Minutes of the March 24, 2025 General Membership Meeting of the Westmoreland Association

 

Officers Present: President - Walter Mugdan; Vice President – Victor Dadras; Secretary – Charles Manna; Treasurer – Gary Savage

Board Members Present: Peter Reinharz, Arasu Jambbukeswaren, Namshik Yoon, John Duane.

Officials Present: None

 

President Walter Mugdan called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M.

 

Reading of the minutes was waived; Mr. Mugdan noted that the minutes are available for review on the Westmoreland website.

 

Gary Savage provided the Treasurer’s Report. The balance-on-hand as of March 24, 2025, was $19,829.36. In 2025, so far, there are 31 active households (approximately 10% of the 330 households in the Westmoreland community) who have paid dues. There were no questions, and the report was accepted.

 

Future Meetings: Will be held at 7:30 on Monday nights in March and November (via Zoom); 4 PM on Saturday afternoons in May and September (at Glenwood Landing Park).

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 New Business:

Walter announced that David Diaz passed away recently. He noted that David was a long-time Westmoreland Board member; he was a widely respected New York City television news reporter for 30 years.

 

Charles Manna announced that Douglas Montgomery passed away recently. Doug was very active in the community for many years and was one of the people who worked diligently to make the Little Neck Douglaston Memorial Day Parade a continuing success. He was also active with the Douglaston Garden Club and other local organizations. He was also very generous with the support of the elderly in the neighborhood.

 

Old Business

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“City of Yes.” On December 5, 2024 the massive rezoning package was approved by the City Council by a vote of 31 to 20 (a much closer vote than is typical for zoning changes, but still a loss). Some modifications were made, but the impact of the proposal is still the same: Our neighborhood and all other one- and two-family zoned communities in Queens and throughout the City would be negatively affected. The Queens Congress is planning to sue the city to stop the changes in zoning within the next few days. [The lawsuit was filed on March 26.] The suit will contend that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the rezoning was woefully deficient. Walter Mugdan will act as an expert witness to address the environmental impacts of the rezoning changes on water and sewer infrastructure and natural resources. Paul Graziano is also an expert witness to address a number of EIS deficiencies, notably the serious underestimate of the “Reasonable Worse Case Development Scenario” associated with the rezoning; properly estimating the “RWCDS” is requirement for an EIS.

 

Walter called a meeting with the Westmoreland Association Board members on March 19 to discuss whether our organization should agree to be a named plaintiff in the lawsuit. The Board approved this action. Currently, there are eighty to ninety individuals, organizations, and politicians who have signed in as co-plaintiffs.

 

The most important complaint is the impact that the zoning change will have on the neighborhoods. The city is assuming that the changes to housing will be dispersed throughout the City, with only a few new dwellings in any given community. The lawsuit disputes this premise. It contends that there will be dramatic and destructive increased development, particularly in low density neighborhoods. The use of ADU’S (Additional Dwelling Units) will increase the population density dramatically and effectively end the single-family neighborhoods throughout Queens and the other boroughs. In summary the zoning changes will:

•Reduce minimum lot size

•Reduced FAR (House/lot ratio)

•Increase density tremendously

•It would eliminate single-family zoning entirely

•Permit ADU’s even where the danger to the residents was present. For example, apartments in basements with only one way to exit. People drowned during the floods two years ago.

 

Walter explained that the legal basis for the challenge is limited to the argument that the City conducted an inadequate EIS. There are two attorneys and four experts who will participate in the lawsuit. Walter’s discussion of the Water/Sewer Infrastructure and Natural Resources issues focuses on the increased frequency, intensity and duration of combined sewer overflows associated with the increased development density. The overflows will exacerbate high levels of bacteria in the bays, creeks and the Long Island Sound such as Little Neck Bay. It is hoped that the lawsuit will persuade the City to consider and negotiate a more reasonable solution to the housing shortage.

 

Q. What will happen meanwhile?

A. The lawsuit does not ask for a stay. However, we can request specific holds on specific developments. We anticipate that the court could make a decision in the next twelve to eighteen months.

Q. What is the liability faced by the named plaintiffs – could we be sued?

A. State law protects plaintiffs from such reprisal, called SLAPP suits (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation).

 

Derelict House on 40th Ave. – The house is finally being refurbished by new owners. The construction fence is up. Walter talked to the new owner about deed restrictions.

 

Annual Glenwood Park Cleanup – The 8th Annual Glenwood Landing Park Spring Cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, April 5th starting at 10 AM. The Parks department will provide gloves and tools, and there will be a free pizza lunch for volunteers.

 

Electronics Recycling – Saturday, March 29, 2025, at St. A’s

 

Udalls Cove – 56th annual cleanup will take place Saturday, May 3, 2025.

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Our next meeting will take place at 4 PM on Saturday, May 17, at Glenwood Landing Park.

 

Minutes prepared by Charles Manna