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TESTIMONY

Walter Mugdan, President, Westmoreland Civic Association, on Opposition to Zoning Changes Allowing Commercial Development in Residential Areas

6:24:37

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Walter Mugdan opposes two provisions in the economic opportunity package allowing commercial developments like corner stores and offices in residential areas.

Mugdan represents the Westmoreland Civic Association, expressing concerns over potential disruption to the residential character of neighborhoods.
He criticizes the subjective standards for approving commercial developments, believing they will ineffectively protect neighborhoods.
Mugdan argues that these zoning changes could lead to an undesirable alteration of the essential character of residential areas.
He emphasizes that commercial developments should be restricted to appropriately zoned commercial areas, not residential zones.

Walter Mugdan

6:24:37

My name is Walter Mugden.

6:24:39

I'm president of the West Morland Civic Association representing a portion of Little Neck in Northeast Queens.

6:24:45

We strongly oppose 2 provisions of the economic opportunity package.

6:24:50

When authorizing corner stores and offices and residential areas and the other authorizing stores or offices on large scale sites in residential areas.

6:24:59

In our residential communities, we do not need stores and businesses like barbershops, beauty parlors, nail salons, each with several employees and with signs outside.

6:25:09

Even more damaging would be large scale stores and offices that could be built if a developer assembles a 1.5 acre parcel.

6:25:17

Now the language of these proposals include purported safeguards such as requiring the commission to determine that these otherwise non conforming uses will not, quote, produce objectionable effects or quote, falter the essential character of the neighborhood.

6:25:34

But these are all highly subjective standards.

6:25:37

It'll be nearly impossible for residents to successfully oppose the approval of such uses.

6:25:42

And these standards are essentially self fulfilling.

6:25:46

Approval of the first such non conforming use in a community will likely be approved as not violating these standards.

6:25:53

The same will happen for the second and the third.

6:25:56

And pretty soon, the essential character of the neighborhood will indeed have been significantly altered, but this will be an example of the law of cumulative impacts.

6:26:06

Each individual action has only a small impact, but taken together, the actions have a profound impact.

6:26:14

More importantly, even the commission that will be evaluating whether or not these subjective standards are or are not being met is an entity, an agency that has exclusively said it seeks to encourage commercial development in residential communities.

6:26:30

So commercial uses belonging and should be encouraged in appropriate commercial zones, but not in residential zones.

6:26:41

These elements of the economic opportunity package.

6:26:44

Thank you.

UNKNOWN

6:26:39

Time has expired.

6:26:40

Thank you.

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Joseph McAllister, President of the South Beach Civic Association, on Opposition to the 'City of Yes' Economic Opportunity Proposals

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Ricardo Garcia, Representative, City Island Civic Association, on Concerns Over the Department of City Planning's City of Yes Initiative