Good evening.

On behalf of the governing body of the city of Passake, we welcome you to the February 17th, 2026 City Council meeting.

In accordance with Chapter 231 public laws of 1975, adequate notice of this meeting was provided by resolution of the municipal council adopted on June 17th, 2025.

Setting forth the schedule of meetings for the year 2025-2026.

Send notice was published and posted on the City Hall Bulletin Board by the Office of the City Clerk.

Please be further advised.

This meeting will be conducted in person.

The Zoom stream provided is for viewing only and is offered to the public as a convenience.

On February 4th, 2026, public notice and zoom instructions for this meeting were published in the Herald News and posted on the City of Passate website, www.city of Pastake.com.

Council agendas.

Instructions are also available on the last page of this agenda.

Please be guided accordingly.

Roll call, please.

Councilwoman Mello.

Present.

Councilman Mayer.

Present.

Councilman Garcia.

Present.

Councilwoman Colom Montañez.

President.

And Council President Sher.

President Sharey All, please rise.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for allowing me to meet this evening, Father God.

We ask you to please guide us in the decisions that will take place this evening in your beloved name.

We pray.

Amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Which is under Godissible with liberty and justice as well.

Thank you, sir.

Good evening, and thank you all for who are with us tonight for joining with us.

Copies of the agenda are located immediately outside council chambers.

You can also access uh everything that's been distributed to the members of the council for tonight's meeting through the city's website.

Um at this point, we have a very special presentation.

I don't believe the students here calendar is up.

On behalf of uh our administration and the city council, perhaps for extending circumstances or some conflict of schedule, the student and the family aren't here, but later on, if they arrive, I just want to let the record show that we have a certificate on behalf of the city for our student Denise Leckie in the city of Passake in recognition of her achievement or of their achievement, rather uh the 2026 July month winner in the 30th annual Passake County poster calendar contest selected among students from 17 different municipalities.

Laura as mayor, along with our city council, commend um their America 250th artwork and congratulate them on proudly representing the city of Passake, as you can see right up there, 250th anniversary.

They chose to honor our city's uh efforts in recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States of America in their design, and they were the winner and included in the county contest.

Again, they're not present, but we'll make sure to get this to their families or the school on behalf of uh our administration and uh the city council.

Very good.

Mayor, in case they uh the family does come a little bit late.

I don't know if your schedule uh permits you to stay this meeting.

Yeah, um if you have to send them to your office, yes, very good.

I'm sure we'll stay in uh if if they don't make it, we'll definitely get it to them.

Very good.

Thank you, sir.

Um, with the council's permission, if we can be on the agenda, please remember number 05 during the citizens.

In accordance with the open public meetings act, NJSA 10 colon 4-1 at stack.

The council opens every public meeting for comments of the public.

However, in accordance with NJSA 10 colon 4-12, nothing in this act shall be construed to limit the discretion of a public body to permit or prohibit or regulate the active participation in any meeting.

Therefore, please be advised that the council will not entertain any comments from persons who communicate material.

The council welcomes participation of the public in our meeting tonight and all nights.

Um, we ask if you'd like to adjust the council that you do so.

Um, and bear in mind that uh we ask everyone to keep the remarks limited to five minutes.

Is there anyone who would like to adjust the council?

Good evening, my name is Joshua Goldman.

I live at 185 High Street.

I'm here to address a motion that was passed or resolution that was passed at the last city council meeting on February 3rd.

Council voted to recommend that the planning board evaluate whether an assemblage of land on Orchard Street and West Developed Place should be designated as an area in need of redevelopment.

According to the business administrator at that meeting, on the uh such designation was necessary so that the city could begin negotiating with the property owner over possible redevelopment options.

Taking the VA at the business administrator's word, this implies that no potential alternatives have been put forth by the developer or the city at this time.

Accordingly, the public was cautioned that until such time as an ordinance is proposed.

There's nothing to get excited about, and we'll have an opportunity for such proposal to be fairly vetted at that time.

However, if in fact no proposal has been discussed yet, then why would the city jump the gun by declaring the area in need of redevelopment?

There are actual costs in conducting the state required studies, and should the developer propose an ordinance that does not pass, then the city would be on the hook for those costs.

Something it can hardly afford after $60,000 and expect it's no removal costs.

For that reason alone, it would be worth waiting until a developer has suggested a plan that has merit and is likely to succeed before proceeding.

Which brings me to my next point.

Such designation was touted as being able to push forward a compromise solution for the property owner and better protect the constituents.

But those points, but that aspect greatly misses the mark.

Further statements by the VA that the owner had already made a compliant application for the property, don't follow the uh the reality.

If we take the B's assessment as fact, then why would the owner need a redevelopment area designation in order to pursue the property owner's project?

The property owner can certainly can certainly pretend that they're paying it uh that they're accommodating the constituents' interest by chopping a floor or two or adding some parking spots within the current zoning.

The only value a designation you can bring at this point is to give her give the applicant what she could not get in front of the planning board, a compliant project by relaxing various rules governing all of us that are project violated, which brings me to my main point.

Regardless of any debate around the actual ordinance, designated her to parcels as a need of as an area in need of redevelopment at this time, cuts off the needs of the constituents and hurts any bargaining power they would have with the developer.

To put it absolutely clearly, it is not helpful to our cause.

And if the council approves the area in need of redevelopment designation, it is hurting our cause.

Taking this project out of the box of the zoning code into a discretionary action is only a step that could be taken after a humble developer has been forced to propose a development that provides benefit to the community.

The first move needs to be the developers, not ours.

And a carrot, such as the redevelopment uh area is an incentive that should only be offered to her after she finds compromise.

That sequence would utilize the powers of the designation to encourage responsive development.

Letting the property owner propose an ordinance on their own that will be hotly contested, forces the city council into the undesirable position of choosing sides.

The city council should not sanction the Trojan horse set forth by asking for a procedural step at this time of designating the area as an area in need of redevelopment.

The city council should pass a motion to rescind that authorization to the planning board to explore the designation until such time as a framework has been agreed upon, or at least is closer to agreed upon by the relevant parties.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anyone else like to adjust the council.

Good evening.

My name is Joseph Manuel.

I live at 177 High Street.

Uh I'm here to address the council about a resolution.

Um two weeks ago directing the planning board to make a recommendation regarding the area around Orchard Street and West of the streets.

Um my concern is that this doesn't not really an area of redevelopment.

I mean, I remember when the St.

Mary's Hospital came up as a redevelopment.

That was an empty building, half a block, half a city block that's been sitting empty for years.

And I understood the city, and we all wanted something to be there instead of an empty shell of a building.

I don't think the properties that are part of this plan are empty right now.

They're all developed.

Some may need to be fixed over or fixed up, but they're all there.

They're all just and because they took this plan, they brought it to the planning board, they quickly withdrew it because it needed a lot of variances and so on, even though they said they didn't need it.

It was and they decided to go this route.

This is not really in the interest of the city um inhabitants.

For example, when they wanted to bring their project, we all got notice.

This is gonna go without notice.

No one got noticed about this, and once it goes to redevelopment, we certainly don't notice that it's the board can do basically whatever they want, but then you know, whatever they feel is good.

Um so again, I'm just here to concern that this is not uh something which would be good for the city, and I would like the city council to um take back the recommendation that this should go to the planning to redevelopment.

