Good evening everybody. Could we come to order and please join me in a salute to the flag? >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. >> Good evening, Cam. Could we have a sunshine announcement, please? >> Yes, chairman. Good evening, everyone. Today is Tuesday, January 27th in the year 2026. And this is a Jersey Jersey Jersey City Planning Board meeting with a scheduled 5:30 p.m. start time and in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, notice of this meeting has been given to the editor of the Bergen Record, LS Balito, and posted with the city clerk on January 23rd of this year. This meeting was also posted on the Jersey City Division of City Planning web page, and all distribution materials made available to the board were published and made available to the public. >> Okay, thanks Cam. Could we have a roll call please? >> Yes. Acting vice chair Gangadan >> here. >> Commissioner Wick >> here. >> Commissioner Stamato >> here. >> Commissioner Patel >> here. >> And Chairman Langston >> here. >> All right. We have five commissioners present. We have a quorum. >> All right. Thank you. Mike, could we swear in the staff, please? >> You guys testimony you get tonight. The truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mike. Um Cam, do we have correspondence from anybody? >> Yes, chairman. Um well uh for starters uh the sunshine announcement is B1 and evidence. Um and then correspondence starting on page five of the agenda packet. Uh item nine. Uh this is under new business. Item nine a uh case P2025- Z0086. This is a site plan amendment. uh address is 176 Westside Avenue and um they're going to be carried with preservation of notice to February 10th. Next item on the agenda, item 10, this is case P20-168, a uh preliminary and final major site plan. Address is 417 to 427 Hoboken Avenue. And this is being carried with preservation of notice to February 24th. Then go to the last page of the packet and it is item 20 on the agenda. Case P20 2024-0240. This is a minor site plan with C variances. This will be carried with preservation of notice to February 24th of this year. Um and I'm sorry, the address is 916 and 918 Westside Avenue. So again, that's item 20, case P2024-0240, carrying with preservation of notice to February 24th. >> The first one, >> yeah, the first one is item nine on the agenda. That's on page five and that's carried to February 10th and that is address 176 Westside Avenue. That's case P2025-000086. uh February 10th. >> Okay. So, anybody that's here for any of those applications, um 176 Westside Avenue, 417 to 427 Hoboken Avenue and 916 and 918 Westside Avenue. They will not be heard tonight. You will not get new notice. We're preserving their notice. So, the dates that we gave for all those applications, that's when they'll be heard. Um, okay. So, let's get into old business. Uh, case P2025-0249 is a one-year extension for 198 Academy Street. >> Yes. Good evening, Mr. Chairman, commissioners. Charles Harrington of Connell Foley. On behalf of the applicant, uh, this is an extension request. I I we did provide public notices whether it was required or not. I'd like to give those to council. >> Thank you, Mr. Harington. Chairman, I received the affidavit of notice proof of publication with respect to the extension request at 198 Academy Street. It does appear to be in order. We're going to mark it as A1 for purposes of the record. >> Okay. Thank you, council. Uh, one more announce announcement I have to make, everybody. Uh we do have security leaving a little earlier than usual tonight. Uh we won't hear any new applications after 9:30 tonight and meeting is going to be done at 10:00 at the latest. Okay. Thank you. Go ahead. >> Okay. Thank you. So, uh, this application before you is for a one-year extension on this approval, but it's a little little different from what, uh, we usually, uh, present to the board, and in that, um, this, uh, this request, the approval has already run its five years, or it hasn't run it yet. It's, uh, the fifth, uh, the the termination of the last year of the extension is is due to expire in March 9th, 2026. So there's a provision in the municipal land use law that we have presented on larger projects to the board. When you're over a 100 units, uh you're you can request uh to the board uh for an additional extension beyond that. That's uh NJSA 405D-52E. Um and that's that's the provision we're asking for tonight. And we're we're asking um uh for the one-year extension because we believe this this project is is kind of unique in in the request, right? We my client um he uh he has other pro another project on the same street that he is under construction now or starting construction. So he he has his plate full there. Um, he can technically he could run in and get permits uh to vest the approval before March 9th, but we honestly think that would be a waste of like resources not only for my client but the city because you you can get your permits now you have a year to build under the building permit you're kind of really at the same place. Uh but another important factor here is um I think is uh this property is in zone four in the journal square60 redevelopment plan. And as this board knows uh within the the last 6 months there there were recent amendments u that were going to include zone 4 and other zones as part of uh the amendments. Those were pulled out. Um those amendments would have required affordable housing uh to be part of the project. This project right now as approved is it's all market rate. There there are no affordable uh units. So my client has been tracking that and now with the new administration and a new councilman um we're we're thinking that you know what we hear is that may have life again there. There may be future amendments uh to to the uh Journal Square redevelopment plan which would most likely involve affordable housing. So, my client, you know, would would like the the additional year uh for the the economic reasons that I said, he's he's already involved in another large project on the same street, but to have time to consider whether or not those, you know, if these amendments go through, uh would he come back to the board with an amendment and not go forward with with this project? So he's asking for for the extension so he doesn't get put into a position where he has to run out and and get this done now and vest it before it expires. >> Understood. Okay. Thank you. Anybody any questions? >> No. >> All right. Thank you. Uh is anybody here from public that wants to comment? Anyone from public? >> Chair see no one from public. I would like to close the public portion. >> Okay. We have a motion to close. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Public is closed. Um, Cam, this is your anything? >> Um, planning staff would just ask that the applicant's attorney agree to all the conditions from the original resolution um for this extension. >> Yes. >> And planning staff recommends approval. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Chair, I'd like to make a motion to approve KP205-0249 as presented to the board with staff recommendation and all conditions. >> Second. >> All right. We have a motion and second for approval. >> Acting vice chair Gangaden. I, >> Commissioner Wick, >> I, >> Commissioner Stamato, >> I, >> Commissioner Patel, >> I, >> and Chairman Langston, >> I. >> Motion carries. All in favor with conditions. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. At this point, I do want to move one item up. Uh I'm going to call item number 18 is case P2024-0171 is a preliminary and final major site plan with C variances for 8 I'm sorry 880 to 900 Garfield Avenue. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. A little close. Okay. Um, I'm Jennifer Bogdansky with the firm Connell Foley representing the applicant. This is for a property that's located within zone A in the mixed juice district of the canal crossing redevelopment plan. Our client is the designated redeveloper for a rather large area within that within the redevelopment area. The application that we're talking about tonight is for the redevelopment plan blocks number 10, 12, and 12P. Later, we'll be coming back for future approvals with regard to blocks 14, 15, 16, and 17. Um, we have obtained a subdivision for the application before you tonight back in January of 2023 that divided the lots that we're going to be talking about. There will be two residential buildings and the third area is going to be an open space park. This application also deals with some infrastructure improvements. Our building A is a six-story mixeduse building with 215 dwelling units including four affordable units. First floor retail, 68 parking spaces and 113 bicycle spaces. Our building B is a 10-story mixeduse building with 293 dwelling units including 59 affordable units. Uh first floor retail, 212 parking spaces and again a bicycle room with 168 bicycle spaces. Um oh sorry to just double back for a second. those future approvals in accordance with the redevelopment agreement. We will be applying for those 24 months after we have the cos for the two buildings that we're discussing this evening. The project is using Aspire and we will have 20% affordable units. I just mentioned the number of affordable per building. Under the redevelopment plan, we were only required to have 9%. So that's the increase up to 20. This application was filed back in August of 2024 and since that time we've been working closely with the planning department, the city JC and the city engineer and we've made multiple modifications to the plan based on the feedback that we've had from them. Um this evening I will have four witnesses. I have my civil engineer Kyle McKenna from Boiler Engineering. The architect for building A Tom Brennan from Thomas J. Brennan Architects, the architect for building B, Carlos Cordoso of Byer Blindol Bell Architects and Planners, and our planner, Charles Height. Also in attendance, I have the traffic engineer, John Hartner, and representative of the applicant. Should we have should there be any questions for them, but they are not expected to testify unless again answering any questions. Um, this application was noticed and I'm just going to hand them over to you. We gave the required public notice as well as notice of community group and that's up to the state. >> Thank you councel. >> And I will now turn things over to our civil engineer Kyle. Chairman, I received the affidavit and notice proof of publication with respect to the preliminary and final major site plan with various deviations for the property 880-900 Garfield Avenue. It does appear to be in order. We're going to mark it as A1 for the record. >> Thank you, council. >> Good evening. >> I do. >> Sure. It's Kyle McKenna. K Y L E M C K N A representing Bowler Engineering 30 Independence Boulevard in Warren, New Jersey. >> Uh Mr. McKenna, good evening. Your license is current in the state of New Jersey tonight? >> It is. >> Okay. Thank you. You're qualified. >> Thank you. Okay. >> Just one moment. I have to save this to connect. No minute. Yeah, I think I you know I don't have the connection on this one. >> USBC is what I have on here. over this side. Thank you very much. All right. Thank you. So, I'm going to start by my presentation. Um, it's going to cover existing conditions of the site. should be pretty simple because there's not too much out there. Um, and then I'm going to run through the proposed development. I'm going to touch briefly on the buildings, but we do have the project architects here that are going to get into the details on the building. So, I'm going to focus on layout of the proposed roadway system, um, how it interacts with the proposed buildings, access around the project area, and then I'll touch on some landscaping amenity areas for the buildings and the um, canal way and and park area that we're proposing as part of the project. So, as um Jen had noted, they the site on on this exhibit that we'll be introducing. This is an exhibit. This would be exhibit A1. It's an aerial exhibit. Um Delenny, >> we're up to A2. Sir, sir, do you have a slideshow by chance? >> Um like a PowerPoint? >> Yes. >> We just have the these are the slides that we'll be proposing. >> How many slides are there? There are six for the civil testimony and there will be additional for the architectural. >> So A2 will be the six slides. >> There are um there are files within the slideshow that were submitted as part of the site plan application. But if you'd like to just mark the whole exhibit as A2, that could simplify things. >> Let's do that. >> Okay. >> So A2 is six slides. Does it have a current date on it or revised date? >> Yes. So the uh the date on the exhibit um is is listed and it's uh today's date of January 27th, 2026. >> Perfect. >> Me too. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> All right. So this is an aerial exhibit of the existing conditions on the site. For everyone's reference, north is to the top right of the page. I'm going to reference north to the right of the page just for simplicity. Um the area of the site is delineated in yellow um with the three proposed uh lots delineated by the dark black lines with uh the first lot um proposed lot one on the south end of the project and then there's proposed um lot 1 and two of block 215 01.02 02 um which will comprise proposed building B. The remaining area of the proposed project um delineated in yellow will be um ultimately conveyed to the city as part of a public improvement for railway network, a greenway within the former Morris Canal, and also a park near the north end of the project. The site is currently vacant. If you're familiar with the project area, um it's been under remediation efforts for several years. Um so we're really starting with a clean slate on this project. Um along the western edge of the site is Garfield Avenue, which runs in the north south direction. Um with a site s bound to the south by uh Carterat Avenue, which is right now a just a paper street uh east of Garfield Avenue and to the north is the Hudson Bergen light rail line. the uh Garfield Avenue light rail station is just to the the northwest of the project area as well. Um which is uh which is important to note if there unless there's any questions on the existing conditions of the site. I'm going to go ahead and move on to the proposed conditions. So the second sheet of this uh exhibit A2, this is uh sheet C301. If you review the site plan package that was submitted with the application, it's uh it's included in that set. Um, it's essentially a colorized uh version of the site plan, overall site plan. So, I'm going to start by running through the proposed street network and what we're doing to improve the existing streets and the proposed streets for the project. Uh, starting at the northwest corner of the project near the light rail station, we have Garfield Avenue, which is going to be widened. There'll be sidewalk on both sides of Garfield Avenue with a bike lane along the western um curb line and there will be a two-way direction similar to today. As you approach the Carterette Avenue intersection, there'll be a left turn lane. Um and there will also be parallel parking on the eastern side of Garfield Avenue which is um which will be a nice amenity. Moving around to proposed Carter Avenue right away, which will expand to the to the east of the project. That'll be um again a road that travel provides um vehicular access in in both directions in the east to west direction. There'll be a left turn lane near the intersection with um bike lanes on both sides of the project along with sidewalks as well on both sides of the street along with sidewalks. uh moving toward again in the counterclockwise direction to the proposed canal way. So this is a um a split corridor road um with a lane traveling in the south direction along the west side of canal way and a lane traveling in the northbound direction along the east side of Canal Way. It's going to be split by a greenway with a shared use bike path running down the middle um and some landscaping and amenity features along both sides of that shared use path. That shared use path will provide access from the southern end of Canal Way uh which abuts the future development within the um canal crossing redevelopment area and it'll traverse up to the north end of Canal Way um where the street will terminate and it'll just be a shared use bike path providing access out and around to uh Garfield Avenue um heading towards the light rail station. The project will be bisected by Hampshire Muse which is again is a proposed road. Um access in both directions uh but no parallel parking on that with sidewalks beyond the edge of the road. Um the project is going to be the main focus of the project this evening is going to be the proposed buildings. So to the south side of the project, we have proposed building A um which is a six-story 215 unit uh mixeduse project with approximately 6,800 square ft of retail. We have the project architects going to take a deep dive on the details of the building, but we're going to provide kind of a brief summary of what um the interaction between the site and the building is access for vehicular um access and pedestrians as well. So along Garfield Avenue, we'll have retail uh uses which will be um at grade level along the street with access along Garfield Avenue. The lobby for the residents, the main lobby for the residents will be located near that northern corner um of Garfield where uh Garfield Avenue and Hampshire Muse intersect. Vehicular access will be provided along, excuse me, the eastern um side of the building right near the middle along that southbound side of Canal Way. And there's also going to be a loading area interior to the building providing provided along uh with access along the street. And that access point for that loading um area within the building will be along Carter Avenue sort of near the the almost near the western corner of the building just behind the retail that front Garfield Avenue. Um within building uh A there's going to be a podium parking area. So, what that means is it's basically an atgrade um parking area that's wrapped by the building. So, it'll kind of function like a parking garage, but it's just at grade. So, that area is in the center of the building. It's in light gray on this um exhibit. And that area will provide a total of 68 parking spaces. And again, just to reiterate, the access to that area is um right near the center of the building out to Canal Way on the eastern edge of the building. the uh for building B, similar configuration. Um there's going to be retail along the majority of Garfield Avenue and the retail will also wrap around that northern end of the project along the the park area um about 100 ft back from Garfield Avenue. The main lobby for the residence will be near the eastern corner of the building along Canal Way and access to the parking area for the building will be almost split down the middle of the building in the back um on the eastern side along Canal Way. Um and that parking is actually a structured parking area. So, it's