12
QUEENS WEEKLY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2019
CB 7
lege Point Industrial Park
was supposed to have front
yards and side yards,” said
Erik Palatnik, an attorney
representing the property
owner. “There are no side
yards if you’ve driven down
130th Street and there are no
point guards.”
The Board’s City Planning
& Land Use Committee
met with the applicant
on Sept. 9 with a motion to
approve, according to CB 7
member Chuck Appelian.
The board conducted a final
vote Monday night of 13 in favor
to approve the project.
Another project regarding
a commercial overlay
rezoning at 147-40 15th Ave.
was approved with a final
vote of 23-13.
The application would
create a new C1-2 commercial
overlay (allowing for
commercial buildings to be
constructed in a residential
zoning) in an R3A District
affecting four lots on a
single tax block to facilitate
legal commercial use, three
of which are not under the
property owner’s control.
The property was purchased
in 2015 by the owners
under the guidance that it
can be used as a commercial
building, which was historically
used as a cabinet factory
and a daycare, according
to Jay Goldstein, an attorney
representing the property
owners.
Friedhelm Morgstein,
who has lived in Whitestone
since 1942 and moved into
the neighborhood in 1982, opposed
the development due to
additional commercial zoning
and traffic in the area.
“The neighborhood was
relatively quiet. We didn’t
have nearly as much commercial
business as we do
now,” Morgstein said. “They
have a beer garden, a restaurant
on the corner and
we have a gas station that
is formally 24 hours. As a
homeowner, I’m obligated
to not make noise after 10
o’clock on an evening, but at
the gas station people come
in and vacuum their cars
at 2 o’clock in the morning
and gas fumes coming into
my home night and day. The
last thing we need is another
piece of commercial property
in our neighborhood.”
Meanwhile, the proposal
of mega-store and retail
chain Total Wine & More in
College Point was brought
before the board, which has
no authority over the approval
of the store obtaining
a liquor license.
“When we do respond it’s
usually after a liquor license
has been issued, then we get
notified when someone is
having issues with the location
… that’s when we can
write to the NYS Liquor Authority
and say there’s a problem,”
said CB 7 Chair Eugene
Kelty. “We don’t approve any
of the liquor licenses.”
Paul Lau, a lifelong
Queens resident, expressed
his concern over the possible
opening of Total Wine &
More at the former site Toys
‘R’ Us site at 30-02 Whitestone
Expy., in College Point.
“I’m totally against it
mainly because the area is
already congested and, second,
how many more liquor
stores do we need in this
area, you know? And third,
it’s just a matter of quality
of life,” Lau said.
Herbert Cheng, owner of
New Golden Wine & Liquor
at 41-08 Bell Blvd. in Bayside,
said their team leaders
and politicians need to
stand by the business merchants
fighting to keep Total
Wine out of Queens.
“A lot of the politicians
didn’t know it was Total
Wine behind this because
they were using MCT Fine
Wine & Spirits on the application,”
Cheng said. “We literally
work hard, all of the
local store owners. They
Total Wine & More have
almost 200 stores across
the U.S. They are a national
chain … Mom-and-pop
stores can’t compete at that
level; it’s a different level of
playing field.”
While business merchants
are fighting against
Total Wine & More, opponents
of the controversial
College Point homeless
shelter that will house 200
men at 127-03 20th Ave.
are also on edge awaiting
the shelter’s opening on
Oct. 2.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4526.
Continued from Page 1
Rape bill
years to bring a legal claim
against their attacker,” Cuomo
said.”Five years is an
insult to these survivors and
today we’re providing them
more time to come to terms
with the trauma they experienced
and to seek justice.
This new law recognizes the
injustice that has gone on for
far too long and honors all
women who have suffered
this pain and all the advocates
who had the courage to
come forward and tell their
story so that other women
may be spared the pain.”
The statute of limitations
in the first degree was eliminated
in the legislation. The
bill was sponsored by Simotas
while state Senator Alessandra
Biaggi carried it in
the upper chamber.
“Our culture teaches people
not to be raped instead of
teaching people not to rape.
By updating our laws, we
are sending a strong message
that survivors matter,
their stories matter and New
York will not deny anyone
accessible means to justice,”
Simotas said. “I am proud
that we are finally providing
survivors an adequate window
of time to process their
trauma.”
As a survivor of sexual
abuse, Biaggi explained, it
can take decades for a person
to be comfortable enough to
come forward and to pursue
justice against their attacker.
“By extending the statute
of limitations for certain offenses
of rape, sexual criminal
acts, and incest, New
York is adopting procedures
that allow survivors of sexual
violence to report on their
own terms,” she said.
Neither Simotas or Biaggi
were at the signing ceremony.
Cuomo, instead, had
been surrounded by celebrity
members of the advocacy
groups Time’s Up and NOWNYC.
“The signing of this bill is
a watershed moment, a real
advance in the battle against
rape culture not only in New
york but across the country,”
actress Mira Sorvino said.
“Because of it more survivors
can now have their
rightful day in court and a
chance for justice.”
Continued from Page 1