New Loading Zone On Kingston Ave, Elections, and Lefferts Park – Three Important Updates For The Crown Heights Community

The Jewish Future Alliance has provided three important updates for the Crown Heights Jewish community, including a proposed Loading Only area on Kinston Ave, elections, and an update on community time in Lefferts Park.

“The purpose of this update is to increase awareness of community issues and foster active community engagement in the democratic process,” Behrman wrote in a letter to the community. “We are committed to providing frequent updates to keep everyone informed about the latest developments in the neighborhood.”

Here are three important updates

1. The Department of Transportation (DOT) intends to establish a loading zone on Kingston Avenue, specifically between President and Union. As a result, many parking spots along Kingston Ave will be removed. The DOT’s decision is based on Local Law 168 of 2021, which mandates the creation of a minimum of five loading zones per year in each neighborhood tabulation area (NTA). Under the new law, the city must implement a total of at least 500 new loading zones annually for the next three years. The DOT claims that its decision-making process is driven by data and considers various factors such as population density, land use, street geometry, and operational characteristics, including crash data and double-parking violations. While we are not experts in the DOT’s methodology, we are familiar with this community and believe that establishing a loading zone on Kingston Avenue and President would be unwise.

We have expressed our concerns to the DOT, emphasizing that this loading zone would not be beneficial and may even worsen traffic issues. Kingston Avenue already faces parking challenges, especially since it serves as a popular shopping destination for the local Jewish community and is near 770 Eastern Parkway. Additionally, the recent installation of CITI bikes has already taken up a significant number of parking spaces, causing considerable frustration.

For community members who wish to provide feedback to the DOT specifically regarding neighborhood loading zones (NLZ), there is an option to do so by visiting the following link: DOT Feedback Form under the general topic of neighborhood loading zones (NLZ).

2. A primary election for the City Council is scheduled for June 27, with early voting from June 17. While most of Crown Heights won’t have a City Council race due to the absence of opponents for current members, the 41st district, covering East Flatbush and parts of Crown Heights has a race. This particular election has a shorter two-year term instead of the usual four-year term, as an election took place just two years ago. The earlier timing is a result of significant redistricting following the 2020 Census, requiring all 51 seats on the City Council to be up for election. The City Council works alongside the mayor in making decisions that impact all New Yorkers.

In addition to the council race, there will also be elections for Civil Court Judges and Delegates to the Judicial Convention on June 27th.

3. The Parks Department has confirmed that Lefferts Park will continue with community time on Fridays from 8am-8pm. During this period, they will not issue permits for groups allowing everyone in the community to make use of the field.