4 The Queens Courier • september 18, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Bayside residents gain fuel for removing a car dealership BY ERIC JANKIEWICZ @ericjankiewicz/ejankiewicz@queenscourier.com Community Board 11 unanimously refused to renew a zoning variance that allowed a Bayside Toyota dealership to operate in a residential area after neighbors complained. Star Toyota and Scion has been operating on Northern Boulevard for 40 years with the variance, but locals want the dealership gone for being, according to one board member, a “bad neighbor.” “The community wants them removed because they don’t respect us,” said board member Steven Behar. “It’s as simple as that.” Residents complained that the dealership parked their cars on residential streets and illegally dumped garbage in the neighborhood. As a requirement of the variance, the dealership must meet with the community board every 10 years so their business can be reviewed. After reviewing the business this time, the board decided to act on the complaints and vote down the renewal. There are two more steps in the process: Borough President Melinda Katz is expected to announce a decision on Sept. 18 and, if she supports the community board’s decision, the Board of Standards and Appeals will make a final decision. “We’re hoping that with the new mayoral administration and a real show of community support, we can have the BSA do what’s right for the community,” Behar said. “We’ve tried to solve this with them but they wouldn’t work with us so now it’s come to this.” But Michael Koufakis, the dealership’s manager, said he’s open to the community’s complaints. “I’m here every day. If anyone has any concerns, they can call me and I’ll make a reasonable effort to resolve it,” he said. “We will be addressing some of the issues that came to our attention through the community board.” Further west on Northern Boulevard, a Flushing real estate business attempted to remove a condition in a Community Board 11 did not renew a zoning variance that allowed Star Toyota and Scion to operate in a residential area. similar variance. Paul Luciano, owner of Utopia Real Estate, asked Community Board 7 to remove a restriction contained in the variance that prevents the building’s owner from making any alterations without the board’s permission. But the board voted to maintain its power over the business, which has been in Flushing since 1957, by THE COURIER/Photo by Eric Jankiewicz keeping the conditions of the variance in place. “They the community board just want to hold the power over us for no reason,” Luciano said. But locals said they feared changes would alter the nature of the neighborhood. “If we’re not careful, our area will start to look like Main Street,” resident Terri Pouymari said. Students study local street to make Jackson Heights safer BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com/@aaltamirano28 Groups of “kid engineers” came together last weekend to try to understand how to make Queens safer, one street at a time. The advocacy organization, Make Queens Safer, hosted a Safer, Greener Streets Fair and Bike Bonanza on Sept. 13 at Travers Park in Jackson Heights to raise awareness and allow visitors to learn more about street safety while also getting the chance to participate in activities. One of the interactive events, called the Kid Engineers Traffic Study, allowed students from I.S. 230, P.S. 69, P.S. 212, P.S. 280, the Academy for Careers in Television and Film, the Baccalaureate School for Global Education, McClancy High School and Voice Charter School to assist in documenting traffic conditions down 34th Avenue between 74th and 80th streets. The study was chosen for that particular stretch in Jackson Heights, which has a speed limit of 30 mph, because it is parallel to Northern Boulevard, is a major bike route and is near three schools and several parks, according to organizers. “Providing the tools and knowledge on how to safely navigate the streets of our neighborhoods can help reduce accidents and improve the quality of life for all members of our community,” said Councilman Daniel Dromm, who joined the students as they conducted the study. The students measured traffic speeds using radar guns westbound on 34th Avenue at 75th Street and eastbound on the avenue at 79th Street. According to the students’ data, with more than 100 measurements taken, about 17 percent of the vehicles traveled 31 mph or faster at 75th Street, while 7 percent exceeded the limit at 79th Street. Traffic was light compared to weekday traffic, according to organizers. Other notes taken at the sites included vehicles running red lights. The final field study involved intersection safety observations. The “kid engineers” examined driver, pedestrian and cyclist behaviors at 76th, 77th, and 80th streets along 34th Avenue. Students collected data on vehicles stopping in crosswalks while ignoring painted stop lines, drivers using hand-held cellphones, and pedestrians talking on cellphones as they crossed the intersections. During this time the students also talked about ways pedestrians should stay safe while crossing the streets. Other information collected involved two near collisions, vehicles turning without signals, cyclists running red lights and pedestrians walking out into the street before checking for traffic. For the full data collected by the Kid Engineers Traffic Study, visit http://makequeenssafer.org/home/ kid-engineers-traffic-study/. Throughout the day other events of the a Safer, Greener Streets Fair and Bike Bonanza included a Learn to Ride Class hosted by Bike New York, a helmet giveaway from the Department of Transportation and free youth bike repair by Recycle a Bicycle and Bike Yard. “Our family spent the entire day talking about safety – bike safety and street safety,” said Veronica Marino, whose 11-year-old daughter participated in the events. “So many times it takes a tragedy to get people talking about these things.” 1-800-382-HOME(4663) for Housing www.sonyma.org
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