LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Judge CB8 for the good it does

Posted

To the editor:

(re: “Long-time land use chairman abruptly quits board,” April 19)

As the officers of Community Board 8, we were surprised and troubled to read the recent article in The Riverdale Press which called into question the focus and direction of the board.

To read the article, one is asked to believe that the board membership is a group of misguided, naïve individuals heading in the wrong direction at every turn; that they have been warned and ignore direction; and have lost credibility. Nothing could be further from the truth.

These comments are a disservice to the board and its members who work tirelessly and give of their time, experience, expertise and judgment to the issues facing our community.

The community certainly remembers and appreciates the work done on the mayor’s proposed affordable housing zoning text. We held numerous hearings to give the community an opportunity to learn the important details of these proposals. 

Members read literally thousands of pages of complicated text in order to focus on the major elements of the proposal, and point out its effects on our neighborhoods.

People will remember the full discussion and debate around the greenway proposal for the Hudson River waterfront. Through the hard and consistent work by a special committee of the board and continuing attention to this issue, we are now at a point of reviewing a study done by Metro-North about the very real possibilities of trail options.

In August, our board received its first homeless shelter for families. Through a hearing and discussions, the board focused on a preference for permanent housing for the homeless instead of a transient shelter. While this battle was lost, was it not worth fighting? We have now turned our attention to prevention of homelessness in our community, started by urging the homeless services department to provide the community with the information needed to make our efforts as targeted and effective as possible.

As the city planning department is studying a major overhaul to the Special Natural Area District, a SNAD working group spent countless hours reviewing city planning’s draft proposal, meeting with their staff and writing two interim reports on their work, impressions and positions. 

While the final chapter on this proposal has not been written, the efforts of this working group have provided the board members with the detailed information necessary to assess and potentially oppose a measure that could have a significant impact on the unique natural features that are so treasured in our community.

There are so many more examples. One of our committees has been focusing on daylighting Tibbetts Brook and cleaning up the CSX right of way. Another gives careful, regular review to group homes that are proposed for our community. A working group is about to issue a report on how to increase outreach to the community through our website, Facebook page and Twitter.

We conducted public forums to hold the New York City Housing Authority accountable for heat and hot water at Marble Hill and Fort Independence houses. Our aging committee has produced a guide to resources for seniors in our community, and our housing committee has done the same with regard to housing resources.

Other guides are on the way in both English and Spanish.

And the proposed DOT Broadway corridor plan has been the subject of numerous meetings providing an opportunity for community input.

At every turn, the members of CB8 have given of their time and expertise in order to address issues of critical importance to our community.

We support our board and its members for the time and selfless effort they devote to synthesizing and representing different viewpoints from within the community, as that is the way our community will become an ever better place to live. 

We urge all to take a look at our website for the 18 board and committee meetings held every month and their agendas. See for yourself. Be a part of it.

Rosemary Ginty, Paul Ellis, Karen Pesce, Amy Joy Robateau

The authors are the chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer, respectively, of Community Board 8.

Rosemary Ginty, Paul Ellis, Karen Pesce, Amy Joy Robateau

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