OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/Jersey City, New Jersey/Council and Caucus Meetings
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Jersey City Municipal Council Regular Meeting – March 12, 2026

Council and Caucus Meetings — Thursday, March 12, 2026
BodyJersey City, New Jersey
SessionCouncil and Caucus Meetings
DateThursday, March 12, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 7:13:46

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:40

We're about to get started.

0:41

If we can find our seats, silence our cell phones.

0:51

Because I do have the air conditioner on the back door, the side doors.

1:00

I greatly appreciate it.

4:23

We just have a difficulty with our live stream.

6:37

Okay.

6:39

All right, ladies and gentlemen.

6:40

If we can again silence cell phones, find our seats.

6:44

We are getting officially started.

6:46

We are up and running on our live stream.

6:49

So we are good to go.

6:50

Good afternoon.

6:51

Good evening, everyone.

6:52

We are on the record.

6:53

Today is Wednesday, the eleventh day of March in the year 2026.

6:58

This is a regular meeting of the Jersey City Municipal Council.

7:01

We had a scheduled six PM start.

7:03

The clock on my cell phone is showing six eleven PM.

7:06

May we have a roll call for the commencement of this meeting.

7:09

Councilperson Brooks.

7:11

Present.

7:12

Councilperson Zupa.

7:14

Present.

7:15

Councilperson Efros.

7:17

Present.

7:17

Councilperson Little.

7:19

Present.

7:20

Councilperson Gilmore.

7:22

Councilperson Singh.

7:24

Present.

7:25

Councilperson Griffin.

7:26

Here.

7:27

Councilperson Lavaro.

7:28

Here.

7:29

And Council President Ridley.

7:31

Here.

7:33

We have all nine council members in attendance at six eleven PM.

7:37

May we kindly rise for a moment of silence, please.

7:48

Peter Burke.

7:50

Angela Estrada.

7:57

Angela Estrada, lifelong resident of Jersey City.

8:02

Angelo L.

8:04

Ramos, husband of former longtime employee Anna Ramos of the Business Administrator's Office.

8:10

And Ethel M.

8:11

Thomas, mother of Renee Jackson, Assistant Municipal Clerk in my office.

8:58

Chapter two thirty-one, the Open Public Meetings Act, also known as the Sunshine Law.

9:03

Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by the posting on the bulletin board of the first floor of City Hall, which is the annual notice, which is the schedule of meetings and caucuses of the municipal council for the calendar year twenty twenty-six and filed in the office of the city clerk on Tuesday, November twenty-fifth, twenty twenty-five.

9:36

So I can certify as to our total compliance with the Sunshine Law.

10:00

One being item 3.2, City Wordnance 26-016 is an ordinance supplementing chapter 332, vehicles and traffic, Article 8, permit parking, amending section 332-58 parking restrictions and residential zones to establish a new parking permit.

10:09

Zone 20 for streets adjacent to the Liberty Park Hudsonburg and Light Rail Station east of Pacific Avenue.

10:17

This ordinance is going to take the place of item 4.4 city ordinance 26-013.

10:25

And I'll explain later when we get to that second reading ordinance.27, resolution 26-120 is a resolution urging the Cheryl administration to take all measures to ensure the continued operation and long-term stability of Heights University Hospital, formerly known as Christ Hospital.

10:52

And item 10.28, resolution 26-121 is a resolution establishing an ad hoc city council committee to study community-based mental health crisis response systems.

11:05

Council members, I need a motion to add items 3.2, 10.27, and 10.28 to the agenda.

11:13

Motion.

11:15

Second.

11:26

On the motion to add items 3.2, 1027, and 1028 to the agenda.

11:31

Councilperson Brooks.

11:32

Aye.

11:33

Councilperson Zupa.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection████████████████16%
Transportation Safety██████████████14%
Active Transportation████████████12%
Public Safety███████████11%
Procedural██████████10%
Public Engagement████████8%
Affordable Housing██████6%
Animal Welfare██████6%
Mental Health Awareness███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Jersey City Municipal Council Regular Meeting – March 12, 2026

The Jersey City Municipal Council held a regular meeting on March 12, 2026, starting at 6:11 PM and adjourning at 1:17 AM the following day. All nine council members were present. The agenda included several ordinances, public hearings, and resolutions addressing parking, street safety, bird-friendly design, animal welfare, mental health crisis response, and the future of Christ Hospital.

