Climate Control

To The Editor:

Jamaica’s Robert Ross Johnson Family Life Center heard both applause and groans, heartfelt praise and shouts of outrage at [last] Wednesday evening’s Community Board 12 meeting. Under satisfaction for follow-through on promises of a new school and a beautiful new children’s library flowed a current of anger over disastrous flooding, invasive construction, automobile waste being backwashed into sewer drains, the loss of three daughters to respiratory illnesses caused by rampant unchecked pollution.

And all throughout the forum a question repeatedly rang out: Where are our representatives? More than once did congressman Gregory Meeks’ community liaison silently field terse remarks on how his boss couldn’t find time for one monthly community meeting, especially when Senator Shirley Huntley did. “I hope you are taking meticulous notes,” said one board member to a round of approving that’s-rights and uh-huhs. Where are you Meeks? was the question of the hour.

Already the effects of unchecked pollution are literally killing people in his community. As that same board member observed, “This doesn’t happen in other communities where representatives are present.”

As an official we elected, congressman Meeks has the perfect chance to show us he’s listening: By signing on to H.R. 1590, the Safe Climate Act of 2007, along with the rest of your New York House representatives. It’s a long term, practical, and permanent solution to pollution and its devastating environmental effects which we’re already seeing in our communities.

Here’s your chance Mr. Meeks: Demonstrate your presence and show us that you are our representative.

James French,
Howard Beach
 

Thanks, Stranger

To The Editor:

On Thursday, Oct. 4, I boarded an E-Express train at Continental Avenue bound for Manhattan. Since no seats were available, I found myself standing.

The train started with a very strong lurch and for one long terrifying moment I found myself in a free-fall with my back and head on a straight trajectory with the floor of the subway car. Miraculously, my fall suddenly stopped before I hit bottom, and I found myself being gently lifted to my feet. I turned around and there was a young woman –smiling.

Who knows what injuries I might have sustained to this not-so-young body had this beautiful angel not been there to help me.

Whoever you are and wherever you are, may God bless you and yours.

Lou Shayman,
Forest Hills

Time For Action

To The Editor:

The Auburndale Improvement Association, Inc., the oldest Civic Association in Queens County, has been actively lobbying the New York City Planning Commission for contextual rezoning of the Auburndale community for the past several years. Although we have received assurances of the Commission that Auburndale would be rezoned, there has been no progress in even beginning the process.

As the zoning and housing chair of this organization, I have witnessed first hand the effect that this inaction has had in Auburndale. Since some surrounding communities have been contextually rezoned, certain developers have zeroed in to the Auburndale community to take advantage of its vulnerability by constructing out of character buildings and multi-family structures that overpower the existing housing stock. Large areas of this community are currently zoned with designations that permit too dense development. This affects the quality of life in these areas and puts this severe strain on the infrastructure. If these areas were zoned with the appropriate zoning classification, the overdevelopment problems would be mitigated.

In 2005, we were promised that the rezoning work would begin at the beginning of 2006. That did not happen. Then we were told that we would have to wait for the Douglaston-Little Neck rezoning initiative to be passed. It passed. Nothing happened in Auburndale. Next, we were told that the Jamaica Rezoning plan was taking up the time of most of the Queens office of City Planning. That rezoning plan had been held up for months because many residents did not approve of the upzoning aspects of that plan. That plan has now passed. Auburndale still waits. Other areas of northeast Queens like North Flushing, Oakland Gardens, Hollis Hills and sections of Bellerose, also are waiting to be rezoned.

At our regularly scheduled association meetings, the question of rezoning frequently comes up. People want to know when their turn will come. Many are at the ready to volunteer to help survey the community in order to assist City Planning with the task of rezoning. Hundreds have signed letters addressed to the Planning Commission pleading for rezoning to curb overdevelopment of their areas. Copies of these letters were sent to all local elected officials. And still no progress toward rezoning.

The time for action in Auburndale and the other non-rezoned communities is now before they become completely unrecognizable due to inappropriate development.

Henry Euler,

Zoning and Housing Chair,

Auburndale Improvement Association, Inc.
 

Halloween Insult
 

To The Editor:

I am writing this letter to advise you and your readers about a flyer that has been distributed around Corona Heights relating to Halloween.

This flyer is an outright insult to all the residents of my neighborhood, as it is printed only in Spanish. I speak and read only English, as do many of the people in my area. I asked one of my Spanish neighbors to translate for me, and I was able to guess, this flyer is speaking out against Halloween as being destructive and was originally thought of as a pagan celebration. While I agree with their thoughts, I think it is an out and out insult to the non-Hispanic residents.

Whoever printed this flyer are cowards, as they have not even put his identity on it. I get along with people in this area, but this Spanish only is going to far.

Dolores Campbell,
Corona