9:52 p.m.: And with the unanimous reelection of CB11 officers, including chairman Jerry Iannece, it's a wrap in Bayside, folks.
Be sure to check out our story wrapping up the highs and the lows of tonight's meeting on Little Neck Patch tomorrow.
9:49 p.m.: With much of the audience cleared of Bayside Hills residents turning out to oppose the variance application, we move on to the FY2011 Preliminary Budget.
Number one on the list? .
9:36 p.m.: The motion for a variance is denied by an overwhelming 35-1 vote.
9:29 p.m.: CB11 board member Steve Behar before casting "no" vote against the proposal for a variance at 50-20 216th St.: "This board fought for years against overdevelopment ... And the reason we fought against this is to stop exactly what they are trying to do here."
9:10 p.m.: Applicant says alternative to the subdivision proposal would be to demolish existing property and building one large home in violation of "the spirit" of R2A zoning. That statement prompted an angry outburst from one attendee at tonight's meeting.
It seems to be a very angry and frustrated crowd here, folks.
8:36 p.m.: A Bayside Hills resident for 26 years, David Goldstein, had this to say about the application for a variance to develop 50-20 216th St.:
"These front yards are sacred to Bayside Hills ... the whole idea that there are two pieces of property are nonsense."
And in one what might prove to be one of the more memorable quotes from tonight's meeting, Goldstein proclaimed, "Don't feed us baloney. Baloney is not Kosher."
8:27: The applicant addresses concerns that a cellar with stairs planned at the property will become an illegal apartment, calling that an issue for the city Building Department.
8:20: The property in question, in case anyone out there is wondering, is located at 50-20 216th St. in Bayside Hills. According to the applicant, the property in question is a triangle-shaped lot that is just shy of being able to be divided into two taxable lots, with no requirement for a backyard.
8:14 p.m.: Here we go. In what looks to be a heated public comments portion of tonight's meeting, residents of Bayside Hills will begin to weigh in on the application for a variance to construct a home with no back or side-yard.
8:04 p.m.: Community District Education Council president (and CB11 board member from Little Neck) Rob Caloras requested that the education committee chair write a letter to schools chancellor Cathie Black to object to the loss of unused discretionary funding — which due to a city decree, will not roll over to next year.
Councilman Mark Weprin, D-Oakland Gardens, wrote a letter last month to Black against the new policy, a copy of which can found .
7:58 p.m.: CB11 Chairman Jerry Iannece weighed in on Mayor Michael Bloomberg's appearance in Douglaston earlier today to — an initiative made possible by the installation of more than 800,000 wireless water meters throughout the five boroughs:
"The idea of having a remote meter, where someone doesn't have to come into your home to read it, is a good thing," Iannece said. "The problem is that people, including myself, have experienced increases and that's something we need to look at."
7:53 p.m.: Just minutes ago, one of the members of the charter Queens Community Board, Rose Bruno, marked the beginning of her last meeting as a member of CB11. Upon receiving a plaque commemorating the occasion from Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Bruno said: "I want to thank everyone, it was my pleasure."
7:30 p.m.: Thanks for joining us for tonight's Community Board 11 meeting in Bayside. As we wait for things to get started, check out of the issues likely to be discussed at this month's session.