Consent Calendar & Agenda Changes

  • Items 3.2, 10.27, 10.28 added to the agenda by unanimous vote (9-0). Item 3.2 (a new parking permit zone) replaced a previously introduced ordinance (4.4).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Franklin Street Bike Lane (Ordinance 4.1): Over 40 speakers testified. Supporters, including Bike JC representatives, residents, and parents, cited safety data, the 90 crashes in seven years, the need for protected bike lanes, and the risk of losing $670,000 in state grant funds. Opponents, including firefighters, longtime residents, and a former mayor, raised concerns about emergency response times, congestion, loss of parking, and the pilot project’s timing (summer, when school was out). The firefighter union’s study suggesting increased response times was debated; the city’s infrastructure department found a smaller impact.
  • Bird-Friendly Design Standards (Ordinance 4.4): Dozens of speakers, including architects, birdwatchers, and volunteers, supported the ordinance. They emphasized that Jersey City lies on the Atlantic Flyway, that bird-safe glass is affordable (fraction of 1% of construction cost), and that similar ordinances work in NYC. A few opponents raised cost concerns for affordable housing, but the council noted a 100% affordable housing exemption was added.
  • Public Speaking (General): Residents spoke on animal welfare, urging removal of Phil Orphanides from JCACC and funding for TNR (trap-neuter-return) programs; Portside Towers tenants demanded enforcement of security and rent control laws; advocates for justice for Andrew Washington called for accountability; and a resident requested prohibition of artificial scent machines in housing.

Discussion Items

  • Franklin Street Safety Improvements (Ordinance 4.1): Council members debated emergency response times, community engagement, and the pilot project’s data. Councilman Zupa noted that the fire department’s own data showed less impact than the union study, and that solutions were found with the administration. Councilman Efros emphasized the need for alternatives to car dependency. Councilman Lavaro opposed, citing process concerns and that Franklin Street itself is not on the High Injury Network (only the intersection).
  • Bird-Friendly Design Standards (Ordinance 4.4): Councilman Little introduced a minor amendment changing “including” to “including but not limited to” (clarification, not substantive). The amendment passed 9-0. The ordinance exempts 100% affordable housing projects.
  • Resolutions 10.24 and 10.25: Legal fee contracts for officers in the Drew Washington case (10.24) and a resolution urging the state to ensure Christ Hospital’s stability (10.27) were discussed. Several council members expressed discomfort but noted statutory obligations. Resolution 10.28 established an ad hoc committee on mental health crisis response.

Key Outcomes

  • Ordinance 3.1 (Power House Arts District Redevelopment Plan amendments) and 3.2 (new parking zone 20) introduced unanimously (9-0).
  • Ordinance 4.1 (Franklin Street one-way with protected bike lane) adopted 8-1 (Councilman Lavaro voting no).
  • Ordinance 4.2 (lease extension at 46 State Street) adopted 9-0 (after absent members later voted).
  • Ordinance 4.3 (original parking ordinance 26-013) defeated 8-0 (one absent) as it was replaced by 3.2.
  • Ordinance 4.4 (bird-friendly design standards) adopted 9-0 after amendment.
  • Resolutions 10.1–10.14 approved unanimously (9-0).
  • Resolutions 10.15–10.23 (animal care contracts, etc.) approved unanimously (9-0).
  • Resolution 10.24 (legal fees for Drew Washington case) approved 7-0-2 (Councilmen Gilmore and Griffin abstaining).
  • Resolution 10.25 (Christ Hospital) approved 7-0-2 (same abstentions).
  • Resolutions 10.26–10.28 (including ad hoc mental health committee) approved unanimously (9-0).
  • Claims and Addendum Number One approved unanimously (9-0).
  • The council recessed for five minutes and later adjourned at 1:17 AM.

Meeting Transcript

We're about to get started. If we can find our seats, silence our cell phones. Because I do have the air conditioner on the back door, the side doors. I greatly appreciate it. We just have a difficulty with our live stream. Okay. All right, ladies and gentlemen. If we can again silence cell phones, find our seats. We are getting officially started. We are up and running on our live stream. So we are good to go. Good afternoon. Good evening, everyone. We are on the record. Today is Wednesday, the eleventh day of March in the year 2026. This is a regular meeting of the Jersey City Municipal Council. We had a scheduled six PM start. The clock on my cell phone is showing six eleven PM. May we have a roll call for the commencement of this meeting. Councilperson Brooks. Present. Councilperson Zupa. Present. Councilperson Efros. Present. Councilperson Little. Present. Councilperson Gilmore. Councilperson Singh. Present. Councilperson Griffin. Here. Councilperson Lavaro. Here. And Council President Ridley. Here. We have all nine council members in attendance at six eleven PM. May we kindly rise for a moment of silence, please. Peter Burke. Angela Estrada. Angela Estrada, lifelong resident of Jersey City. Angelo L. Ramos, husband of former longtime employee Anna Ramos of the Business Administrator's Office. And Ethel M. Thomas, mother of Renee Jackson, Assistant Municipal Clerk in my office. Chapter two thirty-one, the Open Public Meetings Act, also known as the Sunshine Law. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by the posting on the bulletin board of the first floor of City Hall, which is the annual notice, which is the schedule of meetings and caucuses of the municipal council for the calendar year twenty twenty-six and filed in the office of the city clerk on Tuesday, November twenty-fifth, twenty twenty-five. So I can certify as to our total compliance with the Sunshine Law. One being item 3.2, City Wordnance 26-016 is an ordinance supplementing chapter 332, vehicles and traffic, Article 8, permit parking, amending section 332-58 parking restrictions and residential zones to establish a new parking permit. Zone 20 for streets adjacent to the Liberty Park Hudsonburg and Light Rail Station east of Pacific Avenue.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com