I'm sorry.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Mr.

Fernandes, as a matter of clarification, the gentleman know the notice does not need to be given to uh affected uh so it's given to the affected property, which is in this case the handful of parcels that are going to get designated.

So that's the requirement for the designation.

Is that 200 feet?

Is that no?

It's the actual lots that are being we're talking about the designation, right?

No, yeah.

What no?

Okay, I just want to be clear.

All the discussions right now have been for the designation.

Under the designation, uh, we have to notice the responsible part of the party that's going to be included in the study.

That's it, because those are the ones that are getting immediately affected by this designation.

So that's how the law is written.

And how does one get to be the designated?

Well, there's many, many different ways that it ends up being, but there's basically two ways you could be designated.

It's either need of rehabilitation, which is the route this one's going, or an area need of redevelopment.

And there's statutory criteria that each of them would have to be.

What does that mean?

The state of New Jersey under the local housing and redevelopment law gives us a framework in which a property can or cannot be designated an area in need of redevelopment.

If they don't meet the criteria, they won't be eligible to be one or the other.

So it's it's all it's all listed, and we have to go with what direction we want to go and show you know that they comply with the state law.

Very good.

Thank you.

Anyone else like to address the council?

Yes, ma'am.

Hi, good evening.

Excuse me, if you could bring the microphone a bit closer, thanks.

Is that better?

Yeah.

Okay.

Um, my name is Raisel Azar.

I live at 36 Orchard Street.

Two weeks ago, the city council passed a resolution directing the planning board to make a recommendation regarding an area around Orchard and West Adult Streets as an area in need of redevelopment.

I request the city council should pass a resolution withdrawing that direction, as such recommendation is premature.

Not discussed at the council meeting two weeks ago was the cost of the planning board making such a recommendation, which is done by hiring an outside consultant, which cost is paid by the city.

But should no redevelopment occur, then such costs will be unrecoverable.

In addition to the financial cost, there is of course the investment of time as well.

But since, at its word, no ordinance has yet been discussed.

The city council has no way to weigh the likelihood of passing an ordinance that results in the redevelopment area accomplishing its goal and whether it's worth the investment.

Not only will the zoning parameters dictate whether the city council may be willing to pass an ordinance, but perhaps other properties will need to be included in the redevelopment area, necessitating a do-over and having wasted resources by jumping the gun.

Similarly, perhaps the redevelopment area will require the possibility of the eminent domain, which according to state law, such possibility must be incorporated within the resolution to the planning board in order to be available.

Given that many of the concerns with the property today are due to the condition the property owner maintains it in, eminent domain would seem like a very real possibility if the city is genuinely concerned with seeing redevelopment occur.

But if the business administrator said on the record that this resolution just opens the possibility of negotiations, then isn't it premature to narrow those negotiations by voting to approve the resolution without even debating these potential missing pieces?

The city council might not have realized that the vote was premature and may end up wasting money.

All of these considerations make it clear that the city council should withdraw its resolution until such time as it has gained a workable framework between the property owner, the constituents, and the administration, so that at that time it can make the investment of declaring the area in need of redevelopment with the knowledge of what should be included in the designation and with a reasonable assumption that such investment will be repaid.

Thank you.

So, council president, there seems to be some a disconnect on perhaps you could give perhaps you could give us some interest.

Um this is the first step for us to be able to do all the things that have been listed here by the residents, right?

So, what happens is by doing a designation, it allows us to enter into an interim developers agreement to recuperate all the costs for the study and also the cost of the preparation for a redevelopment plan to be brought before this council and to the public, right?

So to get us to where we need to be to actually have those conversations and not cost any money, we need the designation that gives us the authority to enter into this interim agreement to get our costs recuperated and the cost of doing a plan.

So if the council decides to vote it down, right or to amend it, the costs aren't incurred by the municipality, they're incurred by the developer.

So I just wanted to make that clarity, and then the design, all the designation does is allows us to have the preparation of a plan that can be reviewed and discussed by all parties and decide whether this is a plan that you know we want, don't want, or go another route.

And to clarify my statements from last meeting, when you are at a planning board for site plan approval, right?

It is because you've met the requirements of that section of the code.

That's why you're before a planning board.

Now, if there's questions on how it was calculated, whether the height was one way or another, that's all worked out at the planning board's um discussion and meeting, right?

But you're at a planning board because you are compliant, compliant with that section of the code.

That's why you're before the planning board.

Now, if it ends up being that something happened and the calculations were incorrect, or somebody brings something different, and they have to either amend the plan or they may end up at a zoning board, that would have happened uh with the original plan that was submitted.

So I just wanted to clarify that for the record, uh, and how my statement, why the statements were the way they were.

You're you don't go to a planning board unless you right unless you comply with the section of the code.

Thank you, Councilman Mayor.

For clarification, I think you mentioned this at the last meeting.

There's another route that this developer can take.

We go to putting together whatever plan they want, and then going before zoning or planning, vending over which which which route it would take.

Why is one better than the other?

And what's the difference between for clarification purpose?

So since we're gonna be open and very clear because everyone, I think everyone that's here was at that meeting because I remember your faces.

Yeah, I was just gonna that's exactly what I was gonna say.

Um right now they they have a route to go and made an application.

That application, there were concerns with that application.

So to summarize the easiest way I could say one isn't better than the other, one gives the council more control over the other.

That's really what it is.

So it's not you know, this the council could say I want the same exact plan, right?

Not that I think that'll happen, but it's just a different process to have more control over the process would be the redevelopment route because it has to go not just it doesn't just go to a planning board, doesn't just go to a zoning board, it goes to the council first before it goes to the planning board in this case with whatever negotiating items.

So the easiest way as I could put it, there's no negotiation under the ordinance, right?

You go to the planning board, you have to come in whether conforming or non-conforming, you have to go to the planning board or the zoning board.

There's no negotiations, it is what it is under a redevelopment plan, right?

You have those discussions to get something that may be more acceptable to all involved.

So, what would the cons be by going this route?

What would be what would be the pros for the developers say by going through the redevelopment route versus going to the zoning or planning route?

Um, I guess the the pro would be they know what they're what they're getting into or what they're proposing.

You know, they you'll come in knowing that as long as I meet this criteria, I don't have to go to a zoning board.

They were gonna go in front of zoning and planning opportunities for the public to comment.

How many that still happens under redevelopment?

I don't want I know that everyone's saying that that happens in your redevelopment.

You gotta remember a site plan is always required.

So in perspective, the original application went for site plan approval, right?

That's where everybody got noticed and everybody was able to speak under redevelopment plan, right?

Once the ordinance passes, they have to go to another site plan, and everybody gets noticed, and everybody has an opportunity to speak.

That part of the planning process is stays the same.

The only difference is that instead of it being a zoning ordinance for the city area or the city as a whole, it's a zoning ordinance for that group of parcels, so you have more control over what you're allowing and not allowing in that group of parcels.

So it's one or the other.

I could tell you right now that based on the conversations, the the number of units and the height and what's already permitted as a conditional use, right?

Would I can almost guarantee would far exceed what the redevelopment plan is gonna be?

So if you're only looking at it for mere size of units, then just staying the course and going under the conditional use route that they were in, right?

Would have given them more units, right?

