BY COUNCILMAN
MARK GJONAJ
With our jump into the spring
season, my offi ce’s constituent
services efforts remain relentless.
Food distribution, holiday
events and more, have been
hosted by me and my offi ce.
These offerings will continue
through the spring and into the
summer.
On the 12th last week, we
were able to host yet another food
and mask giveaway on Bruckner
Boulevard. Over 2500 food boxes
were given away that day! Over
the weekend, Team Gjonaj supported
our local Irish bars and
pubs in celebration of St. Patricks
Day (safe and socially-distanced
of course, followed then by a holiday
event put on in cooperation
with the Edgewater Social and
Edgewater Fire Department.
Both events were great successes
as we recognized the Irish heritage
of our district and the Bronx
at large.
This week, we continue with
the COVID-19 rapid testing popup
events, hosting one on 985 Astor
Avenue. As you know, testing
is essential to managing the
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, M 46 ARCH 19-25, 2021 BTR
spread of the virus and as such,
I encourage residents of District
13 to utilize these resources
when they can. Asymptomatic
spread is known to occur and
for that reason, even if you don’t
present symptoms but have been
in contact with people that have,
I urge you to make use of these offerings.
In support of our district’s
robust Jewish community, we
joined the Met Council in a Passover
food distribution event held
at the Bronx Jewish Community
Council of Pelham Parkway. To
those of the Jewish faith, I wish
you a Happy Passover and that
you are able glean a sense of community
and peace from it in these
troubled times.
For information about coming
giveaways and events, please contact
my offi ce by phone at (718) 931-
1721 or at MGjonaj@council.nyc.
gov<mailto:MGjonaj@council.
nyc.gov>. Following me on Twitter
(@MarkGjonajNY) is also provides
a great resource for not just
the scheduling of my constituent
service offerings, but legislative
updates, offi cial statements, and
more. Please join me!
BY GEORGE HAVRANEK
The 1954 Johnson Amendment
prohibits Spencer Estate
Civic Association and other
501c-3 organizations from
“directly or indirectly participating
in, or intervening in,
any political campaign on
behalf or in opposition to any
candidate for public offi ce.”
Violation of this law can result
in the revocation of 501c-3
statuses and the
imposition of fi nancial penalty.
In accordance with both
tradition and law Spencer
Estate Civic Association
does not endorse political candidates.
Our association will
perform civic obligations
through unbiased, non-partisan
intra-community
education with emphasis
on POLICY POSITIONS. Political
policy and community
welfare often intertwine.
While refraining from candidate
endorsements Spencer
Estate Civic will examine
candidate policies and properly
assess their effects on our
community.
“As of Right” Development:
Real estate developments
through “As Of Right”
regulations are critical
components in community expansions.
“As of Right”
developments are not subjected
to reviews by community
boards, City Planning
Commissions or City Council.
“As Of Right” development,
absent of public hearings,
allows investors/developers
in compliance with all applicable
zonings codes to
forge ahead with projects
in an expeditious fashion. “As
of Right” is the bulldozer
that clears the path for unimpeded
density increases
without appropriate upgrades
to human and essential services.
As of Right development
changes the
characteristics of many
communities. Low Density
zoning regulations (which can
be
changed by the City Council)
is a community’s last line
of defense against rampant,
uncontrolled over-development.
Zoning is a series of laws
that organizes land usage.
Zoning resolutions divide
land
into districts based on relevant
land use issues. Zoning
regulations limit the way
specifi c properties can be
used. The majority of properties
in Spencer Estate are
R3A zoned. The low-density
R3A designation allows semidetached
and detached
one and two family residences
to be built on lots as
narrow as 25 feet. In
comparison, R7 zoning
designations found in neighboring
communities encourages
developers to demolish
modest homes and erect medium
sized apartment buildings.
