The Hoboken Planning Board voted to “re-endorse” the Western Edge Redevelopment Plan, just one week after the city council did the same, at a special Zoom meeting last night as litigation lingers.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
“We made some … changes to the report, not a substantial change in the substance of the report,” noted Attorney Anee Marie Rizzuto, who noted she is special counsel in the matter.
She noted there were some grammatical errors in the report by Hoboken Planner George Wheatle Williams that had to be fixed and reviewed.
“This is a consistency review … It’s purpose is to quote affirm and endorse the development plan,” Rizzuto noted.
“There are no inconsistencies with the Master Plan, there is no change to the redevelopment plan as we have it today.”
Rizzuto noted the council reviewed it twice, including once at a special meeting.
“They needed to put something on the city portal that had not been included,” she added.
Rizzuto noted the council is holding a special meeting on Thursday on the Western Edge Redevelopment Plan to pass it on second and final reading.
Board Chair Frank Magaletta said that while there would be public comment, it would only occur after the measure is approved.
“This can get a bit muddled,” he noted.
Eventually, Williams said they would affirm and re-endorse the redevelopment plan.
“The redevelopment plan is still in full effect: It is my recommendation that this board could approve a recommendation,” he declared.
The Planning Board approved the resolution unanimously (7-0).
“…We continue to object to the new ordinance as it does not accomplish the do over intended and relies on prior action,” attorney Matthew Ross, representing Palisades Cliffs Protection Alliance, Inc., exclaimed.
“We’re not sure that this provided the clarity and the consistency that the panel sought and addressed during the comments … This was an attempted do-over of prior efforts.”
He argued that the changes may still not make the plan consistent or legal.
“Your comments are noted and recorded,” Magaletta said.
“We respectfully object to the Planning Board’s finding and recommendation of consistency,” added attorney Max Merker, who is representing the City of Union City. He argued the public didn’t have adequate time to properly review the report.
The ordinance the council approved mentions Hudson County Superior Court Judge Joseph Turula rendered a decision on March 11th that “held that the amendment in Ordinance B-715 was insufficient to supersede the entire Redevelopment, rather than the portions written in the amendment.”
A more detailed explanation lies within a 52-page court filing from March 11th.
“Simply put, the Amended Third-Party Complaint alleges that the Amended Redevelopment Plan should be voided based on thinly alleged conflicts between the Councilmember Defendants and Plaintiffs, but none of the Councilmember Defendants participated in adopting the Settlement or Ordinance B-715, which expressly supersedes prior amendments.”
The Hoboken City Council is scheduled to hold another virtual special meeting on Thursday to vote on second reading, which is widely expected to be approved.
