At a public scoping meeting on Tuesday, Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) said the pollution of Flushing Creek was a huge concern for the Flushing West Rezoning Proposal.
The Department of City Planning is proposing zoning changes to a portion of Downtown Flushing along Flushing Creek, which they say will increase affordable housing and create a pedestrian-friendly waterfront.
But Koo said he feared no one would want to live in the area, or utilize the waterfront for recreational purposes, if the creek was not cleaned up.
“As we know, the creek is basically a cesspool that fills up whenever it rains. No one wants to go near it, because it stinks. I still haven’t heard a real solution for a sustainable creek. I expected Flushing West will change that, otherwise, who wants to live there?” he said.
Currently, the Tallman Island Wastewater Treatment Plant handles Flushing’s sewage. But the facility works over capacity, so when rainstorms flood the City’s sewer lines, the combined sewage and run-off from city streets is dumped straight into the Creek without being treated.
Koo said city planners had to address the root of the problem.
“The ongoing dredging of the Creek is great, but it’s only a temporary fix to an ongoing problem. The entire creek must be dredged, and more importantly, new capacity must be built,” he said. “We need to be sure that the department of environmental protection and the army core of engineers are involved in the planning and implementation of Flushing West.”
He also cautioned against overly sweet deals for developers, who would already be attracted to the area. “The challenge here is not getting the market to invest, but to make sure the investments meet the needs of the community,” he said.
11 comments:
He also cautioned against overly sweet deals for developers, who would already be attracted to the area. “The challenge here is not getting the market to invest, but to make sure the investments meet the needs of the community," ... There is something wrong here, a politician that is making sense.
"Koo not sold on Flushing West project"
Translation: Not enough skin in the game for ME!!!!!
Koo making sense? Did he get hit on the head or did someone forget to bribe him?
Read the line where Koo said he fears that no one would want to live in the area if the creek still stinks. There is the giveaway as to who's interest he is looking out for. It is the developers and investors who have purchased the smelly property along this toilet of a creek. He is ADVOCATING FOR A CLEANUP WITH GOVERNMENT MONEY TO BENIFIT THE REAL ESTATE INTERESTS. Nothing more, nothing less.
Koo didn't get hit on the head. He is still deciding which developer is offering the best bribe. Perhaps he's gently hinting they need to up the ante.
CSOs pumped directly into the creek? What happened with the magical Giuliani retention tanks and pumping station off College Point Blvd.?Thought those were supposed to address that issue.
There is something wrong here, a politician that is making sense.
Bla bla bla, no more robbers to tackle?
Must be a boring day in Flooshing.
He will be sold,bought, whatever just needs a little more time.
glad to hear Koo making sense. He is right.
Apparently, he just recently discovered that the creek is polluted, despite the fact that it has been a cesspool for 100+ years.
Cleaning up the creek would benefit everyone.
Koo didn't tackle the robber, Kim did.
Koo's a self-made millionaire. Donates his council pay to charity. Good luck trying to bribe him.
see.. and people couple years ago say they will never buy those skyview parc condos and no one will buy them.
Look what happen. You now have to be on a waiting list.. Plus the price doubled from 2012. It shows that in Queens, there are many idiots out there.
"If you built it, they will come". Yet seems like those Chinese from China are the ones who knows this phrase without ever watching that movie way better then the locals, who has.
It's not knowledge is power and matters.. it's the application of knowledge that is the power and what matters.
Post a Comment