Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Parking lot turns into garbage dump

Stephen Melnick
From DNA Info:

A parking lot near a shuttered store in Forest Hills has turned into a "dumping ground" that neighbors said is full of electronic debris and food waste, but officials warned that cleaning the trash poses a challenge because it's private property.

Garbage started piling up at the parking lot of the now-shuttered Sports Authority, at 73-25 Woodhaven Blvd., on the border of Forest Hills, Rego Park and Glendale, after the store closed at the end of July following the chain's bankruptcy earlier this year, residents said.

The problem at the lot, located between Trader Joe’s and The Home Depot, has been escalating daily, residents said.

The city received at least two complaints about the illegal dumping near the closed Sports Authority on Aug. 10 and 13, records show, and is "in the process of investigating" the issue.

Frank Gulluscio, district manager at Community Board 6, which covers Forest Hills and Rego Park, said that the board has been working on the matter with the Department of Sanitation, but the process takes time because it’s private property and special procedures have to be followed.

“The City of New York cannot just go in there because it’s private property,” Gulluscio said. “It’s a process and it takes time.”

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

"It takes time"? This looks like an emergency to me and somebody better do something pronto. Queens sucks! Queens politicians suck!

Anonymous said...

That looks so disgusting. How come it's taking so much time to issue this owner a huge fine and summons? If they came by my house, they would issue me a fine In a heartbeat if I had mess like this all over my lawn. My house is private property too. So why are businesses so much different? It's so ridiculous that they take so damn long to do anything in this city.

(sarc) said...

"We are from the government and we're here to help"

"Government is not the solution, government IS THE PROBLEM"...

Res Ipsa said...

This is ridiculous. There has always been a little garbage at that site, but since the Sports Authority closed, it has exploded. If this were a homeowner's yard, there would be fines against the property on a continuous basis. If it were happening next to the Community Board member's house, he would not accept the explanation that "it takes time."

That said, who are the savages that are just dumping all that junk?? The government is useless, but the residents make it what it is.

Anonymous said...

Well I was walking by with some trash, and instead of dropping it somewhere and making two piles of trash I threw it into that pile so there was one big pile of trash! (a la Alice's Restaurant)

joe in richmond hill said...

I always thought that lot was shared by all the stores there. There was no sign saying parking for sports authority only. City can clean it and bill property owner.

Anonymous said...

If it's a private property, why isn't the landlord being fined?

Joe said...

Same shit in Forest Park by the golf parking (lovers lane)
Never emptied trash cans garbage, condom rappers, bottles, cans, needles, paper, rotting garbage flies. You name it all over the street including leaves from 8 seasons ago. Now there is garbage and what looks like Mexicans living in the wooded overlook by the cemetery

Anonymous said...

Shock, make it a pain to leally dispose of electronics (despite them having to, many places won't, and in particular, may will not take TVs, and the once every 2 years events have many hour lines), and people find it easier to break the law

You really have 2 choices - make it easier to dispose of stuff legally, or make it HARDER to dispose of illegally - harder as in more likely to get caught, and a larger fine

If someone is earning, of say $15/hr (that new favorite ask for minimum) and it takes 3-4 hours to legally dispose of something after waiting a year, or they can take the risk of dumping the item, and the judge hands them a $75 IF they get caught (call it a 1% chance) - which has a better pay back?

Anonymous said...

Ever since the city stopped collecting electronic equipment , I am seeing televisions, computers, sound equipment , being dumped on sidewalks everywhere!

JQ LLC said...

If I am mistaken, the SA lot is right by the train tracks by the woodhaven bridge blvd. I guess where certain officials hope it will not be seen.

So this lot here is not at all considered for crass development under the false rubric of affordable housing.

This is just the latest slight to the citizenry of that particular area. I recall a story about a train car loaded with steaming garbage being left by middle village during independence day. And now the recent homeless gerrymandering in Maspeth. The middle of Queens has become a literal verifiable veritable dumping ground. The city is making it possible to make the area worthless for developer plundering and to discourage people from living there.

I have seen fax machines and printers all over the place too.

Anonymous said...

I don't get it... the city picks up garbage for free... why haul it somewhere else and dump it... why waste your time and effort???

Anonymous said...

If it's a private property, why isn't the landlord being fined?
------------------

we only fine homeowners and small businesses here. If you are LLC/PC/C/S, no fines for you. simply pass one a few sheckels to the elected's campaign funds.

Anonymous said...

Of course, if a private homeowner did this they would be fined! - alfster

Anonymous said...

>sheckels

It's "shekels".

Love,
/pol/

Anonymous said...

This is why we have Sanitation Police.....

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