And a much bigger development than we're anticipating the negotiations to be after hearing the public, right?

That the plan that would be before this board to consider, right?

So remember the the original plan was upwards of 200 units.

Height restrictions are not under the current under the site plan, the slightly previously submitted plans.

There was no height restrictions.

This new ordinance does potentially can restrict this height, okay.

Can restrictions can restrict uses and setbacks.

Yes, the opportunities for the public to comment from what I understand is first reading, second reading, site plan approval at zoning, and then okay.

So when so when do they the public gets the comment?

The open public comment is on the second reading of the ordinance, right?

They'll they'll have an opportunity to have heard the planning board to um see because remember, when you go to the planning board, they're only gonna look at if it's consistent with the master plan, but they'll get to hear how it's consistent or inconsistent, then it comes back for a public hearing for the ordinance, so they have an opportunity to speak on the ordinance, right?

So let's say whatever it is passes, okay.

Now that developer has to grab that plan and develop a site plan based on that plan with the heights that the council approved, the setbacks the council approved, right?

And then go to the four line and get there.

There's two times that the public can get up at a council meeting and discuss that ordinance.

Yes.

And then as well as yeah, but the public hearing, so they can do what they just did every single meeting that they want up to the hearing, but then they get an additional time to speak specifically on the ordinance when the public hearing happens for the second and final reading, and then after that, a plan has to be developed just like you do in a zoning ordinance that complies, then that'll go to the planning board where everyone's gonna get the 200 foot radius notice and be able to have the same conversations they had at any planning board meeting for that matter.

It doesn't matter, they're gonna have the same opportunity to discuss it.

The public will just know ahead of time, in this case, kind of like, okay, this is the plan that was approved by the council, so they understand no different than right now, because I know there was a question on the height, right?

And how they calculate the height versus the public, right?

Um if that issue comes up again, they can still do the exact same thing they did the first time because they don't feel that it complied with the redevelopment plan.

So it's it's the only difference is you're writing an ordinance just for those specific sites and you're limiting whatever you want to limit or you're giving whatever you want to give.

It's really up to the council once we bring the plan to you, yes.

Thanks.

Anyone else that you would like to adjust the council wants to value my house is right behind, and I guess the project is right behind my house.

And I guess the project is right behind my house.

Um so last time we came and we met.

It sounded like there was some sort of incentive to the developer to do to make a change in our plans.

Well, that wasn't shared with us what it was.

It was like some sort of secret.

And here we are a few months later, we have no idea what the plans are.

On top of that, what if we really care about what the residents need, we don't need more apartment buildings.

We need houses.

Because there's a lack of housing in the area.

So if we really want to help the people, let's make houses for them instead of apartments.

I don't know much about redevelopment, but it sounds to me like it's something that's going behind our backs to come up with a plan that might not work for us.

And um that's what I'm saying.

I just hope that you know that we don't end up with more apartments and help the people with what we really need.

Yes.

So the lady spoke of uh, and I know the uh there is or some people who join join with her and their uh concern.

Um have asked the same question.

Why are we talking about departments?

Shouldn't we be talking about single family housing?

Yeah, so the discussions thus far, and the reason we haven't openly discussed them as you know, council president, at the attorney's advice when you're in the middle of a negotiation, you don't go ahead and start sharing the negotiation out in public, right?

But there were concerns about owner owner occupancy and ownership, right?

So there are discussions of no high rises and discussions of possible townhouses and things in that vein.

But if I sat here and I said, Oh, there's gonna be you know 10 single families, 50 townhouses, I can't do that right now because we're not at that point yet, but I can tell you that the discussions are to make it owner occupancy for the large majority of the project.

I'm fine, I'm good.

Well, in fact, let me come back.

So how is that decided upon?

How is it decided upon that there will be X units, Y units?

Who makes those determinations?

And the other question I've had overall, someone owns this property.

Do they have any rights here?

They do.

So to answer your question in the briefest way possible, the council makes that decision.

Well, Mr.

Birmingham, perhaps uh if we can just go to one of the statements that was made, we need more houses and not apartments.

The person who owns the property comes in with a plan, they'll buy a property.

The city can say we think your investment would be better served by building a house.

Yes, they don't necessarily agree.

Then what happens?

Can we can we tell them to build the home?

No, so if perhaps you can speak a little bit to that.

So I can there.

Yeah, so it's her property, they can decide to use the ordinance as they will, right?

So if they wanted to continue the process with the code, they're allowed to do that.

If they didn't want to do that and they wanted to build something different than the better zoning board, that's their right as well.

Um at best, there's this is a fluid discussion.

Yes.

There's much to be discovered and much to be learned.

Yeah, so the draft.

If the question is, how does the draft come into place?

Well, it's between a discussion on what's in the area allowed in the area, right?

And what the proposal of the owner is, which is their right.

Like we could sit there and tell the owner we want it to be 10 units and 10 units only, and they're like, No, I want 60 units, and that's their right to do that.

Under redevelopment process, if the council said votes no, right?

Then they'd have to find a different route.

They couldn't use the redevelopment process, they'd have to go through the zoning board or through the planning board and avail themselves of that.

So, I mean, that's the difference.

But the way that the draft plan comes in is with what the proposal is from the developer and what the restrictions are in the areas, right?

So if a townhouse is typically three stories and they come out of five-story townhouse, then the discussion is that's not permitted anywhere in the city of Passaga townhouse is three stories, that's what's permitted.

You're gonna get a townhouse at three stories because it would be out of character in the whole city of Passake to have a five-story townhouse.

I'm using that example just to paint a picture of how the draft comes before the council, and then obviously the council has questions, and I try to answer them as best I can with how it ended up the way it ended up.

Is there any feeling for how long all this process takes to reach fruition?

Um it really depends on you know the negotiations and how willing the developer is to come off of some numbers, you know.

We don't I can't sit here until the plan actually comes before us and we get to see how out of character it is.

Thank you.

The other thing I was gonna share, Council President Dequalify is I think it really depends on good faith negotiations, and I want to stress good faith that it what the business administrator was articulating.

I think he did that quite effectively, is that obviously there is an expectation that the city would um when negotiating good faith would explain that if uh there are specific uh restrictions the developers made aware of beforehand.

If there are expectations, whether from the council, if there are concerns from the community, those things would be shared.

But obviously, those who are investing, they come with their professionals, they have attorneys, they have architects, they have individuals who read the laws as well.

And I think uh to a great extent, uh, this process is a necessary one because we hear from the residents, the council then, as you have done uh throughout this process, and applications prior will come to administration and say perhaps we need to revisit our approach for the future.

We understand what may be allowed today, but what is allowed today perhaps worked for up to this point and every day prior, and maybe looking in the future, we may want to revisit and look how we can update ordinances, change them, considering how the market and the interests and the impact on the community, all of these factors become extremely important.

But I think to your question in terms of a timeline, it it becomes a challenge when those who are coming to the table do not perceive that the city is negotiating good faith if the intention is to impede process or to try to get them to move away from something that perhaps an investor feels they have a right to.

That becomes a challenge.

So we have to take uh the most objective position as possible, and that's why these meetings become so important.

And I commend the residents who come in and they express their concerns to the council because as the business industry shared, even in the process that some may be more concerned, it ensures that that check and balance is beyond just our boards planning and zoning and redevelopment that the council is involved and can say, hey, I'm a little concerned that we're moving forward on this, let's revisit it.

