Community Board 14 May Meeting Recap

By Katie McFadden

On Tuesday, May 12, Community Board 14 met at Bayswater Jewish Center to discuss NYC Parks projects, bird programs, and housing and transportation issues.

The meeting opened with updates from the local NYPD precincts. Captain Phil Woo, the new executive officer of the 101st Precinct said crime is down 8% for the year. The 101 will be getting a beach detail, including one lieutenant, three sergeants and 10 additional officers who will patrol Fridays through Sundays. Captain Singh of the 100th Precinct said they’re down 52% for overall crime, but there has been a spike in car break-ins, so he reminded folks to not leave valuables inside cars.  Lt. Hughes of Transit District 23 said they have had zero index crimes in the last 28 days. They have increased arrests by 233% in the last 28 days. If anyone sees cops waking people up on the train, it’s to keep them safe from becoming theft victims.

Jose Reina of Rep. Gregory Meeks’ office said a bill was passed on April 30 to fund key parts of Homeland Security for the year, so with TSA agents being paid, there should be fewer airport disruptions. Meeks’ office has been receiving calls about immigration casework regarding DACA renewal delays connected to new background checks that were implemented. The processing time has increased to six months, so DACA recipients should submit their renewal request early. Lastly, the U.S. Dept. of Education will now be responsible for the federal student aid program, while Treasury will now be responsible for collecting defaulted federal student loans. For any questions, call Meeks’ office at 718-7256- 6000.

A representative for Senator James Sanders spoke about delays with the state budget, saying new federal funding laws have impacted healthcare expenses. On June 21 at Beach 17th, there will be a Father’s Fest. A representative from Borough President Donovan Richards’ office then spoke about upcoming events at Queens Borough Hall. To RSVP, visit queensbp.nyc.gov or call 718-286-3000.

Renee Taylor of Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers’ office said on May 20, the Councilwoman is holding a youth-led town hall in Springfield Gardens. Middle and high school students are welcome. Any District 31 tenants with housing court legal issues can head to the Far Rockaway Library every first Thursday of the month from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and every third Thursday of the month from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for free legal help.

Dan Brown of District Attorney Melinda Katz’s office said Katz recently secured $2.5 million in restitution for 13 victims who were swindled as part of a fraudulent investment scheme. The victims were befriended online by someone who convinced them to invest in opportunities on fake websites controlled by a 37-year-old defendant. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 120 days in jail.

Next, Chairwoman Dolores Orr provided updates. She attended a meeting regarding the JFK Redevelopment and learned that the Van Wyck construction must be completed by this September. At a pre-summer meeting regarding parks, Orr learned that there have been fewer piping plover and oyster catcher babies in nesting areas this year. It could be due to animals taking eggs, extreme heat or human disturbance. Beaches in the area are expected to open when the birds leave the nests. At a meeting with the NYPD, FDNY, Parks and other law enforcement agencies, Orr learned that the 100th Precinct will have four officers on bikes on the boardwalk. Transit District 23 will post an officer at Broad Channel and Beach 116th Street and someone going between Beach 90th and 98th Street. There are ongoing efforts to get the MTA to make announcements about which beaches are closed. There are also hopes to advertise alerts on the ferry to try to prevent drownings.

District Manager Felicia Johnson provided updates next. DOT sent notification that Beach 39th Street was going to be converted to a northbound lane from Rockaway Beach Blvd. to Beach Channel Drive on May 7. NYC Parks is doing a neighborhood tree planting program that’s supposed to start in January 2027 and be completed in June 2027 in zip codes 11691 and 11692. There is also supposed to be a program for boardwalk light pole and bench reconstruction on Shore Front Parkway between Beach 32nd and Beach 116th. It includes removing 56 poles and 40 benches. Johnson doesn’t know when it will start, but it’s been funded.

Rockaway Park High School for Environmental Sustainability is expected to merge with Rockaway Collegiate High School in the Beach Channel Campus for the 2026-2027 school year. Engagement meetings with staff and students garnered more support for the merger. It will be called Rockaway Collegiate initially but may be renamed after the merger happens. The merger was proposed due to low enrollment at both schools. It will allow for more resources to be brought to the schools. There will be new programming including HVAC training and a bilingual teaching program. A vote for that merger was held on May 6, and Johnson is waiting to hear about the outcome.

Johnson reached out to the DEP regarding the sludge dock improvement program at the Rockaway Wastewater Facility. The work is supposed to start in May. It will not affect ferry service or impact boat traffic and shouldn’t cause environmental issues. Most supplies will be delivered by boat. DEP will be at the June meeting to answer questions. The MTA has provided updates regarding preparations for a possible LIRR strike.

Next was public speaking. Through a translator, Ramona Espinal, owner of El Duro Bar and Lounge in Far Rockaway spoke about her business at 14-79 Beach Channel Drive. She has other businesses in the Bronx and a tire shop on Beach 54th Street and wanted to bring something new to the neighborhood. They host all types of events. She’s trying to go through legal means to make sure everything is done the right way.

Stan Brown, a recreational supervisor at Sorrentino Recreation Center, mentioned their free programs available at 1848 Cornaga Avenue. He encouraged everyone to stop by or call 718-471-4818 for info. He’ll be holding a Double Dutch Family Celebration there in honor of Juneteenth on June 6.

