The January meeting of the City Island Civic Association will take place on Tuesday, January 31, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. at 190 Fordham Street. They welcome your input and attendance.
They will have updates from our officers, committee reports on Crime, Development, Quality of Life and Traffic, and an open public forum for residents to air and address their grievances.
The Civic will provide an update on our “City Island Eyesores” public awareness campaign for properties that sit abandoned in our community. Last month’s property was 135 City Island Avenue which still sits in disrepair. As they decide a second property and are again encouraging all members to go by this property again, and if you see anything out of the ordinary to call your complaint into 311. Please get a reference number for your complaint and email the complaint to us at city.island.civic@mac.com.
They will follow up on your behalf. A letter is being drafted to the owner of this property and will be read at the next Civic meeting. I
The following are the minutes from the final meeting last year: City Island Civic Association meeting, November 29, 2011
The meeting was brought to order at 7:32 p.m. The reading of the minutes was waived and they were accepted as distributed.
Crime Report: Bill Stanton reminded Islanders: “If you see something, say something!” On Nov. 28, several cars were vandalized on Carroll and Winter Streets. Anyone who has had their cars tampered with should make a police. Security cameras recorded the activities, as the events happened about 3 a.m. One car was broken into with a slim jim. Residents said that it was difficult to make calls to the precinct because of their telephone system.
Development: Dr. Mignone, who is proposing the senior housing complex at Schofield Street is trying to avoid the usual rezoning process by going directly to the Bureau of Standards and Appeals. We must remain alert to his actions. He recently held a fundraising dinner to help fund the project, but the honored guests may not be aware that City Island is largely against the project. It was moved and voted that the Civic write letters to these individuals to advise them of the community’s resistance to the scope of the development. Barbara Dolensek will prepare a draft and post it on the website. Maria Sutherland, in response to Dr. Mignone’s claim that he will provide much-needed community space analyzed existing space on City Island and found that his project would offer only 6 percent of what we already have. John Doyle said that there is a need for senior housing in the NE Bronx but not necessarily on City Island. IF this project offers assisted living, these units would have to be used for that purpose and require a NYS license. Some feel that if he gets his funding, Dr. Mignone can go forward with or without community support or Senator Klein’s funding. Barbara and Bill will meet with Adolfo Carrion of HUD to discuss community housing issues.
Quality of Life: There was no objection to the renewal of Seafood City’s liquor license but it was agreed that they should be asked to plant trees on the south side of the parking lot to help muffle sounds and to propose traffic control as cars leaving the restaurant often use the wrong exit. The renewal of the liquor license for Library bar will not be supported; many letters were sent to object to this renewal. Sammy’s Shrimp Box sidewalk license will probably be renewed as it is seen as a positive element for the island. The security camera project is proceeding slowly because of state bureaucracy.
The Parks Department recently gave a tour of the landfill that was closed in 1979 to become a Superfund site where the toxic materials were capped. The mound is now covered with vegetation and visited by wildlife. The toxins are being removed by various methods, and the site will be returned to the Parks Department for public use next year. DEP is releasing a report to finalize and more tours will take place in the spring. The Parks Department asks the community for suggested passive uses for the site that will not penetrate the cap.
Although DOT said they were sending the plans for the new bridge out for bids in September, that has not happened. A noise complaint was voiced about the Club House over the Thanksgiving the weekend. It was suggested that someone mention this to the proprietor rather than file a complaint. The Civic voted to make a $200 donation in Ed Sadler’s name to the City Island Nautical Museum.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.