North Flushing wants rezoning - now

Dear Editor (Times Ledger):

Most of northeastern Queens has been rezoned. The failure to rezone North Flushing it would seem was purposeful. More than ever, our community is being targeted by every builder in the area.

We were supposed to have been rezoned two years ago. Amanda Burden, director of the City Planning Commission, wrote in a letter that "the city of New York is very privileged to have such a vital and unique neighborhood as North Flushing." If that's the case, than why not preserve it? The Department of City Planning is giving builders what they want most - more time.

I understand City Planning has many areas on the table at any time. However, I have seen countless families leaving the area because they are so disgusted by the overdevelopment here. North Flushing was not designed for all this congestion. It was not designed to be Manhattan where most people take mass transit.

Here in Queens, most families have two cars per household. So imagine when a single-family home turns into a four-family home. Builders have now resorted to paving over the front yards for parking. Everyone has seen how unsightly this is.

Every day as I drive around, a new multi-family dwelling is going up. Existing homes are demolished in days and within a month a huge towering McMansion or multi-family home replaces them. It is not a coincidence Queens has more flooding problems than ever before which I believe is due to all the overpaving of properties.

It is up to the residents of North Flushing to demand that they be rezoned. How many more streets in our area have to be ruined?

All told, North Flushing is a unique neighborhood that must be protected and not destroyed.

Rose Forkan
Flushing

Photo from the Village Voice