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May 26, 2005
Democracy Inaction
NoLandGrab Exclusive report from outside today's public hearing
While its proponents tout Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards proposal as the best thing to hit Brooklyn since Jackie Robinson, they sure seem to go out of their way to minimize public scrutiny of the project.
Dozens of citizens hoping to testify - both pro and con - at today's hastily arranged City Council Economic Development Committee hearing on the Atlantic Yards were turned away at the door, ostensibly due to a lack of space in the meeting room. However, given the passionate debate the project has engendered, those turned away voiced surprise that the Council would hold the hearings in an inadequately sized forum.
"It's problematic that a public hearing can be scheduled on short notice and in such a small room for an important issue," remarked Fort Greene resident and architect Doug Hamilton.
Forest City Ratner employees distributed "Jobs, Housing & Hoops" buttons and T-shirts to supporters of the proposed arena and high-rise development, including one union member sporting a "Lake Success Teamsters" jacket (stretching the concept of local job creation to a place best described as Very East Brooklyn).
Opponents of the Ratner proposal heckled the arrival of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, making a rare sojourn from his home borough.
"Marty will only leave Brooklyn for two things: his annual all-you-can-eat Caribbean cruise, and Bruce Ratner," said Eric McClure, one of those turned away from the Council hearing.
Posted by lumi at May 26, 2005 11:12 PM