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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Amber Nicosia, President of Penn South
1:12:34
·
118 sec
Amber Nicosia, President of Penn South, strongly opposes the Western Rail Yards modification proposal. She argues that the current proposal is a "bait and switch" that reduces housing units, potentially introduces a casino near an elementary school, and relies on taxpayer funding through a PILOT.
- Penn South's board of directors unanimously opposes the project after a presentation by Related Companies
- Nicosia emphasizes that the current land use procedure represents a hard-fought compromise and should be protected
- She urges the council to vote against rezoning to preserve the original plan for 5,700 housing units, the new school, the High Line, streets, and bike paths
Amber Nicosia
1:12:34
Good morning, members of the council.
1:12:36
Thank you.
1:12:36
My name is Amber Nicasia.
1:12:38
I'm the president of Penn South.
1:12:39
We have about 5,000 residents that live in this community.
1:12:43
Related presented to our board of directors recently, and after that meeting, our board of directors came out unanimously against this project.
1:12:52
The current land form review procedure procedure represents a hard fought compromise, the result of years of collaboration between the community members, city officials, and the developer.
1:13:05
This agreement is not a formality.
1:13:07
It is there to protect the best interest of everybody who is at the table who made this decision.
1:13:14
What we have before you today is a bait and switch.
1:13:17
The developer wants to rezone so they can build less housing, potentially build a casino next to an elementary school, and they want the taxpayers to have the burden of paying through it for it through a pilot.
1:13:31
The current zoning as it stands today allows for 57 units 5,700 units of housing.
1:13:39
In a city where we're constantly talking about there being a housing crisis, we cannot allow somebody the opportunity to build less than was originally agreed to.
1:13:53
To address the union that's here today that I support, no matter where they build this casino, there are going to be jobs and revenue.
1:14:00
But this location already has a future to fulfill a different promise, one with a residential focus.
1:14:09
We ask that you vote no to rezoning to save our new school, our highline, our streets, our bike paths, and to save our housing instead of reducing it.
1:14:21
We've already earned the current zoning compromise through years of study and public review.
1:14:28
Please stand with us as you did in our original fight.