In a sometimes tumultuous meeting (see photo) Wednesday evening, with frequent shouting, chanting, and heckling from the public attendees, especially during the consideration of the Land Use Planning Committee’s recommendation that the planned sale of the Brooklyn Heights Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library be approved, with conditions, the full Community Board did approve that recommendation and conditions by a vote of 25 to 14, with four abstentions.
Following the library vote, many public attendees left. The Board then took up the proposal to ratify the approval given Monday by the Parks and Recreation Committee to Brooklyn Bridge Park’s proposed amendment to the Park’s Modified General Project Plan that would, reflecting the conditions of the settlement of the lawsuit brought by People for Green Space, reduce the height of the two proposed residential buildings (with a requirement that mechanicals be included in the height limit), include an affordable housing component, change the number of residential units in the two buildings, provide space for a 75 seat pre-K facility, provide other space for community use, and close the “loop road.” The full Board voted unanimously for the proposal, with the added requirement that the Park still must produce complete financial information justifying the need for revenue from the buildings as planned, before construction could begin.
Mary Frost’s Eagle story gives a detailed account of the meeting.
The library matter will next go to the Borough President, who will hold a public hearing at Borough Hall on Tuesday, August 18, starting at 6:00 p.m The next step for the Pier 6 housing issue is a public hearing by the Empire State Development Corporation that will take place the evening of Thursday, July 30 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at St. Francis College, Founders Hall, 180 Remsen Street.
