He's Back! The tree waterer!

A NYC contracted tree waterer helps our young trees

Astoria and Norwood Gardens has received so many beautiful newly planted trees. Our tax dollars helped pay for these young saplings. With a little care and attention they will flourish and provide cleaner air, cooling shade during the hot summers and help with rain water run off. Please help them survive. Pick up trash and doggie droppings from your tree pit. Water your tree and fertilize in the fall. It will repay you with beauty throughout the seasons.

Variance Issued On a Saturday??

Residents received no help from DOB on after hour construction week nights and weekends without permits for 2 weeks in May.

However the contractor gets a variance to work until 9 PM on weekdays and 6 PM on the weekends. The variance was issued on Saturday 5/22 when the DOB is closed. How did this happen? Then, Monday night work continued illegally until after 9:30 PM disturbing neighbors.

Save QUEENS Library!

Queens Libraries are an essential part of Astorian's lives: students, young children, business owners, families, seniors, newcomers to America, we all rely on our local branch library to be open for essential access to computers, to conduct research and to enrich lives in crucial and meaningful ways. Budget cuts mean closings and shorter hours of operation. Cutting funds to this vital institution would hit Queens residents hard.

Please sign the Queens Library Petition (link here). If you are able to make a financial contribution to the Queens Library System, no matter how small, please consider how meaningful the library has been in your life and the lives of others.

We must keep them open! Please take a moment and sign to restore funds.

Candidates Forum Monday May 24th!

Sponsored by Long Island City - Astoria Alliance. Come meet the candidates this upcoming Monday. Place: Quinn Building @ 6:30 PM.

Next Tuesday, May 25th @ 2:30 PM the full City Council hearing on the Astoria Rezoning Project will take place at City Hall in the City Council chambers.

While the hearing is not open for public comments we are allowed to observe the hearing from the gallery. As this is an historic occasion and the end of a long, arduous process, 4 or 5 Norwood Neighborhood Association members will be attending.

City Council will vote on the rezoning soon after the hearing and the zoning will be certified the next day. The good news is Astoria should have its new zoning in place by the end of this month if not sooner!

All are welcome, so please come join us!

TURN OUT TO STOP FIREHOUSE CLOSINGS

Press Conference/ Rally Friday, May, 21st, 10 AM Outside of Engine Company 262: 30-89 21st Street Join Council Member Peter F. Vallone Jr., Fire Unions, elected officials and Astoria residents to speak out against firehouse closings outside of FDNY Engine Company 262: 30-89 21st Street

Roof Farm Coming to Astoria!

Exciting News Flash for Astoria residents. Brooklyn Grange is planting a huge one acre rooftop farm right here in Astoria / Long Island City! The farm is on the roof of the Standard Motor Building on Northern Blvd at 38th Street. Fresh picked produce will be available to the public. So stay tuned!

Final Public Hearing Astoria Zoning: 5/17

Important Public Hearing May 17th @ 9:30 AM!

Monday May 17th The New York City Council Subcommittee on Planning will have a public hearing (FINAL PUBLIC HEARING) offering Queens residents a last chance to voice their opinion on the Queens Zoning Proposal. City Council is tentatively scheduled to vote on the zoning changes May 28th.

The City Council hearing room is on the 16th floor of 250 Broadway (across from City Hall).
There is easy train access via the R, W, 4, 5, 6, 2 and 3 train lines.

Norwood Neighborhood Association has been actively working with City Planners and Council Member Vallone on the rezoning impact in their community. We invite interested residents to join us in support of this zoning initiative. NNA will have 2 - 3 representatives attending.

Board of Standards & Appeals Public Hearing re R6 Development

The Board of Standards and Appeals held a Public Hearing on 30-86 36th Street's application for an extension of time to complete foundation and to continue the development of an R6 project on 36th Street in Norwood Gardens.

If the foundation was found not to have been complete and excavated on the day of the zoning change (May 26, 2010) the application will not be granted.

A second hearing re the completeness of the foundation will be held October 26, 2010

Asbestos Removal 36th Street

After brushes with illegal night time asbestos removal at 30-88 36th Street, residents here are relieved to see suited and protected workers removing materials from the roof area of 30-86 36th Street. The asbestos signs that were posted for a day first week of May (see photo below) are no longer up, but at least the hazardous materials are being removed properly and not putting the health of workers, residents and the environment at risk.