The Jersey City Planning Board delayed the vote on the Caven Point development near Port Liberte after briefly hearing preliminary details about the project on Wednesday evening.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
Pulte Homes of NJ is the developer of the Port Liberte Caven Point project and attorney James McCann was there on their behalf.
They plan to build 168 condo and townhouse units in 19 buildings that will be four stories tall. There will be two spaces per unit, for a total of 336 spaces, and 80 guest parking spaces for a total of 416.
“We would respectfully ask you to carry to the next meeting date,” Martin Cabalar, the attorney for the Port Liberte Homeowners Association (HOA), said when he noted an objection.
He also said new project maps and documents seeking approval were not on file the mandated 10 days before the meeting.
“I don’t dispute the facts … We did upload seven new documents to the planning portal on October 17th, which is 11 days before today. Planning did not post those documents on the Planning Portal until October 21st,” said McCann.
He also acknowledged that they received four objective letters that prompted them to make revisions to their plans.
“We don’t want to be litigious with the Homeowner’s Association …We did submit a new set of plans,” McCann added.
For example, he further explained they did a traffic report, but many were unhappy that their report was not done during the school year to factor in such traffic. For that reason, they redid it and submitted the plan to the board.
“They’re responsive documents to the opposition,” he added.
Cabalar argued that the materials submitted were significant.
“We should have the opportunity of 10 days: The materials are not slim,” noting the revisions were voluminous.
“I learned of this issue today. I didn’t get the courtesy of the issue being raised on Friday. The 10-day rule is the 10-day rule. It’s costing this board time, and this board is made up of volunteers,” Board attorney Santo Alampi noted.
Cabalar said one of his experts has not been able to review materials.
“We would like the opportunity to file the additional documents … We could do that tonight if Counsel doesn’t object to it and withhold cross-examination,” stated McCann.
Alampi added that he found it ironic that no one was concerned if the board had reviewed the material or not.
“I’m concerned: My one concern is the board,” Board Chair Christopher Langston replied.
“The board has to come back and look, but let’s not forget the public … I don’t think it’s fair to the public either,” noted Commissioner Joey Torres.
“Counsel, I get no pleasure out of this,” Langston added.
Alampi suggested McCann and Cabalar meet and resolve some of the differences, to which McCann said it was his intention to resolve some issues with the new materials.
The Planning Board resolved to push the application until their December 9th meeting.
Many in the Port Liberte residents who were in the crowd and expressed excitement about the delay.
Ward A Councilwoman Denise Ridley, who represents the area and is running for re-election next week, and former Board of Education President and mayoral candidate Mussab Ali, were there to support their efforts.
