PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Anatole Ashraf, Chair of Queens Community Board Two
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Anatole Ashraf, Chair of Queens Community Board Two, testified against the application to demap and convey city-owned land at 49-39 Van Dam Street in Queens. He reiterated the Community Board's vote to disapprove the application and emphasized the importance of preserving public green space in the rapidly growing Long Island City area.
- The Community Board voted 26 to 6 to disapprove the application.
- Main reasons for disapproval: potential loss of public land, importance of retaining city-owned property for future public use, and uncertainty about the applicant's plans.
- Ashraf stressed the critical need for green space in the district, even if it's just for stormwater management.
Anatole Ashraf
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Good morning, everyone.
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Thanks thank you, counsel.
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Thanks for having us.
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So, my name is Anatol Ashraf.
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I'm the current chair of Queen's Community Board two, which oversees this location.
0:32:36
First, I'd like to just reiterate, Community Board two's, position.
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We voted to disapprove this application.
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We voted 26 to six, twenty six in favor.
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Again, the main 3, reasons were the potential loss of public land in the area with limited green space, the importance of retaining city owned property for future public use, including possible stormwater management infrastructure, and number 3, uncertainty about the the plans of the, applicant.
0:33:07
But, that said, the fact that, you know, we are here passionately to to speak in favor of keeping this patch of land, What it to keep it what it is, if not, you know, develop it or at least maintain it, ourselves just goes to show that, we we need our taxpayer land, our public land, to remain green.
0:33:37
We desperately need green space in our district.
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It's 1 of the fastest growing neighborhoods in the world is Long Island City, and we have no we have very little, green space in the area.
0:33:50
And, even if we can't, build on top of even if even if we can't maintain this or develop it into something, you know, people can go to more frequently, just letting it be stormwater, soakage.
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Let just letting it be what it is is more valuable, than losing it, to, especially for a private profit.
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And, you know, it's NYC.
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Most importantly, it's LIC.
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There'll be no shortage of interested parties to to build and develop elsewhere in our district.
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And we're we're fighting a small business, but that said, we we it's much more critical for us to have this piece of land be what it is, if not a little greener.
0:34:35
Thank you.