Following a judge’s ruling last month, the Hoboken Planning Board approved both applications for the long stalled Western Edge project.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The governing body spent far more time in executive session, about 20 minutes, than they did in open session, about three minutes, to approve Block 106 and Block 112.
“While I may not agree with the judge’s decision, I’m not going to go against it,” said Planning Board Chair Frank Magaletta.
No one else made remarks during the two votes, which were both unanimous (8-0).
On April 4th, Hudson County Superior Court Judge Joseph Turula has remanded the Western Edge project back to the Hoboken Planning Board, assuring approval for Block 112 and enforcing strict parameters for the hearing of Block 106, as HCV first reported.
Ordered that the 112 Block Application is hereby remanded to the Planning Board of the City of Hoboken to adopt a Resolution approving the application, consistent with this Court’s decision,” Turula wrote in an order to remand.
“And it is further ordered that the 106 Block Application is hereby remanded to the Planning Board of the City of Hoboken to adopt a Resolution that (1) does not include the issue of building coverage at street level as a reason for denial, consistent with this Court’s decision, and (2) includes specific factual findings and conclusions of law in support of its decision on the issue of the linear park and green circuit.”
Turula’s decision came the Hoboken City Council approved a settlement for Block 106 in March that included a 30-year payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with no union labor deal.
The lawsuit, filed in October 2021, alleges that Hoboken allowed Union City to interfere with the project “at the expense of benefits to Hoboken and its citizens.”
During the aforementioned council vote, several council members expressed dismay that the administration allowed Union City to back them into a corner and approve a settlement that they considered lackluster at best.