June 21, 2025​ 

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ALERT:

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DCA COURT HEARING SCHEDULED FOR JULY 8TH HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

 

Notice of Court Hearing

on

DCA Lawsuit Against

the Mayor’s City of Yes Plan

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This is a Crucial notice regarding the upcoming court date concerning the legal matter involving the City of Yes.

Details of the court appearance below:

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Court Date and Location

• Date: July 8, 2025

• Time: 10am

• Location: 26 Central Ave. (St. George) Staten Island, NY 10301 - right next to ferry skip

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Additional Instructions

• Must arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time to allow for check-in procedures.

Failure by you to appear at the designated time and place may result in the City of Yes plan to go into effect and DESTROY OUR HOMES as the presiding judge needs to see over-whelming Citywide opposition to the Mayor’s plan.  Please take this matter seriously and act and save your home; it’s up to you and you alone.

 

DANGEROUS CONDITIONS AND NO MORE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

     ·    Housing would become extremely dense.

 

     ·    Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) potentially cause fires and release dangerous fumes; do not belong in residential areas. 

 

     ·   NYPD, FDNY, Emergency Services such as EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians), schools and hospitals are already strained and understaffed.

 

·   SROs (single room occupancy apartments) and basement apartments are unsafe, unsanitary, and deadly. ADUs (accessory dwelling units) such as backyard and attic apartments would exacerbate crowded living conditions.

 

· Infrastructure for utilities and sewer systems cannot handle dramatic increase in population.  

 

· NYC’s mass transit system is already inadequate, and unprepared for significant population increases. 

 

·   Department of Buildings is not sufficiently staffed to monitor or enforce building codes.

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A quick reminder to everyone: the legal action that we have taken to file this massive lawsuit – the largest land use litigation in over 60 years in New York City – is not over. It is critical for continued financial support to bring this action to a successful conclusion. If your organization or association has not donated to the cause yet, please do so; if it has, please consider donating more. Support from individuals is always welcome as well.

Donate to Legal Fund

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Queens Civic Congress P.O. Box 604957 Bayside, N.Y. 11360 Please put "City of Yes Legal Fund" in the memo)

or

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-our-fight-against-nyc-city-of-yes-rezoning

 

Note: These Donations are not tax deductible.

 

June 16, 2025​ 

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MTA Kicks Off Customer Ambassador Program Ahead of Queens Bus Network Redesign Phase 1 Launch

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Customer Ambassador Program to Run from

June 16 to July 12;

Phase 1 to Launch Sunday, June 29

MTA to Staff Key Bus Stop Locations to Assist Riders With Questions on Upcoming Changes

 

Good Afternoon:

 

The first phase of the new Queens bus network launches on June 29!

 

To help communities prepare, we have developed several tools and informational brochures to help riders learn about their trip options in the new network. The outreach materials linked below are also available online.

 

Queens Corridor and Neighborhood Brochures:

 

• College Point 

• Elmhurst, Corona, and Rego Park 

• Flushing, Auburndale, and Fresh Meadows

• Forest Hills and Kew Gardens

• Hillside Av

• Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst

• Long Island City and Astoria

• Merrick Blvd

• Ridgewood

• Rockaways

• South Jamaica

• South Ozone Park

• Union Turnpike

• Utopia, Jewel Av, and Queensborough Community College

• Whitestone, Beechhurst, Bay Terrace, and Bayside

• Woodhaven and Cross Bay Blvds

• Woodhaven and East New York

• Express buses

 

 

General informational brochures:

 

• English

• Bengali

• Chinese

• Hatian Creole

• Korean

• Russian

• Spanish

 

The MTA has also developed several tools to help riders learn about their trip options in the new network. Riders are encouraged to:

• Check out your new trip options using the trip planner on mta.info or in the MTA App. Search for a date June 29 or after to see summertime travel options following the Phase 1 implementation of the new network. 

• Visit mta.info/queensbus to learn about new travel options.

• • The new route look-up tool lets the user select any bus route from a drop-down menu to see the latest information on their specific route(s), when the route will be changing and links to additional detailed information. The route look-up tool works with “Google Translate,” which enables riders to read information on their specific route(s) in their preferred language and can be found at the bottom of the web page.   

  • For personalized preview of your trip options when the full new network is implemented in September, use the future trip planning tool.

  • The Project Phasing Guide shows when every route is changing at a glance.

  • Map lovers can preview the new network with Remix, an interactive web-based mapping tool that enables riders to see if and how their route changes in the new network.

• Stay up to date on service changes and subscribe to receive service alerts for your current Queens bus routes. The MTA will email or text you service changes, as they happen, as well as reminders when routes are changing this summer. You can also sign up to receive alerts for subway, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad services, and escalators and elevators at https://mta.info/notify.  

• For live rider support, chat with us in the MTA App or call 511.

 

Please help us help your community and constituents learn about these changes by sharing the resources listed above.

 

Lastly, our Customer Ambassador program kicks-off on Monday, June 16. More details about the program are available below.

 

Thanks for riding with us!

