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Animal Shelter
Co-op City Times / October 13, 2018
the shelter insisted that, despite whatever the resithat he continues to speak with them. dents of Co-op City who live here might think, the Dupee said he has heard King’s concerns on Make your feelings known about the best interests of animals require construction of the behalf of Co-op City residents and is exploring what proposed animal shelter on Bartow Avenue. $59 million, 80,000-square-foot project and that any new services the city could provide in Co-op City. Contact the City Council members who further discussion on that decision is over. He said talks have been held with “residents of the will play an important role in what hapSpeaking for themselves, and with the support of Bronx” about a shelter for many years, but admitted pens: the Bronx Borough President and Community Board that the Co-op City community was only informed 10 in opposition to this Bartow in May after the decision was Avenue site, Co-op City resialready made to put the shelter • Council Speaker Corey Johnson: Speaker “If we can’t figure out a dents in attendance told the on Bartow Avenue. Johnson@council.nyc.gov Council’s sub-committee that meaningful give and take, I have Dupee said his office is looktheir priority for this site is a city ing for ways to expand communo choice as the representative • Chairperson of the Land Use Committee community center for youth and nity programming in or around of this area than to be with the Rafael Salamanca Jr.: salamanca@council seniors, and that their voice Co-op City. residents who live in this location.” .nyc.gov must be heard. “We’ve been talking with resAndy King, the city council —City Council Member Andy King idents of Co-op City as recently member who represents Co-op as Friday night, hearing from • Chairperson of Landmarks, Public Siting City and the north Bronx in Dispeople about their ideas. We’re and Maritime Uses Subcommittee: Adrienne trict 12, attended the sub-committee hearing on Tuesvery committed to making sure that the needs that Adams: AeAdams@council.nyc.gov day and explained his task – to give the people of Cohave been vocalized from the local residents are met op City a voice, while complying with city law that as part of this land use application,” Dupee said. • Council Member Andy King, 12th Disrequires that a shelter be built in the Bronx by 2024. During his testimony Dupee said that studies “We have a commitment to the council to deliver have shown a highly-visible shelter location can trict, Co-op City rep: Andy.King@council. an animal shelter in the Bronx, whether it’s on Barimprove adoption rates by 100%. A Co-op City resnyc.gov tow Avenue or anywhere else in the Bronx,” Counident pointed out that Co-op City is a pet-free comcilman King said. “Whatever is built there, whether munity, except for medically-prescribed support it’s for animal use, senior use, youth use, we have to animals. be respectful. We have to deal with the traffic and Dupee previously worked at Farm Sanctuary, a “There are still approximately six years left before whatever else happens in the area, unlike the nonprofit focused on protecting farm animals and this bill must be fulfilled so it is not a fait accompli. activists who may not live in the area. promoting vegan living, as well as the New York Give our borough an opportunity to find a more suit“If we can’t figure out a meaningful give and take, State Trial Lawyers Association and the Working able and accessible location,” she said. I have no choice as the representative of this area Families Party. Speakers for the animal shelter included many than to be with the residents who live in this locaProblems with the Bartow Site professional staff from the ASPCA, Voters for Anition,” King said. “I’ve suggested making some alterNearly two dozen Co-op City residents made mal Rights, the Shelter Reform Action Committee, ations to provide for animal use, as well as providmany points during the two minutes each had to the Bronx Animal Shelter Endeavor and Voices for ing services for our youth and our seniors that everyspeak. Michelle Marbury said that the city law Shelter Animals, among many others. one can welcome – not one side loses, one side wins.” requires that shelters be centrally located, while this During the hearing, Council Member King and No Notice Given to Co-op City Co-op City location is in the northeastern corner of several speakers mentioned a city-owned parcel off After three years of studying the Bronx for an the Bronx on the border with Westchester County. of East Gun Hill Road as a possible location for the appropriate site for the shelter, the city sprung the Mary Pearson pointed out that there is no subway shelter. The site, the former golf driving range decision to build on Bartow Avenue in late May of stop near the proposed shelter and that bus service to located west of I-95, is controlled by the MTA under this year with a presentation to Community Board Co-op City is inadequate, making the shelter inaca long-term lease. 10. City officials claim that 20 other sites were elimcessible except by car on already traffic-congested A private developer proposed a retail project inated because they were too small, not city-owned, roads. called “Baychester Square” last year, but the plan not vacant or not easily accessible. Leslie Peterson said finding an alternative site was pulled in August 2017 following opposition by Both the Community Board and Borough Presishould now be the priority of the city and the council. Council Member King. dent then stated their opposition this summer to the Bartow site as part of the city’s ULURP land-use process. On Sept. 9th the city Planning Commission unanimously approved the plan, sending it on to the City Council for its review and decision. Council Member King called for the Oct. 9th hearing as part of the council’s review process. During the Oct. 9th subcommittee hearing, officials said that ACC (Animal Care Centers of New York City) would move their corporate headquarters into the second floor of the new building, adding to the overall size of the project. Several animal rights speakers claimed that ACC intends to move animals from an overcrowded shelter in Manhattan and in Queens to the Bronx shelter, seeming to reveal that the new Bartow shelter would be housing animals from other boroughs, rather than building adequate facilities elsewhere. There were several indications at the public hearing Tuesday that there could be a way to give Co-op City residents new community services from the city in return for Council Member King’s support for the Bartow Avenue shelter. Both King and Council Member I. Daneek Miller raised the possibility of altering the design of the two-story, 80,000-square-foot proposed shelter to add a scaled-down community center and reduce the size of the shelter facility in the Bartow location. A Compromise in the Works? Mayor de Blasio remains a strong supporter of the Bartow Avenue location. His representative, Jeff Dupee, claimed at the hearing that he has held numerous conversations with local residents and (Continued from page 1)