NORTH BERGEN — New Jersey Superior Court Judge Mark Baber decided Friday that the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders should consider an appeal made my opponents of a proposed strip mall that would be carved into the bottom of the Palisades hills on River Road.
Baber said that under state statutes, the freeholders have a responsibility to consider the appeal and either render a decision, reject the appeal, or remand it to the Hudson County Planning Board, which approved the controversial project on June 17. They granted a hardship variance to the developers, Avak Properties and U&G Development.
He said that after the Coalition to Preserve the Palisades requested a public hearing with the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders as an aggrieved party to the board’s decision, the freeholders did nothing, not even passing a resolution to reject their hearing, which he said they were obligated under state law to do.
During the Friday hearing, Hudson County Freeholder Attorney Edward Florio said that he did not provide the board with counsel on that decision.
Baber said that the freeholders have 45 days from today consider the appeal, and then 30 days to render a decision.
Around 25 members of the public attended the hearing, mostly all supporters of the CPPC.
A lawsuit was filed by the CPPC on Oct.15, 2009 against the developers, the Hudson County Planning Board, and the Chosen Freeholders.
The developers would like to build three stores – a Walgreen’s, a Bank of America, and a coffee shop.
For more on this story, read this weekend’s North Bergen Reporter, either the print edition this weekend or on-line at www.hudsonreporter.com starting Sunday.