Crime, Environment, Zoning Noted By Dutch Kills Civic
BY THOMAS COGAN

Deputy Inspector Vorbeck noted that his report for the past month showed a general increase in the crime rate- but only by a quarter of 1 percent. Felony assault is down by more than one-fifth and grand larceny declined by 5 percent; and while commercial burglaries have become cause for worry (as they have in other precincts, such as the 108th) their occurrence must have been stemmed markedly by a recent inquiry into the activities of two individuals brought in for questioning. An investigation connected them to more than 30 recent local burglaries, and they were arrested.

The May meeting of the Dutch Kills Civic Association began as Brian Beard, new president of the Long Island City Alliance, introduced himself and said he'd like to become better acquainted with the DKCA. It proceeded to a 114th Police Precinct report by Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Paul Vorbeck and inevitably got around to disputes about residential and industrial zoning. Apropos of the latter, May is the month when an environmental impact statement (EIS) on Dutch Kills is due from the Department of City Planning, but as of the night of the meeting, DKCA President Jerry Walsh could only say that he'd been given a promise of sorts that the EIS would be available some time after the middle of the month.

Deputy Inspector Vorbeck noted that his report for the past month showed a general increase in the crime rate- but only by a quarter of 1 percent. Felony assault is down by more than one-fifth and grand larceny declined by 5 percent; and while commercial burglaries have become cause for worry (as they have in other precincts, such as the 108th) their occurrence must have been stemmed markedly by a recent inquiry into the activities of two individuals brought in for questioning. An investigation connected them to more than 30 recent local burglaries, and they were arrested. Another person, picked up at Northern Boulevard and 29th Street, at the edge of Queens Plaza North, was accused of breaking into several parked automobiles in order to steal GPS units. He, like those other two, is currently in Riker's Island. The commander said that another person was picked up in the wake of a report that a commercial van, which had been making cash collections from several local businesses, had been broken into. The detained person was carrying $18,000, and the connection between that and the violated van was promptly made. Vorbeck called his precinct Manhattanlike, with many businesses operating into the early morning hours. Under the circumstances, some of them become crime victims and some harbor criminals or allow criminal behavior to occur. Nightclubs can be problematical. He cited recent difficulties with a place called Liquid, which is now closed, and Club 1 on 34th Avenue between 25th and 26th Streets. When he entertained questions from the audience he heard a familiar complaint: that livery cars are taking up parking spaces beside parking meters, forcing drivers of private vehicles into double-parking situations that leave them wide open for ticketing that currently costs $115 for each violation. The commander promised a crackdown on the limo drivers. He also promised he would be at as many of the DKCA's monthly meetings as it is possible to attend.

Beard said he lives north of Dutch Kills in Astoria, which is full of towering concepts- 30-story apartment projects, for instance, promoted aggressively by developers claiming they are preparing the way for the million or so people who will be adding to New York's population by 2030- a growth trend he, for one, doesn't believe is going to happen. He was at the meeting to see what he'd heard was happening in the neighborhood to the south. Walsh told him and the rest of the meeting that the DKCA fights for the residents of Dutch Kills and that the commercial interests must look after themselves. Attorney Eric Palatnik formed the Dutch Kills Coalition to promote the industrialists' interests. At the April DKCA meeting he said that not only were the commercial interests being diminished by the zoning plan advanced by residential interests, but also that those of residents also faced serious diminution. Ostensibly the new zoning would give residents the power to develop their properties in a way denied to them for more than 45 years- but, he said, those with detached houses would find that with refurbishment or replacement of their houses they would be subject to side yard requirements of four feet on either side that would reduce house width by eight feet, or typically from 25 feet to 17. Despite being accused of distorting the facts and misleading people, Palatnik repeated his jeremiad for two consecutive weeks, in the ad that ran in the Gazette's April 16 and April 23 editions. At the May meeting, Walsh called the ad a "scare tactic". Palatnik insisted he was not being adversarial. He also expressed disappointment, if not surprise, that his consultation in late March with John Young, Queens commissioner for the Department of City Planning, had not led to any of the feedback he said Young had promised to convey. Government, he concluded, is not working with us, and that is something DKCA should keep in mind if it believes it can put its trust in City Planning. Walsh said he could only wait hopefully for the environmental impact statement. He said that next month's meeting, the last before the summer vacation, was supposed to include a year-end party- but when the time comes, wine, cheese and sandwiches might have to give way to another evening of reports about zoning and hotel construction, by then perhaps enhanced with an EIS.

Walsh had some good financial news for the organization. DKCA had been granted $4,000 from City Councilmember Eric Gioia's office, to be spent on maintenance of Dutch Kills Park at 36th Avenue and Crescent Street. Another grant of $1,000 came in from Assemblymember Catherine Nolan's office. On Saturday, May 17 from 10 am to 2 p.m., the DKCA will conduct its annual cleanup of Dutch Kills Park.