The Board of Directors of the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce last week issued a statement disagreeing with a decision contained in a recent 66-page report by the Planning Board reviewing the city’s master plan. The report recommends keeping the western corners of Hoboken zoned for industrial uses only, rather than allowing a change to other uses, as the city Master Plan had originally recommended in 2004.
One businessman said that some suspect the city is trying to keep the value of the land low so they can buy it for parks, rather than allow it to be developed for businesses or residential uses. The City Council recently approved a $20 million bond issue to create parks.
“People had practically a whole year [to speak out] and now they’re saying they don’t like it.” — Ann Graham
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The recommendations also may keep the New York-based Rockefeller Group from building a project it had hoped for on the city’s northern border, where the group has been buying land.
The Planning Board is required by law to complete a Reexamination Report six years after the city develops a Master Plan, in order to bring the plan up to date. The report was a review of the city’s 2004 Master Plan, which provides zoning recommendations throughout the city.
In the 2004 Master Plan, it was recommended that some industrial portions of the city be re-zoned to transitional areas that would include mixed-use development. However, the recent Reexamination Report indicates the city will not follow its original recommendation.
Changing their minds
The portions of the city referred to in the report are the southwest and northwest corners of Hoboken. Some portions are undergoing separate redevelopment studies by the city to determine what should be built on the sites.
“Rather than changing the zoning in the midst of the studies, the recommendation is to follow the [separate redevelopment] process,” said Community Development Director Brandy Forbes last week. “If at such time in the future the city decides to change the zoning and it is designated, the city can do so.”
The Chamber of Commerce believes the decision in the report is detrimental to business development, saying the market is not calling for industrial business in Hoboken.
“Hoboken has experienced urban revitalization to a nationally recognized level and we think that this change takes a step backwards,” said Chamber of Commerce President Michael Novak.
However, Ann Graham, the chairperson of the Planning Board, said last week that after two public meetings, one held in June 2010 and another earlier this month, the decision was made with the input of the public to continue the industrial zoning.
“We started this process last April, and had a public hearing last June where about 70 to 100 people spoke out about the issues,” Graham said. “We also had a public hearing two weeks ago and had 30 people come out and speak about the issues; and we’ve also had letters come in.”
Paul Grygiel authored the 2004 Master Plan.
“If the Reexamination Report recommends a change to the zoning, an individual property owner doesn’t need to be notified,” Grygiel said. “It’s a way for the city to circumvent the process.”
In standard zoning changes, property owners affected must be notified.
Chamber feels left out
Novak was disappointed that the chamber was not a part of the recent discussions.
“There was a lack of inclusion not only to the public in general but the chamber in particular,” Novak said. “We met with the mayor’s office six weeks ago, including Director Forbes, and they made no mention of this Reexamination Report coming out.”
Graham contends the city went above and beyond to collect public input.
“The hearings were advertised on the city website according to what’s required by the Open Public Meetings Act and anybody could have seen the report online and come to the meeting,” Graham said. “People had practically a whole year [to speak out] and now they’re saying they don’t like it.”
Forbes pointed out, “[The Reexamination Report] did not require the public participation, but we held two hearings, and wanted to make sure it was a comprehensive document as a Planning Board.”
City Council must approve
Graham said more opportunities to speak out on the changes will be available as zoning ordinances are presented to the City Council.
“The Reexamination Report is our vision for the city,” Graham said. “What has to come out of this now are specific zoning ordinances. When we put forward those zoning ordinances people will have a chance to speak out [at council meetings.]”
Novak still doesn’t agree with the changes, saying they’ll restrict any sort of development in the western industrial areas.
“Any redevelopment plan should be looking back to the Reexamination Report for guidance,” Novak said. “It’s steering it back to industrial. It doesn’t make any sense to us.”
Another member, local attorney Richard Mackiewicz, isn’t buying the city’s explanation. “If the city’s position is actually to wait for the study, they would actually put that in the Reexamination Report,” he said.
The Chamber’s Board of Directors and Economic Development Committee released their statement Thursday.
“Any plan that advances, either intentionally or unintentionally, a negative impact to Hoboken’s growth is ill conceived and not in the best interests of the city’s businesses and residents. We believe this sentiment is shared by all and the Chamber looks forward to an invigorated collaborative process on this important matter,” according to the statement.
Are parks the idea?
When asked why industrial zoning was chosen, Graham said after the public input was received, it was determined that the city needed to be careful of overdevelopment.
“We’re very much concerned with balanced development,” Graham said. “We’re taking things one step at a time. By making sure we don’t rush into changing what’s there, we can develop smartly.”
Novak repeated some speculation he’d heard.
“I’m not speaking for the chamber, but several people have asked the question, ‘Is the city devaluing property to transform this to cheap land to turn it into park space?’ ” Novak said. “I wouldn’t go that far myself but this change really doesn’t make sense to us.”
Mayor Dawn Zimmer has said before that the focus of the $20 million park bond ordinance would be on the west side of Hoboken.
Novak said the Chamber wants to work with the Planning Board in the future and the office of Community Development in the future.
“Chamber members are very excited to participate in discussion in public dialogue in the redevelopment zones,” Novak said. “They’re excited to participate in the future growth and planning of the city. All of the e-mails I’ve received were positive, saying that people were looking to be included.”
Now that the Planning Board approved the final draft of the Reexamination Report, the council must approve the specific zoning ordinances that stem from the report.
Ray Smith may be reached at RSmith@hudsonreporter.com