going to be multi-level structured parking which provides 212 parking spaces and the access point will be from Canal Way. Similar to building A, there is a um a loading area within the building, one loading space. Um and that access point will be from Hampshire Muse. again on the uh near the southwest corner of the building just step back behind the retail along Garfield Avenue. One thing I'd like to note about that access point, it is that we are requesting, excuse me, variance relief for the curb cut width that is being proposed there. So the redevelopment plan permits a 10-ft curb cut for a one-way access. We are proposing a 15oot curb uh cut there in that location. The reason for this is really just to provide adequate um turning movement for vehicles accessing that loading area. The reason we're requesting it here and not elsewhere on the project is that being located along Hamster Muse, it is the tightest right away. So we are requesting that relief in this area to facilitate the turning movement in for loading operation. Um trash and refu will be handled internal to the building. Again, I'll let the architects um get into the details on how that will operate. However, the trash uh rooms are generally in close proximity to the loading space. So, it's a pretty convenient location for that as well. A little more detail on the parking. So, in total for the project, we're proposing 280 spaces between the two buildings. So um uh the minimum required per the ordinance would be 214. We're proposing 280. Within that we are meeting both ADA requirements for minimum ADA spaces and the electric vehicle charging requirements which requires 15% of the spaces to be um outfitted um for EV charging being phased in over a period of time. Building A would propose 11 EV spaces while building B would propose 19 uh spaces. We're also proposing bike storage areas within the buildings totaling um 281 bike uh storage area uh storage area for up to 281 bicycles whereas 268 minimum are required. So we are meeting that requirement as well. Um, I also didn't mention it's not included in the parking calculation. However, there are proposed parallel parking spaces throughout the site. As I alluded to in my initial description, there's approximately 50 spaces shown on this plan, but they're not included in the uh parking calculation that I just provided. For landscaping, we are proposing landscaping um around both buildings. We're proposing um just in the excluding the canal way and park area, we're proposing the 64 street trees which does comply with the city's ordinance and redevelopment plan. Um we're also proposing uh foundation planting some ornamental trees along Hampshire muse um and just a series of both deciduous and evergreen shrubs, perennials, uh decorative grasses, things of that nature throughout the site. Uh for lighting, we are compliant with the city's lighting requirements. Um there's going to be a mix of decorative polemounted lights along the street and then there will also be some um sconces on the on the building along with canopy lights as well to um provide a nice even it's a LED 4K um kind of a nice even distribution to promote a good safe interaction along the sidewalk and within the parking areas of the project. Um I going to touch on the um amenity spaces within the building as well just briefly before I leave the buildings. So this is uh an exhibit for the uh second floor many space within building A. So, building A has two amenities, amenity areas. One on the second floor. Um, again, this would be limited to the residents of the building, but provide a nice amenity area for them. This area on the second floor provides a nice shaded entertainment area, some areas to lounge, tables, um, a spa area, and an outdoor kitchen area. There will also be there's also you can see there's some green areas here as well um that'll be planted provide a nice uh like green roof uh benefit to the project um for the uh the second area on uh building A is the rooftop amenity space shown here. Again, pretty similar uh benefit. Uh seating areas, um areas to kind of lounge, PA patio areas, um again with some mix of synthetic um grass areas and also uh plant uh planted areas as well. For building B, there's a nice rooftop amenity space um uh for that that building as well with a pool area. Again, sheated structures for for lounging, tables, uh tables for seating, lawn, synthetic lawn areas, and uh planted landscaped areas as well. Just going to quickly go back to the overall plan and just touch on storm water and utilities for the project. So as part of the roadway infrastructure, we will be uh proposing storm water conveyance uh new water services um for the project uh util other utilities including gas, sanitary sewer, electric. Uh there are some improvements along Garfield Avenue to the existing water system. Um we've met and worked and collaborated quite a bit with the Jersey City MUA. We have a review letter that we have received from the MUA's office and we're going to be working to address their outstanding comments and collaborate um to address any any any concerns that they have remaining. Um another just note on on the storm water and the grading of the project. Um the project will also be elevated as you move towards the east of the project into the future phases of the canal crossing redevelopment area. Right now, Garfield Avenue sits pretty low about elevation 10 plus or minus ranges between like 9 and 11 depending on where you are along the profile of the road. As we move east into the project, we're going to be rating up to an elevation that at a high point is about 15 or so within this site area. So, um Hamster Muse will actually be on a slight incline up to the rear of the project. So, when you access the parking areas, you'll be at a slightly higher grade, but again, the retail um areas are going to be flush access along the sidewalk of Garfield Avenue. I'd also like to note that we um have met with uh the transportation department and we've received review letters from the transportation department with respect to the overall layout and configuration of the project for pedestrian and vehicular traffic as well as the shared use uh areas of the site and the bike paths. We're going to be working and collaborating with them further to just refine the design a little bit and address the comments that they've provided thus far. Um and the last segment of my uh presentation here is going to just briefly discuss project phasing. Oops. So again, this is the phasing plan that was uh included in the uh site plan package submitted with the application. We're going to be developing the project in three separate phases. So the first phase it would actually include building B and the roadway and infrastructure improvements to support building B. So we would need to build out um the improvements along Garfield Avenue, Carter Avenue, Hamstrom Muse and Canal Way. The second phase would be building A and then the third phase would be um the greenway uh within Canal Way and the park. Um there would be an interimm condition which we provided an interimm condition plan as part of the site plan application where we would have to stabilize um and seed the areas that are a part of uh phase three during the construction of phases one and two. And that concludes my direct testimony but happy to provide some more detail or answer any questions if there are any. >> Okay. Thank you Mr. McKenna. I have no questions. Anybody else? No. >> All right. Thank you sir. Next, we're going to call the architect. >> Council, we do have to get you on mic though. >> This goes out to the internet tomorrow. >> Okay. Uh, next we're going to call our architect for building a Tom Brennan. Yeah, you can do it as we need to do. Yeah. Where's the other one? Where's Garfield? So, we're gonna have to introduce this as an exhibit. >> There we go. >> The whole truth. >> Uh, yes. >> Uh, name is Thomas Brennan. B ren. >> Mr. Brennan. Good evening. Your license is current and in good standing. >> Uh, yes it is. >> Okay. Thank you. You're qualified, sir. >> Okay. Um, yes. So, basically, as we're looking at the rendering of the Garfield Avenue site, um, as was described by the civil engineer, it's bounded by four streets. And therefore, you have retail along Garfield Avenue. And, um, basically, I'll use my little pointer here to Oops. Whoops. Well, I guess it doesn't doesn't really show up there, but >> sir, it might be better for you to use the mouse because we can see your cursor on the screen. >> Okay. So, along Garfield Avenue here is the retail uh portion and I'll get into the specifics of the site plan. Um but uh th this is at at grade um retail. And then as we move to the north corner of the building of um Garfield and Hampshire um is the lobby area for um the the building itself. Um you move it to the next one. So Mr. Brennan, why don't we mark the exhibit? It looks like there's 10 slides. >> Yes, >> we're going to mark it as A3. If we could just go back to that first slide. Let's get a date. I don't know if there's a uh is there a date on the rendering? >> No, there's not. But we can mark it as today's date, I guess. >> Yes. 10 slides. It looked like there's another slide deck for the other building. Is that fair? >> Correct. >> Yeah, there's a total of four. >> All right. So, we're going to go in order. A3, A4 A5 A6. >> Okay. >> So, A3 is the 10 slide deck. Building A. >> Yes. >> A4 is building A interior. Two slides. >> Is this B? This is B, right? Uh, that's actually building B interior. Well, it's building A, but it's it's not in line with what we're >> So, we're not going to use this. >> We're going to do the floor plan first. Well, >> no, no, he just wants to mark all the exhibits. >> Oh, all the exhibits. Yes. >> Building A interior, right? This would be next. >> Yeah. >> So, this would be building A interior. >> Two slides. Building A interior will be A4. A5 will be >> building B 16 slides. >> Yes, sir. >> And then A6 will be interior building B. >> I don't >> No, just this this would be it would just be five. >> Okay. >> Sorry. >> So, back to A3. >> Thank you. >> Okay. And again, so this this rendering here is um uh along Canal Way and it's um opposite the Garfield side of the building. So you can see that there's a cohesiveness all the way around the building. And that was what the applicant had requested from us is to provide a a luxury upstick scale type um elevation. Um so how do I go to the next one? I just Yes just >> floor plan. Okay, so this is the floor plan um of the the building and I'll use the cursor here to review what we what we have um um along Garfield Avenue. Here we have um retail spaces in the front of the building that uh u will be facing out toward Garfield Avenue. Uh, as I was saying before, it's if we get to the uh northern end of Garfield Avenue is the entrance to the building itself, which consists of the lobby area, the leasing, the package room, the mail room, the concier uh and a nice lounge area that the um the interior designer has provided for for that space. Um so that will be the the main focus, the main entry of the um apartments. Um and then as we go down Hampshire here, um there are uh six apartments that are um one-bedroom apartments. As we get down to the bottom here, the there's a community space and community room of approximately 2400 square ft. And then next to it is the fitness area of 1300 square feet approximately. Um and in this space here will be the club room, a lounge area. Um maybe a card. I mean the interior designer is provide pro, you know, proposing uh various different uses for the amenities for the uh the apartments. Um there's a refreshment center. It'll be you know men's and women's uh bathrooms etc. all in that space um off of uh Canal Way. Um so then as we move down Canal Way, as the engineer had described as the entrance to the parking garage and the parking space, the parking area is in the middle of the building here and there's 68 spaces. The EV spaces are up along here. Um, it also includes um access to get to the elevator lobbies that are in the lobby up here. And there's also another elevator at the opposite corner of the building as well. Um, so along getting back to Canal Way, there are the bicycle storage of 113 bicycles um spaces per se. Um, and then there's another amenity area to be determined yet. As we go up Carterette, there's mechanical type spaces as we go. Um, there's electrical um different different utility type spaces along there. And of course, right here is the loading dock area. Um, so that will be off of Carterette. Um and of course that can service the um the retail space as well as well as um the rest of the building per se. Um so the as was described is that the units um there are 215 units. There are 43 affordable units and um they range in you know range from um being um 549 square ft to,266 ft. Now let me go to the next slide here. Am I just clicking on that? Yeah, there we go. So this is the second floor of the building and um this uh describes all the units as I was saying the square footages there are studios ones and two and threebedroom units the um designations for affordable are with an A after it so if you see a 3BA that means it's an affordable unit a 2BA is an affordable in it. Um that type of thing. Um so they're they're all, you know, all around the building and this is a typical floor plate for the other floors that are above it. Um so on top of the parking area there was as the engineer had described there was an outdoor space that um and as he was showing it was um you know a landscaped area with uh an amenity there and then of course there'll be another amenity interior wise and that is about 1300 square ft. the interior designer will be coming up with a a nice amenity um that's going to complement the the outdoor space that's there. Um so that's what would be on that particular sheet. Um again the units are open airy ones bedrooms, two bedrooms, three bedrooms. They're they're um um they're in the market described as what what is what is marketable at this point in in uh so let me go to the the next one. We were discussing also the rooftop terrace that the civil uh landscape architect civil engineer had actually proposed a landscape area that's on the rooftop. Now, this rooftop area is to the east and it would come up the elevator that's to the off of Carterette and you would access that rooftop from that elevator and however there would be another exit way. So, there's two means of egress off of the rooftop. Um, and that's um that area there is uh what was proposed. Now, I think if I'm not mistaken, this this area too was where they were um this is a new exhibit. Is that correct? Yeah. So, this is a new exhibit that no one's seen yet. I mean, the old what we submitted was a larger area across the rooftop and this is a a smaller area across the rooftop which is only approximately about 6,100 square ft or 6,200 square f feet. That's what's depicted on D9.1 slide five of A3. >> Correct. And um and and primarily on the rest of the rooftop will be mechanical units for the common carters and and things of that nature. But the main focus will be this rooftop terrace which will be on a um um uh a um raised platform type system um for amenity purposes and and all that kind of stuff there. So then the next exhibit from there we go to the elevations. the elevations um primarily the top elevation that you see across here is the um the space along Garfield Avenue. So this is the storefront, the entryways all along Garfield. This was the entrance to the um main building. Um these this is along Hampshire Muse which is the um apartments that are along Hampshire Muse. Um so um the the building itself consists of um two different types of brick. Um, we were using a brick and we described it a little bit that it was a uh a brick that was um, if I have my notes here, um, a a golden cream cream color for the top and a golden uh, golden orange brick as well. The lower section of the the building is a pre-cast p um panel that's on the first floor all the way around the building. So, as I point to it here, that's all the way around the building that's all pre-cast. Then there's the one color brick here. And then there's another color brick that's to the top. And then it's accented with um a bronze metal um panel, which is the darker color that you see here. Um the the windows um are all going to be a bronze black window. Um, and the PTAC, which is the mechanical unit that's in the apartments, that will also be highlighted to be the same color as the window. So, that's what will be provided there. Um, let me go to the next slide here. Okay. And this is this is again the the top part is the canal way, you know, uh elevation which is very consistent with the the rest of the building all the way around. And then of course the the lower drawing represents the the Carter Avenue. And as I point out over here is the loading dock over at this this point over here. Um, so that's the elevations and this goes into more detail as far as describing the types of brick, the panels. That's what would this was all submitted to uh in our um package that we had. Um the interior courtyard would um be consistent of two types of brick. a a brick that's here and then there would be a cementus fiber um siding. It's a horizontal siding that would be because it's on the inside of the building. So, we're we're compatible with the exterior and yet the inside we were providing something a little bit different. Now, this is another exhibit. Is that correct that I need to identify? >> So, this is another exhibit that that wasn't in our package. And this was um just recently and it's basically where the gas meter location is going to be. And this is right um off of Garfield and Hampshire Muse. So right past the lobby area that faces out toward Hampshire Muse is a blank wall there and that would be where the gas meters would be located. The gas meters are only for the retail spaces and the common area of the building. building itself. Everything else is the uh the PTAC electric type unit. >> I I actually want to just chime in. I don't appreciate that we're getting these exhibits the night of this hearing. Um I'm now checking for a green roof coverage requirement to see about the exhibit that they just showed us for this roof plan. We do not allow gas meters to face the street like this. That is very atypical. >> Um excuse me. The reason we made these changes in both this building and you'll hear again on building B is because PSEG has required us to do this >> that >> let's carry the item. Get it to me in writing and we'll come back. >> Absolutely. >> And and before we carry I do have a couple questions on the affordable units. I only saw one unit that faces the outside of the building >> that's affordable. Are they not mixed throughout the building or are they only on the interior of the building? >> They should be mixed throughout. >> Um, let me go look at mine. I can see mine bigger. Um, yeah, there are some. >> Zoom in. >> Yeah, >> the only affordable unit that faces the outside that I saw is on the top. >> 28A on the top. >> Yep. >> Every