When It Rains We Flood

A few months ago, the Fulton Park Civic Association met with our new Police Chief Chris McNerney and County Legislator Alfreda Williams about projected increases in parking and traffic from County Center events in this tiny and already heavily traffic-congested neighborhood. The Chief said he would meet with residents to find an acceptable method to control parking and try to keep the streets as open as possible for the neighbors. He sent a traffic officer to survey the area and discuss what could be done to help alleviate the congested neighborhoods already horrendus traffic congestion by limiting parking. Suggested temporary "No Parking" signs by the Chief were dismissed by the traffic officer as they can be ripped down by those parking their cars with the claim there was no signage there when the parked. So what does a neighborhood do?

In a subsequent conversation with the police chief, he said he would discuss this matter with the officer to attempt a resolution. Since the NY Knicks basketball team's minor league franchise is playing out of the County Center this coming basketball season, in addition to other events held each weekend at the same location, Fulton Park needs real relief. The Town Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board and Building Departments continue to approve and encourage increased development in the surrounding area, choking these residents off from access and egress from their own neighborhood. Let's hope the Police Chief truly can help them. You may also recall at several Town Board meetings during the Westhab debacle Mr Feiner repeatedly professed that he was going to prove to Fulton Park just how much he cared about them and that they were going to change their opinion of him. Not only has he proved how much he cares about Fulton Park, but the residents there anticipate more abandonment from Town Hall and specifically The Problem Solver.

Questions posed to Ms Williams were regarding any progress that might be made on the flooding issue by the County, specific to the Fulton Park neighborhood, but more importantly throughout the length of the Bronx River? She said that major progress had been made cleaning out the Saw Mill River on the other side of Town, but the Stormwater Advisory Committee appointed to address flooding had not even met during the last year. In fact, in a recent article published in the Journal News by Legislators George Latimer and Shelley Mayer, they're quoted as saying, "Unfortunately, to date, little has materialized." Its obvious.

No politician will get much news "cred" holding a press conference saying they were proactive about a problem that is plaguing more and more neighborhoods. Nope. But they will get a lot of press when they are out during and after a storm providing sound bytes, saying what's happening is terrible and we must reach out to blah, blah, blah. It sounds like Mr Feiner writes their press releases. The reality is that all of the Fulton Parks, mostly lower income and commonly ignored communities can forget about getting much help from local, county and state government officials.

This past winter found us experiencing some pretty severe cold and quite a bit of snow. Through it all however, most homes that typically flood made out well with minimum amounts of water in their basements and crawlspaces. So, while the weather has been most cooperative, our elected officials have not. Now would be the time for them to push for remediation throughout the lengths of both the Saw Mill and especially the Bronx River regions. One suggestion furnished to Ms Williams was for the County to begin dredging and clearing the Bronx River of debris, whether man-made or natural, from the south and work north. That way when the river is actually "opened up" at the north end, it won't overwhelm the southern parts as they await the same work. Good suggestion or not, it doesn't really matter. Nothing is happening. Why fix it when we can talk about it? Why fix it when they can ask you to vote for them (again?) so they can help you?

It is incumbent on our Town officials to push for remediation of the river areas since they continue to approve all kinds of developments throughout the Town, paving or filling what had been open space that would normally absorb rain and storm runoff. All of that formerly absorbed water is only being directed into these two overburdened rivers on each side of Town. It's also incumbent on our local representatives, such as our Town Board, to ensure that County, State and Federal representatives stop using member item funds for small-pet-project-vote-getting-purchases and devote their time, energy and resources toward fixing the problems they've help to create. Only then will be see A Better Greenburgh.