 

Cate Contino  

Director, Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives  

Government & Community Relations  

Metropolitan Transportation Authority   

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) today announced it will launch a Customer Ambassador Program on Monday, June 16 for Phase 1 of the Queens Bus Network Redesign to raise awareness of the upcoming changes and ensure riders are prepared for the implementation of the updated network. The outreach program will continue through Sunday, July 12 and will have covered 140 Phase 1 locations over the course of four weeks. MTA employees will begin staffing key bus stops to help customers navigate the new network, with some additional support provided by New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) employees. The first phase of the plan encompasses nearly 70% of the plan’s changes and will launch on Sunday, June 29.

“Our past Customer Ambassador programs have been incredibly successful in raising awareness of upcoming changes and how the project aims to provide better, more reliable bus service through a modernized network,” said New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “It also reassures riders that we are committed to making the transition to the new network as seamless as possible, with the opportunity to engage in-person with a staff member.”

The Queens Bus Network Redesign is a historic effort to transform the nearly 70-year-old bus system with updates to both express and local bus service to better match the growth and travel patterns the borough has seen over the years. The bus service improvement plan will bring new and improved transit service to New York City’s largest borough boasting over 800,000 daily riders. This project touches nearly every route in Queens, resulting in one of the most comprehensive service changes in MTA history – and a comprehensive community outreach process to match it. The Redesign team worked iteratively over the last six years to develop and refine proposals that better meet rider needs, modernize service, and improve operations for the MTA workforce. After an extensive outreach process of over 250 events, including a public hearing, and more than 18,000 comments, the final version of the Queens Bus Network Redesign was approved by the MTA Board on January 29, 2025.

The final plan includes a total of 124 routes (vs 113 existing): 94 local routes, and 30 express routes. Phase 1 will launch on Sunday, June 29 and Phase 2 will launch Sunday, August 31. The Customer Ambassador Program will return for the launch of Phase 2. To find out if and when a specific route will change, visit the Project Phasing Guide or the Route Look-Up Tool, which allows customers to select any bus route from a drop-down menu to see when the route will be changing and links to additional detailed information. The route look-up tool also works with Google Translate, which enables customers to read information about their specific route(s) in their preferred language.

The project webpage is home to all plan materials and resourceful links, including the Trip Planner. The MTA will keep customers informed before, during, and after each phase of implementation via social media, advertisements, email and SMS alerts. Customers should sign up for MTA service alerts to receive real-time information and updates about their bus routes.The MTA’s notification system makes it easy for customers to sign up for alerts specific to their trip and allows riders to configure date and time restrictions.

 

 

June 5, 2025​ 

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JUNE WEEKEND MTA DISRUPTIONS

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June weekend disruptions resulting from the MTA's "rehabilitation of the Little Neck Parkway crossing."

From the MTA:
"LIRR service between Bayside and Port Washington will be suspended during this weekend, Friday June 6th – Monday June 9th and again the weekend of Friday, June 20th – Monday, June 23rd, from approximately 10:30PM Friday through 4AM Monday. This outage supports two major infrastructure projects [including] the rehabilitation of the Little Neck Parkway crossing.
 
The Little Neck Parkway crossing will be fully closed from 10PM Friday to 3AM Monday during both weekends. However, it’s possible the crossing may re-open earlier than scheduled if work is completed ahead of time. To maintain access for the roughly 200 homes north of the Little Neck station, traffic will be rerouted via 39th Avenue, which will operate as a one-way alternating flow with support from MTAPD officers at both ends. A grappler truck equipped with a road plate will be stationed north of the tracks to provide emergency vehicles access within 10 to 15 minutes, if needed. Additionally, the “quiet zone” will be suspended during the interim period between work weekends, meaning train horns will sound more frequently, in accordance with federal safety regulations.

To support commuters during this service disruption, buses will replace trains between Bayside and Port Washington from 10:30PM Friday through 4AM Monday on both weekends. Bus service will operate in two zones: Zone 1 will serve all stations between Bayside and Great Neck ... The last train before service is suspended will depart at 9:49PM from Grand Central and 10:38PM from Port Washington on Friday nights. Regular train service will resume early Monday mornings, with the first departures at 3:17AM from Penn Station and 5:07AM from Port Washington."
 

 

May 19, 2025​ 

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E NEWSLETTER MAY 2025

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1. The DCA along with over 100 civics and individuals filed its citywide lawsuit against the mayor’s City of Yes (CofY) in Staten Island under index number 85065/2025. Oral arguments will take place on July 8th  in Staten Island. For those who contributed to the litigation fund, Thank You, to those who have not as yet contributed please consider doing so as a small investment to protect your home investment.Payments can be made via check or Pay Pal with the designation for “CofY litigation fund.”

2. We discovered that the first phase of the CofY changed the limitation of battery storage to commercial zones to now permitting battery storage in all residential zones. Lithium batteries are highly toxic and in a fire difficult to extinguish. There is no need to allow large storage facilities in residential zones. We are currently looking with other civics litigation to prevent this dangerous condition.

3. NY City composting rules have been suspended pending further discussions. You may still continue to put composting garbage out for collection on recycle day. We recommend that you continue to recycle as we expect the rules to be reinstated but with lower penalty costs.