other affordable unit faces the interior of the building. >> Can we zoom in on the exhibit, Mr. Brennan? >> I have to zoom that in. >> That's fair. >> Okay. Yeah, I'm I'm sure that they can the the locations of the affordable units could be interchangeable. >> Okay. We want them spread throughout the building, not just interior facing units. >> We'll agree to move them around. You know, that can be accomplished. >> Okay. Um I can hold the other questions then until we uh >> Let's see. I got one. Is that it? >> Come back. Okay. Um so basically the to conclude um on this is that obviously we will be providing um a building that is very attractive. We feel that it it fits in with the um framework and the um criteria of of u what is being expected for this location. We um also obviously will pro we have provided all the life and safety issues as far as fire stairs, as far as elevators, as far as ADA requirements, as far as you know, anything that has to be provided for um building purposes. We will be providing that. you know obviously the whole building is sprinkled and >> we don't have to get into the technical parts of the building code but um we will be you know providing that so >> okay >> thank you sir so come on up councel >> uh chairman to resolve this PSENG issue for the moment we would be happy to proceed with the plan the way it was submitted and have a condition that we'll only be able to use this plan I have the condition that we'll use this plan only once we provide proof that PSEG requires it. >> You know, make the approval conditional. Whichever plan we >> It might be a variance, Commissioner. >> It could be. >> Could be. >> Yeah. >> And there may be a variance for the roof amenity space as well. >> That I think I can rule out. Um I'll look through the redevelopment plan while the rest of the testimony continues. So, Matt, you haven't seen any of the the change on the roof plan? >> No, not before today. >> Okay. >> Right now, >> council, this wasn't submitted to planning, any of the changes. >> The change on the roof, we just took um we just made the roof deck area smaller. This issue with PSENG came up in the last couple of days. >> Okay. >> And we've tried to redesign to do something that PSCG would approve. >> Okay. But the roof plan also wasn't submitted to planning yet. >> The change to the roof plan where we made the deck smaller was not >> correct. Okay. So, you haven't gotten this approved by PSCG yet. >> Um, can I have my client speak to that since he's been liaisoning with them? >> We have to swear them in the >> Yeah, that's fine. >> We're just Omar. the truth. The whole truth >> I do. >> Sure. Omar Monsour, M S O R. >> Good evening, sir. Just uh walk us through what's going on with PSEG here. >> It's it's very simple, chairman. We have submitted for PSNG for the review as part of our building design and they came back with a new policy indicating that they don't allow gas meters inside buildings anymore. It's not for our development, for any development. And we're going through it in other cities as well. We're doing a building in New Brunswick and we have the same requirement where all the gas meters have to be outside. The good news with this one here, the gas meters are only for retail. So, we have limited number. They're not per apartment. They're only five of them. So, it's not like an overwhelming uh uh area. So, I am I'm not aware of this yet, chairman. I haven't run into this issue. who I don't doubt that the meters have to be located outside per se. I think the issue is more perhaps where outside they have to be located. So, uh, you know, I I just to answer the chairman's question, I have not had this happen yet in any of my, uh, private work where we've run into this issue, but it sounds like it may be something that, uh, is going to have to be dealt with. But again, we normally do not allow them to face streets. So, >> sure, >> that's unexpected as we sit here this evening. That's all I can >> I mean, as you can tell from original submission, we wanted to be indoors. We wanted to be inside. And that's how we had it designed. And I don't I'm not saying that anything is un unoured about it or that there was any malice in it. I think you know the the policy of the board requires that these things be provided 10 days before. And part of the reason that is is to give the public an opportunity and to give planning staff the opportunity to look at, confirm, verify, uh, etc. So, it's always been this board's position that we don't allow these things to come up the night of the hearing and hear anything for the first time, whether it be we've reduced the size of an amenity space or where we had been proposing the meters uh is a different location. So, I can understand what you're saying. I don't know did PSEG give this to you in writing and does it have to face a street exactly what did PSEG tell you other than it can't be internal to the building because those are not the same thing in my opinion >> absolutely no based on the infrastructure that they have they have requested that the service coming from Garfield and not extended all the way through but extended to Hampshire muse and feeding both buildings from the outside with the meters is being outside the building. This is not our requirement and this is not our design. This is what the >> PSCG supply the gas service to the building. That's how they requested. It's their design and their jurisdiction if you will. >> Can you pull up your utility plan? Can we please go back to the architect? >> Sure. >> On the site plan. >> Correct. >> Civil plan. the submitted. >> Just also we did notice for any general variances that would be needed. So, >> of course, we we like to know about them before you get here, though. >> Variances are also a fee. Sounds like you did know about it. That's a catchall for something that's discovered before the board, not something that's known. We haven't found a variance yet. >> That's incorrect. No, it's true. >> Well, what variance? >> Utility placement supposed to be indoors pursuant to the redevelopment plan. >> So, okay. >> So, that would be a deviation under the plan. >> Kyle, can you show us where the gas service is? Let me just >> Yeah, it's not even on that side of the building. >> This is the um as was noted this this was the plan that was submitted. So, it wasn't updated yet on this build on this particular >> So, we have exhibits. We have we also have plans that don't don't connect and aren't updated. >> You're not wrong, Matt. And quite frankly, this is the reason why it has to be submitted so that all of these things can be coordinated prior to attempting to do this on the fly like this which you know, respectfully to everybody, this is this is a large project. This isn't, >> you know, a small project by any means. So, >> right. So, previously it was uh in a different location on the utility plan. >> Okay, >> Cam, do we have any idea on a date to carry to? outside. >> Yeah, it would have to be February 24th >> because the 10th can't accommodate him and the next meeting is too short notice. >> So, one month. >> Okay. Um, what if if am I correct in that the PSENG is causing the variance problem? Correct. >> Council, we're not negotiating right now. >> What is the question? Well, the question is since we don't have proof that PSCG said this and the board's not familiar with this and it would create a variance that we would have had to notice for and pay for, can we go ahead with the site plan the way it was? And then if PSEG gives us something that says no, we can't go ahead with the site plan the way it was, then we'd have to come back to the board for an amendment. So, council, my problem with that is it is clear that PSEG seems to have an issue with where the meters are proposed and we kind of know that, right? So, I don't know why we would move forward with something that's clearly an issue with PSENG. And I don't know if the conversation with PSEG included we're not allowed to locate it on the street. What if we did A, B, or C, and we do get to a place where PSEG is satisfied and it doesn't trigger a variance. I don't know. Why were they located where they were located on the exhibit? It sounds like that was based on the interpretation and conversation that took place with PSEG. I don't know how it happened because we're learning about this in real time. So, chairman, it's always the pleasure of the board. I think that it needs to be looked at. I don't see why we would move forward with something that seems to be an issue with PSENG. And we know PSENG uh isn't okay with I shouldn't say we know sounds like PSENG is not okay with what was proposed to this board which is what the applicant is now asking to move forward with. I I just >> Yes. So, so you're making the representation that PSEG wants this changed or has to have this changed, but now we're walking that back and saying that it's not substantiated. We need it in writing. Correct. >> No. Um, Mr. Ward said he needed it in writing. >> Okay. What did you just state on the record? I said that we could go forward with the plan as submitted and then if it's true that PSENG doesn't accept it this way that we would come back to the board for an amendment or if that would be necessary to conform to what PSEG wanted and if it did require a variance as Mr. Ward said it would. >> But the testimony from the principal was PSENG will not allow us to do it the way we want. And I think it was very clear when he said I wanted it to be internal. >> If I if I may, the way it works with BSENG, usually we do site plan approval and then we design the building, then we go for BSENG. >> With this project, we're expediting the process. So we started our design and we're dealing with PSEG life. Typically, we do a >> what we call a conceptual utility plan. Agreed. >> And this utility plan is subject to change based on PSEG. >> Sure. So we tried to be proactive with this one here. Start a discussion with PSEG early. Agreed. >> And and our design we we showed it where we think it was the the best way to to show it and then PSG is coming back. They still haven't approved. We're still in live discussion with PSEG. But the initial the first and foremost they say we don't allow it indoor anymore for any gas meters. That's the new policy that they have as of this year. We're not talking something that's been going on. This is our first application actually our second application that we're dealing with that they've changed this policy on and we are in discussion with PSCG that's why if we can proceed with what we have as we have it approved by PSCG at the same time we'll see where we go from there >> chairman I I think the only thing that that changes is it clarifies ies the testimony of the witness. And I'm not trying to allow everybody or anybody to believe that the witness isn't being forthright and honest. I agree that usually the conversation with PSEG is subsequent to the approval. That being said, it does not change the fact that that conversation is in the works and there was a change made based on those conversations. We didn't bring this up. This was >> something the applicant did based on those conversations. That's all I can I can say at this point. So >> yeah, I >> if the board is uncomfortable moving forward, then we can we can state that. If the board is comfortable moving forward, that's that's a different question. >> I'm sorry to interrupt. Um, another representative from the client would like to testify. >> Sure. >> Good. Good evening everyone. Bor Oh, okay. >> Tonight's going to be the truth. The whole truth. >> Yes, I do. >> Spell your name. >> Wasim Borai. W A S E M last name Borai. B O R A I E. >> Mr. Borai. Good evening. Good to see you. >> Good evening. Good to see everybody. >> The floor is yours. >> Sure. So I think uh obviously we are honored to be in front of Jersey City Planning Board tonight. Uh you know we developed throughout the state chairman and you know obviously um we have a very very good working relationship with PSENG. We've developed you know 3 million plus square feet with them in just the last 5 to seven years. So, you know, in our discussions with PSENG, they in the past this was a good plan to move forward on. Something comes up, we will work it out with PSEG just like we do all over the state in Newark, in Jersey City, in Bayon, in New Brunswick and Atlantic City. We've been here 40 years developing throughout the state. You know, what are we going to do? Carry this and then put pressure on PSEG to make a decision in a week? The point is give us the approval tonight, Godwilling, and then we will work with PSCG. If there has to be an amendment, we will then bring it back to the board with on a fact. You know, we are not trying to get anything past Jersey City here. We're here trying to fasttrack a development that no one's ever built before in this part of Jersey City. This will be the first major development in 50 years on the Garfield Avenue area. And we have six other phases that are following this. So, you know, we're invested here. We've spent tens of millions of dollars buying the property just for the first few phases. So, you know, believe me, we are fasttracking this for the benefit of the city for the benefit of where we are right now in the capital markets. We, you know, just had our lenders all sign on to do the first two phases here. So, you know, we're working in partnership with the JC planning and of course, you know, the the zoning group. So, you know, respectfully, we have everything here in goodstead. We've we've told you all the facts. If it needs to be amended, it'll get amended. Our feeling is that we can work it with PSEG. They have a lot of policies that once they work with repeat developers and they understand what the goals are, they'll work with us. So, we're highly confident that we'll be able to make this work. If it needs to be amended, we'll amend it. >> I see no reason to carry it. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Borai. Thank you. >> Obviously, we we do see changes from PSEG all the time. They they move vaults. They change interiors on us. Um I I'm comfortable going through with the original plans. If if the board isn't there's five of us here anybody. >> I'm okay. >> But >> if there's anything else. >> Yeah. >> Council, are we going to have any more surprises? >> No, we're not. >> Okay. >> I'm just one person. So >> I am I am as comfort comfortable as um Matt can be as well because he's our principal planner at this time and his recommendation means a lot to us. >> Yes. >> And uh how we vote as well. >> Agree. >> Are you comfortable going with the original? >> Absolutely. It's was scheduled. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> It was scheduled um with the original That's what I anticipated being presented tonight. That's what the commissioner is anticipating being presented tonight. >> Just to clarify, so then if anything changes to the original plan because of PSCG, they would have to come back for an amendment >> for our approval. >> Yes. >> Then I'm comfortable. >> Okay, guys. >> Yeah. And commissioner, we agree we would come back for an amendment if so. >> Okay. So, it's going to have to get our approval anyways if the changes are >> Yes, >> chair. With all due respect, um going forward, if there's changes to a plan, it should be sent to our um planner so that that come forth to the planner to us on time. Not a surprise. >> Absolutely. >> Second that. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So, Okay. So, let's let's move on. Let's get past it. Um, as far as the affordable units being spread throughout the project, not just interior facing. >> Yes, Mr. >> Bor, we have always done that on all our we do 8020s all over the state. >> And I know that >> we have we have affordable units on the top floors on our buildings. We spread it throughout. >> Okay. But they're not only interior facing, they'll be exterior facing as well. Okay. Same fit and finish throughout the building. Correct. >> We finish every unit in our buildings exactly the same. >> Perfect. That's what I want to hear. >> Throughout the state. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Let's um >> council, is there more architectural >> from this witness? >> Um let's see. Tom, were you finished? >> That was the conclusion. Okay, that was the conclusion of building B. Does anyone have any questions? >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Building. >> Does anyone have any questions? Any questions >> for Mr. Brennan? >> Okay. >> Okay. Then my next witness is the architect for building B, Carlos Cardardosa. >> Um, council, we're going to get a quick break in. We're not going to discuss anything behind anybody's back here. It's uh we try and take a break at 7 o'clock for our court reporter and uh I think this is going to go on a little while. So, let's get that break in now while we have a break in testimony. