Traffic Study Coming, Benches To Stay, And More News From The Community Board 12 Meeting
About 100 people were present at the May 28 meeting of Community Board 12 at PS 230 Upper School in Kensington, including board members, elected officials and their representatives, and the public. Several attendees expressed thanks to CB12 for bringing the meeting to Kensington.
The majority of neighbors who spoke during the public session brought up traffic concerns, including the need for a variety of traffic-calming measures at several locations in Kensington. Additionally, issues surrounding the new Kensington Plaza were raised by a few neighbors.
Traffic-related issues included:
• Speeding traffic and numerous accidents on Albemarle between Ocean and McDonald (a concern brought up by more than one resident).
• Vehicles constantly blocking the pedestrian crosswalks and bike lane on Ocean Avenue.
• Need for a stop light at Church and 14th Avenues.
• Request to remove the sign permitting right turns on red at Dahill and Avenue C, where two pedestrians have been struck.
• Need for a stop sign at the corner of Beverley and E 2nd St (also brought up by more than one resident).
• Request to have the local truck route designation removed from Caton between Ocean and Coney Island Avenues, or more enforcement against through trucks now that the new school is being built.
Non-traffic issues raised:
• Garbage at Church and McDonald and household trash being placed in street cans there.
• Noise, smoking, and other quality of life issues at the new Kensington Plaza.
• Need for tree care on E 4th between Church and Albemarle, which has repeatedly been denied by the Parks Dept.
Board member Anna Cali responded to the Kensington Plaza issues, saying that since these issues have been raised repeatedly by the same person, some Community Board members had visited the location themselves and observed that the quality of life issues are due to the behavior of nearby bar patrons and not to the presence of the benches at the plaza. Her response was applauded by most of those present, as was the statement that the DOT will not remove the benches.
State Senator Simcha Felder spoke about pending legislation to bring back the lever voting machines for this fall’s local and state elections instead of the optical scanner machines “which I think are horrible… the overwhelming majority of voters do not like them.”
Councilman Brad Lander spoke about several issues, saying he will ask people to document traffic problems by posting photos online, and providing updates on Participatory Budgeting plans to redo the Church and McDonald intersection and plant trees on Church Avenue. He said the DOT has promised to do a traffic study on Albemarle in July, and closed by saying that the next CB12 meeting to be held in Kensington will have “kosher, halal, and artisanal food.”
A representative of Congressman Jerrold Nadler spoke about pending legislation, including the Families Flying Together bill and rights for pregnant workers, which occasioned some friendly joking as the spokesperson is visibly pregnant herself.
Board Chair Yidel Perlstein cautioned that the Department of Sanitation is currently on a “ticketing blitz” in Borough Park and residents should take care to avoid getting a citation.
There was also a moment of silence for those killed, injured, or missing in the recent garment factory disaster in Bangladesh.
The next CB12 meeting will be held at the usual Borough Park location, but will take place on the fourth Wednesday of the month, June 26, because the fourth Tuesday falls on a Jewish holiday.