NYCkayaker Randall's Island Waterpark Rejected by NYSDEC

[rob buchanan]

Hey, harry, that's a great development! Congrats on all your hard work, and
let's all try to stay on top of this and keep it from sprouting another
head.

Rob


On 8/15/07 3:00 PM, "Harry J. Bubbins" <carrotjuice at friendsofbrookpark.org>
wrote:

>  
> 
> 
> Randall's Island Waterpark and Private Beach Club Rejected by NYSDEC
> 
> Community Advocates Celebrate Protection of Public Parkland
> 
> Contact:
> 
> Robert Jereski 212 973 1782, mutualaid at earthlink dot net
> Harry J. Bubbins, 646.206.5288  information at friendsofbrookpark.org
> 
> 
> Community advocates are celebrating that they have discovered the NYS
> Department of Environmental Conservation has rejected the permit application
> submitted to develop a controversial "waterpark" and private beach club on
> Randall's Island.
> 
> In response to a Freedom of Information Law request, the litigation team of
> NYC Environmental Law Project ( www.nyenvirolaw.org) unearthed a document
> labeled "Confidential-Not for Release" that rejected the application
> completed by Tim Miller Associates (www.timmillerassociates.com) and
> submitted on behalf of the Aquatic Development Group.
> 
> Already beset by another lawsuit filed by Norman Siegal on behalf of public
> school parents and students, the latest blow to the development plans for
> Randall's Island means that more public involvement will be necessary to
> garner the political support needed to revamp the park in the public
> interest.
> 
> "We commend the DEC for recognizing that the private beach club would impact
> substantially on state regulated wetlands."  said Robert Jereski, a lifelong
> user of Randall's Island. "With the recent storms that overburdened our
> infrastructure, we can't allow this kind of development on our wetlands
> anymore." Mr. Jereski continued.
> 
> "Besides destroying the waterfront with a roadway, the permit sought a
> variance from the required minimization of impervious surfaces along the
> river's edge. There has never been such a dramatic variance that would allow
> over half of the project site to be paved or built, rather than the 15%
> maximum allowed." said Harry Bubbins, Director of Friends of Brook Park,
> advocates for greater public involvement in a master plan for Randall's
> Island modeled on the Governor's Island input process.
> 
> According to the NYSDEC website pertaining to project number:
> 
> A determination is expected by August 17th, 2007.
> 
> 
> ------ End of Forwarded Message
> 
> 
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