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you. >> You come to order again everybody please and counsel your next witness. Mr. >> Sure. >> Okay. Sorry. Um, I am now going to call my architect for building B, Carlos Cardardoso. The truth, the whole truth, nothing but truth. >> I do. >> Carlos Cardoso, C A R D O, partner with Berbindabell Architects. >> Mr. Cordoa, good evening. Your license is current and in good standing in New Jersey. Okay, thank you. You're qualified. >> Thank you. Commissioners, Mr. chairman um here to present building B as you know just for clarity and to save the whole board time there are 16 slides or exhibits two of which are new and you will see that one is the gas meter as well which Mr. was spoke about. I'll point that out. And one is an interior rendering. The rest has been submitted for clarity. It is not new. >> What you're seeing before you here is the ground floor plan. Uh >> sir, let's mark the exhibit. This is different than >> it. It's A5, I believe. >> Oh, this is A. >> Yes. Sorry. Correct. >> Good. >> What you're seeing before you right now is the ground floor. Uh obviously Garfield surrounded by Garfield, Hampshire Muse and Canal Way. In this building there are two major entrances. One primary which is right in the corner which is north which will face the park and canal way which we'll talk about that and the other one is a secondary lobby which is on Hampshire Muse. Um there are two vehicle areas. One is the parking towards canal way which is a two-way entry and exit and then there is a loading dock on Hampshire Muse and we will talk through in terms of refuge removal and so forth. It is what I call a donut design where the parking is inside. It's covered. It's not seen. And as Kyle had explained the statistics before, 212 parking spaces, 293 units, 59 to 20% which are affordable. Nothing obviously has changed there. As we move up the building on floors on the second floor and then third as well, what you see here is obviously the perimeter units distributed throughout with the parking ramped parking on the inside. And you see the two cores on the southwest and the south and the northeast as well as you see here to circulate around the building. As we move up once we get to the fourth floor, it is the roof of the fourth of the parking of the fourth fourth floor is the amenity space which is above the garage as you see here. Kyle had explained that before. Obviously at this point it becomes a double loaded quarter with views towards the streets and towards the inner court which is what that becomes with the rooftop space that you see there as the building rises on canal way which is the floors uh 9th and 10th. Obviously, these are the tallest floors. A double loaded corridor of residences as well facing Canalway and also facing towards Garfield Avenue as you see there and the rooftop that we'll talk a little bit about in a little while on the eighth uh floorstory building as you see here. This is the rooftop. You see the green roof spaces on the lower and then on the upper roofs are all mechanical spaces. They're all screened, uh, ventilated, screened, and the stair bulkheads are also obviously enclosed in in the stucco finish. Nothing different, nothing new as presented before with a lounge, an amenity lounge on the rooftop of the tallest building and the little sight area facing towards the water or the New York City views on the elevations that you see here on the building on the north elevation which will face the future park to your left as you see here or what will be canal way is the main entry which is what we call a pretty grand entry the primary entry towards Garfield Avenue. It's the remnants when I say of the of the retail space which turns the corner there as well. And then there's the lobby as it continues throughout. And then obviously the stepping going from a fivetory to an eight story and then to a 10 story on this elevation. When we get to the east elevation which is Canal Way, you have the two entries or I should say the exit and the entry towards the parking lot. Right here you see the storefronts here are all the amenity spaces on the ground floor. To the right or to the north facing the park is also the main entry lobby as well. The materiality as previously submitted is cast stone on the base, brick in the middle, and then charcoal gray panels above as the building rises. On the south elevation that we have, which is Hampshire Muse, there is the secondary lobby there. There is the loading dock, which is where the garbage trucks and moveins and move outs will happen throughout the entire building. And again, the retail space that is on Garfield that turns the corner onto Hampshire Muse is right here towards the left hand side of your page. And the buildings beyond that rise. And last but not least on the west facade, which is Garfield Avenue, is all the retail spaces uh that you see there along the whole street. Obviously, the whole articulation of the facade to be more quaint to the neighborhood and in the proper scale. In the middle right here was all the amenity spaces and what was seam said before. This is where we had originally enclosed the gas meter room. This is an explanation that we submitted to how the garbage refuge is exited out of the building considering it's a pretty large building. In plan you really see where the lobby entrance or the core is on the north side. There's one on the south side and obviously there are trash shoots there. This uh rendering or sketch that you see all the way on the right side is on the main lobby or on this core which oops sorry about that which basically the trash shoots come down. There's a compactor. The containers are stored there in that room in the trash container room and then they are exited through a quarter which is out of sight to the public or to the residents or to anybody except the retail spaces or the people doing the maintenance and it goes to that loading dock which a garbage truck can come in totally enclosed into the loading dock take care of the garbage and move out. The same thing happens on the lower page here. It's a much smaller containment for the containers for the garbage area and the trash containment, but follows the same principle. And also, this quarter allows retailers when they're removing their refues to also go through the same quarter and therefore out of sight, out of mind. Nobody's seeing what's going on behind the scenes. This is the new exhibit which ties into the gas meter room. I'm going to sidebar that. You've all spoke about it. I don't need to get into that unless the board would like to, but I'm going to skip that. >> Yeah, we'd prefer not. >> I agree. Um, let's get to the renderings and the more exciting part. This is Canal Way north facing the park. This is the grand entry with a primary entry. I think it's going to be quite beautiful as you can see there and the articulation and what is transpiring there and changing the whole neighborhood prospect there. This is a new exhibit. It's just the rendering which if I go back the amenities are right sorry right right here and this is a rendering of those amenities facing canal way. Moving on here we have from the light rail what you would see as you approach the building right the main entry is right here. Here's Canal Way starts the retail components and you see the articulation of the buildings as we move along. So this is what the folks taking public transportation will see and how they'll be greeted by our building. And then on the opposite side on the south side of Canal Way and facing Hampshire Mu Muse views you start to see what's going on here along with the parking area entry and exit as well. This is from Garfield Avenue, Hampshire Muse right here. You see also the entry as you see here, the loading dock as well and the continuation of the retail establishment along that street. And that is our exhibits and presentation. >> Okay. Thank you, sir. Um, thank you. >> Any questions? Anyone? >> Sure. I just have one question in regards to the parking spaces. Are the parking spaces for the commercial and residential or just residential alone? >> I believe they're just residential, right? >> And that will be part of the affordable units as well. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Um if you could just briefly uh if you could walk us through how the garbage trucks are going to get in there. Sure. So, let me take you back and apologies for going too quick through it. Oh, >> no worries. >> Um, so let's go to the plan just to understand what where they're located. >> The trash shoots, the vertical trash shoots are located on the core by both elevator entries, both the main the primary entry here and then on the south side as well. The way they work is as the residents and let me just go to a lower floor plan to put it in perspective and not drive everybody nuts. This works. >> So I I'm not asking about how the garbage gets to the loading dock. >> Okay. >> How are the trucks physically backing in or pulling into that loading dock? >> Got it. Got it. And let me go to the ground floor. That would be the easiest way. Right here on Hampshire. Oops. And Hampshire Muse here. It would back right into this area right here. This would be the loading dock area. This is the reason why the curb cut is actually 14 ft. >> It's to allow the truck to actually back rear end into the loading dock, be completely out of the street, and more importantly for the containers to then get to the truck and be able to do what they normally do without it sticking out onto the street. >> Okay. So, recycling. >> Yes, it is. >> Pat, is your mic on? >> Correct. >> Yeah, the timing has to be calculated. Correct. >> Pat, just make sure your mic is on when you you speak. >> Just make sure your mic is on when you speak. I don't think it was on. >> So, >> okay, that's all right. No worries. Um, okay. So, the garbage is scheduled, correct? >> Correct. >> Okay. So, maintenance can come open the door, >> right? >> There's no traffic backup whatsoever. Correct. >> Okay, that's my question. >> Okay, that's it for me. Anybody else? >> All right, thank you. >> Thank you. Our next witness is our planner Charles >> Height. >> Good evening. >> Good evening. >> I do. Yes. >> Charles Height. Last name is spelled H E Y Dt. >> Mr. Height. Good evening. Your license is current. current as a professional planner in the state of New Jersey. >> Okay. Thank you, sir. You're qualified. >> All right. Thank you very much. Uh first time here this year, so hope everyone's doing well. Good new year. >> Um I do appreciate the board giving us um an ability to move forward with this project. There's been a lot of back and forth uh and a lot of details. These are the first two development blocks of this redevelopment plan. So it's very exciting to be here. Uh this plan was prepared uh in 2009. Uh and obviously there's been a lot of uh current work on the properties for remediation purposes from but from a design plan uh these are the first two whole block developments. So we're excited and I know the city is is very much focused on a successful outcome. Um that being said I will jump right into the relief needed uh going into uh building A. So again we have two development parcels development blocks here. Uh building a the six-story project um does have uh two design massing deviations. Um there's a requirement for a step back at the sixthstory. Uh when we sh shared the uh facades um in the earlier testimony for building A, um we are prop proposing a clear zero foot setback at the sixth story. So there's no terraces fronting uh the front of of the sixth story. Um we do still have uh the amenity space um in the building. So there's no um negative impact by not providing that setback. Um but it does provide a little bit more of continuity with the overall design of the building. Uh the other element from a massing standpoint is the location of the uh staircase bulkhead on the exterior. And as that staircase provides um horizontal access to the floors, uh it does run up to the rooftop and it does is regulated by the rooftop structure setback. So um that's a requirement of setting back that rooftop element 1 foot 1 in for every uh foot of height. U we are locating it at the building facade but are integrating the design of it in the overall um facade. So um those are the two main uh massing deviations. Uh there are a few uh other design uh elements on the facade. So uh at the ground floor we have uh glazing requirements in the redevelopment plan. This is applicable to storefronts. Uh the calculation is 70% for the storefront. Uh on two facades of building A, uh we're at 67% and 69%. That's the west and south facades. Um obviously we're dealing with topography along uh Garfield Avenue and as it makes its return of the building. So we're trying to deal with the change in topography at grade with having a stable finish floor for the retail spaces uh and basically keeping that lower um brick element consistent through the finished floor. So, uh, that's the glazing requirement. Um, we do have the visuals. I can cycle back to any of the slides that were prepared earlier. Um, one of the other aspects that does apply to both, um, projects, um, there's a requirement to have any residential floor be a minimum of 30 in above grade. Um, there are, uh, in building A, six groundf flooror residential units. two of them are dealing with the same topography issue for these parcels. So they fall below that 30 in. Uh at the minimum value it's 4 in uh and then it ranges on those two units between 4 and 18. We provided appropriate landscaping to help screen and buffer those two units. Uh but again dealing with the grade and trying to have a common finish floor for these units was was what we were balancing. And then lastly, as we heard uh with the loading area access uh for building A, it is proposed separate from the main passenger ve vehicular access. Um so the loading is off Carter Avenue, Carterette Avenue. Um and as you just heard from uh one of the project architects, the intent is to really isolate the loading activities for the building, provide a little bit of separation. Um the loading vehicles typically don't come as frequent. um and just designing them to be um in an area of the building that's just not the main front entrance or any of the lobby areas. Um that was the design intent there. So we do think uh given that each of these uh building A does have four frontages um separating them uh the vehicular access on canal way and then the loading on Carterette was appropriate. That's the relief needed from a technical standpoint um for building A. Um for building B, it's a little bit um of a subset of what you just heard. So I'll reference this in in general. Um we do need the same minimum elevation of the residential floors. Again, that's 30 in required. Uh this occurs on Canal Way Park Avenue. Three of the eight residential floors falls below the 30 30 in. So we are requesting relief. They'll be screened provide some buffer as I previously mentioned. Uh this is for building B. Um we are dealing with the same minimum glazing again for the storefronts dealing with the topography balancing a consistent finished floor. Um we have the same uh relief needed for uh the percentages of glazing. So I'll just call it out so the board is aware. um on the south side of the project uh facing Hampshire Muse and again this is just a portion of the return where the main um storefronts face Gar uh Garfield Avenue which is to the west uh we have 43% glazing. So it's it's a minor portion of the return uh that we are requesting the relief. Uh same on the north side again the return as it faces the park we're dealing with a 55% glazing. Um and then along Garfield Avenue, uh the calculation is at 68%. So we're nearly there and meeting the intent of a very vibrant visual storefront connection. So um hopefully the board uh had followed along those percentages. Um but again, we're dealing with the topography along those side streets and uh trying to balance the overall finished floor elevation. Um the one thing we did want to call out is the maximum curb cut deviation. 10 fts permitted for building um building B. We just heard from the project architect. The request is to provide a 15 foot wide curb cut. And really that's to help the circulation movement for uh the loading vehicles which have a wider turning radius. Um, and we did did go through that with turning templates to really key in on how what is the minimum needed and 15 feet um was appropriate. Um, again, it's one curb cut on Hampshire Muse, one curb cut on Canal Way. Uh, the other two frontages essentially on Garfield Avenue and the park have no curb cuts. So, uh, to balance that, we thought it would be a fair request um to request that curb cut um being a little wider. Uh and again that uh is um separating the loading area um is a requirement or having a singular loading access for vehicles um both vehicular parking and loading um we are separating them so it's the same relief need as I mentioned on building B having the two separate uh curb cuts um that's the technical relief needed and we do think that the um project is dealing with some physical hardships given that it's a whole block, four frontages, change in elevation. Um, but at the same time, we do think we're balancing the overall design intent. Um, these buildings have a really nice articulated facade on all facads. There is no cold shoulder or back of the building. Uh, and I think that was part and parcel of really creative design techniques. Um in terms of other positive criteria, I do think that this project is advancing goals of the municipal land use law. Um purpose A to guide appropriate uh pop appropriate development in the state of New Jersey. Purpose E which is to establish appropriate population densities were consistent with the building massing in terms of the overall level of development for these new blocks for these new blocks and then purpose I to provide to promote a desirable visual environment. Um as I move into the negative criteria uh we really did try to address all the other requirements in the plan. We only have a subset of deviations that are being requested. Uh I don't feel any one of these presents a substantial detriment to the public welfare. Um it's really more design uh related. Uh and obviously the curb cuts and loading. Um but there's a functionality to the request. Um these streets will still be substantially improved with landscaping, street trees, sufficient sidewalks, and that was discussed with the the civil engineer and and and staff. Um, with respect to the redevelopment plan, these are the first two blocks of implementation for this redevelopment plan, it's it's been a long time. Um, this application team has done a lot of detailed analysis and moving forward from this night, there will still be more work um on subsequent applications to the city for building department permits and anything needed to come back to this board. Um, so I do think we are furthering the intent of the redevelopment plan to encourage development with a mix of uses, high-quality building design and intensity of development that will allow for a self-sufficient and vibrant new community um, serving as a model for a healthy development in the city. That's the first main goal of the redevelopment plan, I think. While there are others, I'll just leave it at that. Um, that's my direct testimony. Um, be happy to answer any questions that the board might have. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Height. Anybody questions? >> All right. