INTRODUCTION
Council District 40 includes a great number of historic
neighborhoods and buildings, some protected as official historic
districts but many not. The undersigned community-based organizations
are all concerned about preservation and development issues that
affect Flatbush and beyond. Out-of-scale development is destroying
the fragile historic resources that make each community unique
and the pressures are only increasing. This coalition believes
that it is imperative that our elected officials commit to helping
preserve our neighborhoods before it is too late.
This coalition believes that an understanding and
appreciation of these issues is critical. All candidates for the
40th Council District special election were sent the following
questionnaire dealing with preservation and development in the
40th District. Candidates who responded to this questionnaire
are listed alphabetically as such: Karlene Gordon, Gerry
Hopkins, Jennifer James, Zenobia McNally, Mohammad Razvi, Harry
Schiffman, Wellington Sharpe and Leithland Tulloch. Any
candidate not listed did not return a questionnaire in the time
that was allotted.
The Coalition of Concerned Preservation Voters in
the 40th District hopes that its efforts have made a difference
in the way that the candidates understand preservation and development
issues. We strongly believe that whichever candidate is elected
to office, they will be more fully educated to serve their diverse
constituency in the 40th District. If you have any questions regarding
the voter guide/candidate questionnaire, please contact the Historic
Districts Council at 212-614-9107 or hdc@hdc.org.
Sincerely,
Historic Districts
Council
Beverly Square West Association
Caton Park Neighborhood Association
Ditmas
Park Association
Ditmas
Park West Neighborhood Association
Fiske Terrace Association
Flatbush
Development Corporation
Lefferts
Manor Association
Midwood Park Homeowners Association
Prospect Park South Association
West
Midwood Community Association
LANDMARKS
Some neighborhoods like Midwood Park, Fiske
Terrace and Ditmas Park West have been working for designation
as historic districts for many years, and have applications now
pending at the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC); other
neighborhoods are currently organizing to submit applications.
1. Do you promise that, if elected, you will be
an aggressive advocate for the designation of these neighborhoods
as historic districts? How would you deploy your position on the
Council to ensure that the landmarks process proceeds expeditiously
to final historic district designation?
Click here to view the candidates'
responses.
2. Would you support a neighborhood's seeking historic
district status by urging the Landmarks Commission to agree to
a specific reasonable timetable for making a decision? Would you
support a more open process at the LPC as a responsible city agency?
Click here to view the candidates'
responses.
3. Would you support increasing City Council funding
for the Landmarks Commission so that they can more actively designate
new neighborhoods as well as enforce the landmarks law in already
landmarked districts? Click
here to view the candidates' responses.
4. Would you sponsor or support legislation that
temporarily delays demolition or halts issuance of Department
of Buildings permits so that the Landmarks Preservation Commission
could consider designating important historic properties before
they are demolished?
Click here to view the candidates'
responses.
Zoning and Building Code
5. Would you support downzoning or contextual zoning
in R-6 zoned areas (or other areas zoned out of context with the
surrounding neighborhood) that would preserve the historic character
of the neighborhoods? Click
here to view the candidates' responses.
6. Would you push for aggressive enforcement of
the current building and zoning laws to address the problem of
illegal conversions of existing single and two-family homes to
use as multiple dwellings?
Click here to view the candidates'
responses.
7. The Self-Certification process allows architects
to certify their own building plans contingent on the fact that
the plans follow established city guidelines. Although the Department
of Buildings has recently amended the self-certification process
to require zoning review, the entire process is still in much
need of reform or elimination. Would you support an effort to
amend or eliminate the self-certification process?
Click here to view the candidates'
responses.
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
8. Would you commit to sponsoring a comprehensive survey of your
district for potential landmarks and historic districts? Click
here to view the candidates' responses.
9. If elected, would you commit to convening a regular
meeting or taskforce to focus on preservation and development
issues? Click here to view
the candidates' responses.
10. We now invite you to share any additional ideas
or concerns that you may have relating to preservation and development.
Click here to view the candidates'
responses.
