Sunday, May 1, 2011
City prefers concrete over grass
From CBS:
Even in a city where officials sometimes make curious decisions, the Department of Transportation’s campaign against Whitestone resident Gretchen Brent and her husband is an A-No. 1 head-scratcher and she has a question for Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
“Why did you pick on me for the violation? I just don’t get it. I just don’t get it,” Brent said.
The Brents got a ticket for not having a sidewalk on one side of their corner lot — a place that has been a swath of grass since the house was built in 1918. None of the other houses on either side of that Seventh Avenue block have sidewalks, so the Brent’s sidewalk would go nowhere – and they’d have pay for it.
“I’d say $7,000 to $8,000 I would say,” Gretchen said. “Isn’t it crazy?”
None of the other Seventh Avenue residents got tickets and if they did there might be unwanted consequences.
If the DOT decided to make everyone in the neighborhood put in a sidewalk then many trees in the neighborhood would have to be cut down, something that makes little sense in a city where the mayor is trying to green every acre.
18 comments:
How long has the sidewalk law been on the books? Maybe this house should be grandfathered in.
How about St. John Cemetery in Glendale, No Sidewalks on Metropolitan Avenue And Parts of Furmanville?
There is actually a law on the books exempting cemeteries from having to install sidewalks.
What about Waterside Estates? Mattone was able to get "City Island" status, thus requiring no sidewalks for the new development. Granted the Brents home has been there as is, and therefore the City should pay for the Sidewalk , or give them a tax credit. But all these new homes being built with no sidewalks is just plain dangerous and stupid.
Whitestone Jewels is another project with 50 some odd homes slated to go up with no sidewalks on the plans. More homes, more cars, more families with children, and no sidewalks, makes a lot of sense doesnt it? God forbid you walk on the wet lawn where the sidewalk should be, for ye shall be chastised. We live in Queens, a Boro in New York City, with cars and traffic, we need sidewalks, and if one should have it everyone should! Again if the house has been there either the City pays for it, or the owners get a Tax Credit! Or, leave the older homes alone and focus on all the new Crap that has gone and continues to go up!
7th avenue in Whitestone, the residents turned a one way sign there to make it look like it was a one way westbound when in reality it is a two way, and the one way sign that was there was for the Whitestone Expressway service road. Now if you drive on that street they have cones blocking off the Eastbound lane and the residents actually yell at the drivers telling them it is a one way, when it isn't. This is a huge street that already gets little to no traffic and now they do this?
I don't see any trees on this property where the sidewalk should be.
"There is actually a law on the books exempting cemeteries from having to install sidewalks."
Really How'd that happen? Seems wrong to me. Suppose someone trips and injures themselves is the cemetery exempt from a lawsuit. Not being snotty here, I really want to know.
If you take the Grand Central Pkwy service road eastbound through Jamaica Estates, from Midland Pkwy to Francis Lewis Blvd, there are plenty of properties without sidewalks -- and people have to walk in the street on what is a busy roadway. If there's a law, enforce it for everyone, regardless.
in Bayside,from F.lewis.blvd. to the Clearview exp. on 42 avenue, the city elite prefer swamps and mud tire tracks on the center malls.
they expect motorists to obey not driving over the NEWLY PAINTED YELLOW LINES,instead of replacing the old ,deteriorated curbs with ones that are high enough to stop the parked vehicles.
the malls should appear green, instead of an eyesore.
Q.C. has photos of this destruction and crap.
We prefer grass. Try some today!
Everybody in Whitestone,including waterside, cresthaven, whitestone jewels or whatever should have sidewalks not just this poor lady.
Why is Whitestone exempt when the rest of us are not. Doesn't the head of Community Board 2 in woodside and Claire Schulman both live in Whitestone? How do they get away with this?
They should leave this well alone.
Has a substantial alteration been filed for this house? That's often the source of "orphan" sidewalks and street widenings along just one frontage. If not, then this is a clear case of arbitrary and capricious enforcement, and should be challenged as such.
There should be sidewalks placed. Try walking in Whitestone on 17th Road from 147th street to Parsons Blvd. for the bus stop. You have to walk in the middle of the street on a hill with limited sight. Now imagine that with snow and you're pushing a baby carriage. Yes, I saw women pushing stollers down the hill in the middle of the street to reach the bus stop. I see grandparents walking with their young grandchildren in the middle of the street at all times. Remember, the owners of the house do not have to shovel a pathway on their grass for you to walk on. They park their car next to the grass which forces you to walk in the middle of the street.
Doesn't the head of Community Board 2 in woodside and Claire Schulman both live in Whitestone? How do they get away with this?
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CB 2 District Manager Debbie Marckell lives in the exclusive Waterside Estates, No Sidewalks needed and its a new bunch of crap huts, and if you try to walk around there are illegal fake signs sayin Private Property all over the place.
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Shullman lives in Beechhurst, she has a sidewalk.
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Yes, that's right, Claire Shullman does live in Beechhurst and the last time I checked the map that was still Whitestone. Shullman along with that bloated overdeveloper Joe Mattone were both big contriutors to Debbie Markel' empty bid for City Council. Claire, Debbie lives in Cresthaven (Whitestone) and has no sidewalk!
Yes, that's right, Claire Shullman does live in Beechhurst and the last time I checked the map that was still Whitestone
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A little testy?
Mattone built Cresthaven and I hear sold Markell the house at a discount.
Wipe your queenscrap off your shoes
And where is Dan Hall o Ran on this?
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