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4 times • DECEMBER 3, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com CB5 committees back light rail concept for west Queens By Anthony Giudice agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport Amid concerns about potential negative impacts on the neighborhood, the Community Board 5 Transportation and Public Transit committees narrowly recommended at its Dec. 1 meeting a local lawmaker’s vision of introducing light rail service to the area. With many communities within CB 5 suffering from a lack of transportation options, City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley put forth a plan that would connect Glendale with Long Island City by using the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) Montauk Line’s existing right of way for commuter rail service and has asked for CB 5’s support in moving forward with her plan. John Maier, co-chair of the Transportation Services Committee, drafted a resolution for both committees to vote on in support of Crowley’s concept during the committees’ joint meeting. Crowley’s plan would creating new passenger stations The CB 5 Transportation and Public Transit committees voted 7-5 to support a light rail concept for the CB 5 area. located at the Atlas Park Mall in Glendale, the M train at the Metropolitan Avenue station in Middle Village, the abandoned Fresh Pond Road station beneath the existing Fresh Pond Road/Metropolitan Avenue overpass, Flushing Avenue in Maspeth and the Hunters Point Terminal in Long Island City. The resolution also noted that if this system should come to fruition in the future, it should be part of a larger master plan with additional phases. “Further phases to possibly include the re-activation of the old Rockaway Branch Line of the LIRR, re-activation of the Bushwick Branch of the LIRR, and connections to LIRR’s East Side Access to Grand Central or LIRR’s existing Penn Station Access should also be considered,” the resolution states. The committees voted 7-5 with one non-vote and one abstention in favor of the resolution, supporting Crowley’s concept. There was some concern from board members regarding a stop at Atlas Park, especially if it would become the first or last stop on the route. RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photo by Anthony Giudice “We don’t really know this thing. We don’t know what’s the project ridership, what stations, how many cars can we park. Do we want all these cars, people coming from all over a 5-mile, 10-mile radius to park in the Atlas area?” asked Bob Holden. “Do we want to have potentially thousands of cars?” This resolution will now be put forth to the full board for a vote during the next CB 5 meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Emergency Ridgewood Housing Matters meeting to be held next month by ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com @A_GiudiceReport Tenants of Ridgewood are being called to attend a special meeting regarding their rights and how to stay in their homes. Ridgewood Housing Matters (RHM) will be holding an emergency meeting on Dec. 17 at P.S. 305, located at 378 Seneca Ave., at 6:30 p.m. to provide Ridgewood tenants with information about their rights and to update them on new laws regarding buyouts. The RHM is a campaign led by local housing groups of organized tenants, housing advocacy nonprofit organizations, legal services and local elected officials committed to fighting to end displacement of Ridgewood residents. The group aims to engage, empower and unite tenants, property owners and public agencies to combat patterns of harassment and displacement. “We are going to have a brief talk to see what is going on in the neighborhood,” said Angela Mirabile, executive director of the Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation. “We are going to let people know of harassment, let people know their rights. There is a lack of services going on in the neighborhood.” During the meeting there will be tables set up where organizations will be handing out information to tenants such as what the three new harassment laws are to protect tenants from landlords trying to buy them out of their apartment. “We want to give people the information they need, to say these are the laws and this is what you have available to you,” Mirabile said. “We want to get you organized so you don’t leave your apartment when you don’t have to. This will be the first real forum where all the groups involved will be there.” Some of the community groups involved with the RHM include the Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation, Make the Road New York, Ridgewood Tenants Union and Ridgewood Tenant and Neighbors Association. Also involved with the group are Assemblyman Mike Miller, Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan, Councilman Antonio Reynoso and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez. RHM is looking for volunteers to give out flyers to advertise this event. Anyone who would like to volunteer to distribute flyers to a few blocks where you live, contact Paul Kerzner at 718-366-8721. RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photo by Anthony Giudice Ridgewood Housing Matters will hold an emergency meeting on Dec. 17 at P.S. 305 to inform tenants of their rights. The CB 5 Transportation and Public Transit committees voted 7-5 to support Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley’s (seen above) light rail concept for the CB 5 area.


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