PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Rowan Blaik, VP of Horticulture at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
1:05:20
·
163 sec
Rowan Blaik, VP of Horticulture at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, testified against the proposed development at 962-972 Franklin Avenue, emphasizing the potential negative impacts on the garden's plant collections due to increased shadows. He critiqued the developer's studies and argued for limiting the development to the 10-degree scenario to protect the garden.
- Highlighted flaws in the shadow study methodology and disagreements among experts about the impact
- Emphasized that sunlight cannot be replaced by artificial lighting for plant health
- Clarified that the garden's infrastructure upgrades are necessary replacements, not voluntary expenses
Rowan Blaik
1:05:20
Good morning.
1:05:21
Council members.
1:05:22
I'm Ron Blake, VP of Ozakhotra Brooklyn, Atomic Garden.
1:05:31
VP of Autoculture of Brooklyn, Botanic garden.
1:05:33
I'm responsible for the gardens 52 Acres and 46 gardeners and 10000 plant speeches.
1:05:41
The seeker technical manual was updated in 2021 to assess Potemic Gardens has unique sunlight sensitive resources with sunlight needs rather than prior thresholds of plant survival.
1:05:51
A weakness in the shadow methodology excludes the 1st and last 90 minutes of daylight.
1:05:58
For example, around 1 a half hours loss of winter sunlight to the conservatories from the 15 degree scenario.
1:06:05
The applicant commissioned 2 reports, the Arborist report in the Solar Axis study, both have their methodological flaws.
1:06:12
However, both conclude a shallow impact greater than is still claimed by the applicant.
1:06:17
The expert greenhouse managers in the Arborist report disagree on the over overall impact and state that shadow impacts will be long term and experimental in nature.
1:06:29
In addressing the applicant's reference to 3 minute difference, this simplifies issues to one area of the garden with a simple in out time rather than an estimate of the overall shadow footprint.
1:06:44
It's not just the timing.
1:06:45
It's the size of the shadow impact.
1:06:48
The 15 degree scenario impacts a far greater area and more plant collections than the 10 degree scenario.
1:06:54
The difference is localized impacts compared to larger, longer shadows from additional storage.
1:07:02
I would say regarding the scenarios, we've only seen isometric views with renderings at different times of day nor have we seen as of right plans being made available.
1:07:14
How at this 11th hour can meaningful studies or comparisons be made.
1:07:19
Regarding the costs, they are not costs that are voluntary.
1:07:28
They are dictated by parks and recreation and there to replace aging equipment like for like.
1:07:35
Mainly our climate control system, not lighting, and this is for general plant health.
1:07:41
And to expand the climate control system to the nursery yard.
1:07:46
It will not change our growing practices at sunlight cannot be replaced by supplementary electric lighting, please limit this development to the 10 degree scenario and not risk a local and global gem.
1:08:01
Thank you for your time.
