City Island Civic Association

Note: Michael Shanley is co-president of the PTA at PS 175.

From: Michael Shanley
Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 11:23 AM
Subject: Meeting at the 45th

Dear friends and neighbors,

Many of you who were unable to attend last evenings meeting at the 45th precinct emailed me requesting an update. What follows is a brief summary of a very successful and encouraging meeting.

Christine Quinn, Speaker of the New York City Council met with several Island residents, along with Council Member James Vacca, on Monday, May 11, at the City Island Nautical Museum, in order to learn about the various issues facing the community. The Civic Association invited more than 35 Islanders, including representatives of the Community Center, Garden Club, American Legion, Chamber of Commerce, Community Board 10 and other groups, to meet with Ms. Quinn, who expressed strong support for her colleague Mr.

Community Board 10 will hold a public hearing for the City Island community at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, in the City Island library auditorium, 320 City Island Avenue, to discuss a proposed zoning change for the 5.4-acre property that was formerly the site of International Underwater Contractors. The site is now zoning light manufacturing (M1-1) but the developer City Island Estates LLC wishes to build 22 detached houses consisting of 43 dwelling units, and this requires a zoning change to R3A.

“THE BRONX SALUTES AMERICA,” sponsored by State Senator Jeff Klein, will take place at Orchard Beach on Wednesday, July 1 (rain date July 2), at 9 p.m.

Sponsored by the City Island Power Squadron and the Leonard Hawkins American Legion Post #156 will take place on Sunday, June 28, 2009, at 1 p.m. Multi-denominational clergy will bless vessels from the Fenton Marine Dock located in City Island Harbor.

Boats are to assemble at the Hart Island Ferry Dock in the harbor at 12:30 p.m. Communication on LVHF Channel 71 will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Dear friends and neighbors,

As we are all aware, there is a growing and troubling narcotics problem plaguing City Island. Drug sales, aggressive behavior, drug overdoses and deaths are becoming all too common place in our neighborhood. Unless this drug situation is brought under control, it is only a matter of time before house break-ins, petty and violent crime increases as they are all part and parcel of the drug culture. What makes this situation even more tragic is the fact that many of the abusers and offenders are our young people.

Please join other City Islanders at a BUDGET HEARING with the Fire Commissioner, who will meet with the City Council on Tuesday, May 12, at 10 a.m. at City Hall. There will be a press conference at City Hall at 9:30 a.m., so we will meet at Hawkins Park at 7:30 a.m. It is important that City Island residents be represented, so wear a City Island t-shirt, cap, sign and make your presence known. It will not be necessary for us to speak (and we should show a respectful silence), but our Council Member Jimmy Vacca will make sure that the Commissioner and Media see us and know we don't give up.

NYC DOT’s Reconstruction Project of the Amtrak Bridge west of the Bartow-Pell Traffic Circle will begin on June 2nd. Signs will go up at the site next Monday, May 11. This is a three-year construction project. The four lanes of the Hutchinson River Access Road over the bridge will be narrowed down to 2 lanes, one westbound, one eastbound.

Please contact Marianne Anderson if you have any questions.

Marianne Anderson
Administrator
Pelham Bay Park
One Bronx River Parkway
Bronx, NY 10462
(718) 430-4686 phone
(718) 430-1893 fax

If you see graffiti anywhere on City Island, please be sure to call State Senator Jeff Klein's Graffiti Removal Hotline at 888-884-1444. Be sure to include the following information:

Your name, telephone number and address

The address where the graffiti is and its location (such as side wall, first floor, second floor, on door, etc.), the type of surface (i.e., concrete, wood, brick), and any special instructions (if needed).

The MTA is hosting a series of public hearings across the region to solicit input on its proposed “doomsday” budget cuts. Under the plan, subway, express bus, and Access-A-Ride fares would all increase. In addition, the Bx14 bus (serving Country Club and Spencer Estate) and the BxM7B express bus (serving City Island) would be totally eliminated, and the Bx8 bus (serving Throgs Neck, Edgewater Park, and Locust Point) would be suspended on Sundays.