LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Quickly clarifying the CB8 votes

Posted

To the editor:

(re: “Something’s rotten in Riverdale,” April 26)

I am writing to clarify a characterization of the Community Board 8 vote regarding the idea presented to the city’s transportation department to create a pedestrian path on Netherland Avenue between West 254th and West 256th streets.

In a recent letter to the editor, a writer repeated a statement that the resolution opposing the path was narrowly passed by the board. This statement, when originally made, was meant in a different context.

On March 13, at the CB8 board meeting, I presented a resolution from the traffic and transportation committee that opposed the creation of the pedestrian path. At the committee level, the resolution passed by a vote of 10-1 after the committee heard strenuous opposition to the path in two hours of testimony at a meeting attended by more than 200 residents and area stakeholders.

After I introduced the resolution to the full board, another member made a motion to modify the resolution. This amendment called on the board to take action to determine if the current wall on that street is legal, and if proper permits were issued when constructed.

A debate ensued between several members — a central point of discussion was whether the board should be getting involved in such research. Members, including Charles Moerdler, believed that the board should not attempt to seek out this information, but rather leave the status quo and support the community that came out in such impressive numbers, and made an important lifestyle case for preservation.

The motion to modify the committee resolution failed.

A vote was called for the original resolution, without modification, which opposed the idea to create the pedestrian path. The resolution passed by the vote of 20-2-1. While the ultimate vote was one-sidedly in favor of the resolution, I believe Mr. Moerdler’s description of the resolution passing by a narrow vote dealt with the debate about researching the wall, and his opinion that this resolution should have been unanimously approved given the community turnout and strenuous opposition expressed at the committee meeting.

I thank the editor for this opportunity to clarify the description of our board’s vote on this topic.

Dan Padernacht

The author is the immediate past chair of Community Board 8, and currently chairs the board’s traffic and transportation committee.

Dan Padernacht

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