The Hoboken City Council unanimously approved (9-0) a non-binding resolution urging state action on Rebuild by Design, specifically to get construction moving on easements in Jersey City.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I think there’s been a lot of press lately about concerns about Rebuild by Design being delayed and the point of this resolution, and I’m not the sponsor of it but I’ve spoken with Councilman [Ruben] Ramos and Councilwoman [Jen] Giattino, is really just to stress how important this is and encourage the state,” began 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher.
“The state has the ability to step in and exercise eminent domain, etcetera, over any property relating to this project, so this is really to encourage them to do it.”
She then asked the administration if the easements would be located on public or private property, which Ramos indicated he’d like to know as well.
“We broke ground two weeks ago at Harborside Park, but we need to acquire the easements to complete the project,” replied Caleb Stratton, the city’s chief resiliency officer who has worked on the project since it’s infancy, beginning under Mayor Dawn Zimmer.
To the surprise of many political observers, Zimmer asserted earlier this month that Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, a candidate for governor, is holding the project “hostage” with her successor, Mayor Ravi Bhalla, a likely candidate for Congress, complicit for political reasons.
This came shortly after a story about Rebuild by Design hit the New York Times, which indicated that Jersey City had not moved forward on the project due to concerns about a conflict with building a new Hudson-Bergen Light Rail station.
However, Gov. Phil Murphy’s office said that concern had already been addressed.
Then on Wednesday, Zimmer wrote a letter to the mayor and council urging for a resolution on this matter to appear on yesterday’s agenda, to which Ramos and Giattino delivered.
Back at the meeting, Fisher then asked if the state had taken any action to acquire the Jersey City property.
“The state is aware of the need to require the easements and they’re working through the different issues that Jersey City has raised,” Stratton clarified.
Ramos then asked if Jersey City had put their concerns in writing and/or if Hoboken was aware of what those specific concerns are.
“I don’t know if it’s in writing, but Jersey City is making sure to protect it’s interests related to redevelopment in the southwest,” he replied.
“Their public easements protecting private development is what they’re doing,” Fisher interjected.
“Everyone for the past decade has made this a priority, it shows how far along we are on the northern side of this, and we hope that with this that Jersey City and the state make sure that Jersey City holds up their end of the bargain,” Ramos added.
Giattino asked when the administration became aware of this issue, to which Stratton said two years, and upon further questioning, said he didn’t want to speak on Jersey City’s behalf as to what their concerns are.
“The reality is you have the state and Hoboken coming into another city saying ‘give us this property’ and from their point of view – and I’m not advocating for it – their point of view is ‘it’s our property, what’s the benefit to the residents of Jersey City?'” explained Business Administrator Jason Freeman.
“That’s the argument they have made to us and we understand that, just how I think if someone came into Hoboken and said ‘give us this property,’ I would think the response from the city council and mayor would be ‘what is the overall benefit for Hoboken?'”
“I guess it depends which mayor it is, that’s kind of a funny argument,” scoffed Giattino.
Ramos reiterated that we’re a decade into the process, to which Fisher reminded everyone that Stratton indicated earlier in the evening that the Rebuild by Design easements were identified back in 2016.
5th Ward Councilman Phil Cohen spoke in favor of the resolution as well, noting that the project, since it’s inception, was always meant to benefit Hoboken, Jersey City, and Weehawken.
” … That’s how it was designed, that’s how it was presented, that’s how it was approved. If you look at the Rebuild by Design original plan, it protects Jersey City, Hoboken, and Weehawken – it’s not just protecting Hoboken,” he stated.
“So to the extent that there’s any suggestion that we’re only protecting Hoboken, what’s the benefit to Jersey City, I think that’s a false choice: it was always intended to protect Jersey City, Hoboken, and Weehawken.”
Prior to calling the vote, Council President Emily Jabbour thanked Stratton and Environmental Services Director Jennifer Gonzalez for their efforts, stating “no one is more knowledgable about this project than the two of you.”
The measure passed unanimously (9-0), which Zimmer applauded this morning.
“I want to thank the City Council for their leadership in unanimously passing this important resolution. This resolution sends a clear message asking Governor Murphy and the DEP to use all tools legally at their disposal to obtain the Jersey City easements expeditiously so that this vital RBD resiliency project can be completed,” she said in a statement.
“This issue has been on the table since the flood protection alignment was finalized in 2016. It is time for the State to get this resolved promptly. I urge Mayor Bhalla to follow the Council’s lead and take this position clearly and unambiguously with the State and Jersey City in all meetings, written correspondence, and public statements.”
The Bhalla Administration apparently keeps both the City Council and the public from the true facts of the multi million dollar Rebuild Design project that was initiated under the Zimmer Administration over a decade ago to help prevent the catastrophic storm surge flooding Hoboken had during Superstorm Sandy.
With all the added spokes persons and public relations hires added to the City payroll it took only a few words in a New York Times article by former Mayor Dawn Zimmer to make the delays and lack of any progress on the Hoboken- Jersey City border very public.