So I just wanted to share that it's it's hard to say we'll be done in a month, because no matter what plan comes up, I mean, there may be one, and I had a very good conversation with uh a resident in the city that would bring up concern of height or how many units, and then another resident might say, okay, but how about the entrance and exit to the development and where will the traffic come out?

Will it come out this side of the street?

Will it come out the other side of the street?

They might not care so much about the units if that was resolved as much as the traffic or the volume of traffic and the impact it will have on the neighborhood.

So it's it's conditional, and it typically goes more than just one month or a couple meetings.

So we may be having these conversations for the next couple months or by some remarkable uh turn of circumstances.

Everyone will find a reason to agree within a month and it'll be done.

So I just want to qualify that a little bit more.

Thank you, Mayor.

Councilman Love, please.

Yes, uh, thank you.

And and I I concur with the mayor um with citizens coming out and and voicing their opinion about uh this plan and this ordinance.

Um, but I was looking at uh I heard we talk about the pros for a developer.

Um, there may be some cons for a developer as well going through um the redevelopment or the designation.

Um, and that could be uh mayor, you touched on it.

It can be something like we wanted to do a different route, but because of the negotiations, we're kind of limited.

And and um a developer may decide, you know what, I'll rather take my chances than going in front of the redevelopment board because there's some stipulations and some laws that allow me probably to do more than the negotiations allow me.

So this is one of those things where I think um, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, uh business administrator.

This is just a um plan to start the conversation rather than saying saying, okay, um, we're going to do this.

were kind of limited and and um a developer may decide you know what i'll rather take my chances than going in front of the redevelopment board because there's some stipulations and some laws that allow me probably to do more than the negotiations allow me so this is one of those things where I think um and you can correct me if I'm wrong uh business administrator this is just a um plan to start the conversation rather than saying saying okay um we're going to do this am I correct so that's not it's not even a plan yeah it's a designation to allow the discussions of a plan so in the state and that was the term yeah in the state um law you have to have a designation before you can discuss having a redevelopment plan you you can't have one without the other so you have to have the designation which is this is the process so that you can have the discussions to develop the plan if not they can just use the underlying zoning until that point exactly okay so and that that's the the point that I wanted to make I maybe I didn't articulate it right that there's nothing taking place at this point with this designation right it just it just says it'll just say does this property meet the need or not based on the statute so can it does it qualify or does it not qualify if it qualifies then we go to the plan stage okay where the real discussions happen this is just saying yes it it complies with the code so we can move to the next step which is the actual plan which I think is what everybody's anxiously awaiting to see okay is is there any concern Mr.

Fernandez that the city is being for lack of another term outgun potential developer is so much more sophisticated with deep pockets and uh the city is is at a disadvantage in in that regard no not even close not even close okay councilman Miller please yeah um thank you council president um so just so I can have a clear understanding so this area was designated um in need of redevelopment which comes to to the council right um gives the council more of an opportunity to be more fully involved that's one of the ways correct yeah so through the whole process the council's involved so the this what happens now is on March 4th we go before the planning board so everybody's welcome to come on March 4th or then the first March meeting in in for the planning board 5th March 5th I'm sorry um the council no no no no planning board and they are gonna say I'm I'm sorry for the record that what date is that fourth it should be yeah let me just double check to Wednesday March 4th it's March 4th um where the the planning board's gonna see if it complies or doesn't complain right it complies it comes back on March 5th for your council meeting saying the planning board says it complies and you have to pass a resolution formally designating it an area in need so that'll be let's say March 5th let's just play out so March 5th that happened my hope is that the developers working on some plan based on the comments from everyone and and the city's comments to up the portion of ownership throughout this not just condos but like townhouses or homes that people can buy and then whenever that happens there's a plan that's proposed the draft and then we start negotiating um until we get somewhere that can be to a point that it can be presented where you know that's it it comes before the board the council the council then would review that plan for all the things we just talked about and everybody I'm sure they're gonna hear from everyone from this point on um and then once that ordinance passes it goes through two readings right you introduce it it goes for a master plan consistency review to the planning board then it comes back for second and final reading for a public hearing where the public gets to talk on the ordinance not the site plan so whatever happens on that hearing if the ordinance passes a plan still has to be developed a real plan not a plan in name because that's basically an ordinance a real development plan needs to be then created that goes to the planning board that the members of the public will get noticed and they can also be at that point also speaking to the planning board regarding the application and its consistency or inconsistency with the ordinance the council passed.

If in fact uh this proposal whatever proposal evolves to be is a March 4 and it is the recommendation of the planning board that it then go to the council for the council's deliberation the council's meeting the next day that doesn't suggest very significant deliberation on the council's part simply accepting the recommendation so it's it's just whether it checks the boxes or not so when we're looking at a designation way beyond what it is right a designation is very basic.

A designation is very basic.

Does it meet this or doesn't?

Right.

So I'll give you an example.

To be an area need a rehabilitation, and I don't you only need to meet one of these items.

Is the housing stock in the area older than 50 years?

So we look at our census track.

If most of the houses are older than 50 years, you're designated.

If let's say no, the houses are younger.

Okay.

Does your infrastructure does the sewer pipes right?

Are they older than 50 years?

If the answer is yes, check.

They get it, right?

So those are the two simplest ones in Passake, because our homes and our sewer system is older.

So that's an area needed rehabilitation, which does not have eminent domain.

Requires so much more that I don't know if this parcels in this specific area would even rise to the level of that type of designation, right?

Just is it just as a matter of history and without wanting to prejudice the discussion.

It's my understanding that the city of Passaic has never instituted eminent domains.

Is that right?

Is that right?

Oh, one time.

And it's 663 Main Avenue, and that was because the owners were defaulting on everything and were non-existent owners, was the only time that I can recall in recent history, and that recent history is still over 20 years almost, that we had to do eminent domain just once that I know of since I've been here 27 and a half years.

Very good.

I believe we have councilman Monk.

Yes, thank you.

Thank you, Council.

Council President.

I would just like to add that I could say that's over 30 years that we all is only one time that we use eminent domain, and that was 663.

That's it, yes.

All right.

Um, I just want to comment uh that the redevelopment designation is a great tool to use, especially for a city like the city of Passaic.

When you have a community where you go block after block, and it's all the same type of structures and very similar size lots, it's very easy for a city to write zoning ordinances that fit every parcel that fit every block.

However, as we all know in Passaic, every block is different, right?

You have odd-size lots, we have apartment buildings, we have commercial buildings smacked in the middle of residential areas.

It's impossible for a city to write zoning ordinances that will fit one, you know, that will fit every block and every lot, and because of that, many times you'll have lots that have that give the owners rights to build something that will not necessarily fit for that immediate area, as we have as many have expressed with this lot itself, uh based on the zoning that was in place.

So for a for an owner to go with such with such a lot where it's just doesn't fit, is a at an odd size, um, it could be extra deep, whatever whatever it is, uh, for an owner to go before a planning board to get approvals.

Typically, an owner will throw everything that they have, will take all use all the rights they have, because there's no negotiation, they have to make an application before a board, and it's either you know, yes or no, so they will just go use all the rights they have by by right, and typically is what's in their application.

Uh give you an example.

Uh the old St.

