Local residents gathered on Tuesday, December 17th, for a Holiday Party sponsored by the Marine Park Community Association (MPCA) in alliance with the Madison-Marine-Homecrest Civic Association (MMHCA) for food, well-wishes and an update on serious issues facing the community. The event took place at the Carmine Carro Community Center, at 3000 Fillmore Avenue.
A large turnout of residents were in attendance, and many were very vocal about the recent passage of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal that passed in the City Council by a vote of 31-20 on December 5th, despite “no” votes from Councilwomen Farah Louis and Mercedes Narcisse, as well as opposition from several community boards.
The rezoning plan, which could lead to more high-rise building developments across the five boroughs, includes building more homes above stores, allowing homeowners to build apartments on single-family lots and changing parking mandates. It has sparked serious concerns among residents who fear these changes will have significant effects on the quality of life in Marine Park and surrounding areas.
“Parking is already an issue, and high-rise projects could lead to an overflow of residents, possibly empty storefronts, reduced parking and affect our schools which already suffer from overcrowding if more kids are in classrooms,” said Lucy Brincat, a local resident.
Brincat, who is a member of a boat club in Sheepshead Bay, also spoke about how development has altered the landscape of that area and not for the better.
“I don’t even recognize Sheepshead Bay anymore. It was a beautiful fishing community but now it’s full of high-rises. A lot of the old diners and fishing supply stores are gone, and the increase in bike lanes have taken away parking, and motorbikes and electric bikes speed down the bike lanes creating hazards for drivers.”
Her fears were echoed by MPCA President Robert Mazzuchin, who has also been a fierce opponent of the City of Yes. “We don’t want high-rises to alter the area and possibly the park as well,” he said.
Residents also asked about the changes that the NYC Sanitation Department is imposing regarding garbage pickup. Starting this past November, all residential buildings (consisting of one to nine units) must place garbage in plastic bins with secure lids that are 55 gallons or less outside their homes.
After a warning period, residents who don’t follow the rules will have to pay an initial $50 fine being enforced by the city starting on January 2, 2025, followed by a $100 fine for the second offense and $200 fines for any additional offenses.
“Sanitation doesn’t respond to e-mails, but we will continue to try and get someone from Sanitation to speak to us in the spring, Mazzuchin said.
In addition, board members also spoke about being wary of potential scams during the holiday season, particularly with gift cards coming by mail. Residents were warned to avoid using any mailboxes that feel sticky when placing mail inside them.
The next meeting of the MMHCA and MPCA will be held on January 21, 2025, at the Carmine Carro Community Center.
