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900 Monroe Vote Postponed Until After the Election
A letter from Helen Manogue of the Quality of Life Coalition
I am forwarding some good news for a change. The efforts of the Group
of Eight has led to a POSTPONEMENT of the hearing before the
Zoning Board of Adjustment regarding 900 Monroe. While this gives
the developer Tarrragon/URSA time to make more influential
contacts, proselytize and pull its resources together, it
also gives the citizens time to get their message across:
Save 900 Monroe for Open Space as Noted in the Master Plan.
The Group of Eight includes: Doric Association
(Union City), Fund for a Better Waterfront, HobokenParks,
Hudson County Alliance, People for Open Government, Residents for
Responsible Development, Riverview Neighborhood Association (Jersey
City), and Quality of Life Coalition
Stay tuned and join the celebration this evening in front of city
hall.
Thanks to all of you who responded to QLC's earlier e-mail with
suggestions and offers of help. It is most appreciated.
Helen Manogue for Quality of Life Coalition
900 Monroe
Hearing Postponed:
Developer Gets "Two Bites of the Same Apple"
The Feb. 9 hearing for a mixed use building at 900
Monroe St. was postponed until lawyers for both sides could file briefs
explaining how recent actions by the city council should effect the application.
At their Feb. 2 meeting the City Council passed a resolution to
fund a redevelopment study for the land. The developer, Mark
Settembre of URSA Development was given the exclusive right to present a
plan for the area.
Lawyers for the objectors to 900 Monroe argued that
the city council's action usurps URSA's own application on 900
Monroe. Jon Drill, an attorney for the objector, cited case law which he
said proved that by earmarking the property for a blight study the
council has effectively taken the board's jurisdiction away
Doug Bern, the attorney for the board agreed that the
matter is now out of their hands and in the city councils. The board
seemed lost as to why they couldn't act on an application they put so
much time into. Mr. Bern suggested that the attorneys for both the
objector and applicant submit briefs on which the direction the board
should take.
Motion to Deny the
Application Rejected
After a short recess, board member James Perry made a motion to deny
the application. The motion failed 4-3, with members Lisa, Ponjoan,
Carrado and Camporeale voting againist and chairman Crimmins, Fusco and
Perry voting for denial.
What should be noted is that the motion to deny the application was
based on the actions of the city council and not the application itself.
However if this is an indication of how the board would vote on the D
variances it is bad news for the developer. In order to get a
"D" variance 5 votes of 7 votes are needed.
Public Outcry May Sway Board:
Some Predictions:
What
is a Transit Village?
After 5 meetings it was hoped that the board
would vote on Feb. 9. CityofHoboken.com predicts the variances needed to build the
12 story 125 unit condo complex will be granted, but barely.
Gauging from the lack of questions from board members
and general hostility towards the objector's experts, CityofHoboken.com will predict the following:
Dominick Lisa will likely vote yes. He said the
city's designation of the land as park space was unfair to the
developer. He is also trying to build the record in favor of approvals.
Alex Carrado will likely vote yes. The newest member
of the board will barely have time to read all the transcripts and learn
the municipal land use law before Feb 9. He may also still remember the
hassle he had in getting variances of his own to open a scooter store at
4th and Park and have sympathy for the developer. He may also turn to
Lisa for advice.
Jose Ponjoan will likely vote yes, if he votes at all.
As an alternate member can only vote if there are less than seven other members present. He
fails to ask questions and explain his votes, but usually votes with
Lisa.
CityofHoboken now believes that Chairman Crimmins, will vote first and vote
no-
maybe. Crimmins has a
habit of seeing good in projects that the community objects to. His
vote to dismiss the application is telling.
Morris Fusco will look to Joe Crimmins' lead and
vote with him.
Jim Perry will likely vote no. Jim has shown his reluctance
to height variances and density variances in the past. He is also a fan
of open space and pro-family.
Maryanne Camporeale will likely vote yes. She tends to vote on
esthetics rather than positive or negative criteria.
Tom Foley will likely abstain rather than vote no.
CityofHoboken.com predicts;
3 Yes
1 No
2 Unclear
1 Abstain
What is a Transit Village?
"Studies have shown that an increase in residential housing
options within walking distance of a transit facility, typically a
one quarter to one half mile radius, does more to increase transit
ridership than any other type of development. Therefore, it is a goal of
the Transit Village Initiative to bring more housing, more businesses
and more people into communities with transit facilities."
according to the NJDOT Transit Village Initiative website.
But Hoboken is only a mile long, with seven different mass transit options-
NJ Transit bus station, NJ transit train station, Washington Ave buses,
Willow/Clinton buses, Crosstown bus, two ferry stations and Path
service.
Much of the 900 Monroe Street application for a use and height
variances is built upon the logic that a city wants it's
population near the transit stations. In this case the 9th Street light
rail station.
As a former board member I have heard the twisted logic of Mr.
Kolling, the applicant's planner more than once. He claims that by
putting this 12 story, 125 unit building next to the station that it
will promote the transit village concept in Hoboken.
By Mr. Kolling's logic, putting another diamond inside Yankee Stadium
would promote baseball.
Mr. Kolling by the NJDOT's own definition Hoboken is already a
transit village. The entire population of the Hoboken lives within
walking distance- less than a quarter mile- of mass
transportation. Therefore the promotion of a transit village as
positive criteria for a "D" variance is not applicable.
If the board grants this variance they will be accepting his transit
village argument as positive criteria. Soon you will see all the
bordering properties using the same argument for 12 story projects.
Hoboken's west side will add a thousand more apartments in addition to
the thousand already approved in the northwest redevelopment zone.
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