By Rich Bockmann
Since taking office in January, state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) has repeatedly pledged to stay active in the local affairs of his constituents, and during his first town hall meeting last week, he placed himself — literally— between the city’s various departments and the people they serve.
Representatives from the 105th Precinct and a number of municipal departments sat on the auditorium stage of MS 172 in Bellerose last Thursday night as Avella stood alongside local civic associations and mediated questions and complaints from a frustrated crowd.
It did not take long to realize that city Department of Buildings spokesman Anthony Iuliano would have his work cut out for him.
“The Department of Buildings is the worst agency in the history of the city,” Avella quipped. The senator said he was still in the process of distributing his first newsletter — a civic checklist that nearly 2,000 constituents had already returned and listed buildings, city Department of Environmental Protection and traffic issues as their major concerns.
Iuliano said that of the 7,500 complaints his department had received from Queens from January to April, 48 percent concerned illegal conversions and 39 percent were for work without permits.
Most residents expressed frustration with the city’s 311 complaint registration service.
“Never call 311,” said Avella, who encouraged those with complaints to contact the agencies directly or alert their civic associations and elected officials. He promised to make his second newsletter a listing of the heads of the city’s different departments and their phone numbers.
In response, Iuliano spoke in a matter-of-fact tone when he said, “If you call me with a situation, guess what I’m going to do: call 311?”
Perhaps the Al Habib Halal Meat Market on the corner of Hillside Avenue and 252nd Street best exemplifies the topics covered during the meeting. Complaints were lodged against the market for causing too much traffic, expanding beyond its permitted use, having too few parking spaces and creating too much noise.
“One of the problems with the meat market is everything,” said Joseph Courtesis, commanding officer of the 105th Precinct. He said his department could write summonses for violations, but the market would beat them every time.
Avella said the market was operating in a residential zone with a C1-2 overlay, which is why the market can operate in a residential zone.
“If they were operating a business in a purely residential zone, then we’d really have some teeth,” Iuliano said.
Liz Errico of the Department of City Planning said her department was in the initial phases of a rezoning study of some 400 blocks in the Bellerose and Glen Oaks neighborhoods.
“You and I both know the longer this takes the more likely developers come in and do damage,” Avella said. “It’s important to get this done expeditiously.”
Avella’s district includes the neighborhoods of Bowne Park, Murray Hill, East Flushing, Auburndale, Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, Glen Oaks, Bellerose, Floral Park, Queens Village, Jamaica Estates, Jamaica Hills and Hillcrest.
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
