Charles Denson Speech At Coney Scoping Meeting

Here is Charles Denson speaking at the 2nd Public Scoping Meeting. The Coney Island Development Corporation (well not all its member directors) and the City has taken their time to develop this plan and has also taken the time to present their case at the public meeting. A time limit for the public to speak sounds fair for the flow of the evening. However there should not have been a time limit for individuals like Dick Zigun and Charles Denson. It is unfortunate and sad to see how the moderator was adamant in not letting Mr. Denson finish his speech. He even stood up and demand Mr. Denson step away from the microphone. This is unfair and does not seem to reflect the purpose of a public scoping meeting.


Charles Denson Speech At Coney Scoping Meeting

Description:
2nd Scoping Meeting held by the CIDC and the City to hear public opinion the now revised plan that many feel does not represent the Coney Island character and spirit because it turns Coney Island into a corporate retail every-where-else America.

Posted by *ConeyHOP [YouTube]
*Send to Kinetic Carnival by Bill Nicholson

Coney Rezoning Process Begins With Public Scoping Meet

The public is encouraged to make comments on the scoping document which puts in place the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This important meeting is required as part of the public approval for the very intricate process of the city's rezoning plan and proposal. The city has provided a few important planning documents here.

An emailed letter from president of the CIDC, Lynn Kelly announces the public scoping meeting which will take place Wednesday, February 13, 2008, 6pm, at Lincoln High School, 2800 Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn.

Lynn Kelly writes:

In tandem with our community outreach efforts, we are also pursuing a detailed environmental analysis of the impacts of the proposed rezoning, in accordance with all regulatory requirements. The City has now completed the Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS) as part of the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) process, as well as a Scope of Work for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The lead agency has issued a positive declaration and notice of scoping, here attached for your information. All of these documents can be found on the CIDC website at www.thecidc.org or on the website of Office of Environmental Coordination at www.nyc.gov/oec. If you would like a printed copy of these documents, please send us a request by phone or email.

Though this process may be anything but simple, David Gratt simplifies this scoping meeting and writes on the CIUSA board:

What is scoping? It's the process that sets the boundaries of the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement). You can read more about that here and download the scoping document pdf here).

For good or for evil, this process is very strictly regulated by a handbook, so there's not a lot of leeway. But everyone should take a look.

The meeting on the 13th is to make comments on the scoping document.

What is of concern with the plan's process is its time span of completion. And as The Gowanus Lounge points:

The documents lay out the details of the zoning changes. Among the interesting tidbits on the pages we skimmed is an estimate that the projects will start in 2009 and won't be completed until 2019. What is called the "reasonable worst case development scenario" is interesting. This is what would happen if all the development allowed by he rezoning were maxed out: 1.4 million square feet of entertainment, retail and enclosed amusements, 4,800 apartments and between 6,300 and 8,300 parking spaces including replacements for the 1,100 that would be lost next to KeySpan Park.

It would be interesting to see how the response by the community can actually make a difference in the entire process.


Coney Island Rezoning Project: Draft Scope and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting [NYC Office of Environmental Coordination - NYC.gov]
Coney Island #2: Rezoning Process Begins, 2019 Completion Date [The Gowanus Lounge]

The discussion can be followed on the CIUSA board.

More On Public Scoping Meeting

As we already know - Lynn Kelly, President of the Coney Island Development Corporation, has sent out this letter detailing the next step in the lengthy process of rezoning Coney Island's amusement area. Copies of the official notice (in English, Russian, and Spanish) can be found on the CIDC's website. This meeting will be a more formal and technical event than the recent community information sessions, with the less opportunity for community input. Nonetheless, its still a good opportunity to keep informed about what's going on.

Dear Residents and Friends of Coney Island,

As you may know, the Coney Island Development Corporation (CIDC) and the New York City Department of City Planning held three public information sessions last week to discuss the City's proposed rezoning framework for the Coney Island amusement area. (Detailed information regarding the rezoning plan is available at www.thecidc.org and at www.nyc.gov/planning.) Just as community participation was integral to developing the CIDC's 2005 Strategic Plan, so too has recent input received from the community been key in informing the overall planning process.

