South Park Slope Community Group

*Park Slope Courier.*

Charles Hack

For two groups that exist to protect the character and scale of their neighborhood, the imminent downzoning of South Park Slope might seem a good time to celebrate, pack up and move on. But with a seemingly endless development boom, the South Park Slope Community Group and Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights know that their work has just begun. The two organizations met to discuss how they can protect their neighborhood from unscrupulous developers, at the Grand Prospect Hall, 263 Prospect Avenue, on Nov. 1. “Even though we are going to be downzoned in most of the areas — and upzoned along Fourth Avenue — there is still going to be development in the community,” said Aaron Brashear, co-founder of the Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights. “There are going to good developers and there are going to be bad boys, and we have to become a watchdog group.” The group wants neighbors to work together by asserting their rights against shady development practices that the speakers say are prevalent in the area.

New zoning laws preserve the low-density character of South Park Slope and Green-Wood Heights, while allowing developers to increase the height and density of new buildings on Fourth Avenue.

South Park Slope Community Group founder, John Burns, anticipates that developers who plan to construct properties that will be prohibited under new zoning laws will try to seek waivers from Board of Standards & Appeals to finish their plans.

For example, they may claim hardship, said Burns, who is an attorney.
“We want start to build a case and start looking at the violations, problems and all the issues that are there,” said Burns.

Faced with some 30 building sites in the 50 blocks, the Park Slope Community Group is creating and circulating a leaflet entitled “Know Your Rights,” which is available on the organization