The Broadway Triangle Coalition revealed the findings of their second, “rogue” planning charette on Monday to a crowd of enthusiastic and excited residents.

The charette, which was held in response to a planning session held by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to decide the fate of 17 blocks on the Williamsburg/Bed-Stuy border, was viewed as exclusive and unrepresentative of the entire neighborhood by a number of prominent community organizations that were left out of the process.

The land is both privately and publicly owned, and the city has created a proposal that includes commercial businesses and moderate density development with an emphasis on affordable housing, but many neighbors say that it is not enough.

In order to create what they say is a more inclusive vision for the neighborhood, the Broadway Triangle Coalition (BTC) has taken it upon themselves to create and develop an alternate plan for the neighborhood.

Working with a wide coalition of property owners, residents of the surrounding community, several planning groups, and a number of elected officials, the BTC is hopeful that they can persuade HPD to use their plan for the area instead of the original.

The BTC held their own charette last November at Woodhull Hospital, and after analyzing the data, presented their findings in the form of a new, preliminary proposal to members of the communities surrounding the Broadway Triangle.

Their plan calls for a substantially larger and denser development in the area to accommodate the increased need for affordable housing, and a greater emphasis on green space and the preservation of existing businesses than the original plan.

“The charette was a historical event,” said Juan Ramos, co-chair of the BTC. “After our voices were suppressed for so long, it was truly invigorating to speak out about what we want.”

The BTC’s plan for the Broadway Triangle is based on nearby developments like the Bushwick and Marcy Houses, which create a context of larger buildings with a heavier concentration of housing affordable to people of low- and middle-incomes.

It was clear from their charette that affordable housing was a top priority for the groups and people included in the planning process due to the rapid gentrification of North Brooklyn and displacement of longtime residents.

Those that attended the BTC’s presentation shared the group’s focus on affordable housing, seeing the Broadway Triangle as one of the last undeveloped plots of land in the area and much too important to develop without considering the opinions of the larger committee.

“The Broadway Triangle offers an opportunity to be a model green development, and provides numerous opportunities for affordable housing,” said Ramos.

Though the HPD did not have representatives present at Monday’s town hall meeting, they have said in the past that they are willing to work with BTC and any other organizations that would like to be heard regarding the development of the Broadway Triangle.

The department is currently undergoing the universal land use and review process (ULURP), and has not settled on a final plan. Members of the BTC are optimistic that their suggestions, if not their entire proposal, will be considered for implementation.

The attendees at the BTC’s town hall meeting were more cynical about the city’s willingness to accept the new plans. One resident who spoke at the meeting was especially skeptical, saying that in the 50-plus years he had lived in the area, he has seen little evidence that politicians who have encouraged the inappropriate development of the area will change now.

“We have to hold them to task,” he said.

Another resident responded to the plan by saying, “The only way to accomplish this is to show our strength, and not be overwhelmed by nonsense.”

As a further show of support, Churches United, a coalition of North Brooklyn churches that has been involved with the second charette, held a prayer vigil and march just before the town hall meeting. Parishioners of various churches sang songs and prayed for the city to take their suggestions for the development of the Broadway Triangle into consideration.

“We want to pray for the City and HPD to accept our vision for the Broadway Triangle,” said Rob Salano, an organizer with Churches United. “It would be a miracle if they accepted it. We’ve been speaking to HPD, and they are very interested in dialogue and have welcomed our suggestions.”

The BTC said that the next step in the process of creating a new plan for the Broadway Triangle is to create an advisory board to guide it and continue to solicit the opinions of neighborhood residents.