4. Thank you to the hundreds of members who paid their 2025 DCA dues of $25. If you have not sent in your dues, please take a moment to do so by check or Pay Pal.

5. As the primary election approaches, we are monitoring which candidates have our interests at heart and not the interests of big real estate. We do not endorse candidates for elective office as a civic association but we can and will tell you whose public positions are contrary to positions our civic have taken. DCA has opposed the mayor’s CofYAll the current mayoral candidates have endorsed in principle the mayor’s CofY except for Curtis Sliwa who is 100% opposed; Andrew Cuomo is changing positions so we can’t comment on him as this point. Our two current council members, Linda Lee and Vickie Paladino voted against the CofY.We hope this information will be in part helpful in making your decisions on election day

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April 11, 2025​ 

 

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Curbside Composting is Mandatory

Enforcement begins April 1, 2025

 

ALL NYC residents are required to separate food scraps, food-soiled paper, or yard waste from trash.

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As of April 1, 2025, property owners may receive a fine if compostable material is not separated from trash.

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What to Compost

ALL leaf and yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper. This includes:

• ALL leaf and yard waste, including flowers and Christmas trees

• ALL food scraps, including meat, bones, shells, and dairy

• Prepared and cooked foods

• Greasy uncoated paper plates and pizza boxes

• Products certified or labeled compostable.

DO NOT compost trash such as wrappers, pet waste, medical waste, diapers, foam, personal, or hygiene products.

DO NOT compost metal glass, plastic, cartons, clean paper, or cardboard.

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How to Compost

ALL leaf and yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper in a labeled bin with a secure lid or in your DSNY brown bin.

• Bins must be 55 gallons or less with a secure lid. Line with a clear plastic, paper, or compostable bag to help keep it clean.

• Extra leaf and yard waste can be put in a paper lawn and leaf bag or clear plastic bag.

• Twigs and branches can be bundled with twine and placed next to bins and bags.

 

Use your DSNY brown bin or purchase one at www.bins.nyc.  You can also use any labeled bin (55 gallons or less) with a secure lid. If using your own bin, order a free composting bin decal.

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Storage Area

Owners and property managers of buildings with 4 or more units must provide a designated storage area with clearly labeled compost bins. Learn more about composting in larger buildings.

 

CLick on this link to be directed to the NYC.Gov curbside composting website

https://www.nyc.gov/site/dsny/collection/residents/curbside-composting.page

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Click on this link to listen to a webinar video regarding composting

Curbside Composting Webinar (2024)

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February 15, 2025​ 

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Queens Bus Re-Design Project

Summary by Barbara Linton

 

Impact of the Project to our Area

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Stops eliminated on the Q12 Bus Line

• Eliminating stops will save 20 seconds for each stop eliminated, by the MTA’s own admission. Not worth it, if it makes access to public transportation more difficult for our elderly and disabled neighbors

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Elimination of the QM3 Express Bus to Midtown Manhattan

• Alternative transit options proposed by the MTA are either more costly or more time consuming.

• Eliminating this option to get to Midtown Manhattan will result in more folks driving to the LIRR stations, Northern, or beyond.In Douglaston, we’re already challenged with commuters coming from further East on the Port Washington line who park here to pay a lower fare.They spill out into the neighborhood, and parking becomes challenging for residents.

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DCA Activities

• Spoke at several meetings hosted by the MTA throughout the year.

• Posted comments to the MTA website explaining our objections.

• Contacted the office of Councilwoman Vicky Paladino, expressing our concerns.Spoke at meeting facilitated by her office, and attended by the MTA, again objecting to this project.

• Info-shared at Doug-Bay Civic meeting, to raise awareness of the issue.

• Presented our case to CB11. The Board voted against supporting the proposal put forth by the MTA.

• Spoke against the project at in-person meeting hosted by the MTA, at Queens Borough Hall, sponsored by the Queens Borough President’s office.

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Outcome

The MTA Board approved the Queens Bus Re-Design Plan on 1/29/25.  Implementation will roll out in two phases, June 2025 and August 2025.

 

 

January 24, 2025​ 

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P.S. 98 SPRING BENEFIT:

"A STARRY NIGHT" FUND RAISER

 

Dear Community Members,
As a Blue Ribbon Award-winning school, P.S. 98 is a cornerstone of the Douglaston community, attracting
families who prioritize academic excellence and enriching learning opportunities.

We invite you to support our annual Spring 2025 Benefit, “A Starry Night,” on April 4, 2025, to celebrate
P.S. 98's excellence. This vibrant evening will feature:

● Cocktail reception with appetizers
● Dinner, Drinks and Dessert
● DJ and dancing
● Silent auction and raffle prizes

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CLICK HERE to read the logistics and ways your contributions can support this event.

 

For questions: Contact the P.S. 98 PTA Spring Gala Planning Committee (eventspta@ps98pta.com)

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January 3, 2025​ 

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CITY OF YES FOR HOUSING OPPORTUNITY - COMPARISON CHARTS

 

The City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal was passed in December, 2024. CLICK HERE  to read the changes imposed on our Communities by the City Planning Commission and the City Council - charts prepared by Paul Graziano.

 

 

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