Newark Municipal Council Regular Meeting - April 19, 2023

The Newark Municipal Council held a regular meeting on April 19, 2023, at 6:30 PM in City Hall. The meeting addressed a wide range of issues including proposed land use zoning amendments, housing conditions at Georgia King Village, multiple tax abatement ordinances, and public safety measures. Extensive public testimony was heard, and the council voted on numerous ordinances, resolutions, and motions, with several items deferred or amended.

Consent Calendar

• Reports and recommendations from city officers (Items 5-a through 5-d) were approved unanimously.
• Many resolutions under Administration, Economic and Housing Development, Law, Municipal Council, and Water Sewer were passed without debate, including temporary emergency appropriations for lead remediation ($1,600,000), Emergency Solutions Grant ($632,695), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS ($5,319,429), bid contracts for bucket loader maintenance ($600,000) and compressed natural gas ($300,000), and amendments for tire removal services ($200,000).
• Professional services contracts for environmental consulting (Prestige Environmental, $60,000; Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, $75,000), legal services for redevelopment (DeCotiis et al., $450,000; Spiro Harrison, $250,000), and engineering services for sewer and lead line replacement (HDR Engineering, $250,065; Kleinfelder, $547,209.75; CDM Smith Amendment #3, $12,780,735) were approved.
• The 2023 Ironbound Business Improvement District Budget ($1,215,000) was adopted following a public hearing.
• Two ceremonial street designations (Jose Luis Fernandez and Lorenzo R. Blanco) were approved. A third for Reverend Dr. Granville Allen Seward was untabled and approved.
• Expressions of profound sorrow and regret (7R8-d) and recognizing/commending resolutions (7R8-e) were adopted.
• Settlements of civil litigation ($70,000) and workers' compensation claims ($49,826 and $148,464.32) were authorized.
• Litigation counsel contract amendment (Lite DePalma Greenberg) was amended for a one-cent increase and approved.
• Grant amendments for hazardous waste remediation at proposed Youth Center ($177,765.50) and Heritage Center ($213,999.50) were approved.

Public Comments & Testimony

Over 20 residents spoke, addressing a variety of concerns:

• Shivani Hurry and Maria de Jesus criticized the city's new zoning amendments, stating the public had less than a week to review a 380-page document. They requested a 90-day review period, translation into Spanish, and more public meetings. They raised concerns about affordability, displacement, flooding, and the definition of affordable housing relative to Newark's median household income (~$37,000).
• Lisa Parker alleged systemic corruption, false claims by the mayor, high unemployment (claiming 11.8%, later refuted by administration), lack of affordable housing, private land sales to friends and family, and failure to address crime and education.
• Gee Cureton and Vakira Bradley detailed deplorable living conditions at Georgia King Village (LM-managed), including lack of hot water, elevator failures contributing to a resident's death, bed bugs, mold, and rent overcharges. They demanded revocation of LM's tax abatement and receivership.
• Nadira Brown emphasized the need for better communication between council and residents, real community meetings, and more affordable housing options. She noted that rent is rising rapidly and that many residents cannot afford $2,000 for a two-bedroom.
• Latoya Jackson urged council members to be authentic and prioritize children and community over politics.
• Atta Boamah asked for term limits for council members, better education support, and more aid for homeless families, citing a five-year-old child asking for food.
• Tanisha Gardner highlighted Fair Housing Month and the eviction crisis in Essex County, with over 15,000 backlogged cases. She called for preservation of low-income housing and better rent control.
• Marion Bay described being denied permission to run a resume clinic for re-entry individuals, despite the mayor's programs.
• Deborah Salters and Munirah El-Bomani sharply criticized the mayor's State of the City address, calling it "lies" and listing failures in education, homelessness, corruption, and public safety.
• Che Colter questioned the proposed tree removal fee ordinance, urged the education committee to meet, and raised concerns about tax abatements and juvenile justice.
• Jocelyn Moore requested that funds for HIV patients be redirected to more general needs.

Discussion Items

• Zoning Amendments: Several residents expressed strong opposition to the rushed process for the city's new land use and zoning amendments, requesting 90 days for review and translation. Business Administrator Eric Pennington responded that the zoning reform will increase housing supply and that affordability definitions are being addressed. No vote was taken on this item.
• Georgia King Village: Corporation Counsel Kenya Storey updated the council that code enforcement inspections had been conducted but only about one-quarter of units were accessed. He is drafting a court order to allow entry, with a court date scheduled for April 26. Councilman Kelly expressed condolences for a resident who died during the elevator outage.
• Tax Abatements (50 Sussex and Essex Plaza): Public speakers opposed 30-year tax abatements, arguing they primarily benefit developers and contribute to gentrification and lack of affordable housing. Director of Economic and Housing Development Allison Ladd clarified that the 50 Sussex project complies with inclusionary zoning (15% on-site affordable units, 5% payment in lieu of $600,000) and will generate approximately $498,000 in first-year tax revenue. The Essex Plaza project consists of 241 affordable units at 60% AMI or less. Both ordinances passed despite objections.
• Homeownership Revitalization Program (6F-c): An ordinance creating a program for qualifying residents to purchase and develop city-owned properties was amended on the floor to correct the department name and change the residency requirement from three to five years. It passed unanimously.
• Peddling Ordinance (6PSF-a): Councilman Ramos explained that the ordinance regulates food trucks in special improvement districts, increasing distance requirements and designating approved areas. Public speakers raised concerns about impact on working-class vendors, but the ordinance passed.
• Multi-Way Stop Intersections: Six ordinances designating new stop sign intersections (West, Central, and South Wards) were passed. Resident Che Colter requested illuminated stop signs and expedited implementation.
• Parking Permit Amendments (6PSF-j and -k): Both ordinances passed; Councilman Crump abstained on one.
• Private Sales of City-Owned Properties: Multiple redevelopment sales were approved, some with amendments to increase sale prices (225 Fourth Street, LLC price increased from $6 to $12/sq ft, total $134,400). Others were deferred. Councilman Gonzalez abstained on several, noting the inconsistency in pricing—while one lot sold for $150,000, others were sold at $6/sq ft.
• Tree Removal Ordinance (8-a): Deferred to a future meeting.
• Motion on AMI Calculation: Councilman Gonzalez sponsored a motion requesting the US Congress to separate urban cities (Newark, Irvington, East Orange) from Essex County area median income calculations, in support of H.R. bill by Reps. Yvette Clarke and Charles Barron. The motion passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Votes Passed: All six ordinances on second reading (tax abatements, stop signs, parking, peddling) were adopted. First reading ordinances for waterfront park easements, vacation of Tichenor's Lane, and the Homeownership Revitalization Program were approved. Multiple resolutions for contracts, grants, settlements, and ceremonial designations passed.
• Deferrals: Private sales for Lourdes Chavez (7R2-c), Ensly C. Ndifor (7R2-g), Rubix International (7R2-i), Benefits Properties (7R2-o), and the tree removal ordinance (8-a) were deferred to future meetings.
• Amendments: The Homeownership Revitalization Program was amended to change the residency definition from three to five years. The sale price for 225 Fourth Street, LLC was amended from $67,200 to $134,400. The litigation counsel contract was amended for a one-cent increase.
• Abstentions: Councilman Gonzalez abstained on several private sales and the peddling ordinance, citing concerns over pricing and policy. Councilman Crump abstained on one parking ordinance.
• Court Action: Corporation Counsel will seek a court order to inspect all units at Georgia King Village; court date set for April 26.
• Future Meetings: No special meeting next week; next regular meeting scheduled.