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Council, anything else? >> No, that concludes our testimony for the evening. >> Okay. So, I'll uh obviously afford you the the courtesy of a closing statement after we open up public comment. Okay. So, at this point, uh is there anybody here from public that wants to comment on this application? Anyone here from public, please come on up. >> Which mic? surprise me. >> Are they both on? >> Stay in here. >> Okay. >> Yes, I do. >> For the record name, please. >> Joyce Willis, 191 Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey, 07305. >> Miss Willis, good evening. We have three minutes for you. >> Hi. Three minutes. Um, I want to first thank you guys and thank you for the project. It's a beautiful project. It is. It's right very very close to me. But I remember when nothing was there and I remember what the what the area went through once they broke ground down there. We had a lot of people on my block dying of cancer, lung cancer in particularly. So my question is how are they going to protect the community once they break the capillary once they break ground? Because hexaphilic chromium 6 will go airborne. So, how are we going to be protected? >> Miss Willis, um, if you have a list of questions just >> okay, >> give us all of them, get them all answered for you. >> Okay. My next question is, right now they have a water filtration system set up down there. And from what we understand, that system has to be in place for at least 60 years. What are they going to do about that? My next question is um it says in the in the site in the site manager's uh last report that he gave which was in August of 2025. It states that it will be a pause in some of the performance monitoring during the initial phase of redevelopment allowing grading work to take place and there will be such a time where they will have an impact on the chromium that's still left in the ground. So, it makes it makes you wonder you think you've cleared all the chromium out, but you really haven't because it sounds like you're going to be running into those spots down there. What are you going to do about that? And also for the height of this project and the massness of it, there has not been any pile driving done. So, how do you know that earth down there can even sustain and hold this up? because it's the it's nothing but water and I some parts of down there on Garfield Avenue is at sea level but more importantly how is the community going to be protected from it going airborne you will have air monitoring systems down there right and also the other project that's directly across the street from this project they didn't have a Buffalo watering system down there and we were just getting hit with dust all over the Forget the rats and the mice. We were getting hit with dust. So, are you going to have a buffalo watering system down there to continuously water down the project? >> Okay. Thank you, Miss Willis. We'll get everything answered for you. Council, do you want to address anything? >> Wonderful. Uh we have someone here from PPG who is responsible for the environmental cleanup of the site. >> Okay. >> Good evening. >> Truth. >> Yes, sir. >> Dorothy Laguza. D O R O T H Y L A G U Z A. >> Good evening. >> Evening. Um my name is Dorothy Laguza. I'm council with K&L Gates outside council to PPG. Um I'm here representing PPG tonight and I understand that there are some environmental questions um posed by the community. Um in terms of uh the soil remediation has been completed at the site. D has issued a compliance judgment letter. So all of the soil containing hexavalent chromium has been removed and therefore no longer poses a threat to public uh human health or the environment. Um those records can be found on the ppg chromium cleanup partnership website which is uh available if you just do a Google search for that information. Um with regards to anything airborne um during the remediation efforts, PPG put in air monitors um along uh various points of the site. All of those air monitors um it's my understanding some of them will remain in place during construction. Um uh in addition, the groundwater uh is still uh being remediated. Uh that is correct. However, um some of those systems will be removed to accommodate redevelopment. Um PPG has received uh some interim approvals from D related to the groundwater contamination and will continue to work with D to continue remediation of that groundwater long term. Um it will be in place uh the the groundwater will be monitored long term for um for as long as D requires it. Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Anybody else? Anybody else from public coming up? >> Testimony tonight is going to be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. >> Yes, sir. >> Could you state your name and give us your home address, please? >> My name is Anita Davis. That's spelled C Y N I T A Davis. D A V I S 139 Stevens Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey. >> Good evening. We have three minutes. >> Good evening. Um, unfortunately I was blessed to work with PPG. Um, we cleaned out the chromium. They still had air monitors down there all the time when we was doing the chemicals. I'm a union worker. Um, I was trained. I was down there for six years cleaning out the um, chromium when she said it was down there. And we used to have a public meeting at um I think it was Raymond um Mary Mary Bedoon Center every three months and they used to test it and whatever but um it was it was rough and they had trucks backing up the chemicals you get all they was getting all the chemicals out all the bad chemicals we was dressed had as um had respirators on you know you going to decon station it was very safe they kept it safe they kept it clean and it was unfortunately I used to be a little leery, like she said, because of the chemicals that was down there, you know, but every time the air and the dust went off, they had monitors and we would stop work and they would clear the air and they had um you even had people that went around with the dust control all day long. You had to spray to keep the dust down, to keep the dust down. Um at the time it was a blessing because I was um in foreclosure. So, being a union worker, I was able to save my home um and save my house, you know, living in this community. I've been here all my life. And it's a good thing when I saw the pictures coming up cuz that's an ugly site back there. If y'all watch um Stranger Things, it's like the upside down. That's how ugly it is. But um anyway, I've drive past there. They got the um the beer place right next door. So, to see that coming up with the park and everything, it's going to be awesome. And then they got a school going across the street over there also. So, I think it's going to be great and I just hope everybody continue on to be safe and just make sure they doing the right thing when they do building it. All right. Thank you and have a nice night. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Tonight, the whole truth. >> I do. What's your home address? >> Christopher Pettis, PEZ, 69 Union Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07304. >> Good evening. Sorry, everyone. >> Good to see you. >> You, too. >> Um, we're excited to see the site activated, but very concerned about uh the environmental history of the site. I've only lived in the community for 17 years. uh and I knew nothing about the legacy of that area uh until I became close with my neighbors and got involved in a lot of community work. And there are a lot of stressors and a lot of wounds of people dying um and the history of green water and people getting sick uh from that site. So I just had several questions. one I I would love that person who spoke before to just come back and clarify that there is 100% no hexavalent chromium in the soil on that site because while we have been having meetings with the lawyers over the years we were under the impression that there are some hot spots still um and then there is also clearly the water filtration system which could be there for 60 plus years um a question that I have is are pylons going to be used and what system will be in place so that the pylons do not perforate any kind of barrier be between the clean soil and any historic fill that's lower down. Uh we had a scary incident on October 1st, 2019 when the pavilion was being built at Berry Lane Park where we observed people excavating the soil to build the foundation and the contractors there were not aware that that was a contaminated area. They had breached the barrier. they had no appropriate safety protocol on and it created a whole stir. So once again, the community is very concerned about what kind of process and oversight is going to be in play to make sure that whatever may be lingering down there is not unearthed and brought up um and posing a risk to the community. Uh I also had a question about the redevelopment plan calling for the sixth floor setback on the building close to Carter and Garfield. Was that put in play because these buildings are kind of a critical transition development between the R1 community on the other side of Garfield? And isn't that step back kind of important because it helps transition from a low-rise community into this newly developed area? Thank you. >> All right. Thank you, sir. We appreciate it. >> Um, come on up. Let's uh let's finish up public comment and then we'll have um questions answered, please. Okay. >> Go ahead, >> ma'am. >> Yes. >> Uh, Felicia Collus, C O L L I S, 189 Clerk Street, Jersey City, New Jersey. Um 07305. Good evening to you all. >> Good evening, Miss Collus. We have three minutes for you. >> Yeah, just briefly and just somewhat piggyback from Joyce and and Chris. We I I feel that our concerns are valid because if it wasn't for our organization, Graco community organization and Interfaith Community Organization and the National Resource um defense council, you know, coming together to file the federal lawsuit against PP um G back in um 2009 or 11. um development probably would have occurred without any concern about the well-being of those that would reside on the property as well as those of us who live around the perimeter. Um I feel that you know it we need to have some asurances that that property is that whatever chromium is on that property is contained especially the groundwater. You know, people have to realize that that was a canal, a a canal before and chromium fill was used to solidify that canal for, you know, um, use by various businesses um, following the closure of the canal, which ran from Philipsburg down to Jersey City to connect the Delaware River with um, the Hudson River. Um we just you know we need to know that everything is okay there from air quality to whether the um the sheet piles are going to be compromised that exist there already. Um you know that's we we just concerned. We worked so hard, you know, to file the the um the lawsuit and we've been watching, you know, the transformation of this property um for over 10 years, you know, and it's something that not to be taken for granted. your project is beautiful by you know um I I applaud you for all the the talent and skills um employed to you know come up with this plan but you have to realize the history of that that land and you know particle is going to be stirred up and become airborne you know and we're all connected from the workers that will be down at that site to those in the community. So we would just appreciate knowing that you know um um that there's some safety um measures taken in place you know and and another you know another reason why we should be concerned because the de around um in the 80s ppg realized that there was some problems with contamination. Then 1990 there was a consent order that was um uh given by DP that was not enforced from 1990 until 2011. Nothing was done. So how could somebody say that that property is totally remediated because you know the the ground is not solid. It has water and that water with the contamination seeps down into layers of of um earth. That's another concern, you know, when they start doing this development. Can the metal mat that exists at this time withstand the weight of this is a big project. The the weight of the project is, you know, what asurances? >> Sure. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Council, can you address some of those things or someone from the team? >> I'd like to recall our witness from PPG. >> Sure. Good evening. Thank you for not leaving yet. So, >> you're welcome. I >> if we could let's um let's talk number one. Let's start with the pilings. Are they going to penetrate any kind of layer a cap something like that? Um it is it is my maybe Wasim can address this more because he >> sure >> y >> hi Sam Borai the truth the whole truth >> I do >> Sam Borai >> so uh to answer for the deep foundations that are going to be required for the project um any deep foundation system that's going to be used is will have to be approved by D. So there are self-sealing uh H piles that can be used, self-sealing uh pipe piles that can be used. So there are a couple different options. Uh but again, it's something that uh the professionals at PPG as well as D would have to be on board with. And there are several different piles that can be used. >> How do they I'm fascinated by that. How how do they work? Well, they just get driven straight through and they're they basically the soils around push up against the the material creating a a barrier to any, you know, anything coming up from below. >> Okay. >> A screw pile. Is that what we're looking at? >> Not a screw pile. It's a driven H pile. >> H pile. >> Yeah, that's one of the proposed systems. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it. Um, as far as the groundwater goes, is there any contamination in the groundwater still that >> Yes. Yeah, there is contamination still in the groundwater. However, it is deep. Um, it is both in the overburden layer and the deep groundwater still over uh the shallow groundwater layer is clean. Um, and I do want to remind everyone that no one is drinking the water in Jersey City. Um all the water is you know from a public source. Uh so this is all groundwater that is owned by the state of New Jersey and obviously PPG is under a consent order to continue cleaning that up to D standards. >> So can you define shallow and deep for us? Um so shallow is between I think zero and 20 feet below ground and uh overburden is below the 20 ft and then deep is over 60 feet below ground. >> Okay. >> How deep? >> I believe around 20t the pilings. >> Yeah. The piles piles will go through uh the metal mat was which was mentioned. They have to go down to bedrock which is 60 ft. >> 60. >> Yeah. 60. Okay. >> So basically go through the heavy area of correct >> they could through the ground through the deep groundwater. >> Through groundwater not through soil. >> Correct. >> The soil is Okay. What am I missing here? Did we cover everything, guys? >> What else? >> So, chairman, I think the only open question left. Uh, can somebody talk to the continuation? Is the courtapp appointed monitor continuing in place? Could you just educate the public on that? I know some of this may be outside of the typical purview of of our board, but could someone explain that just for those members of the public how the process continues? As I understand it, the cleanup's been going on under court order with the D and a courtappointed monitor as to that cleanup for I guess it's about 16 years now. So, it's gotten to a point where uh the courtappointed monitor and the LSRPs and PPG have uh all kind of agreed that redevelopment of the site is now appropriate from an environmental standpoint. But that's not the end of the continuing obligations of PPG under the uh litigation and court order. But is the courtappointed monitor continuing in their capacity? Could you just shed some light on that please? >> Sure. So, you're correct that uh um PPG is uh ordered pursuant to what's called a judicial consent order and that order was entered in 2009 which obligates PPG to continue to clean up the site until DP says they're done. Um pursuant to that court order, a site administrator was appointed. That site administrator is currently Ron Rickio. He serves for uh a two-year term before uh the parties then decide to reappoint him. Um he will continue until PPG has met its obligations under the consent order or until the parties and the court have determined that he is no longer necessary. Um we obviously have not gotten to that point. Um so he will continue in that role until um the court says he no longer needs to. So, chairman and members of the public, essentially the court has oversight into the cleanup that's being done by uh PPG with the Department of Environmental Protection for the state, monitoring it and reporting it to the court. And that matter will continue to stay open until the court has found that it's been met or the obligation has been met and there's no further remediation, monitoring or or anything like that. Is that >> That's correct. >> Fair and accurate statement. >> It is. >> Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Anybody else? >> Um, I would like to recall Charles height to testify concerning the setback. >> Sure. >> Question, >> please. Just two points to help uh balance this request. Um, across the site, across Garfield Avenue, uh, this board recently, well, not recently, a few years ago, approved 829 Garfield Avenue. It's a very long multif family five-story structure. So, that's essentially what will be married to the Garfield A that's being proposed. So again, it's it's very consistent type of mixeduse development with what we're proposing. Uh albeit one story taller on the east side of Garfield Avenue. Uh further into the R1, beyond that, you start to see some vertical rise. So much of that residential neighborhood beyond 829, further west, is at a higher elevation. So the marginal impact of an additional six-story that's not set back is is not substantial in my opinion, but that's just the the context there. There's more elevation west of the subject property and there's already existing multif family structure that provides that buffer. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Height. All right. Anybody else from public? >> Chair, see no one more from the public. I would like to close the public portion. >> Okay. Uh do I have a second? >> Second. >> All right. Motion is made and seconded. Public is closed. Council, do you want a closing statement? >> Yes. >> I just wanted to thank the board for its time and its consideration regarding the application. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh council, we have one more thing that we didn't cover is um the dust on site. Is that the main thing? You know, is dust sprayed sprayed during construction? How is that handled? >> Yeah. So, regular uh construction uh dust mitigation will be in place. Uh pretty common to uh all construction sites. So, any kind of earth work that's being done. >> That'll be a requirement that we would put in place ourselves. >> Misters or is it basically a truck running? Yeah, misters. Misters are one. Uh, a lot of times you'll have somebody uh beside the mister with a spray hose if there's there's no demolition on the site, but of course just for, you know, earth work that's going to be done um as it's needed. As it's needed. >> I just have one more. >> Sure. Sure. Go ahead. >> Question. You go through the go through this uh area that has chrome. What's that effect on the piling? Is there any type of Um, it's a good question. So, as far as the the chromium uh coming in contact with with steel, um, to to my knowledge, there's there's no effect on it. Um, there's certain there's certain uh um concrete and different uh things that it can actually wick up. So, that all comes into uh the decision that would be made uh of what kind of deep foundation is used. And again, any deep foundation or any penetration through any barriers on the site will have to be approved by um whether it's the LSRP, the state of New Jersey, D, it would all have to be updated in plans to them. >> It would have some type of seal around the pile, >> correct? The the pile itself could be considered that seal. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> All right, >> guys. Google Hexavallet Chromium 6 and read for yourselves. >> Okay, Matt, do you have anything you want to add? >> Yes. Uh so the applicant and commissioners were in receipt of review agent letters from the JCMUA dated January 7, 2027 or 2026, sorry. uh from the division of transportation December 2nd 2025 and from the division of forestry which is undated uh put on the record uh already that they'll they'll address those those comments. Um and talking with uh the council uh we've asked them to comply but uh we understand that there is many things to work out. Um what we do uh want them to comply with is uh that they install a traffic signal at Carter and Garfield Avenue. Uh so that should be made part of the record and in the conditions should the the board um make a motion to approve this project. Uh in addition, there was some uh corrections I wanted to just do to phasing. I think it was put on record that they'll convey uh the public rightway and open space to the city. Those are actually currently owned by the JCA. Um, but it is the responsibility of the redeveloper to do the work in the right ofways including the ones that already exist. Um, as well as uh improve the the open space. Um, that in in their project is labeled as phase three. Um, separate and aside is the redevelopers agreement which has its own phasing that actually uses completely different numbers. shouldn't get involved in that right now, but they will be uh doing that work and until um which time that the RDA uh stipulates that they do that work uh they're going to be improving it uh within with an interim condition which is grass um in both the canal weight medians and the open space which is block redevelopment block 12P. Uh there are uh several recommended staff conditions. This um project again is an Aspire project. Uh they are going to be providing 20% affordable housing on site as uh as a requisite of the Aspire program which is a state program. Um the redevelopment plan just requires nine. Um that's not in addition to the 20%. They are just going from 9% to 10% max. uh if they are unable to secure the spire, I assume that they will be coming back um and and uh amending the project to to comply with the redevelopment plan. Um until that time, those normal conditions um where we would be uh maybe servicing and monitoring or having a uh a read an agreement with them regarding those on-site units, those are deferred uh to the Aspire program uh with I think some um help and monitoring just because we like to know what the numbers are for affordable housing in the city. Uh so in just also want to circle back we are not uh the board is not considering I guess the the meters or the the roof plan. Um in the time that I had uh I did look up the redevelopment plan online. Um and read um the PDF of the document. there is no variance regarding the reduction of the um the amenitized roof areas um or or lack of green roof on those those spaces um pursuant to the redevelopment plan. However, there there would be u we'll just skip the whole uh utility placement piece for now. Um but uh staff uh seeing the project as it was submitted and presented um minus those those additions to those architectural plans uh staff does recommend approval. Um and we do so with uh the conditions stated on the record and those uh outlined in our memo dated January 27th, 2026. How does feel about the situation that was there where we are today? >> I have not been involved in the meetings regarded with our with uh with PPG or um any of the staff in the city that monitors those meetings or attends those meetings. Um they do check in with me to see what the status of this application was, but that this might been my uh full extent and knowledge of the cleanup. So, commissioner, I would state that the cleanup of the site is governed by the court case and the consent order entered therein. So, there is an active open litigation regarding the cleanup of the site, how it is to happen, who's financially responsible for it, what monitoring has to go into place, etc., etc. So, uh, with all due respect to everybody, those professionals that are monitoring and doing the testing and determining, uh, whether or not it is within tolerance and can be developed. It's well outside our purview. Uh, I don't use WebMD. I don't Google things online and take it as fact. I leave it to the experts and uh their expertise in the subject area. I appreciate everybody's concern, but this is being monitored by the court and is being actively litigated with PPG presumably financially responsible for that obligation. So, um that's that's my legal position, chairman. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Bora. you want to say something? >> Yeah, I was just going to say uh the second uh what was just said, you know, PPG has a, you know, a letter of credit with the state of New Jersey. They uh have committed, they've spent, you know, just like in Bayfront. I mean, this is the same condition that you're dealing with in Bayfront. It's chromium. You had Honeywell handle it in their method. PPG's uh methods are, you know, considered more effective, more modern, and it's it's a very similar situation. and both have D oversight. It's different than just having an LSRP put their license on it. The state of New Jersey, direct oversight, is a much more levels more stringent operation for the polluting party to have to follow. And PPG's done that just as Honeywell's done. They've both spent, you know, upwards of hundreds of millions of dollars each. Bayfront's under construction. This is going to be under construction. I mean, this is the state of New Jersey and they are approving it. They are the ones giving us the letters to move forward with the development. So, from an environmental perspective, you can't get better than that. >> Okay. >> Perspective. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, council. >> Um, I would like to add um a a a condition that I don't think it's necessary, but I like to have it in there. something that was discussed on the record tonight that the affordable units will be mixed throughout the building and all of the affordable units will be buil built with the same fit and finish as the market rate units. >> Okay. Um you have something that was on my thoughts. >> Okay. Thank you. Um anybody else anything? >> Okay. I'll entertain a motion then. Chair would like to make a motion to approve KP2024-0171 as presented to the board based on the original plans together with staff recommendation conditions and in addition to the chair's condition regarding the affordable units location and buildout. >> Second it. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second for approval. >> Acting vice chair Genkinan. >> Yeah, I'm very excited to see um such a beautiful building at this site. um 20% affordable units in that area is very much needed. I'm extremely happy to see that. Uh residential parking is always a plus um for the resident of the building as well. Beautifully designed. My vote is I >> Commissioner Wick >> I. >> Commissioner Stamato >> I. >> Commissioner Patel. >> Hi. >> Chairman Langston. >> Yes. So, it's a great project um as far as the affordable units, the just the entire build out of the area. Um a as far as the the cleanup goes, I obviously the board is not we're not chemical engineers. We don't know the first thing about cleanup. Um, we rely on the experts, the state monitoring, and um, to be honest, the neighborhood. I think I learned a lot more about chromium cleanup tonight than I've ever learned on this board while I was here. So, I appreciate it. Um, with that, my vote is I. Good luck. We appreciate it. Thank you. >> Motion carries. All All in favor on a motion to approve with conditions. >> Okay. Thank you, everybody. Uh, let's get back on track here. Mike, do you need a break yet? You good? Okay. Um, all right. So, let's get back to item 11. Case P2025-0134 is a minor site plan for 391 Fairmont A. Good evening, council. >> Yeah, good evening, chairman. Um, Gino Colin representing the applicant. Uh, this is a minor site plan at 391 Fairmont Avenue. Um, it's a property on the east side of West Side and the south side of Fairmont. It is a notice case and I have the notices in publication. Great. Thank you. >> If we could everybody, we're still in an open meeting. If we can take conversations out into the hallway, we'd appreciate it. You're welcome to stay all night. We will. We'll be here. Char, receive the affidavit of publication proof of mailing with respect to the application. It does appear to be in order. We're going to mark it as A1 for purposes of the record. >> Okay. Thank you, councel. Okay, we worked we worked closely with Cam Cameron Black on this project. The the interesting thing about it is that all the units are three bedrooms and I'll have our architect Jeffrey Lewis take you through the project. Thank you. >> Yes, I do. >> Jeffrey Lewis JF Ry L E W I S. You're welcome. >> It is still active. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, so 391 Fairmont. Uh this is an oversized lot located in the R1. It's 25 ft wide, but it's a very deep lot. It's 167 1/2 ft deep. Uh there's an existing three-story one family building on the site. We're keeping that building. We're not not demolishing it. However, we are renovating it as well as adding both to the front and to the rear of the building uh to create a new four-unit building. Uh as Gene mentioned, these are four very large units. They're all three-bedroom units. Uh the smallest is 1,432 ft and the largest is 1,83 ft. And we're not asking for any variances here tonight. So I do want to start on the right side here. We have our proposed site plan. Uh we are proposing one new street tree, new concrete curbs, new concrete sidewalks. Uh we have a 4 and 1/2 ft front yard setback. That's to match our neighbor at 393 Fairmont Avenue. and we're using that front yard area to provide some landscape area for the streetscape. Uh on the side, we are built on one side property line. On the other side, we'll have a three-foot uh setback where we're going to have a concrete walkway which leads us to the rear. Uh along the way, we provide access to our gas and electric meters, which are in a little built-in al cove, as well as our trash and recycling area, which will be in their own uh room off of the sideyard. Uh the rear yard we're actually splitting in half and dedicating half of that space to unit number one and half of that space to unit number two. One of the goals here was to give each of the four apartments their own uh private outdoor space. So that's how we're accomplishing that for the two lower units. Um there's a total down here of 568 ft of lawn and landscape area. And then each of those two tenants will have 161 ft of patio. And then we have a 6ft wood fence enclosing it all. Here we're looking at the first floor plan with Fairmont Avenue on the right side. Uh the main entrance uh leads to a fairly large lobby where we have our stair up, our sprinkler room as it is a fully sprinkler building. And then I want to start with unit two actually which is the back half of the ground floor. This is our ADA adaptable apartment. It's located entirely on the first floor. Uh we have a hallway and along that hallway we have three bedrooms, two bathrooms as well as a laundry and utility closet. There is laundry in all of these units. And then at the back of the building we have our open living dining kitchen area which has doors opening out to the rear patio. Uh the second apartment number one is actually a duplex apartment between the second floor and the first floor. Uh its entry is actually on the second floor. So I want to start on the second floor. It's the front half of the second floor. So on this level what we have uh is the living dining kitchen area in the front and we actually set that back from the front of the building and we have a covered terrace in the front facing the street and that's 116 ft uh terrace. On this floor we also have our utility closet uh and then one bedroom which is a master suite with its own bathroom and then an additional half bath as well as the stair which goes down to the first floor. And so then going back to that first floor, this front section of the first floor is also a part of this apartment. And here we have uh two bedrooms, one bathroom, and the laundry area here. Going back to the second floor, apartment number three is actually another duplex apartment. This is the back half of the second floor as well as the back half of the third floor. Uh so on this floor, what we have is open living, dining, kitchen area. uh laundry room and one bedroom and one bathroom. And then of course that staircase going up. And then we go to the third floor and we're using this back section here where we're going to have uh two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and then again the staircase is going up to what will be a private roof deck for apartment number three. Uh the rest of the third floor, the entire thing from here to the front of the building is dedicated to apartment number four. Uh at the front of the building, we have the living, dining, kitchen area. And then we have three bedrooms, two bathrooms, laundry closet, and also another staircase internal to that unit going to uh this apartment's private roof deck. This is our roof plan. We are set back 10 ft from the front of the building and we're using that area for green roof trays. Uh next we have the roof deck for unit number four which is 912 ft. We have a separation area where we have some equipment rooms where equipment area excuse me where we have our condensers. And then we have uh unit number three's roof deck which is 821 square ft at the back of the building. Here we're looking at the front and rear elevation. Uh our main finish here is this uh red brick which is kind of framed around the both sides and the top of the building. Uh it's protruded out about a foot from everything in the center which is set back. Uh and everything that's set back in the center of the building is finished with a dark gray fiber cement panel uh excuse me fiber cement siding. So we're showing that siding finish up here on the top right. Uh the difference here, the balcony area which is set back further than that about 10 feet. Uh we're finishing with uh this uh different finish which is a natural wood finish but the same um material and that's just to lighten that up a little bit to provide a little more um light in there. Uh the balcony also has a glass railing at the front. We have all black frame windows and doors as well as a modern black metal entry door with a transom above it. Looking at the rear elevation, it's a smooth stucco finish at the base and vinyl siding above. Both the same uh Coventry gray color. And then looking at the sides, uh we are at the front returning that brick around the same width as it has on the front. We're having along the side. Then from there back, uh we have the same finishes as the rear. So the smooth stuckle finish and vinyl siding. And then you can see at the front here we have that al cove for our gas and electric meters. And then we have these black metal sliding doors which are for our trash and recycling area. And that actually concludes my presentation of the building. Happy to answer any questions. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Lewis. Um I have no questions. Anyone else? >> No. >> Okay. Thank you, sir. Council, >> that's our presentation. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh is there anybody here from public that wants to comment on this application? Anyone from public? Chair, see no one from the public. I would like to close the public portion. >> Second. >> Okay. Motion is made and seconded. Cam, you have any uh concerns? >> Um, well, just going to ask that the applicant's attorney agree to the conditions in the planning staff memo dated November 20th of 2025. >> Yes, we agree with the conditions. >> Okay. Um, planning staff recommends approval. The applicant was amendable to the changes we asked them to make throughout the review process and it meets the objectives and goals of the R1 zone and planning staff is u happy to recommend approval. >> Okay. Thank you. Cam >> chair like to make a motion to approve case 2025-0134 as presented to the board with staff recommendation and conditions. >> Second it. >> Okay. We have a motion and second for approval. Acting Vice Chair Gungardan >> I. >> Commissioner Wick >> I. >> Commissioner Stamato >> I. >> Commissioner Patel. >> Hi. >> Chairman Langston. >> I. >> All right. Motion carries. All in favor with conditions. >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Let's take five everybody. We'll be back in a couple minutes. One application and call item 13. Case P2023-01000 is a preliminary and final major subdivision for 99 Arlington Avenue. Good evening, council. >> Good evening. Uh Stephen Joseph for the applicant. This is a notice application. I have a notice package here. Um we could enter this as A1. Thank you. Chairman, I receive the affidavit of publication proof of mailing with respect to the application does appear to be in order. We're going to mark it as A1 for the record. >> Thank you, council. >> All right. Good evening. 