Jersey City Planning Board Special Meeting – April 1, 2026
Jersey City Planning Board Special Meeting – April 1, 2026
The Jersey City Planning Board convened a special meeting on April 1, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. (noted as March 31 in the transcript but meeting date provided as April 1) to consider a variety of development applications, including site plan approvals, subdivisions, zoning variances, and time extensions. All votes were unanimous (5-0) unless otherwise stated. No members of the public spoke during any of the public comment periods.
Adjournments & Calendar Items
- Case P2024-0099 (565 Communipaw Avenue): Adjourned to a date uncertain as the applicant requested re-noticing. The applicant waived all time for the board to act.
Extension Applications
- Case P2026-0012 (241 MLK Drive): Second one-year extension granted to October 5, 2026. The applicant cited financing and material cost issues. Staff recommended approval with original conditions. Approved unanimously.
- Case P2025-0033 (659 Grove Street): Third and final one-year extension for a 139-unit mixed-use building (14,000 sq ft retail, 10 stories, 99 parking spaces). The applicant stated they now have an equity investor, construction lender, and have filed for building permits. Approved unanimously.
- Case P2026-0038 (447 Fairmont Avenue / 784-748 West Side Avenue): Requested extension to record a subdivision deed that was rejected due to a missing check. The board granted a 190-day extension from adoption of the resolution, per the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL). Approved unanimously.
- Case P2026-0036 (99 Arlington Avenue): Requested extension for recording a minor subdivision deed, pending demolition permit. The board granted a 190-day extension. Staff noted the applicant agreed to original conditions. Approved unanimously.
Artist Certification
- The board approved the certification of four artists (Ryan Wright, Josh Koberg, Show Blaseier, Josh Kwinblick) for eligibility in artist-certified housing. Staff confirmed the applicants met all five criteria and one received bonus points as a skateboarder. Approved unanimously.
Major & Minor Site Plans, Subdivisions, and Variances
- Case P2025-0198 (808 Pavonia Avenue): Preliminary and final major site plan for construction of a loading dock serving the Lowe's Theater, as required by the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan. The loading dock will be built by the applicant and conveyed to the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA). The board approved with a condition that the applicant shall not operate the loading dock until coordination with JCRA and city staff on safe operation. Approved unanimously.
- Case P2025-0150 (202 Plainfield Avenue): Minor site plan for a new three-story, four-unit residential building in the R1 zone. Fully conforming with no variances. Staff recommended approval. Approved unanimously.
- Case P2025-0073 (569 Palisade Avenue): Preliminary and final major site plan for a five-story, 11-unit mixed-use building with 880 sq ft retail and 10 parking spaces. Two C variances were sought: a rear yard setback of 6.5 feet (due to an existing notch in the lot) and four compact parking spaces that are 4 inches short of depth. The planner argued the variances meet positive and negative criteria. Staff recommended approval with conditions. Approved unanimously.
- Cases P2024-0111, 0112, 0113 (86-92 Ocean Avenue): Minor subdivision creating two lots (86 and 90 Ocean Avenue) and two minor site plans for two identical four-story, 14-unit buildings. C variances sought for lot depth (lots are 70 ft and 94 ft deep vs. required 100 ft) due to the irregular shape of the original parcel. Architect and planner testified the lots exceed minimum area and width, and the subdivision facilitates conforming development. Approved unanimously for all three cases.
- Case P2025-0166 (186 Terrace Avenue): Minor site plan for a three-story, five-unit building with covered parking. Height variance of 3.33 feet above the 35-foot limit due to steep topography (23-foot grade change from front to rear). The building's actual structural height is under 35 feet, but the zoning measurement from curb line results in 38.33 feet. Planner testified the variance qualifies under C1 hardship due to exceptional topography, and neighboring buildings have similar configurations. Approved unanimously.
- Cases P2025-0226 and P2025-0258 (183-193 Bayview Avenue): Minor subdivision to adjust a lot line so that the existing priory building (part of the Sacred Heart campus) is entirely on one lot, and a preliminary and final major site plan for adaptive reuse of the building into multifamily housing. No additions; interior renovation preserving historic features. C variances for subdivision due to lot reduction. Historic preservation officer confirmed compatibility with Secretary of Interior standards. Approved unanimously for both cases.
- Case P2024-0223 (3 Orchard Street): Minor site plan to expand and renovate an existing three-story, four-unit building (adding rear addition, new facade, ADA ramp). C variance for front yard landscaping (only 42 sq ft provided due to existing building location and new ramp). Planner argued variance improves existing 100% impervious front yard. Approved unanimously.
- Case P2024-0212 (792 Communipaw Avenue): Preliminary and final major site plan for a five-story, 38-unit mixed-use building with ground-floor commercial space and 10% affordable housing (4 units: one studio, one one-bedroom, one one-bedroom, and one three-bedroom). The project is fully as-of-right in the NC1 zone and triggers inclusionary zoning due to a previous zone change. Affordable housing division approved unit sizes and distribution. Staff recommended approval with conditions. Approved unanimously.
Resolutions & Adjournment
- The board unanimously adopted eight resolutions to memorialize the approvals listed above. The meeting adjourned thereafter.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. I would like to call this meeting to order. It's a Jersey City Planning Board meeting. Today's Tuesday, March 31st, 2026. It's approximately 538 p.m. Can we all stand for the Pledge of the Allegiance? Aye. Pledge of the agreement. Under God in the visible liberty and justice. Thank you. Cam Sunshine Announcements. Yes, Acting Chair. Good evening, everyone. Today is Tuesday, March 31st in the year 2026. This is a special Jersey City Planning Board meeting with a scheduled 5 30 p.m. start time and in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act. Notice of this meeting has been given to the editor of Bergen Record, L Espelito, and posted with the City Clerk on March 27th of 2026. This meeting was also posted on the Jersey City Division of City Planning webpage, and all distribution materials made available to the board were published and made available to the public. Thank you. Can we have roll call, please? Yes. Commissioner Wick. Here. Commissioner Stamato. Here. Commissioner Kaplan. Present. Commissioner Patel. Here. And Acting Chair Gungadin. Here. All right. We have five commissioners present. We have a quorum. Thank you. Can we swear in the staff, please? Yes. Yes. Thank you. Any correspondence? Yes, acting chair. The very last item on the agenda. This is item 21 under new business. Case P 2024-0099 for a preliminary and final major site plan with C variances and conditional use. Address 565 Communapal Avenue has requested to adjourn. They are going to re-notice, and the renoticing of their hearing is to a date uncertain currently. So they are adjourned to a date uncertain and they will re-notice. And that is item 21. And that concludes correspondence. And for the record, we've marked into evidence the sunshine announcement as B1.
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