Mary's Hospital.

By right, the owner of the property could have built 200.

If I remember correctly, Mr.

Finan, uh Mr.

Finan, there's I think all like around 280 or even more apartments by right, based on size, but by putting it into a redevelopment area that gave the city the ability to create its own zoning that would be more adaptable for that immediate area.

So this that and that so for a city like Passaic, using this tool typically is beneficial for the community and for everyone at large.

Thank you.

Which is Council President to the point when the previous speaker had shared about redevelopment, perhaps uh having some kind of um without the exact description verbatim along the lines of perhaps there's some negotiation or some deal being made behind anyone's back.

It's the actual opposite, it's where you can most bring up the concerns of the residents in the area and the concerns of the council.

In this case, thank you.

I'm sorry, maybe in this case, we actually have the luxury that we had a whole planning board hearing on a separate application for the same exact size, where we got to hear a lot of those comments, right?

Throughout the hearing process, so when we're negotiating, that's a record that we have.

So a lot of times that doesn't happen.

And in this case, we have that on top of everyone coming forward week after week.

So that just so everybody knows where's the baseline.

Well, we're lucky now that we have a baseline that started with a planning board hearing that went on for several weeks or once because once a month.

Thank you, sir.

Is there anyone else who would like to address the council which is talking?

Good evening.

My name is Desre Brian, I live at 37 Orchard Street.

We could ask you to put the microphone a little bit closer to you.

Yeah.

Um two weeks ago that the city council passed a resolution directing the planning board to make a recommendation regarding an area around where I live, around Orchard and Western streets as an area in need of redevelopment.

The city council should pass a resolution withdrawing that direction, as such a recommendation is misplaced.

A redevelopment area is a great tool that can incentivize a property owner to redevelop a property that is otherwise not serving the interests of the community through a combination of zoning bonuses, tax regulations, relax relaxed regulations and our tax incentives that can pave the way for a higher and better use.

The city is correct in that most people would look at the current use at Orchard and West Bell and desire something else.

But uh declaring it an area in need of redevelopment completely misidentifies the problem with the current land use.

Approximately 70 years ago, a politically connected developer constructed an approximately 30-unit apartment building at a location that simply couldn't support it.

Sounds familiar.

The building is located on Orchard Street, which is only one block long and not even wide enough to meet state requirements of a street.

Orchard Street in turn can only be accessed by a near one-way street and one block long street.

Had the site been properly vetted at the time, the failure of the failure of the specific site to be able to handle uh this much density would have prevented the current building from having been built.

So if anything, the undesirability of the current use is due to the burden it is placed on surrounding infrastructure for 70 years.

The solution opened up by a redevelopment area, incentive incentive the developer to build even more, adding even greater density would only further burden the area, which was never appropriate for the buildings that are already there.

Whether or not architecture or maintenance of the building are attractive can be changed at any time and speaks to ownership.

Imagine a quiet residential neighborhood has a historic gas station operating at a tar.

Would anyone suggest that replacing the old station with a new 7-Eleven would solve the community's problem?

Or would it just increase the actual burden while putting on a new facade?

But somehow that is the solution that would be on the table by declaring this an area in need of a redevelopment.

Until such time as the administration has a plan in hand that actually has a redevelopment plan that solves the burden the current use places on the city, it is wasting its time and our money pursuing this designation.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Mr.

Finan, there's the lady referenced a property seven years ago, 30 units, do you on Orchard Street?

The only thing that's there is the property in question that has a multifamily that's been there for a million years.

That thing's older than I am.

So I'm I'm I'm unfamiliar with the 30 unit building.

Could you help us identify the 30 unit building you mentioned?

Yeah, so that that's something that's been on Orchard Street for a very, very long time.

That's very long building.

It's the same site, and it's a multifamily building that's been there.

I mean, the design of it, I have to check the date, but that thing's looks like it's from the 60s or 70s.

I don't know.

Maybe 80s, I don't know, but it's definitely not it's definitely been a while since that building's been built.

1962, thank you.

1962.

I'm sorry, I just wanted to give clarity to your remarks, which appear not to be the case.

What we're learning.

Is there anyone else who would like to adjust to if I may?

I just want to ask uh the business ministry to clarify.

I think she stated the speaker had stated that the designation would allow for a greater density, and um I just want the business ministry to clarify that.

Yeah, so the designation were just designated and the plan, and I think councilman monk reiterated the point that Larry and I have been making that using the example of old St.

Mary's, they could have fit in that building 280 units, and it ended up being 148 units because of the redevelopment process.

So to assume it's gonna be more units is actually uh not accurate.

Thank you.

Right, and then considering the proposal that was originally there, which was actually it's eerily similar, 200 and like some units, 280 units, right?

It's almost a guarantee it's gonna be less than what the proposal was at the planning board and so right, meeting the density requirements.

Anyone else like to adjust the council at this time?

Yeah, five minutes.

Parker bro, let me Parker Brown Junior 247 Summer Street.

I'm noticing something that's early similar, right?

And I'm gonna try to offer some grace because I I do believe that genuinely mostly you want to do the right thing.

But what I'm sensing from my fellow residents is there seems to be a thing that's happening.

There's development that's going on, and it's happening really quickly, really fast.

And I'll give you an example on what I mean by that.

There was an ordinance that was passed, and it was a I'm paraphrasing a 20% bonus.

First reading was last December council meeting, then the first one was the first one of the year.

I'm not quite sure on what that was, but to me, what it sounded was it sounded like a bunch of people was gonna be overburdening the area, and developers was gonna get a bonus for that.

That's how it read.

Now, maybe that could not be it.

Maybe it sounds like something completely different.

But if you're a person and you're reading that, and say you bought a house like my mom 20 something years ago, and you like, you know what, this one raise my grandkids, and something like that, and all of a sudden the area just completely changes, or maybe you bought a place by I don't know, third world park somewhere, and now they're about to put arenas.

That's not what you bought it for, and then when you come and you say something, you're met with I don't want to say vagueness, or you're met with well, a developer owns it and they can do what they want.

Uh that's not how that's not I'm I know that's not how you mean it, but that's how it comes across.

So, and I get it.

This is an agenda-based thing, there's a time limit.

People's feelings are kind of high, so it it kind of creates this situation.

That's why I've often suggested maybe there's some other mechanism outside of here that's so tense that can create a situation to fully understand what's was exactly happening.

I know I said it wasn't gonna be long.

That's just the best way that I could understand it.

That's the only thing I wanted to say about that particular incident.

Last thing who's in charge of traffic signs?

Because there's a couple of traffic signs that have not worked.

Um, and I want to make sure that I get that information.

It bothers me because it's by schools, and I noticed that when kids are crossing the street.

I'm like one of those people that we pay attention to the sign, and there's one on Oak Street and Myrtle, and it hasn't worked for like months.

I know we're dealing with snow and stuff, but it hasn't even worked since the summertime.

We're now in February, still doesn't work.

Also, the street sign where you cross right by Dunkin' Donuts and you press a little button.

That one doesn't work either.

Uh lastly, and I'll leave y'all alone.

I'm walking with my nephew, and uh he's at number seven, take him to his grandma.

The amount of dog poop that's I know that's like a silly thing to complain about, right?

When you got kids and they try not to fall all over the the snow, and you got dog poop too, is it's a lot going on.

