ed Harap said the Springfield Rosedale Community Action Association requested that a maximum of four businesses be approved for the site, but Rothkrug said he believed that number was too low and that the owner would like as many as six tenants.
The board gave its approval to the rezoning in a 32-4 vote on condition that security gates, lighting and cameras be installed at the site.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
