1/8/18 Caucus & 1/10/18 Council Meetings
Councilman Fernando Gonzalez
PERTH AMBOY – Ordinance No. 2 First Reading: Approving Amendments to Chapter 430: ZONING AND LAND DEVELOPMENT led to a long discussion at the 1/8/10 Caucus Meeting.
Councilman Fernando Gonzalez was the first to comment. “There are major changes that needed to be done quite a while ago. I met with those who made some of these suggested changes. We need to have a special meeting to go line by line on these items, so the public can hear about these changes which will affect them for the next 35 to 40 years.”
Business Administrator Adam Cruz responded, “This has been kicked around for some time.” He urged the Council, “Make sure what you want before scheduling a special meeting.”
Gonzalez answered, “A special meeting with no other items to be discussed will be best.”
Councilman Joel Pabon then spoke up. He wanted to know, “Did anybody meet with Annie Hindenlang (Director of PARA)(regarding the zoning changes)?”
Councilman Helmin Caba responded, “Councilman Irizarry and I met with some of the Committee Members.”
Councilman Irizarry added, “There is too much leeway in parking issues and they’re saying that offsite parking is encouraged within a quarter mile of a site. A contractor may see this as not having to provide parking. I need more assertive parking language. In the document that we have some words are not defined. For instance, R-50 or R-25 – that means residential, then you have something such as DTC – which is not defined. I’m also concerned that if we have a special meeting and we go line by line for each item, that special meeting will be very cumbersome and go on for a very long time. I raised some issues with Hindenlang.”
Pabon then spoke again, “Parking and sewer issues are my concern that I shared with the Committee.”
Council President Bill Petrick commented, “The parking is not a realistic expectation. I don’t want to have to park a quarter of a mile from my destination. The capacity of the sewers and the water supply improvements – will the contractor share the cost of these improvements? When we pass a new ordinance, there is no coming back to other boards for permission. Coming in on the Focus 2020, we will not have any surplus left from the water.”
Councilman Irizarry then asked, “Can the ordinance be changed if something is not working?”
Law Director Peter King responded, “Yes.”
Irizarry then asked about loopholes.
Petrick responded to that, “Only new contractors can be prevented from taking advantage of loopholes if it’s after the ordinance was passed.”
King commented again, “That’s why we have further hearings.”
Petrick then again stated, “Parking and the water supply issues are my concerns.”
B.A. Cruz went on to explain some of the possible solutions to issues involving parking. “One would be a parking deck at the Train Station with the possibility for parking of 600-700 cars. The current parking deck (on Jefferson Street) is not being utilized.”
Petrick made a comment, “The City of New Brunswick has plenty of parking because they anticipated it.”
Cruz then addressed the situation in regard to the sewage system, “We are replacing the 4 inch pipes with 8 inch pipes. We are addressing our aging sewer system to provide for growth.”
Director of PARA Annie Hindenlang came up to address some of these concerns, “Rezoning does not change parking requirements. In 2013, the parking strategy was to increase the visibility of the train station. There’s a potential for a four-story parking deck at the train station. In New Brunswick, the developers turned over the parking they created to the parking authority.”
Hindenlang then gave handouts to be distributed to the Council so they could see diagrams that showed residential units attached to parking decks. “In the ordinance, it says that the developer is required to pay for the parking.”
Council President Petrick was concerned because he felt this material should have been presented the Council beforehand. “We could have reviewed it and made any changes.”
Hindenlang concluded, “The Planning Board has to approve parking from the contractors.”
The Council decided to have a special meeting to be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, January 29, 2018 at the Council Chambers to discuss Ordinance #2 only. At the 1/10/18 Council Meeting, Councilman Bill Petrick stressed the importance that the community opinions be heard.