So what mechanism?

I mean, I know people having a hard time parking, but that doesn't give people just the excuse to not clean up after they dog.

So I don't even I don't even know if we got a dog person that goes around.

I don't even know whose job that is to do that.

That's it, that's all I got.

Thank you.

I'm gonna councilman for clarification.

Which Duncan Donuts?

Thank you.

Unless there was something else.

Um we did the rounding up or down at the last.

So basically, there was no referring to December last year, the 27th December, or did I hear it wrong?

Yeah, that was the fraction of the code.

So what happens is you always want to give the benefit, you always want to give the benefit to the affordable unit.

So what that did is it allowed you, as long as it was affordable to round up so we can get the unit.

If it's a market rate unit, there is no fraction, you get the unit below.

But if it's affordable for people in the community, you round up.

So that was the clarity.

I believe that's what he was talking about.

The fraction.

Second, regarding the traffic lights or lights that aren't working, the first uh point of contact would be our police.

You can call the general police number at 973-365-390 to let them know if there are any issues of uh public safety pedestrian crossings, otherwise, and the individuals responsible directly for repairing that would be our DPW, to be our police would direct our department of public works to go out there and resolve the issue.

And lastly, with uh the the dogs, which I think is an important issue, and we'll just address it as quickly as possible.

Is we have put up those doggy stations around the city.

What we have noticed, especially during the extreme temperature drop.

Um, some uh who don't want to go out, many of them are opening their doors and allowing the dogs to go out.

You've seen as well, and and let the dog come back in home alone.

Obviously, the dog doesn't know to take a bag with itself and pick it up.

We yes, we we've seen that happen a few times, and perhaps others have gone out, or maybe some uh some parents have sent their kids you walk the dog now, it's very cold, and they're not going out with bags.

Well, we'll share usually it's our code official that will respond after getting complaints and we'll let people know that there are violations and tickets that you can receive.

So on that thank you, mayor.

Councilman Love, please.

Yes, uh, council president.

I just wanted to um point out to Mr.

Parker that um those meetings he's referring to in terms of out of the council meeting with development projects like that, they take place, they take place in and I uh I will if I don't mind if you don't mind, council president.

I'll let the business administrator address when and where those take place, those types of um development meetings in the community.

Yeah, so they happen multiple times in multiple fashion that we have discussions.

I mean, let's just talk about the mayor and his transparency with the public every time there's an idea, he puts it out there immediately for everyone to discuss, and then it starts taking shape and it starts taking form.

Uh, and then all of a sudden it ends up as an ordinance before this city council um with a lot of feedback and and community input.

But I was really talking more of those community meetings.

I I know personally there's been meetings right in those areas, uh, either if they're in community centers or whatever to talk about some of these development projects at times.

Yeah, so I mean it would depend on the development project and what type of development project it is, um, versus uh the regular run-of-the-mill planning zoning board application, which then just takes its own life and there's no meetings on it.

Okay.

Uh, but I would use this as an example, the amount of community input and public outreach regarding this project itself, it's didn't go on theft years, right?

That's why we're in the process of trying to do something about it, which is the designation to have the discussion and more community input as the process.

I think to the councilman's point, and I I vividly recall an approach.

One of a development in a potential clay courts.

And then there have been a couple of developments in our in our um downtown area where I recall community meetings held at the bullhouse.

I know council members were invited.

Community members voiced their concern, their opposition.

Council members came back, expressed to the administration, and of course, there was a response.

And similarly, so if you're referring to town hall meetings, typically uh they're directed by community members, and they'll host a town hall meetings.

Sometimes they'll invite council members and they may come.

Council members will attend and appropriately listen as they can't participate, especially in certain numbers because the governing aspect of those I guess process occurs here.

But there have been a number of community and town hall meetings, councilmen, as you're referring to, and they occur throughout the year.

And then obviously the planning, the zoning, the redevelopment boards, which are open to the public, and people are invited to attend those as well.

Thank you.

As well.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilman.

Yes, sir.

C Weissman, 155 High Street.

Um, I'm not gonna beat a dead horse.

Or what all my uh fellow residents' concerns, my concerns as well.

And I appreciate the time that the city council is giving us.

And um so I have a few questions.

The first question is if I answer this correctly, any house over 50 years old could be designated as the redevelopment house.

So if I want, I could put my house in a redevelopment.

Oh, sorry.

Okay, that was one question.

Second question was um is it is there a legal way that the the residents could propose the ordinance for the redevelopment?

Is it if it comes from us?

Is there a way that the residents could could develop could propose the ordinance for the redevelopment zone?

Could we come up with like we did by like I came here in front of you when we were talking about changing the zoning, and we came up with an ordinance that the city could the city council could adopt?

Could we come up?

We propose an ordinance for this property that this that the city council would um consider.

We'll decide.

We'll decide.

We'll we'll we'll we'll shall factor in the setbacks and and whatnot.

I'll defer to the attorney, but you're free to propose whatever you want to propose to the city council as uh as a resident.

You're allowed to come in and say you want to change an ordinance or you want to change a plan.

You can propose what you feel is necessary to propose.

The council or whichever council member you would speak to, of course, has the uh right to accept or not to accept the proposal.

Ordinances and resolutions generate themselves traditionally from the executive from the mayor's office to the councils, the legislative body.

Um obviously uh our system of government uh in this country does not provide for direct democracy per se.

Would it be helpful if would you I know I could do it, but would it be helpful if we propose it and you consider that?

Is that something you're you're you're you're you're welcoming us, or you you're would would that would that be helpful?

I should say that would that be helpful for the city.

I don't know.

I think we have to look at the proposal based on the proposal, the rationale for the proposal, something necessarily be taken very seriously.

Whether or not it would whether or not uh it would go through the necessary process of of how it gets proposed is the question.

There's only two ways that items are put on the agenda, um, at the request of the administration or at the request of the uh of the council.

Uh both of them determined upon the agreement of the council president to accept or deny.

Your first question was your house is over 50 years old.

Is it available for redevelopment?

Is that correct, sir?

Yeah, Mr.

Fernandez.

My house is of more than 50 years old.

Yes.

So the the designation would be for the area.

In fact, a little maybe can you define the word area, please?

Uh the vicinity, it could be several blocks, it could be the zone.

We tend to use the census tract because that's the easiest.

So we use the census tract if they're older than if the house is older than 50 years, and they they wish to come in with a proposal to do that.

It's very similar to what you just described, council president, right?

It has to be accepted.

It's a proposal that uh a resident makes, but maybe an unknown fact to the residents.

You're already designated an area need and rehabilitation.

Every single one of you are.

The city of Passaic is an area in need of rehabilitation.

And hence, if you were to do any rehabilitation of your property, adding an addition or something to your house, you can avail yourself of the five-year tax abandon for that improvement.

That is different than a redevelopment plan.

That's why I keep saying there's a difference between the designation and the plan.

To take you to the plan phase, right?

It's a different scenario, right?

We would have to negotiate the plan.

It's a different type of tax abatement, which is only five years.

There's no eminent domain, right?

And a rehabilitation in a rehabilitation designation, right?

So we're not right now, the discussion is not taking it to the level of a redevelopment designation, which comes with 30-year tax abatements, it comes with a lot of financial incentives.

That's not what we're talking about here.

