By Tom Momberg
Community Board 11 shot down Windsor Oaks Tenants’ Corporation’s application Monday night, which would amend a 1950 variance and allow new construction to abut 77th Avenue residences in Oakland Gardens.
The strip of land in question is between Bell Boulevard and Springfield Boulevard across from the bike path.
Strong community and shareholder opposition was apparent during the community board’s regular monthly meeting. Many were against a site plan for a 5,000-square-foot club house and 98 additional parking spaces as well as to clear cutting a 100-foot-wide section of trees that Windsor Oaks agreed to maintain as part of the original variance.
The tenants’ corporation secured a loan in 2011 to be able to provide additional amenities. The loan was just refinanced in its fourth and final year to build the club house.
Only one of roughly two dozen board members voted in favor of the amendment, which had been previously denied by the Central/South Bayside Zoning Committee, 5-2. The two committee members who had previously voted in favor of the project flipped their votes during CB 11’s motion to approve the amendment. They said new information brought forward during Monday’s public hearing had made them change their minds.
Windsor Oaks may take the amendment directly to Queens Borough President Melinda Katz next. Upon her review, the site plan may yet go in front of the city’s Board of Standards and Appeals. Representatives from Katz’ office attended both the committee and community board meetings. If a hearing takes place before the BSA, residents said they would continue to argue their case.
Windsor Oaks President Ronald Kaye was prepared for overwhelming opposition, having said that such opposition would have arisen out of any similar project in any geographic location.
“The objection here is simple: ‘not in my backyard.’ But, as far as residents of Windsor Oaks are concerned, that land belongs to all shareholders,” Kaye said. “If this project was proposed for another property, we would have had an entirely different group of residents expressing ‘not in my backyard.’ It isn’t a good enough reason not to have this project go forward.”
As many as 15 residences border the proposed site plan where trees would be destroyed on 77th Avenue.
“In our last meeting before coming in front of the community board, it was suggested that we sit down with the residents of 77th Avenue and see where we could come together,” Kaye said. “Sadly, they wanted no part of that. They just don’t want the project at all.”
Out of 25 individuals who spoke during the public hearing, only a few were in favor. The great majority of those who spoke were bordering residents. They said Kaye was lying and that they had responded to all attempts to compromise.
The proposal also includes drive access to Springfield Avenue. Community members were concerned the drive would add to already significant congestion problems.
Independent Queens realtor Julia Shildkret gave substance to residents’ concerns.
“WOTC is citing that this new community center and parking lot will increase shareholder and property value … but I do have to say that the homes along 77th Avenue, whether abutting the development or across the street, will all be adversely affected by this development,” Shildkret said. “Most of those residents there bought those homes because of those trees.”
Several environmental advocates also spoke against the site plan due to its proposed destruction of trees and animal habitat.
Reach reporter Tom Momberg by e-mail at tmomb
