The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group’s Land Use Committee met on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, at 280 Nevins Street, on the 2nd floor.
CAG Members present:
David Briggs
Rafael Gomez de Luna
Katia Kelly
Louis Kleinman
Hildegaard Link
Amy Motzny
Andrea Parker
Peter Reich
Brad Vogel
Sue Wolfe
Maryann Young
Guests:
Terri Thomson, National Grid
Chris Reynolds, Gowanus Current
Item 1
Peter Reich informed the group about the North Gowanus Visioning Committee’s meeting with Con Ed regarding the disposition of their empty lot on Nevins Street between Butler and Baltic. Con Ed has made it clear that the site is not available for a temporary pool/community center. Within the next year, they will install battery storage infrastructure on site. In about 10 years, as the Gowanus community grows, a substation will be built. Con Ed is considering including an electric-vehicle charging station on site.
Action
Committee agreed that the NGVC should request that Con Ed provide for onsite storm-water retention plus community benefits that benefit the entire neighborhood.
Item 2
Dave Briggs mentioned that he had contacted DEP about considering a hydropower station as part of their retention tunnel proposal. Con Ed expressed interest in this at the NGVC meeting.
Action
NGVC to follow up on this at its next meeting.
Item 3
Amy has set up a Google Doc where people can add their questions about DEP’s retention-tunnel proposal and its impact. Questions raised by the committee during the meeting include the following:
- Can it have more capacity?
- Is the tunnel designed for the full build-out of the Draft Zoning Proposal?
- How will the tunnel impact the Red Hook sewage treatment plant, since some part of the Owl’s Head sewer shed will be redirected?
- Is it possible to locate a temporary pool on the south lot of the original retention-tank site, or on the lot currently occupied by the Eastern Effects studio?
- What is the sequence of construction?
- Can the lot south of the new, smaller head house be mapped as a public park?
- How much staging area is still required?
- What is EPA’s position on the tunnel?
- Can the tunnel be bigger?
- Can onsite blackwater retention be considered to mitigate the impact of the new zoning?
Action
Committee and CAG members will continue to add questions.
Item 4
Committee agreed that Council Members Lander and Levin should be asked to attend the March 26 CAG meeting when DEP and DCP will present to the CAG.
Action
Dave will forward the request to Doug Sarno.