In tandem with our community outreach efforts, we are also pursuing a detailed environmental analysis of the impacts of the proposed rezoning, in accordance with all regulatory requirements. The City has now completed the Environmental Assessment Statement (EAS) as part of the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) process, as well as a Scope of Work for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The lead agency has issued a positive declaration and notice of scoping, here attached for your information. All of these documents can be found on the CIDC website at www.thecidc.org or on the website of Office of Environmental Coordination at www.nyc.gov/oec. If you would like a printed copy of these documents, please send us a request by phone or email.

As a next step in the environmental review process, a public scoping meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 13, 2008, 6pm, at Lincoln High School, 2800 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY, to hear comments from the public regarding the proposed scope of work for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Coney Island rezoning. Written comments will also be accepted through Friday, February 29th, 2008, as further detailed in the official scoping documents.

I encourage your participation in this important step of the public process. Thank you for your continued interest in Coney Island, and should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at 212-312-4233 or info@thecidc.org.

Sincerely,
Lynn Kelly
President

Public Scoping Meeting
Wednesday, February 13
6 pm
Lincoln High School
2800 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn, New York

- post by Ben Nadler

Public Scoping Meeting Report

Yesterday evening's public scoping meeting at Lincoln High School was a fairly orderly and tame affair. This wasn't too surprising- considering that the meeting was devoted to specific responses to a specific document (the Environmental Impact Statement, or EIS)– but was still a departure from the emotion and boisterousness of other meetings that the Coney Island Development Corporation has held over the past several months.

Basically, the scoping meeting was a chance for the community to respond to the initial draft of the EIS, which has been available to the public for a month. The EIS is a detailed report on the full scope of the impact of the city's plan for Coney Island, in terms of factors such as general infrastructure (Police, Fire Department, sewers, etc.), impact to the natural environment, transportation, and things such as noise and shadows.

There were a wide variety of comments from the public on the EIS draft. A couple of prominent local businessmen expressed concern over how the new zoning would affect their specific properties, and a lawyer representing Thor Equities backhandedly opposed the whole plan. David Gratt and Dick Zigun of Coney Island USA both lauded the plan, but took exception to the lack of protections for historical sites, as well as to the fact that much of the retail area would not be zoned for entertainment retail (meaning stores would be ok, but things like theaters would not). One of the main concerns expressed by the many residents, activists, and experts who spoke was that the city had not properly taken into account the amount of parking and increased public transportation that would be necessary to accommodate the many visitors the revamped amusement area would draw. Other major concerns were that the city was not providing enough employment opportunities for the city's current residents, or enough adequate housing options to accommodate the area's low to middle income residents.

The dominant feeling of the crowd seemed to be summed up by Zigun, who said that the city's general plan was great, but that "the devil is in the details."

- post by Ben Nadler

Reminder: PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING TONIGHT

This is the moment you've all been waiting. It's time to stand up and save the spirit of Coney Island Amusements! Come in all your splendour and voice yourselves at the Public Scoping Meeting!


Public Scoping Meeting
TONIGHT
Tuesday, June 24th 2008
6pm
at Lincoln High School
2800 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn, New York

Click here for directions to Lincoln High School.

If you can't go, present your thoughts in writing until July 11th.

by Mail:
New York City Economic Development Corporation
110 William Street
New York, New York 10038
Attention: Rachel Belsky, Vice-President

by E-mail: rbelsky@nycedc.com

CIDC Scoping Meeting Info

Coney Island USA poster MUSCLE13 informs us, as a comment in our last post, of the Public Scoping Meeting's date, place, and time info. The meeting will take place, once again, at Lincoln High School on June 24th. You can go the Department of City Planning's website for further info.

Coney Public Scoping Meeting Turns It Up

Photo by Getty Images

Mostly headed by performance/activist Reverend Billy, the Coney Island Public Scoping Meeting was a bit livelier with "Coney-lujah" praises including the night's theme song by Amos Wengler. Though there were many supporters to the city's plan to redevelop Coney Island despite a much smaller amusement core, there were many outspoken opposers. Dick Zigun, former board director of the Coney Island Development Corporation, who announced his resignation which took affect the night of the meeting, accuses the new plan of defining entertainment as a video game simulation for a fancy Radio Shack store, giant piano keys for a Toys R Us, and a rock climbing wall for a Niketown.

