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Sight Line May Not Be Protected In Piers ProjectBY ROB TAYLORWith the future of the now-unused Port* __U - n in -p 1 e ~a:i i i%u2014 nr%u00abf4 n u u i u i l l j f X i C i O l- w o u u l u u u i u r r u , * %u00bb w vBrooklyn Rep. Steve Solarz told residents ofCobble Hill Oct. 29 that he was %u201cdisturbed%u201dby the Port Authority%u2019s lack of assurancesthat any construction project would notobscure the view of Manhattan from theBrooklyn Promenade.Solarz%u2019 comments were made during theCobble Hill Association%u2019s annual meeting atthe Kane St. Synagogue when Roy Sloane,chairman of the association%u2019s traffic committee, reported that the development projectsin the adjacent downtown Brooklyn areawere going to cause traffic conjestion andwould eventually damage the environmentalquality of life in Cobble Hill.The future of Piers 1-6, located belowBrooklyn Heights, has been a subject ofspeculation since the Port Authority announced that it was studying possible alternative uses for the 87-acre waterfront property. While there has been no final determination as to possible uses, residents have beenconcerned that a high-rise construction project might jeopardize what many peoplebelieve is landmarked view from theBrooklyn Promenade.Solarz said that reports of a possible highrise was under consideration caused him tospeak with Port Authority officials who, hesaid, assured him %u201cno such plans were beingdiscussed.%u201d However, they %u201c weren%u2019tprepared to give any flat assurances%u201d thatsuch a proposal would not be considered,Solarz said.The Congressman%u2019s comments causedsome stirring among the Cobble Hillresidents who have worked hard to protectthe neighborhood of mid-19th century bricko n H K r n w n c f f v n o h n m o o a n H m a n y n n t h i cnight said they were disturbed with the rapidpace of downtown development. Most wereunaware that the area below thepromenade was part of a special zoningdistrict that now prohibits structures thatwould block the view.Solarz said, %u201c The people at the PortAuthority didn%u2019t seem to think there was alegal problem and could probably try tochange any zoning variances.%u201dA Port Authority official was at themeeting, Ann Barcher, explained that whilethe City of New York did have a scenic viewprotection law, it was not applicable to PortAuthority projects.Solarz warned that the next three years%u201c would determine the future of the community%u201d anri that only hv keeping thoir o W \ficials and community boards apprised oftheir concerns would development projectsdisliked by the local residents at locationslike the piers be avoided.%u201cYour elected officials have a strong trackrecord and I am fully prepared to work withthem on the problems,%u201d he said.Despite the Congressman%u2019s assurances,downtown development is going to haveadverse effects on Cobble Hill, according toSloane. With one %u201cFederally-qualified (airpollution) hotspot%u201d on the com er of ClintonSt. and Atlantic Ave., an intersection ofheavy traffic congestion at least one hourevery day, Sloane predicted that by 1988, twomore intersections on Atlantic Ave., at CourtSt. and Henry St., would be added to the list.The increased traffic would make it dif~ficult to comply with Federal Air Qualityregulations and Sloane said his committeerecommended that the Cobble Hill Association support compliance with these regulations which New York City is required to doby Dec. 1987.The traffic committee also recommendedthat a joint Community Board Two and Sixtask force be set up to monitor traffic andtransportation problems in the DowntownBrownstone neighborhoods that are causedby the development projects. He added thateffective traffic mitigation should be accompanying each development and in his opinionwas not presently taking place. %u2014 Rob TaylorW ater Main Case Postponed In Small Claims CourtWith claim s ranging from $500 to $1,300,four residents of Cobble Hill futilely filed intoBrooklyn%u2019s Small Claims Court on Oct. 29,seeking reimbursement from either the Cityof New York or Brooklyn Union Gas fordamages incurred last year when a watermain broke beneath Clinton St., floodingbasements of nearby houses, causing thedamage.The cases, coming before the court for thefirst tim e, were adjourned until Nov. 12, whenBrooklyn Union Gas attorney Daniel Cohenrequested an application for adjournment.The request was granted by presiding judgeGeorge Fleary on grounds that the defendantwas entitled as a %u201cright of court%u201d to an adjournment on a first hearing.Howard Einbinder, Joseph McKay, Tobianne Simmons and Philippe Maucotel, allfrom the 400 block of Clinton St., protestedthe adjournment and requested a trial by thecourt that evening, which was denied by thejudge. The claims are filed against bothBrooklyn Union Gas and the City as bothdefendants have pointed to the other as beingresponsible for the main Lreak that affectedheat and hot water services for nearly 5,000residents. Last October a 30-inch water mainburst, flooding cellars in a 20 block area fromKane St. in Cobble Hill to Red Hook.Many claim s for damage to furnaces andhot water heaters were filed with the Cityshortly after the flood, but according toHoward Einbinder, one of the plaintiffs whois requesting $1,300 for damages to his furnace, the claims were denied. %u201cWater backedup in the furnaces and hot water heaters,%u201dEinbinder said, explaining the most commonsmall claims damages that occurred fromthe flood.%u201cIt is my contention that Brooklyn UnionGas is responsible for the dam age,%u201d City attorney Howard Bomstein said that night,continuing the argument that has frustratedarea residents as both BUG and the City continue to deny liability for the damages.Fleary ended the discussion that night andrejected the plaintiff%u2019s request to hear thecase that night, saying, %u201cThe m erits of thecase are not before m e.%u201dA Bew itching Evening H ad By A ll In S lop e%u2019s K ids P arad eT h e s tre e ts o f P ark S lo p e w e re ta k e n o v e r by a y o u n g e r set o fg h o u ls on H a llo w e e n as th e firs t a n n u a l P ark S lo p e C h ild re n 'sP a ra d e s te p p e d o ff. D e s p ite th e n o -s h o w o f c o m e d ia n B illC o s b y , m a rc h e rs o f a ll s ize s , s h a p e s an d c o s tu m e s m a d e th e iro w n fu n a lo n g th e ro u te , to p p e d o ff by a p a rk p arty.(P h o e n ix /C h e e c h P h o to s )*' 1*N ovem ber 6, 1986, TH E P H O E N IX , Page 3