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Queens Civic Congress opposes development on parkland

By Bob Harris

The Queens Civic Congress is an umbrella organization of approximately 100 civic associations, co-ops and other groups. The aim of QCC is to protect the quality of life for Queens residents. When necessary, it works with other groups in other counties in New York City and state. Richard Hellenbrecht is the its president.

One current issue which QCC is involved with is the proposal to build a megamall in Willets Point and a six-story parking garage on the current Citi Field parking lot. Other development plans are to build a hotel and retail and office space where auto repair shop businesses are in Willets Point.

Opponents of the megamall and a six-story parking garage contend that the parking lot is still mapped as Flushing Meadows Corona Park and cannot be given to developers without the permission of the state Legislature.

In addition to QCC, other groups and individuals opposed to use of the parkland are NYC Park Advocates; state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside); urban planner Paul Graziano; civic activist Benjamin Haber; tenant leader Susan Cleary; Marty Kirchner, of Queens Neighborhoods United; Mike Gruen, of the City Club; business owners Irene Prestocoma and Lenny Chucka; and Henry Euler.

There are two lawsuits against the proposed development. Two interesting facts are that the city sold the developers the 47-plus acres of Queens parkland for only $1 and that the developers are asking for $42.6 million in tax subsidies from the city Economic Development Corp., but this latter information was a secret until recently and never available for the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure hearing.

Protesters at a rally and march recently contended that parkland should be for people and not developers. The megamall land was originally given to the owners of Shea Stadium for parking, but now they are selling it for development. A flier put out by NYC Park Advocates and Avella contends that current events held on the lot would be displaced.

These include the Hermanos Vasquez Circus, the Wheelchair Softball Tournament and Electric Daisy Carnival.

At another event, QCC members stood with state Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Fresh Meadows) when he held a press conference asking Mayor Bill de Blasio to help the homeowners faced with rising water rates. Since 2005, the water rates have jumped 89.8 percent.

It is sad that last year’s 5.6 percent increase is considered an improvement. Other city councilmen who support Lancman’s views are Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens) and Paul Vallone (D-Bayside).

Another issue QCC has given its support to is the request from Fresh Meadows civic associations that the city punish the violator who cut down trees and paved over a 100-year-old circular driveway on the old Klein Farm, which is in a Special Planned Community Preservation District.

The city Environmental Control Board judge fined the violator, who is the tenant there, but the punishment as set by law was so little that the civic leaders want the city to set much higher fines and require repair of any damage.

Incidentally, the violator did the same thing in Staten Island in 2005.

Other issues which QCC is opposed to are the proposal to legalize some basement apartments, creation of a row house zoning district and stopping the building of hotels in residential neighborhoods.

GOOD AND BAD NEWS: It seems that the multimillion-dollar advertising campaign by the charter school lobby has paid off in the new state budget. Money which should go to public schools seems to be going to charter schools.

It is interesting that the charter school lobby stopped the state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli from auditing them yet they pressured for more public money.

I wonder if he would have discovered exactly how few English as a Second Language, special need and problem children are in these schools. The lack of these children make their scores look good.

It is interesting that 15 charter school heads earn more than $200,000 a year, and that does not include perks.