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Vote!

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A reminder to all my neighbors in Brooklyn’s City Council District 40: Vote today in the special election to select our next City Council-person. Polls are open until 9pm tonight.

[The voter reminder postcard I received refers to this as the “SPECIAL ELECTION for the 40th Councilmanic District …”. I love that.]

I already voted this morning on my way to the subway. Our polling place is P.S. 139; the main entrance is 330 Rugby Road, just up the block from Courtelyou Road. The voting sheet looked very odd, with just one row at the top of the sheet, and not enough room to list all 11 candidates! Turnout was extremely light. The winner of this election is likely to do so by a handful of votes. Every vote counts, unlike some elections [g].

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Landscape and Politics in Brooklyn’s City Council District 40

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Brooklyn City Council District 40Next week, on Tuesday, February 20, there will be a special election to replace Yvette Clarke as Brooklyn’s 40th District City Council Member. Clarke was elected to Congress in last year’s elections. The council member elected on February 20 will serve only until the end of 2007. A general election in November will elect the member to serve the remainder of Clarke’s unfinished term.

Last week I attended a Candidates’ Forum on Preservation and Development. The Historic Districts Council, a sponsor of the Forum, has issued a Preservation Voter Guide.

There are several landmarked historic districts within District 40, and hopefully another soon. Still, most of the Victorian Flatbush neighborhoods are at risk of being lost forever due to inappropriate zoning and development.

NYC asks us to imagine What kind of city we want to live in by 2030. What happens to this area in the next decade will determine not only what happens by 2030, but this century and beyond. The neighborhoods of Victorian Flatbush are not only worth preserving, it’s critical to the future of this area that we do so. It’s not just about pretty houses, or property values. It’s about open space and shade. It’s about the rates of asthma and respiratory disorders. It’s about moderating surface temperatures by preserving and managing the urban forest, reducing heating and cooling demands. It’s about how many people will die in the heat waves we will experience by the end of the century. It’s about the quality of life for the entire area, and whether or not it will be livable in the future.

This map shows the locations of schools and parks in City Council District 40. Schools are indicated with blue dots. The green labels identify the location of parks. Open space, including cemeteries, ball fields, and so on, are outlined in green. Prospect Park abuts District 40 on the northwest. The Parade Ground south of that is ballfields. Other than that, there is a near complete absence of parks within District 40.

Brooklyn City Council District 40: Schools and Parks

This map shows landcover classification in District 40. Dark green areas are trees and forest. Light green areas are grassland, fields and such. Everything else is classified “impervious”, ie: buildings, streets, sidewalks, pavement, etc.

Brooklyn City Council District 40: Classified Landcover

South of Prospect Park, note the interrupted band of dark green that extends to the south boundary of the District. These trees provide the only greenery and shelter in District 40. This area is the lungs of Flatbush.

Now we zoom in on my little neck of the woods, the Victorian Flatbush neighborhood of Beverly Square West. This map shows the outlines of buildings and the landcover classification. At this scale, it becomes clear that it is the trees on private property, not street trees, and certainly not parks or “open areas”, that provide most of the tree cover.

Beverly Square West: Buildings and Classified Landcover

And this is what it looks like from the ground. These two photos show the view from the same street corner on my block, as it looks in Spring and Fall.

DSC_0498
Stratford Road, East side, looking South from the corner of Slocum Place

With no parks for blocks around, and few playgrounds, it’s no wonder that parents come to our streets to stroll their babies and walk their children. It’s the only green space within walking distance for many people.

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40th District Forum on Preservation and Development

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[Updated 2007.02.13: Corrected list of candidates attending.]
[Updated 2007.02.09 with more photos.]
DSC_5375Tonight I attended the New York City Council 40th District Candidate Forum on Preservation and Development. Tonight’s Forum was sponsored by the Coalition of Concerned Preservation Voters in the 40th District, comprised of 11 community organizations and neighborhood associations, including that of Beverly Square West, where I live.


