FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JUNE 14, 2018 • THE QUEENS COURIER 41
letters & comments
CITY SHOULD
COMMUNICATE MORE
ON STREET REPAIRS
It’s no secret to anyone living or passing
through Astoria/LIC that we’re going
through an unprecedented amount of
repair work. From our subways to our
sewers and water mains to our streets, its
everywhere and it’s aff ecting us daily.
As a lifelong resident, and specifi cally
as Public Safety Chair for Community
Board 1, which covers these neighborhoods,
I’m particularly interested on the
eff ect these combined contracts are having
on the quality of life and safety of our
neighbors.
Although we all understand and appreciate
the fact that many of these repairs
and works are way overdue and necessary,
what is glaringly obvious is the
fact that sometimes the cooperation
and communication necessary to make
this important work run as smoothly as
humanly possible is missing.
One particular job clearly shows how
a timely act of cooperative planning and
communication between aff ected businesses,
city service providers, local community
leaders and elected offi cials saved the day.
I speak of the water main replacement on
Astoria Boulevard South, from the mid 40s
streets all the way to 31st Street.
It passes in front the home of the
NYPD’s 114th Precinct, one of the largest
in NYC, and a FDNY fi rehouse. Add a
sizable number of businesses and you’ve
got a very crowded area, especially around
the morning and evening rush hours.
Last week, as the construction
approached 38th Street, the eff ect on traffi
c was horrendous to the point where
police cars could not even get out of the
stationhouse.
To lessen the severity of the traffi c
backup, the 114th Precinct called the
Department of Design and Construction
and arranged to have three police offi cers
stationed to speed traffi c along.
To the powers that be in New York
City, when you have these major construction
projects, give contractors more
traffi c control agents; shorten the lights
temporarily as necessary; and certainly
get the input of the local police, fi re and
community board members during, not
just before, construction. It works.
Antonio Meloni, president,
Astoria Civic Association
A ZONING CHANGE TOO
‘FAR’ FOR QUEENS
Th ere is legislation before the State
Legislature that would eliminate the cap
on something called the fl oor area ratio
for new construction. What does that
mean?
Each zoning classifi cation has a fl oor
area ratio (FAR) number assigned to
it. Many of the zones in northeastern
Queens have an FAR of 0.5. Th is means
essentially that if you have a 40 by 100 lot
(4,000 square feet), you can build a house
or building that contains an FAR of 0.5,
or 2,000 square feet.
Th e highest FAR in New York City is
12. Th at applies to high rises in densely
populated areas such as western Queens.
Many in the real estate industry would
like to see that cap eliminated, so that
bulkier and taller buildings could be constructed.
Many people object to this proposal.
Th ey feel that light and air will be further
cut from existing low density buildings
that lie in those areas mentioned
above. It would also lead to more congestion
and stress the existing infrastructure
in these areas.
Th e supposed goal is to create more
aff ordable housing. However, many experts
believe that the so-called aff ordable housing
that could be created would in large part
still be unaff ordable by most working class
families. Raising the cap of the FAR would
only encourage overdevelopment and inappropriate
development and could eventually
aff ect all areas of our city.
Please call your State Senator and State
Assemblyperson and tell them to vote
against eliminating the State cap on the
fl oor area ratio.
Henry Euler, Bayside
TIME’S RUNNING OUT
ON ANTISMOKING BILL
It’s June once again, and a proposed
New York State Tobacco 21 minimum
legal sales age law is once again in jeopardy
of running out of time. With bipartisan
support in both the Senate and
Assembly, both full chambers in Albany
should be given an opportunity to pass
this common sense bi-partisan supported
law.
I’m calling on my local and surrounding
area legislators, both in the State
Senate and Assembly, to push for a T21
bill to be put on the table. In addition
I’m asking for them to reach out to their
colleagues for support to see that their
respective bills (S.3978; A.273) advances
to a full vote in both chambers. Last year
time ran out on the bill stuck in committee.
Th e time for delays and excuses should
be over. Ninety-fi ve percent of smokers
begin their path to tobacco addiction
before age 21. Just do the math.
Th e Senate Finance Committee and the
Assembly Rules Committee have both
respective bills before them. Th ey should
be responsible this time and vote it out of
committee. Please.
Th is should not be a political issue.
Come on already!
Phil Konigsberg, Bay Terrace
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SNACK TIME IN JUNIPER VALLEY PARK //
PHOTO VIA INSTAGRAM Rocco Galatioto/@roccogalatioto
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A LOOK BACK
Here’s another terrifi c graduation photo we pulled from the Ridgewood Times archives. This 1922
class photo shows the graduating eighth-graders from P.S. 88 in Ridgewood. Send us your historic
photos of Queens by email to editorial@qns.com (subject: A Look Back) or mail printed pictures to
A Look Back, The Queens Courier, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361. All mailed pictures will be
carefully returned to you.
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