FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com OCTOBER 20, 2016 • The Queens Courier 19 CB 7 votes against two-family home on Whitestone lot By Suzanne Monteverdi smonteverdi@qns.com /@smont76 A Whitestone corner is off-limits to overdevelopment, Community Board 7 declared at its meeting on Oct. 17 in Flushing. Board members turned down construction variances that would permit the construction of a two-family home on a vacant corner lot on 22nd Avenue. The vote was the result of concerns about maintaining the character of the neighborhood’s housing stock. The owner of the 25-foot-wide vacant corner lot at 146-45 22nd Ave. requested permission to construct a two-story, two-family house with a thinner front yard, larger floor area and smaller size per dwelling unit than currently mandated by zoning law. The house would contain two dwellings and a cellar area. The proposal also included plans for a two-car garage, which does not require a variance. “We’re trying to show and send a signal that we’re just trying to build a decent-sized dwelling. That’s all we’re trying to do,” said Eric Palatnik, attorney representing the land owner. A neighbor to the property was present to recommend that the board accept the variances. “I live on the left-hand side of the property… and it’s going to be very nice to see a house built there,” the resident said. The neighbor said that he has personally cleared the lot of garbage over the years. He also stated that the proposed dwelling would not alter the character of the neighborhood, The vacant lot at 146-45 22nd Ave. in Whitestone which was a concern brought up by board members. One board member agreed with the resident’s statements. “I am also familiar with what a vacant lot looks like. And I would tend to agree; it’s probably a garbage dump over there,” one board member said. “I would think that a dwelling there — especially with a two-car garage — would be better than if we just leave a vacant lot.” Photo via Google Maps Still, board members felt granting the variances may cause issues down the line. In the end, the advisory body voted 25-6 recommending denial of the variances. The city’s Board of Standards and Appeals has the final say over zoning variances. “I believe we have zoning for a reason,” said Frank Macchio, member of the board’s zoning committee. “Zoning is there to protect the neighborhood. What we do by approving is we set precedent for the rest of the neighborhood.” High schools in Astoria, Jamaica and Flushing among the top 10 in New York City: report By Suzanne Monteverdi smonteverdi@qns.com/@smont76 High schools throughout the borough have gotten high marks, according to data released by U.S. News & World Report. Judging on criteria of admissions processes, school enrollment size, graduation rate, average SAT score and a student college readiness index, U.S. News ranked the top 50 schools throughout New York City. A total of 11 Queens high schools made the list; three of them fall within the top 10. Placing sixth on the list is the Baccalaureate School for Global Education at 34-12 36th Ave. in Astoria. With an average student SAT score of 1881/2400 and a college readiness index of 99 percent, this ethnically and economically diverse school boasts a graduation rate of 100 percent. The Queens High School for the Sciences at York College in Jamaica places seventh. Located at 94-50 159th St., this sciencebased “small school with big dreams” has about 100 students in each entering class. The average student SAT score is 1947/2400. Placing ninth is Townsend Harris High School at 149-11 Melbourne Ave. in Flushing. This school of 1,143 students only offers classes that are at honorlevel or above. Students at this school scored 100 percent on the U.S. News college readiness index. Here are the rest of the Queens schools who made the list, in order of ranking: #21: Scholars’ Academy, 320 Beach 104th St., Rockaways #27: Academy of Finance and Enterprise, 30-20 Thomson Ave., Long Island City #29: Francis Lewis High School, 58-20 Utopia Pkwy., Fresh Meadows #31: Queens Gateway to Health Sciences Secondary School, 160-20 Goethals Ave., Jamaica #32: Bayside High School, 32-24 Corporal Kennedy St., Bayside #36: Forest Hills High School, 67-01 110 St., Forest Hills #43: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School, 35-12 35th Ave., Astoria #45: Robert F. Kennedy Community High School, 75-40 Parsons Blvd., Flushing
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