By Anna Gustafson
Bay Terrace Community Alliance members unanimously threw their support behind a declaration of independence that the group unveiled last week, calling for them to separate from Community Board 7 and join CB 11.
The Bay Terrace residents said at their Dec. 8 meeting at the Benenson Family Center of the Chabad of Northeast at 212-12 26th Ave. in Bayside that they wanted to join CB 11 because they felt closer geographically and culturally to the area represented by CB 11 than to CB 7. A number of the members stressed the move was important because they then would be covered by the 111th Precinct, which is physically closer to them than the 109th Precinct, which now has jurisdiction over Bay Terrace.
“CB 7 is a really hardworking board,” said Warren Schreiber, the BTCA president. “They have terrific, dedicated members, but it’s not where we belong.”
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 to 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.
The declaration of independence, which BTCA members voted to adopt, revealed at last week’s meeting, begins in a familiar way.
“We, the people of Bay Terrace, hereby declare our rights as residents of the community of Bayside, Queens,” the document reads.
The declaration goes on to say that Bay Terrace has “always been part of the historical, geographical, governmental, social and religious fabric of the community of Bayside,” and residents have “been forced to remain within Community Board 7 against our will.”
The document states that police response time could decrease should Bay Terrace be covered by the 111th Precinct.
“It’s about police presence,” said Matthew Silverstein, the BTCA’s second vice president. “My family was a victim of crime in the [19]90s, and when we called the police, it took them more than an hour and a half to get from downtown Flushing to here. CB 11 is right around the corner.”
Phil Konigsberg, the BTCA’s first vice president, said now that group members have approved the declaration, they will begin to collect thousands of petition signatures from Bay Terrace residents to present to the city.
State Assemblyman-elect Ed Braunstein was at the Bay Terrace meeting to show his support for the move from CB 7 to CB 11, and City Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) has said “it makes sense geographically” for the split to occur. CB 11 Chairman Jerry Iannece said he is “open” to the idea, but CB 7 Chairman Eugene Kelty and Vice Chairman Chuck Apelian have expressed doubts the move would happen.
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 will then 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.
