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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Rebecca Pryor, Executive Director of Guardians of Flushing Bay, on Queen's Future ULURP Application
1:08:47
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Rebecca Pryor, Executive Director of Guardians of Flushing Bay, testifies against the Queen's Future ULURP application, citing profound environmental impacts and concerns about the project's effect on Flushing Meadows Corona Park and Flushing Bay. She argues that the project fails to properly invest in parkland and will exacerbate existing sewage and stormwater issues.
- Pryor criticizes the privatization of 77 acres of public parkland for a casino complex and questions the promised 20-acre park.
- She highlights concerns about increased sewage demand and stormwater runoff into Flushing Bay.
- Pryor provides five recommendations if the City Council chooses to approve the project, including acre-for-acre parkland replacement and prohibiting a casino on the site.
Rebecca Pryor
1:08:47
Good morning.
1:08:48
I'm Rebecca Prior, the executive director for the Guardians of Flushing Bay.
1:08:51
Thank you to the council for the opportunity to comment on the Queen's future ULUIP application.
1:08:56
Upon review of the applicant's environmental impact statement, Guardians believes that the proposed projects impacts are so profound that the project should not receive ULIP approval.
1:09:05
I'm gonna note two key concerns here.
1:09:07
The first is that the project fails Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
1:09:11
The project is in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which is formed in the path of Flushing Creek.
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Any development of the site should be considered by its merit of being an investment in the parkland and aligning with park design and uses.
1:09:23
Queen's Future's Vegas Light Casino fails on all counts.
1:09:27
Queen's Future proposes to privatize 77 acres of public parkland for a sprawling hotel and casino complex that includes nine story parking garages and 15 to 26 story hotels.
1:09:40
While Queen's Future promises a 20 acre park, the main area that the developers claimed will be a park is actually a seven acre privately owned steeply graded plaza tucked in between a hotel complex and the Citi Field Stadium.
1:09:55
Number two, the project fails Flushing Bay.
1:09:58
Flushing Bay receives over 2,000,000,000 gallons of raw sewage and polluted stormwater every year through an overwhelmed sewer system and stormwater system.
1:10:07
The development will increase sanitary sewage demand on the Bowery Bay water treatment plant and will dump more sewage and storm water into one of the largest overflow pipes in the city.
1:10:17
Queen's future also fails to give sufficient clarity in their FEIS into how it will comply with the city's unifying storm sorry, unified storm water rule.
1:10:26
If the city council chooses to vote yes on this project, we are calling on you to as council members to include the following recommendations.
1:10:35
The first is to include an acre for acre replacement of parkland.
1:10:39
The second is to prohibit a casino on the development site, which we understand would change the zoning.
1:10:44
The third is a meaningful study of indirect residential and commercial displacement.
1:10:47
The fourth is a meaningful investment in public parkland in alignment with the Phoenix Meadows Vision Plan.
1:10:52
And the fifth is a robust and transparent community benefits agreement.
1:10:55
Thank you so much.
Kevin C. Riley
1:10:56
Thank you, miss Breyer.