OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Jersey City Planning Board Meeting – July 2, 2026

Planning Board — Thursday, July 2, 2026
BodyJersey City, New Jersey
SessionPlanning Board
DateThursday, July 2, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Thank you, Chair.

0:03

Thank you.

0:04

Good afternoon.

0:04

I would like to call this meeting to order of the Jersey City Planning Board.

0:08

Today is Tuesday, June 30th with the start time of 533.

0:14

Can we all stand for the Pledge of the Allegiance?

0:19

I pledge the allegiance.

0:28

One day should undergo the literature.

0:37

I like the graphic.

0:41

Thank you.

0:43

Um Sunshine Announcement.

0:47

Good evening, everyone.

0:48

Today is Tuesday, June 30th in the year 2026.

0:52

This is a Jersey City Planning Board meeting with a scheduled 5 30 p.m.

0:55

start time.

0:56

And in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, notice of this meeting has been posted with the city clerk on the city bulletin and city website on Thursday, June 25th of this year.

1:05

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.

1:15

Thank you.

1:16

Real call, please.

1:17

Yes.

1:20

Vice Chair Wick.

1:21

Here.

1:25

Commissioner Stamato.

1:27

Yeah.

1:30

Commissioner Kaplan.

1:32

Here.

1:34

Commissioner Patel.

1:36

Here.

1:37

Commissioner Capers.

1:40

Present.

1:41

Commissioner Little.

1:43

Present.

1:44

Commissioner Barnaby.

1:46

Yeah.

1:47

And Madam Chair Gungadin.

1:50

Here.

1:51

Okay.

1:51

We have a quorum.

1:53

Thank you.

1:54

Can we swear in the staff, please?

1:58

I see.

1:59

Pim, Sophia, and Matt.

2:01

Do you guys swear any testimony you get tonight?

2:03

It's gonna be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

2:04

Yes.

2:05

Yes.

2:06

Thank you.

2:08

Kim, any correspondence?

2:10

Yes, madam chair.

2:11

Uh quite a few items.

2:13

So let's uh start at the beginning, of course.

2:18

Um page five, uh, item eight under old business.

2:25

Uh this is case P2025-0106 address is 342 Johnson Avenue.

2:32

It's a preliminary final major site plan amendment.

2:36

They have uh requested a carry, and they are going to re-notice for July 28th.

2:44

So there will be new notice for 342 Johnston at the July 28th meeting.

2:51

Um new business.

2:55

Continued on page 7.

2:58

We have item 16, case P23-073.

3:04

This is for a preliminary and final major site plan with C Variances.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████████████████████38%
Procedural███████████████████████23%
Public Safety███████████11%
Waste Management██████████10%
Historic Preservation██████████10%
Pending Litigation██2%
Community Engagement██2%
Affordable Housing█1%
Technology and Innovation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Jersey City Planning Board Meeting – July 2, 2026

The Jersey City Planning Board convened on July 2, 2026, at 5:33 p.m. (scheduled 5:30 p.m.) in a virtual meeting. The board addressed several items: a continuation of a major site plan for 547-555 Summit Avenue, a land development ordinance amendment, and a lengthy contested amendment for 87 Bright Street. The meeting also included numerous carries and resolution approvals.

Consent Calendar

  • No consent calendar items were presented. Routine approvals were handled under resolutions at the end of the meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

87 Bright Street (Case P2024-0088) – Multiple members of the public testified in opposition:

  • Craig Zames (President, Van Vorst Neighborhood Association) urged rejection, citing code violations and life safety concerns.
  • Diane K. (registered architect) highlighted flood and egress dangers, stating the project fails at multiple levels.
  • Tony Sandkamp (HPC member, neighbor) noted the building never received a certificate of appropriateness and lacks proper secondary egress.
  • Marlene Sandkamp (neighbor) stressed safety and criticized the pattern of seeking forgiveness after construction. All speakers urged denial due to safety, flood, and procedural issues.

Discussion Items

Summit Avenue (Case P2025-0133) – Presented by attorney Charles Harrington. The applicant proposed two 47-story towers with 1,514 residential units and 152 affordable units. Discussion centered on trash handling: originally, dumpsters from the south tower would be wheeled across a pedestrian plaza (Homestead Market) to a loading dock. The board expressed strong discomfort with this, citing spillage, appearance, and safety concerns. Commissioners favored an enclosed loading bay on Van Ripen Avenue and suggested internal trash transfer via a connecting corridor. The applicant agreed to redesign and carry the matter to July 28, 2026.

Land Development Ordinance Amendment (Case P2026-0095) – Presented by Director Tanya. The amendment removes “cyber hotels” (data centers) as permitted principal uses in industrial districts, following the 2020 Master Plan recommendation. No public comment; board approved unanimously (8-0, with Councilperson Little recused? Actually roll call showed all ayes – 8 in favor).

87 Bright Street (Case P2024-0088) – This was an amendment to a 2019 approval for converting a warehouse to four residential units. The applicant (Michael Case) sought retroactive approval of changes made during construction, including a fire escape, expanded cellar, and rear wall alterations. Opposition witnesses (Cecilia DeLeon, architect/neighbor; Thomas Ogarzalik, neighbor/HPC liaison; Brian Shaw, firefighter) testified about life safety, flood code violations, easement encroachment, and misrepresentations. The applicant argued the fire escape was approved by Hoboken code officials and that changes were minor. The Board heard conflicting testimony over seven meetings spanning months. Planning staff noted missing items (green roof, signage) and confusion over approved plans.

Key Outcomes

  • 547-555 Summit Avenue: Carried with preservation of notice to July 28, 2026 for redesign of trash handling and loading area.
  • Land Development Ordinance Amendment: Approved unanimously (8-0) to remove data centers from industrial districts, consistent with the Master Plan.
  • 87 Bright Street: Motion to approve failed (1-7-1; Commissioner Patel voted yes, Councilperson Little recused). Motion to deny passed (7-1-1; Patel voted no). Application denied.
  • Resolutions: Five resolutions from prior meetings were approved unanimously, including memorialization of approvals for 468-480 Manila Avenue, 55-559 Cator Avenue, and 36 Myrtle Avenue.
  • Other Carries: Several applications were carried to future dates:
    • 342 Johnson Avenue to July 28
    • 530-548 Tonnelle Avenue to August 11
    • 3000 Kennedy Boulevard to July 28
    • 147 Academy Street to August 11
    • 627 Palisade Avenue to August 11
    • 916A and 918 West Side Avenue to August 11
    • 99 Hudson (signage) to August 11
    • 506 Summit Avenue to July 14

Meeting Transcript

Thank you, Chair. Thank you. Good afternoon. I would like to call this meeting to order of the Jersey City Planning Board. Today is Tuesday, June 30th with the start time of 533. Can we all stand for the Pledge of the Allegiance? I pledge the allegiance. One day should undergo the literature. I like the graphic. Thank you. Um Sunshine Announcement. Good evening, everyone. Today is Tuesday, June 30th in the year 2026. This is a 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 posted with the city clerk on the city bulletin and city website on Thursday, June 25th of this year. 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. Real call, please. Yes. Vice Chair Wick. Here. Commissioner Stamato. Yeah. Commissioner Kaplan. Here. Commissioner Patel. Here. Commissioner Capers. Present. Commissioner Little. Present. Commissioner Barnaby. Yeah. And Madam Chair Gungadin. Here. Okay. We have a quorum. Thank you. Can we swear in the staff, please? I see. Pim, Sophia, and Matt. Do you guys swear any testimony you get tonight? It's gonna be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Kim, any correspondence? Yes, madam chair. Uh quite a few items.

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