Community Board 2 may have punted its chance to weigh in on the construction of a 100-foot-high charter school in Clinton Hill after its executive committee deadlocked on a vote Monday night on whether or night the controversial structure should rise up, bumming out those who oppose the project and want the panel take a stance against the development.
“I think it’s kind of a kicking the can down the road type of thing … which is disappointing,” said David Moore, who is president of the tenant association for 15 Quincy Street, the below-market-rate apartment building that would share a lot with the school. “I really wish Community Board 2 would’ve taken a very clear stance on it.”
The eight-person board voted 4–4 to deny Unity Preparatory School’s application for several zoning exemptions to build a high school on Lexington Avenue between Classon and Grand avenues and also tied in other votes on specific variances, according to district manager Rob Perris.
The panel’s land use committee had voted to approve the application in February after school officials told members it had informed locals of its plans, but the board later found out that irate Clinton Hillers knew nothing about it and postponed a full board vote on the matter.
The board then hosted a public hearing on the schoolhouse last week, and critics and supporters turned out in force to voice their positions on the plan. Those who live at 15 Quincy argued they would suffer since the school would block their light and air, and accused developer Manatus and the land’s owner, Impacct Brooklyn, of “double dipping,” or cashing in twice on the lot.
Supporters said that kids need a place to learn and the school would give students who currently have to schlep to a temporary location in Brownsville a option closer to home.
On Monday, the executive committee first voted to rescind the land use committee’s earlier decision by a tally of 5–3, according to Perris.
Committee members went back and forth over the proposal, with half arguing that they should support a new school in the district even if it would tower over neighboring buildings, and the other half claiming that they were uncomfortable with Impacct and Manatus being paid again to erect another structure on the lot, among other issues, said Perris.
The application could now move onto the Board of Standards and Appeals for approval without any recommendation from the community board, whose roles include advising city agencies from a local perspective on how to vote.
But Perris said there is still a possibility the panel could find a way to settle on its preference before the matter moves to the city and is still working out the details as to how that would happen.
“We certainly hope to find a way to get some sort of recommendation in, even if it is conditional,” he said.
Unity Preparatory Charter School did not return a request for comment.