Up- zoning the R3A designated
districts will markedly
increase their density and
destroy the low-density
community. The old adage,
looks can be deceiving applies
to
zoning. The following illustrations
show neighborhood
segments are often
incongruous with their
districts’ peak zoning allowances.
SEGMENTS OF DECEPTION:
Block 4168 Lot 13 Address
1616 Crosby Avenue-
Sitting in an R7-1 zone this
modest three family home,
that could blend into many
lower density communities,
is slated to be legally replaced
with an 8 story, 74 foot
tall, 31 occupant “As of
Right” building.
Block 4293 Lot 46 Address
2093 Matthews Avenue – R7-1
zoning allows a 60 foot
tall, 38 resident “As of
Right” building to replace a
charming two family home.
Permits for this project
were fi led in November 2020.
Know Your Zone: To locate
your home’s zoning designation
and the effects zoning
changes can have on your
community visit the NYC
Planning website
https://zola.planning.nyc.
gov
CITY COUNCIL ELECTION
2021:
The NY City Council functions
as a New York City’s congressional
body and serves as
a check in the Mayor-Council
dynamic. A councilmember’s
duties include land use
reviews and zoning change
approval. The City Council is
a powerful body that crafts
legislation and can override
mayoral vetoes with a
2/3-majority vote. The POLICY
of a COUNCILMEMBER
can alter the course of a community,
infl uence property
values and quality of life. It
is imperative that every candidate
for City Council,
including Council District
13, discloses and specifi cally
details their housing and
zoning policies. It is our responsibility;
civic duty to ensure
communities are not
adversely affected by zoning
changes and subsequent
As of Right builds. Housing
and zoning issues can neither
fl y under the radar nor be
shrouded in secrecy.
If we want to keep and reap
the blessings of our fi ne quality
of life, we must endure
the fatigue of supporting it.
Our community has traditionally
exhibited a "We are
Family attitude"
Now, is the time to let it shine.
Communicate; make that
phone call,
text message, or e-mail.
Please check on family,
friends, and neighbors especially
the
elderly and vulnerable.
Any area homeowner or
renter interested in membership
to
the inclusive Spencer Estate
Civic Association in box
George Havranek on Facebook
or send-email to
s p e n c e r e s t a t e c i v i c@
gmail.com Remember:
Community=Common-Unity
and Inclusion brings Solutions.
CIVIC CENTER
Spencer Estate Civic
Association
CIVIC CENTER
Korony Post 253
BY TONY SALIMBENE
So our next 3rd Sunday
meeting,11am is at TN Memorial
Post 1456, a special event
afterwards. Get there around
10:30 before the donuts are
gone. Don’t forget to follow our
current SARS Cov2 guidelines
to stay safe. Thanks again,
again, to Commander Joe, his
staff and the ladies!
Sick Call: Just heard Post
19 Commander Pete Schmid
will be going in for a procedure.
Please extend good
wishes, assistance and extra
prayers!
Hope Tony F. Is recovering
from this terrible crap we all
have been fi ghting. We know
he can do it, get the pasta!
Angelo P., our SAL Historian
and Instructor, has not
be doing well lately. Let’s send
him the strength to keep going.
Time fl ys! In my 30th Legion
year and my 29th SAL
year, I want to extend sincere
thanks to the County Offi -
cers, Post Commanders and
their Vice Commanders doing
the paperwork to keep us
going. I knew we would not be
stopped!
Until Next Time: You
miss 100% of the shots you
don’t take.
From Councilman Mark Gjonaj
Preston HS welcomes
back students
Preston High School returned to the concurrent learning
environment starting on Monday, March 15th. Faculty
and staff were eager to welcome back students to start inperson
again, even if that looks a bit different with the
new model in place. Having students in the building allows
for that unique interaction between teacher and student,
as well as the interaction among peers that does not
always translate well through a computer screen.
/nyc.gov
link
link
/zola.planning.nyc
link
/zola.planning.nyc
/gmail.com
link