So I understand because a lot of you did your homework, and we're bringing up very specific sections of the law that do not apply under this circumstances that we're speaking of right now.

So to answer your question, you're already designated.

And if you do any repairs to your property, you can come in and get a tax abatement for the assessment of that property.

Hopefully that answers your question.

It did, it did.

I was trying to be a good thing.

I just told you how to save money on your taxes.

If you can I did that earlier, your homes and you save some money.

You say you did it already.

Oh, you didn't okay, you know.

Okay.

So if if I know my my fellow residents be very upset, I mean, if I did I want to put 12 townhouses on my property, um, which I will um I could go my property, I could come to the exact same process that developers doing and then in an hour fact pattern.

Yeah, so one of the things that you're missing, and I think council president said it best is that gonna be accepted.

So a single property, for example, if your property is just like everybody else's property, and all of a sudden you want a redevelopment plan for 12 units on that property, separate and apart from the underlying zoning, right?

So we're not talking planning board, we're not talking zoning board, we're talking redevelopment process, right?

You'd be hard pressed to get anyone to listen to you unless there were extranating circumstances, like the gas station somebody brought up, right?

There may be issues of contamination, and we want to clean the contamination so it doesn't affect the neighborers, the neighbors and stuff like that.

Well, those are the properties that were envisioned to be rehabilitated under the law.

So I want to make that distinction.

Not if you have a perfectly good functioning home there, if you don't just get designated, there's always a caveat.

In fact, there's one on this evening.

Uh, right, we have conversations about what was the use, was it abandoned?

What was right?

So it's not just oh, I I I want to build 12 townhouses because you know I got room here, right?

Gotcha.

Lastly, um, this this what's in front of the planning board on March 4th, that they're gonna decide if it's if it's in need of redevelopment.

Could additional properties be added to that plan?

The question before the question isn't answered.

I just want to be on the record.

I am allowing this conversation beyond the five minutes because of its involvement in related areas, Mr.

Fernandez, please answer.

So could additional properties be added at a later point?

It'd have to go through the same process, but yes.

So let's say the developer picks up three or four other properties, they can go through the same process.

At this point, our it's not just right now.

The designation is just for the parcels that are owned and in control by the developer.

So let's say the developer picks up one more one more property.

Let's say it's my property, because I'm I'm borderline to the property.

Are we gonna say the same thing that what's wrong with this property?

It's a perfectly fine property because three of her properties are perfectly fine properties.

A single family house is going for probably close to a million dollars.

So if you look at each individual property, you could argue that that there's no reason that no need for redevelopment.

Maybe her building needs redevelopment.

So it's interesting you say that because we'll end where we started.

It's the area.

So I always use, and I'm I'm a big movie guy, and I have um little kids, and up was like a big movie for them.

Everybody saw the movie Up, and he did not want to, everything was developing around him, and he did not want his little house to be developed and all the high rises are being developed, and then he blew up all the balloons and took his house off, right?

The point of the redevelopment statute, right?

And doesn't matter designation redevelopment or rehabilitation, was so that you can have the opportunity to assemble properties for a meaningful redevelopment.

So it actually encourages the collection of properties in a way that would support the overall.

So for example, you say right now that property is perfect, right?

But one of the biggest complaints is access to the site.

So the owner goes and picks up that parcel to accommodate the access to the site, which is meaningful to the overall redevelopment, not just the one specific parcel.

So I hope that kind of makes sense.

So it's on, and I know it's on a case-by-case basis, is on a project by project basis, you know.

Uh, so it depends, but could they add absolutely that it happens quite often actually that they start with a smaller project?

I'll give you an example.

One that we that was done here in the city of Passaic was on Broadway, right?

The florist, that little florist was there and it was abandoned, it was falling apart, and the owner was able to buy it.

That's why Mr.

Concendi isn't here, but that's why they didn't demolish the buildings because they were in the process of collecting assembling the other building to make a bigger project.

What I can tell you is if they add an additional law after the redevelopment plan has passed, they gotta come back and do the whole redevelopment plan process again and have another public hearing to the changes of that redevelopment plan.

So remember, I know we're focusing on the designation because that's the part we're in.

The plan is the ordinance, the plan is the law.

The designation is a resolution.

I already told you everybody here is already designated an area needed rehabilitation.

The plan is really what based on what I'm hearing from everybody that everyone's most concerned about what's gonna go there.

But we can't even negotiate, I can't stress this enough.

We can't even have the conversation with the developer until we have the designation because that allows us to enter into the the negotiations and the agreements.

Hopefully, I know I I expanded a little bit, but I wanted everybody get the full picture of kind of what's happening.

Thank you.

Good.

Is there anyone else that would like to address the council?

See, is there a motion, please to close public hearing?

Yes, motion and second road call, please.

Councilman Monk, yes, yes, councilman love, yes, councilwoman Mellow, yes, councilman mayor, yes, councilman Garcia, yes, councilman Colom Montañez, yes, and council president Shea.

Yes, thank you.

We're on the agenda room and numeral six ordinances for second and final reading hearing is required.

Number one, excuse me, proposed ordinance 2510-26, an ordinance amending chapter 317 zoning, article three definitions and word usage section of 317-10 definitions article six, conditional uses, section three seventeen-16, all zones and article article four schedule of regulations, section three seventeen-11 adoption of schedule of the city of Passaic Code to permit short-term rental units in all zoning districts.

Mr.

Fernandez, I know this one appears to be of similar duration as the one we just got off.

So why don't you have us just to understand that please?

What are we doing in this?

Uh so this is ordinance number three.

See, I turned on the mic weatherly, so you didn't have to tell me.

So this is um so this is ordinance number three in the Airbnb uh process.

So we discussed the registration, we discussed the taxes, right?

Those were the two ordinances that the council passed that last meeting.

This one is the uses where it's allowed.

Okay, forgive me, where what is allowed?

The the short-term rentals, the Airbnb types.

So kind of a la the conversation we were just having, right?

What's being proposed is that these Airbnb styles, let's call them Airbnb, even though there's a bunch of different names like verbo and stuff that do the short-term rental.

That you we there's 11 conditions that have to be met before you can be an actual short-term rent.

One of them is it can only be in a single family town off your condominium, and number two is that it has to be owner-occupied and be your primary residence.

So that was a big conversation at last meeting, and I want to assure the council, and I promised you when this ordinance came before you it would answer.

So collectively, those three ordinances create the the protection for the city on these Airbnbs and sets the regulations for individuals who want to do it to do it correctly.

So that's it in a nutshell.

Is there a motion, please to open public hearing?

Motion motion and second to open public hearing.

Councilman Monk?

Yes, yes.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilman Mellow.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colomb Montañez.

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

At this time, the council is deliberating proposed orders 2510-26.

Is there anyone who would like to adjust the council on this item and this item out of late?

Nobody motion to close.

Second.

Motion and second to close.

Roll call to close, please.

Councilman Monk.

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilwoman Mellow.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilwoman Colom Montañez.

Yes.

And Council President Shar.

Yes, thank you.

On the ordinance, please.

Is there a motion?

No motion.

Motion and second roll call, please on the ordinance.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilman Mellow.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colombon Tanez.

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

That passes the ordinance unanimously.

Number two, please.

Proposed ordinance 2511-26.