As reported by the AM New York Urbanite:

“Two months ago, the process broke down,” he said. “I didn’t change my mind on the plan; the city gutted our plan. I didn’t leave the CIDC; the CIDC left me.”

“Who is this plan for?” asked Savitri D., the Memaid Parade queen who had been on a hunger strike since Saturday to protest the proposal. “Is it for a developer? Is it for an elected’s legacy? Is it for an elected’s pocket? Because I don’t see the people of Coney Island in very many of these drawings.”

The City and the CIDC, however continued defending the plan. The NY1 writes:

"It's certainly an important part of the public process for zoning. So I'm actually glad that people came out tonight so that we can hear their opinions and modify the scope accordingly," said Lynn Kelly of Coney Island Development Corporation.

See the NY1 Video here.

Community Board Meeting This Wednesday

Community Board 13- which serves Coney Island, as well as Brighton Beach, Bensonhurst, Gravesend and Seagate- will be holding its monthly meeting this Wednesday.

While those who are interested in the redevelopment of Coney Island will do better to attend next month's Public Scoping Meeting, community board meeting's are still a good way to keep on top of what's going on in the community


COMMUNITY BOARD #13 monthly meeting
Wed., Jan. 30
7pm
Coney Island Hospital
2nd floor Auditorium

- post by Ben Nadler

Scoping Meeting Video From WNBC NY

Scoping Meeting

Posted by coney112006 (YouTube)

Scoping Meeting Video From NY1

Scoping Meeting

Posted by coney112006 (YouTube)

Live Feed Of Hunger Strike Comes With Live Chat

Well past midnight, the live cam and chat went on with Savitri D as she protests the city's revised plan for Coney Island. The live feed and hunger strike is up until the Scoping Meeting Tuesday, June 24th at 6pm. The meeting will be held at Lincoln High School and everyone who wants to keep the character and amusements thriving in Coney Island should attend the meeting and express your opinion.



Watch the live feed below, which will be up for the duration of the hunger strike.

LIVE FEED-Queen Mermaid SAVITRI D's Hunger Strike!

Coney Crossroads Meeting Response

The Municipal Arts Society's presentation of 'Coney Island At The Crossroads' presented much the same as the last CIDC Scoping meeting this summer, according to Coney Island USA message board poster, Thunderbolt Kin.

Lynn Kelly went through the reasons why it is of the utmost importance that the rezoning plan go through. She said that the city could designate east Coney as parkland and in that way it could protect the amusement area. She claimed that c7 zoning could not protect Coney from vacant lots and inappropriate retail. She showed us slides of Coney Island from this morning showing empty lots, one lot was the Thunderbolt land and the other was Sitt's on Stillwell. She also showed a
slide of the Russian furniture stores as examples of how C7 can't protect Coney. She talked about how the city tried to get Thor to negotiate with the Alberts to extend their lease for another year but Thor wasn't interested.

Dick Zigun spoke about how the plan as it is, is an insult to the amusement industry. He asked that the city go back to the plan that had been worked out by Kelly in which 16 acres were set aside for outdoor amusements. He pointed out that after much work in putting that plan together the city rejected it in April with just one word, "unrealistic."

Carol Albert talked about the plans that her family had submitted to the city for a year round Astroland which included a hotel and enclosed rides.

When it came time for Q & A I asked Lynn Kelly why the city lets Thor push it around. If Thor wouldn't give Astroland a lease extention and they refuse to build amusements on C7 land why doesn't the city take back the land through eminent domain. I also pointed out that C7 was put in place to protect Coney amusements from people like Thor. Why doesn't the city just enforce it's own rules to protect Coney. Her answer was that there is no eminent domain. That the city prefers to take a civil approach to the land holders. She said that C7 just can't protect Coney and that's why there must be a rezoning.

* * * * * * * *

After the meeting I pointed out to her that the empty lots she talked about were caused by the city. I pointed out that Horrace Bullard was going to build an amusement park which was during the Dinkins administration. Then Guiliani came along and put a stop to his plans and demolished the Thunderbolt which caused the empty lot she had on her slide. Kelly said she couldn't speak for the Dinkins or Guiliani administration because she didn't know the history. Shouldn't someone in her position know the full history of Coney Island before they undertake to renew it?

