Two Info sessions for Court Smith BID's creation

A new Business Improvement District is in the works for Court & Smith Streets. How's it work? First, a group of local property owners, commercial tenants, and residents come together and set up an organization (the steering committee) which then draft the district plan. The second phase is to document local support. When enough local support has been demonstrated, the BID formation moves into the final, legislative phase. Right now the Court-Smith BID is nearing the end of phase two.

Next week there will be two events providing more information on the BID that will review the plan and answer any questions people might have. If interested in attending, check out of the sessions listed below. Both meetings are informal - people can show up whenever they want and have a drink on the steering committee's tab.

Tuesday, 2/24

@ 61 Local 

11a-12p

Thursday, 2/26

@ Angry Wade's

5p-7p

You can learn more about the proposed BID here: http://www.courtsmithbid.com

MoveNY final plan unveiled

This Thursday, February 16th, the Cobble Hill Association joins many other groups from Brooklyn and beyond in supporting a town hall forum on the developing MoveNY traffic/transit plan. Today, the final version of the plan was officially announced and it has already garnered tremendous support. Read some of the press highlights linked below for more background, and join on Thursday to hear more in person and get your own questions answered.

• Push made to add toll that charges drivers on East River bridges and cuts congestion (NYDN)
• Tolls on NYC East River Bridges Would Help Reap $1.5 Billion (Bloomberg)
• Transit guru bringing congestion pricing back (amNY)
• A ‘finalized’ congestion pricing proposal, purposefully timed (CapNY)
• Group Seeks New Tolls in Manhattan to Pay for Region’s Transportation Needs(NYT)

Save transit, End Traffic: a Bold new Plan

Last fall the Cobble Hill Association invited transportation advocates to the general meeting to present their Move NY plan, a proposal to increase fairness across the city's bridge tolls but reduce vehicle congestion. The plan was well received and soon after the CHA executive board officially endorsed it. Now, ten other nearby civic groups have endorsed it too and together we are all sponsoring a Town Hall style forum for former Department of Transition Commissioner Sam Schwartz to present it before a larger audience on February 19th. See the flyer above and join your neighbors to learn more about this potential plan that could benefit drivers and straphangers alike.

Public Forum on The MOVE NY Fair Plan
Thursday, February 19th
6-8pm
30 3rd Ave (YWCA at Atlantic Avenue)

Learn and talk about:
Reducing congestion in downtown and brownstone Brooklyn
Modernizing and expanding the transit system
Fixing our roads and bridges

This informational meeting is sponsored by:
Community Boards 2, 6, and 8
The Brooklyn Heights Association
The Boerum Hill Association
The Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association
The Cobble Hill Association
The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership
The Fort Greene Association
Fulton Area Businesses
The Park Slope Civic Council
Park Slope Neighbors
The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council

76th Precinct welcomes new commanding officer

New CO of the 76th, Natalie Maldonado

Every month we encourage residents to attend the 76th Precinct Community Council Meeting. February's meeting will take place tomorrow night, Tuesday, February 3, 2015, 7:30 PM, at the 76th Precinct Station House, located at 191 Union Street, between Henry Street and Hicks Street. At this meeting, we say farewell to Captain Justin Lenz and welcome the new Commanding Officer of the 76th Precinct, Captain Natalie Maldonado.

Captain Natalie Maldonado had been the commanding officer of Transit Division 32, which covers all of the subway stations in Crown Heights and its immediate surroundings, since April of 2014. Captain Justin Lenz had been leading the 76th since the fall of 2013. To review some of his stellar work, read the Red Hook Star Revue's in depth article on him from last fall.