Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 10:25:44 -0400 (EDT) From: rosaphil <rugosa-AT-interport.net> Subject: community-garden lawsuits: NRDC SUES MAYOR GUILIANI AND THE CITY OF NEW YORK (fwd) yet another reason not to buy the perks and resources of office that guiliani is selling off to finance his senatorial/vice-dictator campaigns. ya kan pay the baksheesh, but ya might still not be able to take posession of the public lands and parks rudy promises ya for it. nature lovers of nys and of the usa, take heed. +********** Snail me yer rosehips if you liked this post! ************ *Better Living Thru Better Living!* http://www.interport.net/~rugosa * ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 23:03:59 -0400 From: Rachel Treichler <treichler-AT-ecobooks.com> To: nygreens-l-AT-lists.rpi.edu Subject: NRDC SUES MAYOR GUILIANI AND THE CITY OF NEW YORK NRDC SUES MAYOR GUILIANI AND THE CITY OF NEW YORK: Joins With Green Guerrillas, Borough Presidents Golden and Ferrer, Senator Sampson, Community Boards and Gardeners to Stop May 13 auction of 115 Community Gardens New York (May 4, 1999) - In a [100-page] complaint served today, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and a coalition of elected officials, advocacy organizations, community boards and gardeners charged Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, the City of New York, and various city agencies with violating City and State law in its rush to sell over 100 community gardens on May 13. Failure to conduct environmental and land use review of the115 community gardens to be auctioned this month, has prompted NRDC and other environmental advocacy groups to sue the fore mentioned parties. "The City has absolutely failed to fulfill even the most basic environmental, land use and public process requirements in its rush to pave over some of the City's paradise," said Richard Kassel, a senior attorney at NRDC. "Hopefully, it's not too late to stop the auction and come up with a better idea." New York City is home to over 750 community gardens. 115 of the gardens are slated for auction to the highest bidder on May 13. Together, these gardens cover 13 acres of land, providing places to relax, plant flowers and vegetables, meet with friends, and receive horticultural education. Including exhibits, the 500-page complaint alleges that the City failed to comply with City and State laws that require the completion of an environmental impact statement prior to any sale of property that is likely to have a significant environmental or community impact or that is over 10 acres in aggregate size. NRDC also alleges that the City violated its own regulations governing procedures for the sale of City land (governed by the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure or "ULURP") and that the City sidestepped City Charter provisions that require review, recommendations and actions by the affected Community Boards, Borough Presidents and City Council. Many of the gardens have been in use for over a decade; the first garden was established in 1973. In most cases, the early gardeners found these lots strewn with rubble, garbage, dead animals, and drug paraphernalia. In time, these gardeners—and other community gardeners—converted these lots into green oases. These new community gardens often served as an anchor for their residents who were desperately seeking to revitalize and reclaim their civic pride and community spirit after years of public and private disinvestment and urban neglect. "This case is really about the future of community-based open space in New York City, said Richard Kassel. "New York should follow the lead of Boston, Chicago and other cities that are protecting community gardens from development. The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 400,000 members nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco. More information on NRDC is available through its website, at www.nrdc.org.
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