You can read the full post and follow the discussion here at the Coney Island USA message baord.

Lola Staar And Micro Celeb Friends On Coney Testimony

Here are the scoping testimonies of Lola Staar and friends (Some New York Celebs with some New York micro celebs) giving their 'Save Coney Island' testimonies while have having a splash at the "Dreamland" movie [movie?] premier somewhere outside of Coney Island, of course. Despite some Coney Island celeb fans (like Rosie Perez, and Drena Dinero) and a few micro celebs making their quick in-party-mode 'testimonies', Diana (Lola) introduced the video and reminded us of our chance to make our testimony in writing before June 11th.

Meanwhile, the usually peeved and bitter poster, FixConey on the Coney Island message board has singled out Lola (Diana) Staar and the 'Save Coney Island' group as a sham for not showing up at the scoping meeting last Tuesday and instead was looking pretty rubbing shoulders with Manhattan's high society at the premier of her movie "Dreamland" (Where can we see the movie trailer?). In her defence one poster pointed out that Diana is not the exclusive representative of the "Save Coney" group. It also includes the Coney Island USA organization and some at the Coney Island History Project.

Follow the discussion on the Coney Island USA message board.


Scoping Testimonies from "Dreamland" Movie Premier

Description:
Public Scoping Hearing Testimonies broadcast from premier of Dreamland, a new documentary about Lola Staar's Dreamland Rollerrink. Special appearances by Rosie Perez, Angie Pontani, Dreena De Niro, Murray Hill and Lola Staar.

Posted by SaveConeyIsl [YouTube]

Coney HOOPLA!

Image courtesy of weissfoto (Flickr.com)

Visions for Coney Island Differ: Breathtaking Rides, or Shopping? [New York Times - Big City]
Everything was closed at Coney Island [Skipping throug life]
Daily News writer chokes in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest trial run [NY Daily News]
Has Thor's Hammer Come Down on a Coney Dissident? [Brownstoner]
Coney’s Summer of Hope Experiences Shrinkage [Gowanus Lounge]
Coney Island Case Study Part II: Public Scoping Meeting Redux [The Campaign For Community-Based Planning]
Get On Board With Giz's NYC Summer Meetup at Coney Island [Gizmodo]
The NYPD Harasses a Photographer at Coney Island [Village Voice - Runnin' Scared]
Hugs In Coney Island [The Sarah That Never Sleeps]
Bklink: Dangerous Cyclone? [Gowanus Lounge]
Weekend Brews - Week 26 - Coney Island Special [One Brew Over The Cuckoo's Nest]
How Long Is a Coney Island Minute? [NY Times - City Room]
Where Brooklyn at? [21-7 Magazine]
The 19th Annual Ancestors of the Middle Passage on Coney Island [why? because I feel like it]
Many chances to get to the beach this summer by bike [Bike Blog]
Petting Zoo to Return to Coney, Rent-Free? [Gowanus Lounge]
Weekend Recap: Coney Island Gang Fights and Gay Pride with Dad [Narcissism At Its Best]
GL Analysis: Hardball in Coney Island [Gowanus Lounge]
Coney Island [The Parsons Experience]
Coney Island [Claudia's Blog]
Mermaid Parade Coney Island [Escape From New York]
Coney’s Dick Zigun Moves to Friend’s Couch: Who Planted the Sofagate Story? [Gowanus Lounge]
Coney Island - The Last Summer (2008) [New York City Travel Guide]
Coney Island [The Piper Times]

















Images:
Coney Island [Robsphotos.com]
The Week In Pictures [The New York Times]
Touch New York? Coney Island Night [Geng's space]
Reminder: Coney Island Art Festival on Sunday June 8! [The View Point: Marino Phtography Blog]
Coney Island [English Scholar Initiative View]
Visions of Coney Island [The Errant Aeshtete]


Videos:
Coney Island Chris

Description:
Coney Island Chris in action with an animal trap and eats a light bulb!
Posted by nerdy4121 [YouTube]

Thor Watch

A recent Brooklyn Daily Eagle article- which was posted on the Coney Island USA message board, before it was available on the Eagle's website- includes two unsettling quotes relating to the redevelopment of Coney Island.

