ALBANY CITY
COMMITTING
HARI KARI

Albany is fast becoming Detroit
on the Hudson.

The city is in fiscal crisis. For
sale signs are up everywhere
in this neighborhood as people
flee Albany.

The Mayor wants to reassess
and rezone the city.

Now, this.

The Noon mail arrives today
with a Notice of a Public Hearing
at City Hall at 5:30 pm.

On the agenda a proposal from
Family Promise of The Capital
Region to provide shelter, food
day care, etc for the homeless
at  Bethany Reformed Church
736-760 New Scotland Ave.

Only persons living within 250
feet of the church were sent Notice.

The Notice is insufficient and will
deny neighborhood residents the
opportunity to respond to an
action, that if approved,will adversely
impact them, the residential integrity of
this neighborhood , home values
and the city property tax base.

This neighborhood provides the
lion's share of property tax dollars
that support city schools and city
government services.

Approval of this proposal will
only result in more home for sale
signs as people flee the City of
Albany.

Who, then, will pay for the city
schools, city services and provide
the support for neighborhood
churches and synagogues?

This is no way to run a city.

I have asked Mayor Sheehan
to have the BZA table this proposal
and to have  any future hearing on
this proposal, held a Bethany 
Reformed Church, at a time, that
will permit all concerned residents
of this neighborhood an opportunity
to voice their opinions.

This proposal impacts the entire
neighborhood, not just those who
live within 250 feet of the church.

It impacts the city property tax base
and support for city schools /city
services.

The proposal should be withdrawn
or disapproved/denied.

Read below:
 

 http://www.albanyny.gov/Government/Departments/DevelopmentandPlanning/BZA/BZA_Cases/BZA_Cases_2-11-15.aspx


 http://capitalregionfamilypromise.weebly.com/sponsors.html



Mayor Sheehan,                     City Hall  Tel 434 5100   Fax  434 5013

Received the attached BZA Legal Notice in the Noon mail today Feb 11, 2015

Re: public hearing at 5:30 pm  today at City Hall

"to determine if a community service ministry that will serve the needs of the homeless
families and be administered by Family Promise of the Capital Region is consistent with
the use of the property as a house of worship"?

Bethany Reformed Church  736-760 New Scotland Avenue

1. The Notice is too short. Most neighbors are at  work and won't get home or open their
    mail, before  the hearing is over. They will be denied the opportunity to review the
    question , formulate their thoughts and respond.

2. This notice was sent to me because I live within 250 feet of the address above.

    I just happen to be BPCNA President and should have received more timely notice.

    When I attempted to contact Bradley Glass as indicated on the Notice..he is out of
    the office until Feb 19.

3. The question framed above misses the mark...it is more than  " is the proposed use
    consistent with the use of the property as a house of worship"?

   the question should be "what impact would this proposal, if approved have on the
   residential integrity of this single family residential zoned neighborhood that pays
   the lion's share of the property taxes that support city schools and city government?

   and how would this impact your efforts to balance the city budget and achieve fiscal
   stability for the City of Albany?

    I am sure you see all the for sale signs up in the neighborhood... I am sure you would
    agree that the last thing we need is to take an action that would cause more 4 sale
    signs and flight from the City.

THEREFORE
please ask the BZA to table this question for tonight's meeting to give all concerned
neighbors of the Buckingham Pond/Crestwood  Neighborhood the opportunity to reflect on
this proposal and to express their responses at a future BZA meeting,

allowing sufficient
Notice and a broader question of how this proposal would impact the residential integrity
of the neighborhood, home values and what this would mean for the city tax base and
support of city schools and city government services.

The hearing  should be held at the Bethany Reformed Church to allow maximum
participation of all concerned residents of this neighborhood, at a time when most
would be able to attend- not dinner hour

Let me know if  this proposal is tabled for tonight's BZA hearing and that it may be
scheduled for a future date.

Thank  you                              Joe Sullivan  BPCNA, President  438 5230

                       
Your fax is not responding to my repeated attempts to fax you a copy of the Notice


                                                                            Joe Sullivan