and open letter to the community from BID President, Regina Cahill
The North Flatbush Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) supports businesses and residents alike and pride ourselves as having a rational and fair approach to neighborhood issues. Only recently has Flatbush Avenue enjoyed consistently positive attention; only since the homes on the surrounding residential blocks passed $1 million in value; only since development downtown has improved the foot traffic and increased interest from new types of businesses moving into the district.
Last fall, I celebrated my 35th anniversary of living on Flatbush Avenue. My two twenty-something children learned to walk on Flatbush Avenue in the days when there was no foot traffic and merchants were hungry for customers. I cannot tell you how many merchants were unsuccessful and closed for lack of business and others who were just ahead of the times. Now Flatbush Avenue is moving into the next era. The BID is working on a new pedestrian-friendly streetscape designed to be traffic calming as well as enhancing the triangle parks.
We know that some of our neighbors are concerned about new developments, particularly Prime 6 being built at the corner of Flatbush and Sixth avenues, but I ask you to reserve judgment on Prime 6. (Editor’s note: rumors that the club would feature hip-hop music led to an online petition that was covered recently in the Eagle.)
We know it will be a bar-restaurant, we know it may attract a new customer base, but we also know that there are measures and regulations that we can employ to encourage new business to succeed while preserving our quality of life. Assemblywoman Joan Millman has proposed just such controls with A 11288, which calls for restrictions on use of backyards for cafes and hours of operation.
The BID is committed to working together, to encourage the enforcement of the existing regulations and to create guidelines for existing and new businesses that will allow for business growth while preserving the peaceful enjoyment of our homes. We welcome all new businesses and residents upon their arrival provided they operate within the law and continue to be good neighbors.
Additionally, we must recognize that we each have a personal responsibility to be a good neighbor and that it must start with facts, communication and understanding that there are such things as private property rights; local, state and federal regulations that often apply to our actions; and there are entities and agencies to enforce existing rules and regulations.
The BID has a history of welcoming, educating and advocating for our members and the community while promoting the fair enforcement these “codes of conduct.” I urge our neighbors to trust the process and understand that civility will prevail.
— Regina F. Cahill,
President, North Flatbush Avenue Business Improvement District (BID