The first quote comes from an anonymous Coney Island Development Corporation member, who expressed concern that Thor Equities has retained the infamous real estate lawyer, Jesse Maysr. The CIDC member said that Maysr, who spoke for Thor at last week's public scoping meeting, "is known as the No. 1 obstacle to these types of things."

The second quote, from City Councilman, Kruger sidekick, and higher office hopeful Domenic Recchia, is "The land swap is dead. It's never going to happen." Recchia refused to further explain the statement, saying that, "he didn't want to negotiate in the press."

The upshot of all of this seems to be that Thor has not abandoned their plans for a condo filled Coney Island, and is going to do everything in their power to fight the city's plans.

Coney Land Swap 'Is Dead,' But Just In Case, Thor Hires Top Attorney [Brooklyn Daily Eagle (via CIUSA message board)]

- post by Ben Nadler

Scoping Meeting Flickr Pics From GerritsenBeach.Net Blogger

Posted by GerritsenBeach.Net (Flickr.com)

Save Coney Coalition Releases Protest Flyer

In time for the next CIDC public scoping meeting to protest the city's plan as it stands, the Save Coney Island Coalition releases a flyer to spread their word. Their message is basically:

The Save Coney Island Coalition says yes to revitalizing Coney’s world famous amusement zone!

NO to 26 New High Rises of up to 30 stories each in the current Amusement District
NO to Retail, Malls or “Entertainment Retail” in the Amusement District!
NO to shrinkage of the Amusement District from 61 acres to 9 acres!
YES to preserving Amusement Zoning in the Amusement District!!
YES to keeping Coney Island the People's Playground- providing accessible Amusements for ALL to enjoy!!

City Zones In To Color Their 9 Acres For You

With rendering after rending Coney Island 'visionaries' have been presenting to the public new sketches and drawings. Each have come more muddled then the one before. All except for the city's (Bloomberg's) plans presented last November, which have showed, thus far, the most reasonable and somewhat fair plan able to do justice to a realistic functionality of a huge redevelopment, while preserving the largest possible amusement area. But now that the city has made some swift behind-the-curtain changes to the plan and shrinking the amusements to a mere nine acres, they have given us a muddled water color view of street level amusements that look generically carnivalesque yet without the name brand establishments they have stated the new Coney (retail) entertainment will consist of.

Here a a couple of watercolor renderings presented at the last public Scoping meeting this past Tuesday, June 24th.

The New York Observer reports:

All goes without saying that renderings are a crucial tool in the battle to win public support for development projects in the city. The last batch made by the city, now somewhat obsolete given that the plan has since been modified, emphasized rides and roller coasters, whereas this time the city seems to be trying to stress the street-level vitality that could come as a result of the plan.

At Coney, City Switches To Watercolors To Win Over the Masses [NY Observer]
City Presents New & Different Coney Island Renderings [Gowanus Lounge]
Coney Island V3.1 Renderings, Watercolor Edition [Curbed]

Denson And Savitri D On Brian Lehrer Show

Charles Denson and Savitri D spoke about the revised city plan for Coney that has diminished the amusement core to a mere nine acres of retail 'entertainment' on the Brian Lehrer Show yesterday morning. Savitri D who was this year's Queen Mermaid of the Coney Island Mermaid Parade has been protesting since the parade march by refusing to eat while being on exhibit through a window at the Coney Island USA building until the Public Scoping Meeting that will be held tonight at 6pm at Lincoln High School located at 2800 Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11235. For directions click here.


Starving For Attention
(Note: To listen click on forward arrow in box at bottom left below)


You can follow the discussions on both the Brian Lehrer Show message board and the Coney Island USA message board.

Picture above courtesy of Rubys Host

Dose Of Lola 1: She Struts Her Pink On The Red

Now we can see more clearly what Lola Staar was doing on the night of the Scoping Meeting. Diana Carlin aka Lola Staar rolled out her fabness on the red carpet at the premier of her new doc film, "Dreamland". The event was accompanied by Tommy Hilfiger, Rosie Perez, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Angie Pontani, Gavin Degraw, and Lola's very own 90 year old grandmother, Pasquale.

Check out teh Roll Out the Red Carpet Photos!