99 Arlington Avenue. Um there was a prior application before this board for a minor subdivision uh resulting in 22 25 by 100 lots with variances for lot area that was never followed through on. Nothing was ever recorded but the it was approved by this board since then. And the reason why it wasn't uh recorded is because the land development ordinance was amended to allow for a townhouse subdivision on 50 by 100 lots. I believe this is the first such subdivision that the city has seen. Um this application calls for the subdivision of the existing 50 by 100 lot into five new lots. Um all are conforming in lot width and lot depth. One lot is non not conforming in lot area. The surveyor will explain the math on that. Um lot 4.01 is 19.8 ft by 50 ft and only 988 square ft. The remaining lots are 20.05x 05 by 50 ft and 1,000 square ft. This results in two variances. One for the total lot area where 5,000 is required. We have 4,989 and this the second is for the lot area on 4.01. Let's get uh Mike sworn in and walk through the subdivision. >> You get tonight? >> I do. >> Uh my name is Michael Pronesty. P R O N E S TI. >> Good evening, sir. Your license is current tonight? >> Yes, it is. >> Okay. Thank you. You're qualified. >> All right. Mike, if you could uh briefly walk us through the the subdivision, what we're proposing, and the dimensions on the lots, please. >> Um the original lot is 50 by 100 uh fronts on Arlington and Murder, excuse me, Myrtle Avenue. Uh we proposed to divide the piece of property into five almost equalized properties. Uh there would be 20 Oops. >> Oh jeez, >> sorry. >> Uh 20.05 by 50. Uh except for the last lot, which I is 8 uh 19.8 ft wide by 50 ft deep. Uh and that creates a variance on lot area. All the lots besides this lot are 1,000 square ft. This one is 988 square ft. >> And Mike, if you just a couple words on on why a 50 by 100 lot does not equal. >> It's it's not right angles. So the more it's out of 90, uh the lot area becomes smaller. So if it was right angles, it would be 5,000 square feet, but this is not. >> All right. And that is uh the subdivision. There's no construction proposed. We did submit a uh concept site plan to show that the the buildings put here can be developed as of right. Um but it's it's for reference only. Um that concludes Mike's testimony if there's any questions about the actual subdivision. >> Any questions? Anyone? >> Okay. Thank you, sir. >> We have Caroline who's going to give some brief testimony on the uh two dimin dimminimous variances. I do. >> Carolyn Worstelle. W E L L. >> Mr. Worstelle, good evening. Your license is current. >> It is current and good standing this evening. Yes. >> Thank you. You're qualified. >> Thank you. Um so, as mentioned, we're here for two um variances related to the fact that this is a uh not a square or rather not a rectangular lot. Um and math is weird. Um, so the first seabbulk variance we're requesting is for the minimum lot area. The ordinance uh requires that we have a minimum of 5,000 square ft in order to do this type of subdivision, the townhouse subdivision in the R1 district. Um, we are at that 4,988 square ft. we're we're under where it's 12 square feet under that minimum which is less than 1%. Um so it's a really it's a very small um uh difference and it really again relates to the fact that because we do not have these streets meeting at right angles the math doesn't work out. So even if we have 50 by 100 we don't get 5,000 square feet. Um when you uh subdivide it again, we end up with the five lots, four of which are 20.5x 50. Those lots are that 20.05 in order to get that minimum um 1,000 ft lot area. Um the one lot uh that remains is that 19.8 by 50 and so we get the uh 988 ft. So, that one again is slightly under. Um, but this really doesn't impact the development potential of these lots. Um, they all still exceed the minimum lot width, which is 18 uh feet for townhouse subdivisions in this district. Um, you can still fit um conforming buildings that will still meet the minimum setbacks, minimum sideyards, minimum rear yards. Um, so all of those uh uh uh other bulk standards that you would see for the the actual development, they can all still be met on these lots. Um, on that one lot, which is smaller, you're just going to end up with a slightly smaller building footprint because it's a slightly smaller lot. Um, but again, you can still build a conforming structure on that lot that meets those standards. Um, again, I I sort of look at these both as C1 criteria. We're really requesting the variance because our lot is unusual in its shape. Um, I don't see that there are any substantial detriments here. As I said again, there's still lots that will be buildable. Um, and I think that granting the the variances still advances the purpose of the municipal land use law. um you know guiding appropriate use um which is the residential development consistent with purpose A um which is the subdivision of an existing oversized lot into these um these tax lots for this townhouse subdivision uh development which is permitted in the R1 um is we're promoting uh appropriate population densities uh contributing to the well-being of uh the community consistent with purpose E um and and again I don't see there being a substantial detriment to the public good here because again, you're going to be able to create buildings that still meet those bulk standards in the R uh in that R1 for the townhouse style subdivision. Um I don't see a substantial impairment to the intent or purpose of the zone plan or the zoning ordinance. Um again, this is consistent with that purpose of the R1 district. Um to accommodate housing, encourage compatible infill, uh preserve the streetscape, and utilize on street parking where lot frontage is narrow. Again, we're creating uh this new uh subdivision which is envisioned in the R1 district for these town houses. Um and I I think it it's consistent with that intent. Um and again, it advances the master plan uh to enhance residential neighborhoods and and create that uh balanced housing. Um so I think overall that the project can be granted that both those positive and negative criteria have been met. >> All right. Thank you. Appreciate it. Um, any questions? Anyone? >> No. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And I think there was one question on the planner staff report about there is a window that's on an adjacent structure. As with any other building in the R1 where you have a lot line window on an adjacent lot, the building would have to create either the window well or or provide some sort of a setback there. And again, so for that particular lot, that building might be slightly smaller and would have to create that cutout. But again, that would have to happen at that uh individual uh uh design level for that property. Uh but it still could easily be accommodated. I think that was the only question I saw in the staff report >> and the concept plan reflects that as well. >> And the concept plan which was uh provided any >> but that yeah, that does uh conclude our direct testimony. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, no curb cuts, correct? >> No parking proposed. >> Okay, thank you. All right. Uh, is there anybody here from public that wants to comment? >> Yeah, I'm still me. Uh, Chris Perez, P R E. >> Uh, I just had a couple of questions um about this uh proposed subdivision. Um, I believe in 2023 there was a lawsuit against Jersey City that the determination of significance process was invalid. And I wanted to know how that affects the demolition of 99 Arlington. Is it still allowed to be demolished? Because I do believe it's on the list of historic properties in the revised historic preservation master plan. Uh, so I have a concern about that. Um, when this board approved the subdivision into two lots a number of years ago, I don't know if you recall, uh, Mr. Langston, but uh I had talked about the historic Palisad Rock wall. So I'd like to know um will that be preserved because it should be. Uh that Palisade Rock Wall was the dividing line between uh the Greenville Township and the city of Jersey City. Uh so it's a historic uh element that you'll see throughout Jersey City, and we have several in the community. Um, and then my last question uh would be with if this is approved the final uh townhouse lot at the very corner of Arlington and Myrtle, is there any provision that would require that both facades be cladded as a primary facade so we don't end up as a building with vinyl on one side and brick on that? It would look kind of ugly. Those are my questions. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you, council. Can you address any of those? >> Um, are there Are we closing out uh public so I could address everything at once? Um >> sure we could do that. >> Is there anybody else here from public? >> Chair see no one from public. I would like to close the public portion. >> Second. >> Okay. Motion is made and seconded. Public is closed. >> All right. Um so I'm not aware that the property is on the historic register. We did obtain a demo determination from the historic officer. I I did speak with Chris briefly right before this application. He had mentioned the the wall in the front. um not not the other items, but the the wall. And we're happy to email the historic preservation officer tomorrow. And if it's a historic resource that needs to be preserved, we're happy to preserve it as part of the application. Uh if it's if it's not, then then we don't want to preserve it, but we'll leave that in the hands of the historic preservation officer. As far as the construction, there's no construction proposed at at this time. It's not part of this application. Can you leave that in the back of your mind for site plan? >> Yeah, absolutely. >> Two prim just in terms of that one corner, it's two front uh primary facades because it is at a corner. So I I think that city planning would I'm sure be looking to treat them both as front. >> Sure. >> Um so I I do believe that that would have to be part of the design. >> Okay. Thank you. Um Mr. Joseph, can you copy me on that email tomorrow? I'll give you my uh Absolutely. >> I'll give you my card before I leave. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I'll copy you and I'll copy Matt and I'll email Maggie first thing in the morning. >> Okay. Excellent. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh Matt, do you have anything you want to add? >> Uh no. Um I I appreciate the questions from uh the public and uh the response from council. Um, this project is going to be, I believe, the first townhouse lot subdivision uh undertaken in the city. Um, we hope that it creates uh new housing types in Jersey City, smaller housing types, potentially home ownership if uh the owner so chooses um or rental, either way. Staff recommends approval. >> Okay. Thanks, Matt. Chair would like to make a motion to approve KPB2023-01000 as presented to the board with staff recommendation and conditions. >> Okay. Motion is made and seconded. Acting Vice Chair Genghan >> I. >> Commissioner Wick >> I. >> Commissioner Stamato >> I. >> Commissioner Pau >> I. >> And Chairman Langston >> I. >> Motion carries. All in favor. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. Uh, while I'm up here, if we could carry uh, case number 173 Orchard, that's P2024-0223. >> Sure, Camp. Um, we can accommodate them at the February 24th meeting. >> All right. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, council. Have a good evening. Happy New Year. side if you want to send either one. Either one's fine. >> Okay. So, let's uh go back to item 12 is case P2025-000039 is a preliminary and final major site plan with C variances for 87 Van Horn Street. Okay. Thank you. For the record, Charles Harrington of Connell Foley. On behalf of the applicant, uh we did provide notices for this case, uh the regular notices and then an additional notice to the Morris Canal Group, and I've provided them to council. Thank you, Council Chairman. receive the affidavit of publication, proof of mailing with respect to the statutoily required notice as well as the notice provision within the Morris Canal uh redevelopment plan. Had the opportunity to review them. They do appear to be in order. We're going to mark both of them as A1 for purpose of the record. Okay. Um, so the project that that we're we are presenting tonight um is kind of an extension of a project that was approved back in 2019. Uh, my client owned the property then. He was designated as a redeveloper of the property then. And um he um those those uh approvals have expired with the extensions. Right. So, we are back here tonight for a a brand new um site plan. We have a new team, a new architect, new engineers. And the crux crux of it is that the prior approval was an eight-story building. It was seven two like uh sevenstory towers over a parking uh podium. Uh 170 units. Uh there's 21% affordable of which 18 would be on site. And under the the zoning and the redevelopment agreement, 18 a contribution can be made for the other 18. So that uh is all staying the same. It's still 170 units. There's still 18 affordable uh units on site and still under the redevelopment agreement with the JC. Uh you have a contribution for the other 18. Uh it's just that we're we are reducing it from the eight stories to six stories. that does take it into a a different construction class. Uh so you know the the bulk of the building has has changed the configuration because you don't have that tower uh those towers on a podium look. Um so that's that's the primary change here. But um you know otherwise we're um it is uh it's pretty much the same as as what was approved in 2019 which which included a subdivision. Uh the subdivision creates roads in connection with this property which uh it's it's located at the end of Van Horn and Woodward Streets directly adjacent to Berry Lane uh park. So that's why it's it's actually in Berry Lane Park district and it's the only property in this district. So the zoning that that was created was specifically for this project. Um, so that that being said, I'm going to I do have uh three witnesses, my engineer to uh talk about the site, architect, and planner. I do have our traffic engineer uh in the bullpen if there are any uh questions. >> Okay. Thank you, council. truth. >> I do. >> Zechariah Cullen. Z E C H A R I A H C U L L E N. >> Mr. Cullen, good evening. Is your license current in New Jersey tonight? >> Yes, it is. >> Okay, thank you. you're qualified. >> Thank you. >> And Mr. Colin, before you start, are are these uh uh slides that we need to mark as an exhibit? >> Yes, they are. This is uh one file with four slides. Uh the first three have not been uh sent to the board previously, and the fourth slide is actually just a layout plan from uh the site plans that were submitted to the city. >> So, we're going to mark them as A2 for purpose of the record. Four slides. Looks like it's got a date of September 4th 2025. >> That's correct. >> A2. >> Okay. Mr. Carl, if you could take us through the site. >> Sure. So, the um as Mr. Harrington stated previously, the uh overall development was for three lots, which uh two of which uh lot two and three on this aerial exhibit here have since been dedicated to the city uh as public rightway since this site plan application. Well, just for the they have not yet been dedicated. They have been subdivided out. Once they are impro improved, we will offer them for dedication to the city. >> Thank you. Um, so, uh, for the purpose of kind of explaining where we're at, I'm going to talk about all three lots as we are proposing improvements on all three. Um, so the the lot itself where a majority of the development will be or where the building will be is lot one. Um, and that is this is block uh 19901.01. 01. Uh, lot one is about 36,334 ft². Lot two uh is the small lot in the top which is about 1,500 ft² and lot 3 is uh roughly 10,000 square ft. Uh the surrounding area uh property is surrounded by various uses including residential recreational commercial and transit. Uh to the north we have Berry Lane Park and some athletic fields and recreational equipment. To the east we have some detached residential dwellings. to the south as well some detached residential dwellings and then to the west we have the New Jersey Transit Hudson Bergen light rail line and commercial uses beyond that. Uh the site is currently vacant and unimproved lot um and uh the ground consists of light vegetation throughout. There are existing public utilities that traverse uh the site uh specifically lot one. They come from Woodward Street, cut pretty much through lot one down to Van Horn Street, and those consist of uh water main, uh sanitary sewer main, and storm sewer main. Uh and I'll get into kind of what's happening with those mains uh as I get into the utilities here. Uh, as was stated, the applicant seeking preliminary and final major site plan approval along with bulk variances to construct a new six-story multif family dwelling consisting of 170 units. That would be 75 studio apartments. Uh, 35 one-bedroom, 55 two-bedroom, and five 3bedroom. Uh of those 170 units, 21% of them will be inclusionary units or or 36 uh 18 of which will be provided on site and that will be for uh moderate income level. All of which will be for moderate income level. Um and that would be a mix of 10 studio, two one-bedroom, five two-bedroom, and one threebedroom. The remaining of which will be provided in the form of a contribution to the affordable housing trust fund uh in the amount of $18,000 per unit. Uh the site has been designed, let me uh go here to our proposed rendering. Uh the site has been designed uh in accordance with the Morris Canal redevelopment plan with a few uh variances, bulk standard variances. Um as discussed, lots two and three have been subdivided out and will be dedicated to the city. Uh lot two being this corner up here will be dedicated and and uh will be used as public parking and then lot three will be a new street uh name to be determined. We'll refer to it as new street for now. Um and that will per the redevelopment plan be a 50 foot wide right ofway uh with 10 foot wide sidewalks on either side. Um that's what we're showing here. I believe the division of transportation is actually asking for 12t wide sidewalks and a slightly narrower cartway width uh which which we're happy to provide. Um the street will also have 16 parallel parking spaces uh eight on either side. As far as the building, uh, building itself will front on three streets, the existing Woodward and Van Horn streets and of course New Street. Um, Van Horn will have a zero foot setback u provided and a zero foot required. Woodward will have zero foot provided and zero foot required and New Street um will have has a required setback of five feet and actually the minimum setback there will be 0.3 feet. So a variance there. I will note that for a majority of New Street, if I can zoom in here, majority of New Street, we are providing the five- foot setback and it's just at the two ends where that setback goes away and it it is reduced down to that 0.3 ft. Some additional setbacks uh to Berry Lane Park. Excuse me, apologize. Uh the setback to Berry Lane Park is 5T required and 5T proposed. That's up on the top here. And then the setback along the uh NJ Transit light rail property for uh parking at the ground floor level is uh 0 feet required, 0 feet proposed. And then above that for the residential floors uh the requirement is 5T. There's a 5ft step back required on the building. And we're actually providing a minimum of 0.2 ft. It's a similar situation. Uh along majority of that building, we do have the step back and it's just up here in the upper corner where we're not providing that step back. Uh as far as parking, go to the next page here. This is our ground floor uh showing the parking. We've got uh an entrance to a a ground level garage along Van Horn Street. And we are providing uh 109 uh parking spaces uh that which includes 18 EV spaces which meets that uh New Jersey EV ordinance requirement of 15%. It's actually 16% that we're providing. We're also providing three EV spaces including one uh van accessible space. Um, in addition to the 109 spaces that we're providing in the garage, uh, I I'll note that 108 are required, um, we are providing 25 parking spaces, public parking spaces, uh, in the two lots that will be dedicated that I talked about, the parallel parking and then the parking at the north of the site here. Uh, as far as landscaping, uh, proposed, landscaping is proposed at the foundation along Woodward Street and New Street. We're also proposing 12 uh street trees along on on either side or uh six on either side of New Street. Uh the landscaping within the right ofway uh will comply or does comply with forestry standards and will be maintained by the applicant. I'll just touch on storm water quickly. Um the site in its current condition um uh the site drains uncontrolled storm water runoff directly to the surrounding public streets. In the proposed condition, we will have uh we are proposing see the entire the the green area of this roof here is indeed a green roof. It's a 21,000 ft extensive green roof that will significantly reduce the flows uh from the existing site from the existing condition. Uh I will note one of the the the last variance that we're seeking is a uh lot or impervious coverage variance 70% is required whereas we are proposing 72.2% imperous surface and I just want to note that uh more than 50% of that 72.2% uh consists of this green roof. So while green roof is considered impervious surface uh it will significantly reduce flows especially during uh the the smaller more frequent storm events. Uh as far as utilities, I touched on this earlier. There are existing utilities uh water, sewer, and storm water that run directly through the center of the site. Um I've been in in contact with JCMUA for the better part of two years now regarding the relocation of those utilities. uh to the east into New Street. Um so all of those mains that are currently traveling through the site will be relocated to New Street. Um we've been working with JCMUA specifically with uh Rajie Praish and the engineers uh for CME um to uh coordinate those relocations and make sure that what they're going to be constructing will be in accordance with what we need. They're very uh you know willing to accommodate us to make sure that our site will function. Um so that that will be one of the first things or the first thing that will happen with this project. Um and that's actually part of a much larger uh infrastructure improvement that JCM MUA is undertaking in Woodward Street and Van Horn. So all of these existing um utility infrastructure in the surrounding area is being upsized uh rather significantly by the JCMUA. Uh and I just touched on I mentioned phasing. I'll just I'll just wrap up here with um the phasing of the project. Everything will be essentially constructed in one go. There will be no no uh stoppages. But as far as order of things, the utilities will be relocated first. Uh following that will be the construction of this new street and the um the connections to Van Horn and Woodward Street. Uh third phase then would be the construction of the building. And then finally um finishing uh New Street with the surface course and the landscaping and all the uh site furnishings and right ofway furnishings for the rest of the site and that hope I didn't uh go too quickly. I'm trying to be pretty quick with this but that concludes my testimony. >> Okay. Thank you sir. I have no questions. Anyone else? >> No. No. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Okay. >> Thank you. >> We're going to proceed with Mr. Marchetta. >> Sure. All right. >> I do. >> Yes. My name is Vincent Marchettto. V I N C N T M M A A R C H E T T O. >> Mr. Marchto. Good evening. Your license is current. >> It is. >> Okay. Thank you. You're qualified. >> Okay. Vincent, take us away. >> Um, do we have the market council or >> are these Is this a slide deck or is this the the plan? >> These are the plans. No uh no markup. >> Okay. All right. So, right now we're looking at the cover sheet cover C01. And on here you will see the site plan. The building is located at the end of Woodward Street and Van Horn Street. And as Zeke mentioned, we're going to create the new street. So, this will building will front on three sides. This new connectivity is going to add a lot of uh benefit to the neighborhood. Fire trucks, delivery trucks, moving trucks, all would have to U-turn down that one-way street of of Woodward. So, this new street will add a lot of connectivity and benefit to the neighborhood besides the on street parking. The what you're looking at here um at the lower left is a current site photograph. You see the site is vacant. It's just a grassy lot at the moment. And then you'll see the perspective view rendering of the building. What we're proposing here is a six-story building. The zoning in this area allows for an eight-story building. And we've redesigned the building so it can be built in a type 5A stick construction. And that structure and height allows this building to actually get built. Um, and that's why we've done that. Um, and you'll see when you when the the three variances that we have, one for the set, two for the setbacks and one for coverage are really related to what happens when you take a building with 170 units, eight stories, and you push it down to a six-story building, but still maintain the 170 units and also maintains the same number of affordable housing that was required in this project, 21% and 18 on site. So you see here the the building in the rendering it it's a six-story building. The two levels on the ground are going to be um a concrete non-combustible type 1A construction and the four levels above would be the stick construction. So the ground floor along the ground where we have concrete structure to tie into that's going to be a high quality brick iron spot plum brick um masonry facade. Um, so the people that when you actually touch and look and feel of the building will be touching a high quality durable material. And then up above where you have the stick construction, that will be a light white metal panel which will be easier to mount onto the the stick. The the corners are accentuated as corner bay windows. Those are areas where we have variances and that architecture helps uh create some ar uh diversity of the facades, break up the monotony and accentuate the corners and the entrance and denote the entrance of the building. Um so let me just get into the plans. This is the ground floor plan. You can see here we have the parking garage. Uh all of the parking garage is contained on the ground floor. No ramps or elevators. the parking garage. Well, the when we looked at this building, we just we had to determine where the front was going to be because we front on three sides. And obviously, this building fronts on Berry Lane Park. And we thought the focus, the lobby, the main entrance, the the uh all of the amenities and so forth, uh around views out to the park. And so when people are in the park, they're looking back at the building. They see a nice lobby, they see amenities, and a lot of the services, transformer rooms, trash removal are screened. We wanted to move all the services for this project down to the dead end Van Horn Street. Um, which is uh which which across the street is an auto garage. On Van Horn, we have the the um parking garage entrance. We have a water meter room. We have a loading area for moveins. Uh and we also have the access where the um the trash removal will come through out this loading area on Van Horn. We have bike storage down there. We have the transformer vault and all of the all putting all the back of house in that area frees up this corner fronting Barlane Park to be the lobby to be amenities gym and so forth. Um the building is going to have three elevators, two in the lobby and then one focused down here uh with the loading to help alleviate any sort of congestion and so forth happening at at Woodward Street with um sort of moveins and trash removal. Um the parking, a lot of this parking is going to be stacked parking. This is a semi-automated uh stack parking system. Uh these will be operated by the actual users. The tenants themselves will have a key fob. They'll touch the key fob to the uh the stacker. The stacker will rotate in a squirrel reel uh and and allow them to drive in and then take their car. The the stack parking requires that you leave a certain number of vacant spaces in the system um so that the system can function. And we've accounted for those vacant spaces in and calculating our parking count. So, we are going to definitely be able to meet the parking requirement for this project. Um, so let me just um on this site I'm going to talk about the three variances right now. Um, you can see two of them uh on this page. You can see the setback from the new street. This little bump in here and this little bump in here. And and that's it is very small. the the variances in this project create area in the building just shy of 5,000 square feet. So it's a very small amount that's added to the building. Um so this these little bumpets and that allow us to accentuate the corners create some architectural diversity but also a little bit more square footage to hit the 170 units that are allowed in this zone. Also those little bumpouts, not only do they create the setback variance, but they create the building coverage variance. So I believe we're 70% required and it's we have uh 72% uh of of of what's allowed. Um so it's a very small amount that we're above the building coverage um requirement. And then moving up here to the second floor plan, you could see this is where the building becomes residential units. Um there's going to be a a courtyard on this level. um at private terraces. But this little area right here is a small bumpout we we did along the rightway. It requires 5 ft. We've bumped out just in this area to allow these units uh to be properly sized units. And you could see it's this building facade is not exactly parallel with the tracks. This is the area where the the building is farthest away from the light rail. So it's minimal impact. Um, moving up, we have, as Zeke mentioned, the unit mix, so I'm not going to reread it, but it's 170 units total. We have affordable units. We have three bedrooms, two bedrooms, studios, ones, so we could accommodate um the affordable uh unit sizes and so forth. The units will be spread, the affordable units will be spread throughout the building. Um, and we have the only difference in some of the units, we have a few units right here on the front with balconies so that they could watch u sports games and other fun things going on in the park from the unit. Um, roof plan. Most of the roof is green roof. Uh, and then we have a small just um roof deck area. No interior space except for a lobby on top of this building. um just because it wouldn't meet the stick requirement of building building code. Um elevations I kind of covered uh when we looked at the materials uh at that rendering. And I think I'm just going to flip right to the end. I've never done this in a playing board, but I want to use my uh shadow study uh right now to end on that. And I think one of the big impacts in changing this building from an eight-story building to a six-story building is that there's it's going to cast less shadows on Berry Lane Park. And you can see here in June, in the middle of June, um um when most people are using the park in the summertime, by 9:00 a.m. the the shadow will have retreated from the park and then it will be shadowfree for the rest of the day. Um and um that concludes my testimony. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Moradow. I have no questions. Anybody else? >> No. >> All right. Thank you. >> Okay. Now, bring up Mr. Flynn to touch upon requested varian. >> Sure. The truth of the truth. >> I do. >> Matthew Flynn. F lynn. >> Mr. Flynn. Good evening. Your license is current. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. You're qualified. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Mr. Flynn, you heard the testimony, Mr. Marchetta and Mr. Colin, correct? >> I have. >> So, could you just add a little bit of your expertise as to the justification for the variance? >> Sure. So, just to keep it real simple here, we're talking about a large vacant property in a residential neighborhood in a redevelopment plan. Obviously, revitalizing that, bringing it back to life with something that's specifically permitted in the redevelopment plan. The residential unit count that we're proposing here is actually specifically recommended in the plan. So that 170 units is coming straight out of that plan there. We just heard from our architect and engineer that the minimal relief that we're requesting this evening are really um basically uh relative to very distinct points on the property. They're not relative to the entire property. In the grand scheme of things, the development is not going to appear like anything that is not contemplated in the redevelopment plan. on the contrary, it is going to really look and feel like exactly what we're trying to achieve um in that plan there. So, I don't think I need to go through the the variance relief again. It's just those three variances. Um I think to justify that we can look to the C2 test, the benefits of the application as a whole substantially outweigh any detriments. Here, when we look at the benefits, we look to the municipal land use law, the purposes of zoning. Here we can look to purpose A, promotion of the general welfare. Again, we're eliminating this large vacant property in a in a residential neighborhood. We're improving safety when we talk about access for for emergency vehicles by adding that new street um for for more efficient and safe turnaround um maneuvering for for uh fire vehicles. Um and of course, we heard from from our engineer regarding storm water management improvements. Purpose G, variety of uses in appropriate locations. Again, it's a permitted use in the redevelopment plan. This is actually the only permitted use in this subdist. And finally, purpose I, which deals with aesthetics. We were just walked through those nice uh renderings from our architect. And finally, the flip sides. That would be the negative criteria. Um, no substantial detriment to the public or to the zone. Even though we have variances, it doesn't mean that these are necessarily going to have a negative impact. Here we comply with number of units parking signage inclusionary requirements, >> um, and things of that nature. Building coverage, we're only about 2% over. Um, so it's dimminimous and we have that nice green roof to to mitigate any impacts there. And finally, the setbacks again just relate to those distinct portions of the building. So, with that, the C2 balancing test is met. Um, this is a a vastly beneficial project, and I don't foresee any substantial negative impacts. So, that's that's my testimony. >> Okay. Thank you, sir. >> Council, we're going to have to put a pause real quick. We just have a car that needs to get moved out there. >> I think I heard that. >> Okay. We'll be back. Uh, >> no, you can. >> No. No. What are you doing? Santos doing it? >> Yeah, Santos is coming to us. >> Does it all. There goes my attorney. He does it all. All right. Thank you. Go ahead. >> Questions or >> Yeah, we're done. Any questions? >> Any questions? Anything? >> No. >> Okay. Thank you. Is there anybody here from public that wants to comment? Anyone from public? >> Sure. See, no one from public. I would like to close the public portion. Second. >> Okay. Motion's made and seconded. Public is closed. Cam. >> Um, planning staff would first ask that the applicant's attorney agree to the conditions stated in the planning staff memo dated September 29th of 2025. >> We do. >> Okay. Um, planning staff is satisfied with the professional planners testimony regarding the C variances. We agree it does not have any detriment to our master plan, the zone plan or the public's general health, welfare, well-being. There are significant improvements to infrastructure um with this project um including new utilities, sidewalks, roads, green infrastructure, storm water um enhancements um affordable units. It envisions the uh the Berry Lane uh zone for the Morris Canal redevelopment plan and it was approved in 2019. Um planning staff recommends approval with conditions. >> Okay. Thank you, Kim. >> Chair, I'd like to make a motion to approve KP2025-0039 as presented to the board with staff recommendations and conditions. >> Seconded. >> Okay. Motion is made and seconded for approval. Acting Vice Chair Gangadan. >> Yeah, beautifully designed. Um I like that there is affordable units in this project and of course parking at the same time. Um my vote is I >> Commissioner Wick. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Stamato. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Patel. >> Hi. >> And Chairman Langston. >> Uh I agree with Mr. Flynn's testimony. I think the benefits clearly weigh outweigh any detriment. Uh it's a good project. Um, my vote is I. >> Motion carries. All in favor with conditions. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> You got to take a break. >> Okay. >> We're going to take two minutes, everybody. >> Sorry. I just >> Did you drop this? >> Oh, yes. >> Yeah, just you can walk right up. >> Yeah, Chris should walk up. Thanks a lot. >> Thanks. I know you ask them. >> Yeah. >> No. I'll go pretty fast. >> Resolution for planning board for the city of Jersey City applicant G&D Pacific Holding LLC for preliminary major site plan approval with deviation 33 Pacific Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey. Case number P2024-0213. Resolution planning board for the city of Jersey City Mason Ambassadors LLC for minus I plan approval with C variation 230 first street block 11402 lot 26 Jersey City New Jersey KSP 2024-0215 2026 physical year planning board agreement for stenographic services resolution for the planning board case number P2023-07 the applicant is ME Realy Properties address is 590 Grand Street, Jersey City, New Jersey. Uh block number is 15401, lot 12-25. Corrective resolution for preliminary major site plan approval. Major site plan approval C variance and design waiver approval. Planning board for the city of Jersey City. Applicant is Bayfront Partners 32 urban renewal. LP Bayfront Partners 32 renewal BLP and Bayront Partners 32 renewal commercial LP for extension for preliminary and major site plan approval with deviation 200 Kellogg Street block 21901 lot 01 lot 601 also known as portion of lot 6 case number P2025-0219 planning board for the city of Jersey City applicant is 203 Danford Avenue, LLC. 203 Danfort Avenue, Jersey City. Block 28102, lot 17, minor subdivision. Case number is P205-016. Planning board for the city of Jersey City. Approving preliminary and major final site plan with conditions. Applicant is Journal Square Improvement LLC for preliminary and final major site plan approval. Properties 549-551 Pavonia Avenue block 9606 lot 4142 case number is P2023085. >> Okay. Do I have a second? >> Do I have a second? >> Second. >> We have to wait for a roll call >> for resolution. This is I I I think I got that impression. Acting Vice Chair Gangadin. Hi, >> Commissioner Wick. >> I >> Commissioner Stamato. >> Hi. >> Commissioner Patel. >> Hi. >> And Chairman Langston. >> Hi. >> Motion carries. All in favor to memorialize resolutions. >> Okay. Thank you everybody. Council, do we want to carry? >> Yeah. Just uh requesting uh some adjournments for the items that I have since I'm here. So, uh, case 14, which is P20250068, just requests that it be carried to February 24th with preservation of notice. >> And item number 19, which is case P 202406, same thing carried with reservation of notice to February 24th. >> All right. Thank you, council. >> Thank you, >> Cam. We're good on the 24th, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. Have a good night everyone. >> You too. Thank you. >> And then uh uh for the record uh Charles Harrington >> for you Chuck. >> This is for number 15 and 16 uh 455 Third Street. Um I don't know if it's been officially carried uh to March 10th. It has not preservation of notices. >> But yeah, we'll carry with preservation of notice for both applications. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Good. Okay. Uh executive session. Anybody? No. >> All right. >> Can I get a motion to >> adjurnn? >> And a second. >> Second. >> All right. Thank you. We're journed, everybody.