Those who were willing to join the February Community Board 6 meeting in person were rewarded with the chance to peek around a sleek, modern building in the heart of Gowanus and to sample some baked goods provided by one of the board members. The building is home to the Van Alen Institute, a Gowanus-based nonprofit. The baked goods (vegan, gluten free, and homemade) were a sweet reminder of community. Beyond these little perks, the meeting was in many ways, rather unexceptional.
Shortly before the meeting kicked off, District Manager Mike Racioppo arrived with a stack of board reports (intended for in-person board members, though they were quickly shared with all attendees), a gavel and block for Board Chair Eric McClure, and grumbles about the number of texts he received while commuting to the meeting. Apparently, many board members were unprepared with the link necessary to join if not attending in person, resulting in frantic texts about how to sign on. Approximately 18 people attended the meeting, with about 38 more Zooming in.
As though foreshadowing the monotony of the meeting, McClure opened by remarking that the committee meetings are where most of the board’s work gets done. However, based on the committees that provided updates during the meeting, very little of substance occurred even within the committees during the past few months. Community Board 6 meetings chiefly result in liquor licenses or renovation approvals. Whether this is simply the result of a lull in neighborhood activities (previously, plenty happened during the Gowanus rezonings), or if there is just less appetite among this board to seek change, is unclear. Nevertheless, the regular schedule of events ensued: a few more updates from McClure and Racioppo, committee reports, a slew of updates and reminders from local representatives (or their staff), and a brief community session.
The reports from the various committees began with a recap of recent liquor license applications from the Permits & Licenses Committee. Both businesses (Thai Town New York and Stella’s) received approvals. Next, the Landmarks/Land Use Committee flipped through 60 slides of images and renderings to report on two applications. The first was an application to the Landmarks Preservations Commission to provide for a Certificate of Appropriateness for home renovations in the Cobble Hill Historic District; the motion passed. The second was to disapprove an application for mechanical equipment to be added to the roof along with a roof terrace and rear door, within the Park Slope Historic District; this too passed, though with a few board members abstaining or voting against the disapproval.
During the parade of updates from elected officials, much was said, but little was of note. Several representatives noted their concern for the asylum seekers at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, their participation in the BQE re-design, and their availability to speak with the public. Below is a summary of some of the more exciting updates:
- Representative Lincoln Restler announced that 34,000 trees will be planted in District 33 to help make the district more sustainable
- Council Member Avilés’s office (District 38) is working with the city’s Department of Small Business Services to improve signage, Wi-Fi, and more in support of local businesses.
- NYS Assemblymember Joanne Simon is working to lower the legal blood level alcohol maximum while operating a motor vehicle from 0.08% to 0.05%, as lowering the acceptable level has been shown to reduce fatalities.
- City Councilmember Shahana Hanif continues to work with the city’s Department of Transportation, to redesign the section of 9th Street between 2nd and 4th Avenues after the death of a cyclist in January. The plan will be presented to the public at a spring community board meeting.
- Community Education Council 3, which covers Community Board 2 and 6, will host a town hall on March 7; they are also collecting laptop donations for students.
The meeting closed with the opportunity for other community members to speak. Two young volunteers from Red Hook Mutual Aid asked for support in serving the nearly 1000 new neighbors at the Humanitarian Emergency Response Center (HERC). They need clothing donations (warm clothing for men, in particular) and volunteers (especially those who speak Spanish or Russian).
Perhaps the most shocking update was from a librarian at the Red Hook branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. The library is closing on March 17 for flood proofing and other necessary renovations and will remain closed for a staggering 18-24 months. This extended closure was met with concern by attendees because the library’s plan to maintain services seemed very limited. (They will still have a bookmobile, and they will provide Story Time and other programs at different locations.) This news was followed by Prospect Heights resident speaking up to warn of the unconfirmed health hazards posed by Wi-Fi / LinkNYC kiosks.
I called McClure two weeks after the meeting to get a better sense of how the community board works. McClure picked up the phone, right on time for our call, and answered each of my questions in his slow, deep voice, which is hard not to equate with patience and wisdom. He was appointed to the board in 2014 but has been active in the Park Slope community since 2004, when Taco Bell sought to open a suburban-like drive thru location at the lower end of Prospect Park. As chair, his main duty is to preside over the full committee meetings and to keep them moving along. He is an advocate of safe streets, affordable housing, an accessible transportation network, and a resilient Red Hook. Despite these ideals, he admitted that the board is usually more reactive than proactive. As the call ended, I asked for any last thoughts he wanted to share about the board: “Well, I want to make the community board as participatory as possible… I want to demystify the community board for people as much as possible.”
While the board may be slow to make waves, the chair and members seem ready to listen and consider opportunities for change. Maybe the trouble is less an inactive board, than a lack of community members suggesting opportunities for change and improvements. To listen or participate, join the next full board meeting on March 8 at 6:30pm. Attend in person at the Van Alen Institute or register in advance (on Community Board 6’s website) to join via Zoom.
