After a Contentious First Try, City Planning To Come Back To Community This Thursday For "Informational Presentation" of the Gowanus Draft Zoning Proposal

***Important meeting coming up on the Gowanus Rezoning Proposal***

In early February, representatives of  the New York City Department of City Planning (DCP)'s Brooklyn office held a presentation of the Gowanus Draft Zoning Proposal in the gym of PS 32, which did not go over too well with local residents.

Instead of providing the community with a forum in which they could ask questions and get answers communally, DCP had basically printed out its online presentation on poster boards and taped them to the wall of the gym.  As one local resident tweeted, 'the city attempted to turn it into a science fair style open house', which backfired big time. It was obvious from the start that the whole thing had been designed to control rather than to engage stakeholders.

To placate angry residents, Winston Von Engel and Jonathan Keller of City Planning promised to come to the next Community Board 6 Landmark/Land Use Committee meeting for a proper presentation.  That meeting has now been scheduled.

Informational Presentation of the Gowanus Draft Zoning Proposal 

From The Department Of City Planning

February 28, 2019

6:30 pm

PS 133

610 Baltic Street between 4th and 5th Avenue 

Let us hope that City Planning comes better prepared to provide specific answers on this upzoning, which will impact not only Gowanus, but Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill and Park Slope.
We encourage everyone to attend.


Related reading:
Developers Get Their Way, the Community Not So Much: Gowanus Draft Zoning Proposal Proves That Community Planning Sessions Were All A Sham 

Badly Done, City Planning! Badly Done!: City Faces Angry Residents At Gowanus Draft Zoning Proposal Meeting Last Night

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Badly Done, City Planning! Badly Done!: City Faces Angry Residents At Gowanus Draft Zoning Proposal Meeting Last Night

Winston Von Engel, Director of the Brooklyn office for the NYC Department of City Planning

DCP project manager Jonathan Keller

Members of the Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition For Justice

NYCHA resident Karen Blondel and Zac Martin of Trellis

NYC DCP's Winston Von Engel, addressing angry residents

Councilman Brad Lander (left), standing in the crowd.

Yesterday evening's presentation of the Gowanus Draft Zoning Proposal must have been very rough for representatives of  the New York City Department of City Planning (DCP)'s Brooklyn office, as they faced a mostly hostile Gowanus community.  It was entirely predictable and of DCP's own making.

Instead of providing local residents with a forum in which they could ask questions and get answers communally, DCP had basically printed out its online presentation on poster boards and taped them to the wall of PS32's gym.  As one local resident tweeted, 'the city attempted to turn it into a science fair style open house', which backfired big time. It was obvious from the start that the whole thing had been designed to control rather than to engage stakeholders.

People were generally angry that there was no formal Q and A session this late in the rezoning process. Some called it unprofessional, a total waste of time. Others felt it was disrespectful, especially since many had been involved with the community visioning process for the last two years.

Members of the Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition For Justice (GNCJ) tried to engage DCP in a more meaningful conversation by bringing a PA system and by setting up chairs in the gym.

Karen Blondel, who has lived in Gowanus NYCHA housing for the past 40 years and is an environmental organizer for Fifth Avenue Committee, took the microphone to demand a real public meeting. She addressed the lack of commitment from the City to '"fix environmentally unsafe conditions in local public housing."  

In support, NYCHA residents chanted:

"The Gowanus Plan is incomplete-City Hall take a seat!"

"Before you rezone-fix our homes!"

"Scope until our demands are in scope! No Scope until we're in scope!"

Other stakeholders demanded to know how the City planned to address the neighborhood's failing infrastructure,  especially sewers,  schools and public transportation once the neighborhood was up-zoned. "What happened to the inclusion of an Eco District in the rezoning plan?,"  several people asked.

Winston Von Engel and Jonathan Keller of NYC's Department of City Planning eventually tried to placate the audience by promising a proper community meeting at Community Board 6's Landmark/Land Use Committee meeting on February 28th in PS32's auditorium.

Councilman Brad Lander arrived late, so missed most of the initial fireworks,  He tried to diffuse the situation by playing Mr. Nice Guy and by reiterating that the rezoning plan  was unlikely to please everyone.

As for Councilman Stephen Levin, whose district includes all Gowanus NYCHA residents, he did not show up at all.

It was an interesting evening to say the least.

Kindergartener and mini-citizen reporter Charlie of Citizen Squirrel

Linda Mariano of FROGG and Gowanus Landmarking Coalition

Gowanus' very own Jane Jacobs

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