Nine of the ten confirmed candidates were present. In alphabetical order, they were:

  • Mathieu Eugene
  • Karlene Gordon
  • Gerry Hopkins (write-in candidate)
  • Jennifer James
  • Zenobia McNally
  • Moe Razvi
  • Harry Schiffman
  • Wellington Sharpe
  • Joel Toney
  • Leithland Tulloch

Jesse Hamilton was not present.

About 100 people attended the event. I was surprised by the turnout, especially since the wind-chill was in the single digits. I’ll post some more photos over the weekend.

Simeon Bankoff, Executive Director of the Historic Districts Council, kicks off the ForumSimeon Bankoff, Executive Director of the Historic Districts Council, kicks off the Forum.

The candidates make their opening statements.The candidates make their opening statements.

Ron Schweiger poses the first question from the audience to the candidates.Ron Schweiger, Brooklyn Borough Historian, poses the first question from the audience to the candidates.

The candidates respond.The candidates respond.

Waiting their turn.Waiting their turn.

Restating the questions.Restating the questions.

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My Flickr photo set of the event

Tomorrow, Thursday, 2/8 7pm, Brooklyn 40th District Candidate’s Forum

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I wrote about this a couple of weeks ago, but I just want to remind my neighbors about this event tomorrow evening:

Tomorrow, Thursday, February 8, the Historic Districts Council and the Coalition of Concerned Preservation Voters in the 40th District are sponsoring a public forum with candidates for the City Council’s 40th District special election. As the District includes several historic districts in Flatbush, candidates will discuss important preservation and development concerns including questions of landmark designation, community plans, rezoning and building code enforcement within the district. The Coalition is made up of more than ten neighborhood organizations interested in preserving their communities.
– Historic Districts Council

My neighborhood association in Beverly Square West is part of the Coalition. I will be there tomorrow night.

The following candidates have confirmed their participation: Mathieu Eugene, Karlene Gordon, Jesse Hamilton, Jennifer James, Zenobia McNally, Harry Schiffman, Wellington Sharpe, Joel Toney and Leithland Tulloch.

February 8, PS 217, Brooklyn: HDC Candidates’ Forum

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[Updated 2007.01.22 with more information about the event.]

On Thursday, February 8, from 7-9pm, the Historic Districts Council will host a Candidates’ Forum on Preservation and Development at P.S 217, Col. David Marcus School, 1002 Newkirk Avenue, at the southeast corner of Newkirk Avenue and Coney Island Avenue.

The following details are from a flyer promoting the event.

NEW YORK CITY 40TH COUNCIL DISTRICT
CANDIDATE FORUM
ON PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Sponsored by the Coalition of Concerned Preservation Voters in the 40th District

Thursday, February 8, 2007
7:00-9:00pm

Public School 217
1100 Newkirk Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11230

This forum is an opportunity for residents, business owners and community members to hear candidates present their perspectives on preservation and development concerns. All questions presented to the candidates will be focusing on these issues, including questions of landmark designation, community rezonings, and building codes within the district.

As of January 17, the following candidates have been invited to participate: Anthony Alexis, Victor Babb, Irshad Choudhry, Mathieu Eugene, Jesse Hamilton, Gerry Hopkins, Jennifer James, Zenobia McNally, Moe Razvi, Harry Schiffman, Wellington Sharpe, Joel Toney and Leithland Tulloch. As candidates are confirmed they will be listed on HDC’s website, www.hdc.org.

The Coalition of Concerned Preservation Voters in the 40th District is a group of eleven neighborhood and civic organizations that are interested in preserving the unique character of the community. The Coalition believes we must reach out to elected officials and candidates and begin a dialogue about preserving the neighborhoods’ cultural, architectural and historical heritage.

Members of the coalition are the Historic Districts Council, Beverly Square West Association, Caton Park Neighborhood Association, Ditmas Park Association, Ditmas Park West Neighborhood Association, Fiske Terrace Association, Flatbush Development Corporation, Lefferts Manor Association, Midwood Park Homeowners Association, Prospect Park South Association and West Midwood Community Association. This coalition is non-partisan and does not endorse a specific candidate for office.

For more information on this forum, please contact the Historic Districts Council
at 212-614-9107 or ftolbert@hdc.org.