Joe Hartigan said as the ferry now goes from the Bronx to Rockaway, there could be even more people coming to Rockaway this summer. He mentioned $500 million a year available for ferry infrastructure, so he hopes to speak with Rep. Meeks to obtain money to get smaller boats that could fit under the train bridge to get ferry access to Far Rockaway and Beach 72nd Street. Lastly, Hartigan spoke about a recent Newsday article saying restrictions may be relaxed regarding piping plovers, which he’s hoping goes through so Edgemere residents can access the beach.

Mel Julien of the NYC Plover Project said the Endangered Species Act is still in place. They’re holding a Black Birders Week event on May 30, with a guided bird walk on the beach and boardwalk, followed by a lunch at the Garden by the Bay, where they’ll have raffles and activities. On June 27, they will host an arts and crafts event at the Arverne Welcome Center to make stuffed piping plovers and oyster catchers from natural materials.

Allan Bucknol, executive director of REMA, speaking about the Business Improvement District, announced they’ll be providing downtown Far Rockaway $1.5 million annually to provide sanitation, security and business improvements. They’ll be holding a black tie event on June 19 at 6 p.m. For tickets, email rema4us@gmail.com. They also hope to bring FIFA viewership to the area, likely between June 26 and June 29, between Beach 20th and 21st Streets, so people can watch the World Cup.

Charles Smith announced that they’ll be having a Father’s Day event on Beach 17th Street with free food, clothing, vendors and more. Community activist Ozzie Edwards said that a lot of permits are not being approved for events at the Beach 17th performance area. He also suggested there be mentorship for the new community board members as the senior members are now term limited, so the newcomers need guidance for the future. He also suggested that Rep. Meeks should start showing up to meetings like other elected officials do on occasion. Lastly, there will be a career expo for young people 18 and up on May 19 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., or 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the Far Rockaway High School Campus.

Next was a presentation from NYC Parks on a new art exhibit coming to Beach 67th Street. The Public Art Fund, which provides free public art in NYC, presented the project, featuring works of emerging and professional artists, who created sculptural ping pong tables. They include themes like the Kraken, beach items, music, ulama and more. They will be interactive, allowing for people to play ping pong on them. It will run from June 27 through September 13. There will be a kiosk on the boardwalk where people can borrow balls and paddles from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays, and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. People are also welcome to use their own balls and paddles at any time. There will be a ping pong tournament called the Sand and Paddle Classic on August 22.

Next was a presentation on the restoration of Vernam Barbados sanctuary and better public access to the area. NYC Parks received a grant from the state to design the project, but there is no construction funding available, so they are seeking funding opportunities through grants and elected officials. The area includes salt marshes and maritime grasslands to support habitats for rare and endangered species. The goal is to restore the coastal habitats while establishing formal waterfront access and an opening to the park for the public. A trail system would be established so people can safely access viewing points. There would also be debris removal from the area so activities like kayaking and paddleboarding can be more accessible. Once funding is acquired, they’ll present more details.

Zak Kaletsch from the NYC Bird Alliance spoke about the nonprofit organization that works to protect wild bird habitats. They do conservation, community engagement and policy advocacy. They hold about 400 events across the city each year, most of which are free. NYC is home to 350 out of 850 bird species in the country. Locally, they host a NYCHA and Nature program to encourage bird watching around the green spaces surrounding the NYCHA buildings. They’ve also done horseshoe crab monitoring and tagging as their eggs serve as a food source for birds. They’re looking to create more partnerships and programming in the area.

Next was a Housing and Land Use Committee report. A meeting was held April 4 to discuss community benefits for potential upcoming housing projects like 228 Beach 87th Street, 2279 Mott Ave. and possibly Alma’s Surfside project. The Beach 87th project is requesting a rezoning that would allow for a 10-story residential building with 58 units and 3,800 square feet of open space. For community benefits, they discussed the developers funding some projects in the surrounding area of the building and the Hammels. The Mott Ave. project would require a rezoning for a seven-story building. As there is already a lot of density in the area, community benefits were discussed for the developers to fund community projects. The Surfside project would include four additional buildings on the site from Beach 105th to Beach 108th Street at a maximum of 24 stories plus 30,000 square feet of commercial space. The development could have detrimental impacts to the neighborhood, so the committee recommended that they fully oppose the development or develop a community benefits package that helps the immediate area. Orr noted that Alma has not submitted an application for this development to City Planning yet.

Last was a Transportation Committee report. Due to limited time, two items that required action from the board were discussed. The first is a school safety project around the Beach Channel High School/ Scholars’ Academy area. There is a lack of crosswalks and signage, and the median is deteriorated, so the project would address these things. The second is around the Waterside School at Beach 110th Street and Rockaway Beach Blvd. The Waterside project has a slip lane at Beach 110th Street that people have been using to make U-turns, so the project would include eliminating the slip lane, putting in cross walks and making safety improvements to Beach 109th around the Rockaway Hotel. Three parking spots will be eliminated in this redesign. The board voted to send letters of support for the changes.

The last item was for a letter of support for a clock placed on the median of Beach 116th Street, likely near Rogers and Pickles and Pies. The Rockaway Civic Association and area businesses have funding for the project and would maintain it. Construction would be done in the off season. It needs to be presented to the NYC Public Design Commission for approval. The board voted to send a letter of support for the clock.