STAY OFF THE ROOF

Mary Arnold of Glendale shows a picture of a graffiti-covered train car taken from the Fresh Pond Railyard during last Wednesday’s Community Board 5 meeting. Arnold and another Glendale resident, Mary Parisen, are behind a campaign seeking environmental improvements around the railyard and the community. Residents and neighbors of a Maspeth apartment building came out in force to last Wednesday’s Community Board 5 meeting in Middle Village to condemn plans by a wireless communications company to install six cell phone antennas atop the structure.

During the Oct. 14 session at Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village, the advisory body also heard appeals from Glendale residents advocating for environmental improvements in and around the community, specifically the area near the Fresh Pond Railyard.

Fahad Kamaneh, director of service solutions for Amirit Technologies, explains the application submitted by MetroPCS communications to install six cell phone panel antennas atop a Maspeth apartment building during last Wednesday’s Community Board 5 meeting at Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village. (photos: Robert Pozarycki) Homeowners living near a Middle Village restaurant also voiced complaints regarding the eatery’s alleged use of a wood-burning stove, which they claimed has created black smoke and soot that has affected their health and well-being.

No room for more antennas Fahad Kamaneh, director of serv- ice solutions for Amirit Technologies, began the public hearing by claiming that the cell phone towers were necessary to help wireless communications provider MetroPCS resolve a coverage gap in the Maspeth and Woodside area.

During a study of its cell phone service around the New York City metropolitan area, Kamaneh stated that the company determined that its customers could not receive a signal for a number blocks in the neighborhood. The firm began looking for possible sites for cell phone towers to boost service.

The 65th Place apartment house proved to be an ideal location, Kamaneh stated, since it is considered to be the tallest building in the area. The special permit for the transmitter— which is being sought through the New York City Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA)—is needed since the building currently houses three other cell phone antennas operated by Verizon, Sprint/Nextel and the city’s 911 system, respectively.

MetroPCS has previously installed cell phone transmitters and related equipment atop buildings in the surrounding area, including along 51st Avenue and 67th Street, Kamaneh added.

“Once this [new antenna] is approved and turned on, it will close the coverage gap,” he said. “Any customer traveling in the vicinity of this building [does] not have coverage right now.”

It was noted that MetroPCS would be paying the owner of the building—Jangla Realty Corp.— monthly rent to use the rooftop space for the cell phone panels as well as a room inside the structure to house equipment.

Board 5 members expressed concern with the number of cell phone antennas being installed in residential areas of Maspeth and other communities. They also charged that the 65th Place site could not handle any additional cell phone panels.

Manny Caruana observed that cell phone companies are continuing to request space for antennas around residential neighborhoods. In 2007, Omnipoint Communications (d.b.a. T-Mobile) came to Board 5 with a BSA application seeking approval for the installation of a cell phone antenna atop a home on 72nd Place in Maspeth; the BSA subsequently approved the application last December despite community opposition.

“You’re intruding into residential areas more and more,” Caruana said. “As much as you can assure that they’re safe, not many are believing you.” The Maspeth resident claimed that a number of studies have found that similar cell phone antennas have been found to emit radiofrequency (RF) levels that are not in compliance with federal regulations.

“You’re going to go to the BSA and get a rubber stamp” for the application, Caruana added. “But you’re not wanted here.”

Kathy Masi noted that several apartments in the 65th Place building were damaged in a two-alarm fire last December. She quoted a Fire Department report on the blaze which the board obtained that indicated that the FDNY’s response to the blaze was “hampered because of the presence of cell phone equipment.”

“The last thing we want to do is add more cell phone towers to a dangerous situation,” Masi said.

Bob Toms, an engineer working on the 65th Place project, observed that “the other carriers were irresponsible” with their rooftop equipment, adding that “our installation will be much cleaner.” He stated that MetroPCS would meet regulations in the recently-revised New York City fire code, which mandate ample access to rooftops for firefighters.

Tenants of the 65th Place apartment house railed against the cell phone tower plan as well as the landlord, whom they claimed has failed to adequately maintain the building in recent years.

“We can’t put on a hair dryer and a blender without blowing a fuse,” said Susan Kohl, a lifelong resident of the building who charged that the building is improperly wired and that the company which owns the structure has failed to adequately maintain public spaces.

Kohl also questioned why the city would permit the installation of cell phone towers atop residential buildings when it prohibits companies from placing them on the roofs of schools.

Candida Baez presented a petition signed by 31 residents of the 60 apartments in the structure in opposition to the antenna installation plan. Many of the building’s original tenants, she said, moved out over the years as the landlord has failed to properly maintain the building.

“We tried to balance the pros and cons of installing the antennas, and we want to know if there’s any benefits for us,” she stated.

Paul Pereira noted that the tenants were informed at a prior meeting that only two or three antennas would be installed by MetroPCS, which is fewer than the number requested in their BSA application.

“They don’t even know how many antennas they’ll put in,” he said, adding that “the building is making a lot of money, and they can’t fix” his broken mailbox.

Community activist Anthony Nunziato charged that the community would not “open our arms” for another cell phone tower, urging all residents to stand against the plan.

“Let them share one antenna” rather than install new ones, he said. “Enough is enough.”

The chairperson of the board’s Land Use Committee, Walter Sanchez, said the panel will form a resolution for or against the cell antenna plan at their Nov. 2 meeting. The resolution will be voted on by Board 5 at their Nov. 18 meeting.

