Dutch Kills infested with over-development? Residents say so.

Development in Dutch Kills

Back in 2003, Dutch Kills residents feared the neighborhood was being overdeveloped and requested rezoning to encourage residential growth and downsize commercial development. Some forward thinking there. Flash to 2008 when there are so many hotels and new condo buildings in progress it’s impossible to count them all.

Amongst the community complaints: growing lack of parking, inappropriate commercial development, carelessness in handing out business permits, and overly high density in general. The city responded in agreement with Dutch Kills civic leaders, but have been slow to implement the rezoning, and commercial developers have still been snapping up development sites faster than you can say ‘Environmental Impact Study”, which is what is supposedly holding up the rezoning.

New condos sprouting in Dutch Kills

Of course the residents feel the gov’t has moved too slowly and developers have taken advantage of this. Here is it 2008 and DK is still a neighborhood in waiting. Add to that mix, the congestion plan which residents fear will add a whole new dimension of trouble to a neighborhood already struggling with a lack of resources aimed at its residential population.

• Dutch Kills Residents Suffer Amid Rezoning [Queens Chronicle]