Monday, August 27, 2007

All Out to the Sunset Park Summit Sept. 23rd

What is your vision and hope for the future of the Sunset Park Community?

SUNSET PARK NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT

Sunday Sept. 23, 2007 1:00- 4:30 PM

PS 24, 38th St and 4th Ave.

Childcare, translation and food available.

HISTORY
When a proposed 12-story building on 42nd St. threatened to destroy the quality of life and the historic low-rise nature of Sunset Park, a group of home-owners, tenants and activists organized a historic effort to stop it. They called themselves the Sunset Park Alliance of Neighbors (SPAN). After several well-attended community meetings, protests, calls and letters to elected officials, a petition drive, community board meetings and press conferences, the developer agreed to cut the building in half. With that battle won, however, the real struggle began: In order to protect the WHOLE neighborhood from similar irresponsible development, Sunset Park needed to be rezoned. So once again, SPAN volunteers worked night and day to get the Community Board to support and eventually the NYC Dept. of City Planning to commit to a rezoning study.

SUMMIT GOALS
To find unity in the diverse voices of Sunset Park and create a plan for the future development of Sunset Park that will support families and residents.

SUMMIT FOCUS AREAS
These areas were agreed upon by neighbors attending the Aug. 4 Neighborhood Action Meeting.

Housing-- Preserving a wide range of low to middle income housing; Affordability; Imposing requirements on developers to develop affordable housing; Preservation of the architecture of Sunset Park; ending displacement of current residents; Creating solutions to overcrowding; conversion of 2-3 family homes to boarding houses.

Schools/Education: Lack of high school; Size of schools (too big); Quality of schools; lack of parent education with regard to parent rights & involvement in schools; Police presence; support; seats.

Infrastructure: Transportation/trains; sewers; firehouse; "green" building; construction within space; environmental concerns; pollution; traffic; floodplain; brownfields.

Resources: Family support; sanitation; community education.

Safety: construction permits; signs; safety at worksites; noise; environment.

Aesthetics: Preserve character of neighborhood; Preserve view from Sunset Park; impact of "flippers" investing to make a quick buck.

Business: Support small, local businesses, big box corporations are displacing local businesses; Dwindling manufacturing--preserve and accommodate manufacturing; hire community residents for developing projects.
Create apprenticeship opportunities for community residents.

Open Space: More trees; Preserve Sunset Park and the diversity of programs and people who use it.

Waterfront: Waterfront access

Unity: Support ethnic and class unity and diversity; Encourage cross-ethnic community involvement; Encourage community investment and involvement.

FREE EVENT!

Summit Registration
email spanbrooklyn@yahoo.com
or register in person at the summit

Also email if you want to volunteer to distribute flyers to get the word out.


JOIN US
at our regular Monthly Membership Meeting
Every Second Thursday of the month
Trinity Lutheran Church
4th Ave bet. 45 and 46 Street
Sunset Park, Brooklyn


3 comments:

Fairfield Mom said...

Welcome! Always nice to see new Brooklyn bloggers and blogs. I will add you to my blogroll.

Sunset Park Autonomous Zone said...

Thank you so much! Please spread the word that Sunset Park is in da house!
(blog house anyway)

Unknown said...

Shoot, can't make it! I would love to be there. Please keep those of us who will be away posted.