Conflict Over Carroll Gardens "Town Hall" Meeting

You didn't think that Carroll Gardens "Town Hall" Meeting to be hosted by City Council Member Bill de Blasio this evening (8/23) was going to a love fest, did you? Well, what we didn't count on was conflict before the meeting. We got an email noting that the meeting had been scheduled on the same day and at roughly the same time as a Community Board 6 Land Use-Housing-Human Services committee session that is going to deal with some fairly controversial issues. (The CB6 commmittee meeting is at 6PM at Long Island College Hospital, which is located at Hicks and Atlantic.) One resident told us that suspicions in the neighborhood are that "the conflict was totally planned." (The Council Member's meeting had originally been slated to take place after Labor Day when more residents are around.) Mr. de Blasio was apparently asked to reschedule the meeting when residents became aware of the conflict with the CB6 committee session, which has been on the CB6 calendar for some time, but declined. The location and timing of the two meetings makes it virtually impossible for residents to attend both.

"Nothing is new here in Carroll Gardens," a frustrated resident told GL. "The same old councilman and the same old tactics."

In any case, here's the email that's circulated about the conflicting meetings:

I hope all are aware that this "Plan Our Future" meeting hosted by Councilmember De Blasio was scheduled for a date and time which directly conflicts with a pretty controversial CB6 joint Land Use/Housing/Human Services committee meeting. Here is the CB6 meeting agenda description: "Presentation by representatives for the Department of Housing Preservation and Development of a pre-certified application to construct a total of 152 housing units at 3 development sites in the Columbia Street District at 75 Columbia Street(Block 299, Lot 1) known as Site 1 (18 units), 86-98 Congress Street & 79 Warren Street known as Site 2 (33 units), and 104-116 Warren Street & 101-115 Baltic Street known as Site 3 (102 units).

I am told that HPD only owns the small lot at Site 1, and has packaged their application in partnership with Columbia Hicks Associates, the developers/owners of the two other sites, and also that the larger building in this project will be 80 feet high.

It really troubles me that I (and many other interested individuals) cannot be in two places at once.

For those interested in figuring how to turn the trick of being at two simultaneous meetings, Mr. de Blasio's meeting will take place at 6:30 at the Scotto Funeral Home at Court Street and First Place.