PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Robert Press, Member of the Public, on Bronx Metro North Rezoning
3:58:27
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150 sec
Robert Press, a resident of Morris Park, testified about his concerns regarding the Bronx Metro North rezoning proposal. He highlighted the evolution of the project from initial community input to the current plan, emphasizing issues with housing density, crime rates, and transportation accessibility.
- Initially, the community was asked about amenities for new stations, but housing wasn't mentioned until later.
- The number of proposed housing units increased from 6,000 to 7,500, with 7,100 units in Bronx Community Board 11.
- Press expressed concerns about increased crime rates in the 49th precinct and the area's ability to absorb over 20,000 new residents.
- He criticized the lack of parking and public transportation options to access the new Metro North stations, comparing it unfavorably to his experience living near a Hudson Line station in Riverdale.
Robert Press
3:58:27
Okay.
3:58:28
I moved here to Morris Park 5 years ago from Riverdale.
3:58:32
And in 2018, when Public scope and meetings were called by Metro North.
3:58:37
The public was asked what we'd like to see at the new stations.
3:58:40
It was all for it first at the meetings, then it went at the individual stations.
3:58:45
We were told the plaza would be built at each each station and asked what we wanted.
3:58:49
We wanted a quality restaurant like a dentist, not a fast food restaurant.
3:58:54
We wanted other quality stores and even a haagen Dazs ice cream store.
3:58:58
We said we would like to see some parking in a bus stop to drop off passengers at the stations.
3:59:03
There was no mention of any housing.
3:59:05
Housing came into the picture when Eric Adams became mayor in 2022.
3:59:10
First, it was 6000 units, which people thought would be divided between the 4 stations, then it was only at the Mars Park And Van Ness Park Chester stations.
3:59:19
Then with the city of yes housing component, it became 7500 units of which 71100 units will be in Bronx Community Board 11 or the 49 precinct.
3:59:30
At last week's crime stats, while mayor Adams said, overall crime was down for 6 months in a row, As a reporter, I was able to bring out the crime stats for the 49 precinct, which I said were up 35% the past 2 years.
3:59:42
And did not go down in any 1 of the 7 major categories, which was echoed by chief Le Petrie when asked by the mayor.
3:59:50
I told the mayor that with other new construction, over 9000 units of new housing.
3:59:55
Bringing over 20, 000 new people is too much for community board 11.
4:00:00
And the 49th precinct to absorb as I'm telling you today.
4:00:03
As I said, I lived in Rivendell on the west side by the Hudson Line of the Metro North, and I live about the same distance from where I now live to this proposed new Morris Park Station, Bunty Riverdale.
4:00:15
I could park by car by the station for free or take a chitney bus to it, which none of which are proposed for any east side station.
4:00:23
That means that the metro north While it is nice, it is no use to me or many of my other residents in my area because we can't get to it.
4:00:32
If I lived in Woodlawn, the Mars box station would be of use because the BX 34 bus that starts in Woodland travels right to the station.
4:00:41
I hope you reduce this rezoning, which is too large, and Community Board 11 was not told exactly what was happening.
4:00:50
City planning needs to return to community board 11 to inform the community of exactly what this rezoning is.