By Anna Gustafson and Connor Adams Sheets
Bay Terrace Community Alliance members said they will unveil a “declaration of independence” next week that calls for them to be removed from Community Board 7’s coverage area and integrated into Community Board 11.
BTCA President Warren Schreiber said the declaration has the complete support of the alliance’s members as well as the backing of elected officials in the area, although members of CB 7 have expressed doubt that the separation will happen.
The move comes a decade after BTCA originally tried to separate from CB 7. Schreiber said it makes more sense for Bay Terrace to be part of CB 11 because it is considered part of Bayside, which is covered by CB 11, and because the area would then be covered by the 111th Precinct, which he noted is closer to the neighborhood than the 109th Precinct, which now oversees Bay Terrace.
“It makes sense geographically, governmentally and there are similarities in the housing units,” Schreiber said. “Most important is the police precinct. Now we’re assigned to the 109th when the 111th Precinct is half the distance away.”
But CB 7 Chairman Eugene Kelty said the community board’s office have received phone calls from Bay Terrace residents who want to stay in Board 7.
“He might be one faction in Bay Terrace that wants to break away, but not everyone might want to,” Kelty said. “I don’t know who he’s speaking for other than his civic association.”
CB 7 Vice Chairman Chuck Apelian has expressed doubts the split will occur.
“It’s a very difficult undertaking, and I’m not sure if it’s going to happen,” Apelian said. “It’s not the first time they’ve asked for more police protection. But when it comes to community services, Community Board 7 has served every neighborhood of its district admirably and continues to do so.”
The 200-acre section of northeast Queens between 26th Avenue and Fort Totten was originally considered part of Bayside, but it has long been a part of CB 7 despite its being far closer to Bayside and Little Neck than CB 7’s hub in Flushing. Bay Terrace is also near Whitestone, which is a part of CB 7.
CB 7 covers Flushing, Whitestone, College Point, Murray Hill and Bay Terrace, while CB 11 includes Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, Hollis Hills and Oakland Gardens. The two boards share Auburndale.
Community Board 11 Chairman Jerry Iannece said he is “open to any discussion people want to have as to a fair drawing of the lines.”
“It would have to be in consultation with 7, something they could live with and something the city would feel is an appropriate venture,” Iannece said. “If Bay Terrace comes into 11 and becomes part of the 111th Precinct, we could need more cops.”
Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) said he has been working with Schreiber on the issue.
“Geographically it makes a lot of sense,” said Halloran, who agreed with Iannece that the process needs to be executed amenably.
The Department of City Planning would have the final say as to whether or not the alliance could join CB 7, Schreiber said. The decision would have to wait until the Census numbers come out. District lines then will be drawn based on population since each community board can represent no more than 250,000 people.
Reach reporter Anna Gustafson by e-mail at agustafson@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
