The KEW GARDENS HILLS REPORT is published four times a year, at P.O. Box 670085, Flushing, New York 11367. It is under the auspices of the Kew Gardens Hills Home Owners Civic Association, Inc., a non-profit, non-sectarian, non-partisan community based organization.

Mayor Bloomberg wants to plant at least at least one million trees to the city’s streets and parks by 2030.

As part of that City is requiring property owners to plant trees in lower-density districts (R-1–R-5) when enlarging an existing house by more than 20% when making major changes in occupancy or use. The trees would revert to City ownership once planted. The new regulations are expected to become effective by summer.

Starting April 1, residents of one-family homes may post signs on their property banning ads and other throwaways from their yards. Supermarket and other advertisements have been littering front lawns and yards for years—and some homeowners were fined for not promptly removing them.

The signs must be at least five inches high and seven inches wide and placed in conspicuous place and must state:

Only homeowners who post signs on their property will avoid the nuisance of having unwanted ads littering their yards. Ads and other litter must be promptly removed from yards to avoid penalties.

Report littering to 311 and make sure to retain the tracking number so you don’t get a ticket for littering! Failure to obey the law can result in a $250---$1,000 fine."KGHCA will distribute free signs at the ANNUAL KGHCA meeting on May 22.

SUPPORTING THE KGH LIBRARY

Every KGH school kid knows how important wetlands are, even in cities, how they filter water, soak up runoff, provide wildlife habitat and prevent shoreline erosion.

But not every school kid knows that there is an 80-acre wetland right on the edge of Kew Gardens Hills in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The Willow Lake Natural area is comprised of 80 acres and can be entered from Park Drive East—by appointment.

The Flushing Meadows Corona Park Conservancy and the Parks Department sponsor guided tours, including the first ever canoe trip on Willow Lake. The Conservancy obtained funds from local elected officials for trail restoration around Willow Lake and support for an ongoing shoreline restoration project at Meadow Lake.

For information about tours of the Willow Lake natural area and other Conservancy events, visit www.fmcpconservancy.org or call 718 539-8462.

Volunteer directors speak for KGHCA at the community board, at the 107th Precinct Council, at meetings with elected officials and at public hearings.

Other responsibilities include interacting with residents and business people, accepting complaints from KGH-ers and identifying "hot spots" around the neighborhood.

Interested? Call Heshie Baron at 718 575-3644.

Homeowners will no longer be permitted to build high walls in front of their houses or completely pave over their front yards, under a new zoning rule adopted by the City Council.

Property owners will be required to landscape front yards based on frontage--ranging from 20% for narrow lots (less than 20’ wide) to 50% for lots 60 feet or wider. The regulations will reduce the permitted height of walls and fences to four feet along frontages and to six feet along interior property lines. Areas like pathways and driveways will not be counted in the areas counted for planting.

The new rule will limit and in some cases ban the paving of front yards in residential neighborhoods like Kew Gardens Hills.

Parking in front yards in R-1 and R-2 (detached one-family) districts would be banned.

The new text amendment will protect corner lots from overdevelopment by requiring side lots of at least 20 feet and will also require a 30 foot open area behind every building segment (rowhouse) to ensure a useable rear yard for all homes. Corner lots are located within 100 feet of a corner.

The paving rules were adopted in response to the severe flooding last summer, which was caused by rain that could not drain into sewers blocked by paved over yards.

The proposed zoning amendments are available at www.nyc.gov/planning.

It’s outrageous, timely, frank, brazen, provocative, insulting, over the top and Queens reporters, civic leaders, builders, developers, elected officials and real estate folks don’t miss a day without a visit to queenscrap.blogspot.com.

Big changes are coming for KGH seniors—and seniors around the city. The Department for the Aging (DFTA) is "modernizing" social services for the elderly, including how meals are delivered to the homebound and how senior centers will operate. By June 1, case management services ( home care, transportation, counseling, referrals) for seniors in Community Board 8—including KGH—will be completely transferred to SNAP. The previous provider was Catholic Charities. To reach a social worker at SNAP, call 718-454-2100.

DFTA wants to make senior centers more attractive to "young" seniors with more stimulating activities centered on "wellness" and to reduce costs of meals for homebound seniors by centralizing preparation and delivering frozen meals to seniors who can heat them.

More changes will be announced over the next few months as DFTA contracts with new agencies to manage programs.

For general information about senior services, call 212-442-1000.

Thursday, May 15

KGHCA Members who want to become more active in the community’s civic life as KGHCA directors are invited attend meetings of the KGHCA Board of Directors, which are held at the Rabbinical Seminary of America, 76-01 147th Street

Thursday, May 22

Thursday, June 5

Dates are subject to change and should be

confirmed by calling 718-544-3746

Borough President Helen Marshall told more than 1,000 civic, political, government leader in January that the long awaited expansion of the KGH Library is at hand. Pointing to the design concept for the enlarged building, Marshall said the $3 million library building will add 30% more space for books and material and that she expects the project to be underway before she leaves Borough Hall in 2010.

Assemblywoman Mayersohn and Councilman Gennaro have provided additional funds for the project.

Meantime, Mayor Bloomberg is cutting funds for the Queens Library from the City budget by 5% and promising to cut another 8% later. KGHCA is fighting to retain seven day service at the KGH branch.

FOR SUMMER HOURS, CHECK WITH THE KGH LIBRARY AFTER MEMORIAL DAY.

Monday 1—8 Thursday 1—8

Tuesday 1—6 Friday 10—6

Wednesday 10—6 Saturday 10—5

Sunday 12—5

KGHCA’s website has a new and easier address: www.kghca.org. And along with the new address, we’re building a new site that will have more information about what’s happening in KGH; what the local media is saying about KGH; how KGHCA’s elected officials are doing; notices about important meetings and events; the current KGHCA newsletter; and useful links.

Check in at www.kghca.org and let us know how we’re doing.

New Yorkers for Parks presented its 2008 Annual Daffodil Project Award to KGHCA president Pat Dolan on April 22, Earth Day.

The Daffodil Project, conceived in 2001as a memorial to 9/11, is a citywide effort to beautify every neighborhood park in New York City by planting daffodils. This partnership with the Department of Parks is made possible by the generosity of B&K Flowerbulbs, one of the Netherlands’ largest bulb shippers. To date the Daffodil Project has planted more than 3 million bulbs in city parks and public spaces. The project has expanded to include school children and a Tour de Parks bike race through city parks.

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