On behalf of the Communities affected we are suing the NYC's Economic Development Corporation
To Demand Transparency & Defend Our Waterfront.
On behalf of the Communities affected we are suing the NYC's Economic Development Corporation
On behalf of the Communities affected we are suing the NYC's Economic Development Corporation
On behalf of the Communities affected we are suing the NYC's Economic Development Corporation
Show your support for this legal action demanding transparency, accountability and public participation. We must also let the next administration know we do not accept the BMT Final Vision Plan!
Add your name to our community petition demanding:
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has violated the Open Meetings Law (OML)
By shutting the public out of crucial discussions and decisions about the future of our waterfront.
Behind closed doors, EDC and their handpicked group of insiders have been crafting a redevelopment plan for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal
without meeting minutes, without recordings, and
without the community they claim to serve.
We allege this secrecy was illegal and unacceptable on public land.
That’s why we’re taking them to court.
Our Article 78 lawsuit seeks to:
We are not against planning — we are against secrecy.
Public land belongs to the public.
We allege EDC’s actions have violated the trust of communities in Red Hook, Cobble Hill, and the Columbia Waterfront District, silencing those most impacted by development by rushed decisions.
When the EDC meets behind closed doors:
Public input is erased.
Accountability disappears.
Decisions favor private interests over public good.
But this lawsuit isn’t just about one project — it’s about defending democracy and transparency in every neighborhood across New York City.
The EDC’s unlawful violations of the Open Meetings Law threatens democracy and accountability across
New York City.
When agencies hide from public scrutiny:
Communities lose their voice
Public land becomes private profit.
Trust in local government erodes.
This lawsuit isn’t just about the BMT — it’s about setting a precedent for every future land-use decision in our city.
We demand open government and honest planning
for every New Yorker.
We fear if EDC gets away with this, it sets a dangerous precedent — allowing other public agencies to make land-use and development decisions in secret.
Winning this case will strengthen open government protections for every New Yorker.
“This isn’t just about Brooklyn — it’s about democracy.”
The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has been planning the future of our waterfront behind closed doors — without public access, notice, or accountability — in a rushed politically movtivated process.
And in direct violation of New York’s Open Meetings Law. The EDC’s handpicked Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT) Task Force met privately from August 2024 until July 2025. They also ultimately met on September 22, 2025, to vote on the BMT Final Vision Plan. This was particularly egregious because no public meeting had been held for two months priors, leaving the community completely in the dark about what was being decided on our behalf.
Under New York’s Open Meetings Law (Public Officers Law, Article 7), any advisory body or task force created by a public agency to discuss or decide matters of public business must deliberate in public. Meetings must be announced in advance, open to observation by the public, and recorded with minutes. By holding closed-door meetings — without public notice, access, or minutes — the EDC and its BMT Task Force denied New Yorkers their legal right to transparency in government decision-making.
The September 22nd vote on the BMT Final Vision Plan, taken in secret, violated these legal requirements and deprived the public of the opportunity to witness, question, or influence decisions about the future of their own waterfront.
The future of our waterfront belongs to the public — not to unelected appointees meeting behind closed doors. Every decision about public land must be made in the open, with public participation, oversight, and accountability.
We, the residents and stakeholders of the Brooklyn waterfront, demand that the September 22, 2025 vote be declared null and void under the Open Meetings Law. Any decision made in secret — without public notice, access, or record —
has no legal or moral legitimacy.
“This is not just about Red Hook or the Columbia Waterfront,” said petitioner John Leyva. “It is
about how our city makes decisions that affect millions of New Yorkers. If the law can be
ignored here, it can be ignored anywhere.”
David Lutz, another petitioner, added, “The Task Force met for months behind closed doors,
made major changes without public input, and then locked the doors on the day of the vote. That
is not community planning. It is exclusion.”
Plaintiff Bruce Mazer, a neighborhood resident and longtime civic advocate, said, “I asked the
EDC to let me attend the meeting. They refused. I then sought guidance from the State’s
oversight agency, which agreed that the public had a right to be there. Despite that, the meeting
went forward in secret.”
We’re building a coalition of neighbors, workers, and advocates who believe in public land for public good.
Together, we can stop the EDC from setting a dangerous precedent of secrecy.
Follow updates, sign the petition and subscribe to our newsletter!
📧 Sign the Petition: [here]
📱 Follow us on Instagram: [@ColumbiaStWaterfront]
📰 Media inquiries: [StopTheEDC@gmail.com]
StopTheEDC.com is a campaign led by community members and all residents that have felt victimized by the EDC's tactics.
We believe in transparent government, responsible development, and real community engagement,
not backroom deals.
For interviews, statements, or press credentials, contact:
📧 StopTheEDC@gmail.com
📞 (917) 557-9559
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Disclaimer: Everything on this website are opinions and allegations, only a court of law can declare guilt. We shall have our day in court.
Stop The EDC. Start Transparency.
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