WOODSIDE, QUEENS -- In a major victory for the residents and businesses of Woodside, Community Board 2’s Land Use Committee voted unanimously on the evening of January 18 to reject the application of developers to expand and build a six-story 2,000-person capacity megachurch and parking lot. The expansion of the church would include a gym, a spa, television studios, and private apartments with retractable roofs, private roof terraces and balconies for the enjoyment of church leaders.
The megachurch developers have repeatedly failed to make the case as to why the community should support their request for special rights and permission to build this community-killing project that violates the existing zoning code for the land. The developers have presented no meaningful plan to address reasonable concerns that businesses would not survive the disruption to customer traffic as a result road closures from cranes, dumpsters, and other construction measures. The developers also failed to guarantee that they would employ union labor. The unanimous vote by the Land Use Committee is a result of tremendous community organizing and canvassing and demonstrates the kind of power the Woodside community can build when we organize and make our presence known at spaces where decisions are often made without our input.
The Coalition to Defend Woodside and Little Manila is calling on members of the community to attend the full Community Board 2 meeting on Thursday, February 2, 6:30 pm at Sunnyside Community Services 43-31 39th Street. The community board’s vote is advisory. It is then anticipated that the application will go to the Queens Borough President Melinda Katz for a Land Use hearing, where the borough president will make an advisory recommendation. The New York Board of Standards and Appeals is then expected to hold a hearing on the application and will make the final determination to the church’s application to break the zoning rules that everyone else in the community has followed. The coalition is also calling on Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer and Queens Borough President Melinda Katz to oppose the application.
The Land Use Committee voted against recommending the project for approval by the full Community Board by noting that it fails to meet four out of five criteria as defined by Section 72-21 of the zoning resolution. The Land Use Committee found that the plan was out of character with Little Manila, that the hardship the church leaders claimed was of their own creation, that the configuration did not meet the zoning variance regulations, and it was not the smallest possible exception to the rules the church needed to continue their operations.
- Coalition to Defend Woodside & Little Manila
17 comments:
Now that the community has spoken let's see what BSA does.
Megachurch complex? This sounds like one of those scientology retreats and villages.
Good luck to the board and residents there, but they shouldn't worry because the rainbow avenger JVB and hostess Katz usually bend over for hyper gentrification tower development exploiting MIH rules, than religious types that fit their politics. Unless they are pandering to Muslims (apologies for any latent xenophobia)
Let's all convert our homes to not for profit religious centers and skip paying NYC real estate taxes....which are increasing every time a "church" is built exempting them from being taxed. And who is left paying the tax shortfall ? Us homeowners!
Funny....religion is dying but houses of worship are being built by the dozen. This is just a tax dodge.
Let these churches pay taxes. There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution which forbids it. In fact, t here are some municipalities within the United States THAT ARE paying real estate taxes, etc. NYC should follow suit.
Is this the Woodsode Irish's last stance to hold off the invaders?
"The community board’s vote is ADVISORY!
It is then anticipated that the application will go to the Queens Borough President Melinda Katz for a Land Use hearing, where the borough president will make an ADVISORY RECOMMENDATION. The New York Board of Standards and Appeals is then expected to hold a hearing on the application and will make the final determination to the church’s application to break the zoning rules that everyone else in the community has followed."
Everyone gets to provide their advisement and recommendations.
There will be a public hearing where the entire community can voice their opinions and objections to this enormous project.
The people will have spoken!
It will then go to a group of appointed, unaccountable, unelected, "so called unbiased ", unknown group of bureaucrats tha will give the go ahead to this monstrosity...
I'll believe it when I see it...rather, don't see it.
What is it with this "promise to employ union labor" as a deal sweetener? Giving someone worthy a temporary work stint doesn't mitigate a permanent blight. It smacks of a Catholic indulgences payment to an ecclesiastic hierarchy for something known to be sinfully deleterious.
I can't believe God won't have a home. I mean, didn't God want this?
This is Queens did you expect anything different ?
We are full of sheeple and have no chance of stopping this church.
Little Manilla ??? I remember when Woodside was called Mayo West
Jerry Wolkoff, owner of the former 5 Pointz site promised to use union labor.
Jimmy Van Bramer kissed his ass and took $10,500 to approve the mega monster buildings now arriving at Court Square.
So much for the treacherous Van Bramer...a developer's butt boy.
Wolkoff is not using union labor.
Where is this Mega Church to be built? I can see it now, perhaps it can sit next to the Middle School that will come to 48th Street and 39th avenue. The religious leaders can loll poolside in the retractable roof apartments while listening to the dulcet tones of 800 tweets & teens! Then they can clean up after them too!!!
What paperwork do you have to file to get your own house classified as tax free property/church? It's clear from Scientology and other similar groups that the government is powerless, or uninterested, in denying you the tax exempt status.
>What is it with this "promise to employ union labor" as a deal sweetener?
Unions, unlike ordinary citizens, have political power.
It also insures that the cost of the project becomes untenable.
And the Lord said, "Let there be a gym, a spa, television studios and oh yeah, a 501(c)(3) filing" Amen.
Double-dipping Non-taxation
Since we cannot stop the 501(c)(3) charity designation to all these phony religiosity filings, then the next best deterrent is to take away the charitable deduction from the donor.
That may sound cruel but why should the public -- and especially those paying outrageous property taxes -- have to foot the bill for someone else's designated religion and/or charitable ideals?
These charities use the roads, sewers, water, electric, internet and cable connections just like property taxpayers.
If a citizen truly believes in a group's charitable do-gooding, then give the money to support them but don't expect the rest of us to allow double-dipping non-taxation.
Where is the expected location of this monstrosity?
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