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Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What is a Community Board?
- Who serves on Queens Community Board 1?
- What does the Community Board do?
- How does the Community Board function?
- Who does Queens CB 1 represent?
- How do I speak at a Community Board meeting?
- What does the District Office do?
- How do I apply for a block party permit?
- What kinds of complaints does CB1 handle?
- How do I report a complaint?
- How do I get a street renamed (co-named)?
- How do I join a CB1 Committee?
- When do the committees meet?
What is a Community Board?
New York City is divided into 59 geographic Community Districts, each one having an appointed Community Board. The Community Boards are municipal bodies of up to 50 representative Board Members. Board Members are appointed by their respective Borough President, half of them at the recommendation of their local City Council Member. They serve in a voluntary capacity for two-year, staggered terms. Board Members are people who live, work, own a business, or have some other significant interest in the Community District.
Who serves on Queens Community Board 1?
The following is the official list of Board Members of Queens Community Board 1 as supplied by the Office of the Queens Borough President. View the official Executive Board roster and view the Board Members roster.
View the membership application
View the application instructions
What does the Community Board do?
The Community Board is the official municipal body whose primary mission is to advise elected officials and government agencies on matters affecting the good and welfare of the district. Queens Community Board 1 meets on the second Tuesday of each month, except during July and August.
How does the Community Board function?
The Community Board's general meetings are run according to Roberts Rules of Order. While the public is encouraged to attend and observe Community Board proceedings, only Board Members can discuss and vote on motions before it. The Community Boards were created by City Charter, and their roles and responsibilities are defined in Chapters 69 and 70. They must operate within all applicable City, State and Federal laws that govern public bodies. CB1 also has its own set of by-laws. We encourage the public to attend the Community Board's various Public Hearings, committee meetings, informational meetings and special events to participate actively in the items before the Community Board at the grassroots level. All meetings of the Community Board are open to the public, and are posted on our online Calendar.
Who does Queens CB 1 represent?
Queens CB 1 represents the neighborhoods of Astoria, Old Astoria, Long Island City, Queensbridge, Ditmars, Ravenswood, Garden Bay and Woodside. From the Queens borough Bridge and Queens Plaza to the Grand Central parkway and LaGuardia Airport approximately 250,000 people (2010 Census figure) choose to make our district their home.
View the Queens Community District 1 ProfileHow do I speak at a Community Board meeting?
A section of every general Community Board meeting is set aside for the board to hear from the public. At the front of the meeting room there will be a sign-in sheet labeled "Community Session" where anyone is invited to sign in to speak for up to 2 minutes.
What does the District Office do?
The CB1 District Office has two primary functions - to process citizen complaints and requests for services, and to provide administrative support for the Community Board. The District Office maintains all the public records of the activities of the Community Board and is responsible for setting up and preparing notices of all Community Board meetings and functions. Additionally, the District Office reviews Street Activity Permit applications for street fairs, block parties and other street closures, monitors the delivery of municipal services and, in general, acts as a one-stop shopping point for information and referrals pertaining to all City government matters. The District Office is a professional, non-partisan office. There are no fees for any services provided.
How do I apply for a block party permit?
Make sure you leave yourself enough time to organize the event. Applications should be filed 90 days in advance. Applying for a block party is a two-step process:
Step 1) You need to fill out an online application by visiting the City's Street Activity Permit office. You will need to pay a fee using a credit card.
Step 2) You must provide the CB1 District Office with either a letter from the affected block association, or signatures of 50 residents who live on the block, to demonstrate that they've consented to the block closure. You can mail us your list, fax it (718) 626-1072, or email a scanned copy to qn01@cb.nyc.gov.
View Signature Gathering template
What kinds of complaints does CB1 handle?
Any complaint that involves a municipal service can be reported to the District Office. We strongly encourage the use of the City's 311 system for reporting routine maintenance requests including but not limited to potholes, tree pruning, missing or damaged signs, street light malfunctions, and clogged catch basins.
How do I report a complaint?
Email us a complaint. Call the District Office at (718) 626-1021. Fax us at (718) 626-1072. Write to us or visit our District Office at 45-02 Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria during regular business hours.
How do I get a street renamed (co-named)?
The City of New York's official policy for street co-namings begins with a request being made directly to the Community Board. Queens CB1 requires that a petition with at least 25 names with corresponding addresses of block residents be submitted, together with a written explanation providing the reasoning and justification for the co-naming. If the street is to be co-named after an individual, it may only be done posthumously, and the reasoning and justification should include a biographical sketch of the individual that specifically links them to the block.
View the City's official street co-naming policy
How do I join a CB1 Committee?
Community Board 1 Queens Committees are appointed by the Chairperson of the Community Board. Public Members are also appointed. When there are open positions, interested parties are asked to send their resume/letter of interest with a cover letter including contact information to the Board office by mail to 45-02 Ditmars Blvd Suite LL1025 Astoria, NY 11105; by email to qn01@cb.nyc.gov; or by fax (718) 626-1072.
When do the committees meet?
The various committees of CB1 do not meet on regular fixed nights, committees meet as required and necessary. We occasionally have to reschedule meetings largely due to holiday conflicts or sometimes because we will hold joint meetings sponsored by more than one committee. All meetings are open to the public and are posted on our website Calendar which is updated frequently.
View the committee meeting schedule