TESTIMONY
Michael Beacham, Yorkville Resident, on the Planned Development's Impact on Green Spaces and Community Facilities
1:25:27
·
109 sec
Michael Beacham discusses the adverse effects of a proposed Yorkville development on green spaces and community facilities, impacting children and a local mosque.
- Beacham, a Yorkville resident for nearly a decade, highlights the negative impact of a large building's shadows on local green spaces, specifically a playground used by his children.
- The shadows from the proposed development would deprive children, including Beacham's, of crucial sunlight during the day.
- He raises concerns about the impact on a local mosque, noting that it would be cast into shadow, affecting congregants' religious practices.
- Beacham urges the council to consider these impacts, particularly on children's access to sunlight and the religious practices of mosque attendees, in their decision-making process.
Michael Beacham
1:25:27
Hi.
1:25:27
This is Michael Beacham.
1:25:28
Hopefully, you can hear me.
1:25:29
Thanks for taking the time to to hear my views.
1:25:35
So I I've lived in Yorkville for almost a decade across the street from this planned development for almost 7 years, and I just wanted to drill down on one topic that was mentioned in passing.
1:25:45
And that's just the impact that it has on the green space scenario just to make it real for everybody.
1:25:49
I have 2 young children, a three year old, and a six month old, and they go to a day care a block and a half away.
1:25:54
If you look at the applicant's environmental impact study in just a map of the shadows that this as everyone's touched on an inordinately large building will cast, it effectively means that the one green area of playground that my children go to during the day.
1:26:10
Their only time outside in in New York City would be covered in shadow during the key parts of the working day.
1:26:16
And would effectively mean that my children don't get exposure to sun at all.
1:26:20
And I think that it's just worth mentioning that that impact is very cute to me, but impacts everyone in the area who has children who relies on that that key green space as as an area in the neighborhood.
1:26:34
And is something that that goes against some of the testimony on how they're looking to bring in child care.
1:26:38
What what we need in the area is not another space for for day care.
1:26:43
Providers, what we need is green space for our children to be able to not just grow up in in shadows all day.
1:26:49
So that's a major impact for me as well.
1:26:51
And one thing that I would mention as well is that there is a a large mosque on 96rd that will also be cast into the shadow, and it has some pretty severe religious implications as well that they will not be able to necessarily have access to the sky in the same way.
1:27:08
For some of their practices.
1:27:09
So I I just really encourage the committee to take all these considerations into effect in context of this rush process.