Train troubles

Idling and coupling trains along the CSX rail line through Middle Village have caused early wake up calls for residents living nearby, according to a neighbor, Anthony Pedalino.

He told the advisory body that trains have been hauling containers full of garbage along the line between 4 and 6 a.m. daily. At times, he claimed, locomotives have been observed idling for 30 to 35 minutes and/or loudly coupling with other train cars.

“The thumping noise penetrates the house,” Pedalino said. “You cannot sleep.” He urged local elected officials and the community board to take action that would change CSX’s operations along the line.

Two residents of Glendale, Mary Arnold and Mary Parisen, once again put forth their plan to clean up trash around the Fresh Pond Railyard and to make other environmental improvements around the neighborhood.

“There’s one standard for property owners, and there’s another for the railroad, and their standard is lower,” said Arnold, who displayed photos of debris lining the sidewalks and property around the railyard as well as graffiti on train cars.

The rail line itself is also in need of maintenance, Arnold said, She pointed out that the railroad overpass carrying the Long Island Rail Road’s Bay Ridge line over 65th Street has deteriorated to the point where concrete rebars are visible. Additionally, numerous dead trees line the right-ofway of the rail line along Otto Road and Central Avenue.

Parisen noted that diesel locomotives continue to idle for lengthy periods of time at the railyard, creating “toxic emissions” and fumes on surrounding blocks in Glendale. Noting that the smoke has been found to contain carcinogens, she noted that three people on her block—including herself— contracted the same type of cancer.

“There is money out there allocated by the government to upgrade” and replace the diesel engines with hybrid locomotives, she said. “It’s time for our railroad in our backyard to get an upgrade.”

Arnold and Parisen called on the community to come together to find ways to resolve these problems.

Smoke gets in their eyes, lungs

Residents living near a restaurant on Juniper Boulevard North near 69th Place in Middle Village charged that the eatery’s wood-burning stove is creating black smoke which stings their eyes and lungs and dirties their blinds.

Lillian Anderson told the board that the smoke coming from the stove operated by La Bella Cucina has made it difficult for neighbors to breathe while venturing outside and has left soot lining their blinds and windows. Those claims were supported by Bernice McCormack, who charged that the stove is in operation constantly from 10 a.m. through the night.

District Manager Gary Giordano noted that the community board, upon receiving complaints about the stove, reached out to the Department of Environmental Protection, which sent inspectors to look into the situation. The DEP informed Giordano that the proprietors were issued an Environmental Control Board violation.

The district manager urged residents living near the site to call 311 and Board 5 if the operation of the smoke continues.

Committee votes, Miller

At the request of the board’s Health and Human Services Committee, the advisory body approved a resolution calling on the city and state to reopen three shuttered medical centers in Queens—St. John’s, Mary Immaculate and Parkway hospitals— in the event of a widespread H1N1 flu epidemic in the borough.

The board also approved a recommendation by the Zoning and Land Use Committee calling on the owner of a residential building at 78- 46 79th Pl. in Glendale to dismantle the structure in order to meet current zoning requirements.

Sanchez said the home was built according to a self-certified plan drafted under outdated zoning regulations.

Newly-elected Assemblyman Mike Miller thanked the advisory body for working with him while he served as a board member. He noted that his staff is out in the community ready to assist residents with any issue they have.

Demolition notices

Arcuri informed the public that Board 5 has received demolition notices for the following locations:

• 66-54 Gray St. in Middle Village;

• 64-04 Pleasantview St. in Middle Village;

• 85-19 60th Ave. in Middle Village;

• 84-26 Dana Ct. in Middle Village (garage only); and,

• 62-83 60th St. in Ridgewood.

Board 5 members were reminded to keep a careful eye on activities at each site and to report any suspicious construction or demolition work immediately.

Liquor licenses

The chairperson also announced that the community board has received the following liquor license applications for review:

• A new liquor license for Cascada Café II Inc., d.b.a. Curry Spot, 675A Seneca Ave. in Ridgewood;

• A new liquor license for Nest Coffee Shop Inc., 66-32 Forest Ave. in Ridgewood;

• A new liquor license for Inbing Inc., for a business to be determined, 60-63/65 Flushing Ave. in Maspeth (the applicant is transferring the liquor license from Reilly’s Pub);

• A liquor license renewal for Exotic Seafood, d.b.a. Tropical 3 restaurant, 62-27 Fresh Pond Rd. in Middle Village;

• A liquor license renewal for Dromore West, d.b.a. Teedee’s Tavern, 64-31 Cooper Ave. in Glendale;

• A liquor license renewal for Woodhaven Blvd. Rest. Inc., d.b.a. Woodhaven House, 63-98 Woodhaven Blvd. in Rego Park;

• A liquor license renewal for Ero’s Café and Bar Inc., 66-28 Forest Ave. in Ridgewood;

• A wine and/or beer license renewal for Floral Park Food Inc., d.b.a. Joe and John Pizzeria Restaurant, 59-10 Myrtle Ave. in Ridgewood; and,

• A wine and/or beer license renewal for Uvarara Ltd., d.b.a. Uvarara, 79-28 Metropolitan Ave. in Middle Village.

Those who wish to comment on any of the above applications may do so by calling Board 5’s Glendale office at the number listed below.

The next Community Board 5 meeting will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Christ the King Regional High School, located at 68-02 Metropolitan Ave. in Middle Village. For more information, call the board’s Glendale office 1-718-366-1834 during normal business hours.