Dear Editor:
I write to respond to important inaccuracies stated in last week’s letter to this paper from the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors & Economic Development Committee.
1. It is simply not true that the Planning Board did not solicit public participation and incorporate public comments. Even though a Reexamination Report does not require such input, the Planning Board held two public hearings and two additional public meetings (with a total of over 100 persons in attendance) during the nearly year long process of writing the Report. Each meeting was advertised either in local papers and/or on the City’s web-site. In fact, a draft of the Report was on the City’s web-site for 10 days prior to the last public hearing before its adoption on March 10. The Chamber’s statement that the Report is “based on interviews with both elected and appointed City officials and nothing more” is patently false. The Chamber had every opportunity to write a letter, contact us, and/or participate in any one of the above meetings.
2. The purpose of the Reexamination Report is to evaluate changes in a municipality and to determine whether the 2004 Master Plan and other related documents are still relevant and appropriate. The 2011 Reexamination Report is an update of the plan and reflects current public policy recommendations based on public input and expert opinion. It is unfortunate that the Chamber is trying to persuade the public to believe that the Reexamination Report has determined that “Hoboken’s evolution is complete.” In fact, the policy document encourages further discussion about the benefits of sound planning and balanced, responsible development for our community.
3. The Reexamination Report is a public policy document and not zoning law. Only the City Council can change zoning laws based on recommendations from the Planning Board. The Reexamination Report recommends keeping the industrial zoning that has been in place for decades. An important reason for this recommendation is because it is prudent not to make changes while the Planning Board is conducting investigations to determine if two areas – the Southwest and the North End – are “areas in need of redevelopment.”
It is regrettable that the Chamber did not elect to participate with other members of the community during the 10 months of public discussion and now expresses its displeasure by misrepresenting both the process and its outcomes.
Sincerely,
Ann Graham
Chair, City of Hoboken Planning Board