An ordinance adopting a redevelopment plan for block 4108 lot 64.

Correspondent to 185 Lexington Avenue on the City of Pacific Pacific New Jersey.

Is there a motion, please to open public hearing?

So move.

Second.

Motion and second roll call, please.

Councilman Monk.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilman Mellow.

Yes.

Councilman Mayer.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colombon Tanez.

Yes.

And Council President Sher.

Yes, thank you.

At this time, ladies and gentlemen, the council is deliberating proposed ordinance 2511-26.

Is there anyone who would like to adjust the council on this item and the signal only?

Seeing no hands, I'll move to close the public worship.

Motion to close roll call to close.

Councilman Monk.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilwoman Mello.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colom Montañez.

Yes.

And Council President Sher.

Yes, thank you.

On the ordinance places there are a motion.

So move it.

Second.

Motion and second roll call on the ordinance.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilman Woman Mellow.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colom Montañez.

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Or number three now.

Yes, sir.

We're on proposed orders 2514-26.

An ordinance amending designation restricted parking for disabled persons by New Jersey license plate numbers.

There are a motion, please to open public hearing.

Move it.

Second.

Motion.

Second roll call, please.

Councilman Monk.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilwoman Mello.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colom Montañez.

Yes.

And Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

At this time, the council is deliberating proposed orders 2514.

Is there anyone who would like to adjust the council on this item on this item only?

Seeing no hands, move to close the public portion.

There's a motion.

There is a second roll call, please to close public portion.

We just closed public portion.

We didn't get a second.

Oh, I didn't.

We didn't get a second.

I'm sorry.

There is a second.

On the uh got a roll call.

Councilman Monk.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilman Mellow.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colombon Tannez.

Yes.

And Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

That was on the ordinance, correct?

That was closed in on the ordinances.

Their motion, please to accept motion.

And second on the ordinance.

Councilman Monk.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilwoman Mello.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilwoman Colomb Tannez.

Yes.

And Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

That was on the ordinance.

We're in number four, please.

Proposed order 4515-26.

An ordinance amending chapter 100, certificates of occupancy and tendency.

Section 10 fees of the code of the city of Pacific to adjust the certificate of occupancy fees.

Mr.

Fernandez, can you help us with this one, please?

I see the word fees and I get so basically we have not touched our uh inspection fees for under the construction department for a very, very long time.

Um this would be increasing the still below.

Oh sorry, forgot the butt.

Um so we haven't changed the ordinary long time.

This is to get us at least more consistent with our neighbors, even though we're still significantly below our neighbors, for example, you know, our the city of Clifton is in you know three hundred dollars as an additional fee for expedited you know certificate.

We're not there, so this does a modest increase from fifty dollars to sixty-five dollars for the first unit, and then thirty-five dollars from the second through the twentieth, uh, and then twenty-five dollars thereafter.

So it's it's it's only like uh a modest increase to the what it is by like 10-15 dollars.

Why is it so modest, if I may ask?

Why are we so much lower than our neighbors?

Well, this is for an extro an expedited certificate of occupancy.

So our neighbors are somewhere in the neighborhood of like 95, 75, right?

And this will take 65, and this will take us from what to what this will this will take us from 50 to 65.

Okay, anyone else have any questions on number four?

Yes, I councilman love.

Um, in all due respect, Mr.

Fernandez.

Um is the goal to get to our neighbors, or is it are we accomplishing something with the increase of fee?

So we're trying to cover so what happens with the fees is the fees are developed as a cost for the process, yes.

So we have to pay our inspectors to go out there.

Employees get salary increases, cost of living increases, the fees stay the same.

And at some point, we want to be helpful, and we don't want to overburden the community, but at some point the cost of living has just exceeded you know what the current fee structure is, and that's all this is right, and we also we also provide a new service that we've been providing under the mayor's direction has been we've allowed weekends as well.

So we're making it more flexible for the community to get the inspections done when they need them.

That costs that costs us more, right?

And I think to be able to do that and only go up 15 dollars is is a good thing.

You're not we're just covering the cost.

We don't want to you know overburden the community.

So Mr.

Business Administrator, I'm fully aware of it, but sometimes we got to get it out of record to the public so that they don't hear that we're raising the to get to where our neighbors are, rather there's a purpose of racing, so that's why there's a purpose and it's been roughly it's been roughly over 20 years since this has been updated, just so you get a feel for where our fee was and how long it took us to raise the fee.

Absolutely, understandable.

Thank you.

Uh thank you, Councilman.

Thank you, Mr.

Business Administrator.

Any other questions on four?

We opened public hearing on four.

Did we motion please to open public hearing?

Oh move second motion and second on uh open hearing on 2515-26.

Councilman Monk, yes, councilman love, yes, councilwoman mellow, yes, councilman mayor, yes, councilman Garcia Councilman Colombanez, yes, and council president shear.

Yes, thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

At this time, the council was deliberating proposed ordinance 2515.

Is there anyone who would like to adjust the council on this item and this item outlay?

So nobody motioned to close, second motion and second to close.

Councilman Monk, yes, yes, councilman love, yes, councilman mellow, yes, councilman mayor, yes, councilman Garcia, yes, councilman Colombon Tannez, yes, and council president shares.

Yes, thank you.

On the ordinance, please is there a motion?

Motion and second roll call, please on the ordinance.

Councilman Monk, yes, yes, councilman love, yes, councilman mellow, yes, councilman mayor, yes, councilman Garcia, yes, councilman Colomontañez, yes, and council president shares.

Yes, thank you.

We're up to number five, please.

Proposed ordinance 2516, an ordinance authorizing the exchange of real property between the city of Passaic and the PSEC Board of Education pursuant to NJSA tech 40A call in 12-16.

Is there a motion, please to open public hearing?

Second motion and second roll call.

Councilman Monk, yes, yes, councilman love, yes, councilman mellow, yes, councilman mayor, yes, councilman Garcia, yes, councilman Colom Montañez and Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

At this time, ladies and gentlemen, the council will be deliberating proposed ordinance 2516.

Is there anyone who would like to adjust the council on this item and deciding outright?

There's a motion, there's a second to close public hearing.

Roll call.

Councilman Mellon?

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colom Montañez.

Staying.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes.

So move on.

Now we're on the ordinance.

Is there a motion, please?

Motion.

And second.

And maybe we have a second, please.

Thank you.

Councilman Monk.

Yes.

Yes.

Councilman Love?

Yes.

Councilwoman Mellow.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor?

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilman Colom Montañez.

Abstain.

And Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

Motion passes.

Yes.

We're up to communications items six through nine.

Are there any questions on items six through nine?

Senior lights at this time.

Is there motion please to accept six through nine?

So move.

Motion and second roll call, please.

Councilman Monk?

Yes.

Councilman Love.

Yes.

Councilman Mellow.

Yes.

Councilman Mayor.

Yes.

Councilman Garcia.

Yes.

Councilwoman Colom Montañez.

Yes.

And Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

All matters listed here under to considered routine in nature.

Items 10 through 21 inclusive.

Are there any questions, please, on 10 through 21?

Sir.

16.

10 through 17.

I apologize.

16.

10 through 16.

I apologize for giving me.

Council President, just a comment to the mayor.

Um, in terms of uh item 10.

Um what a great guy that you appointed.

Dubai.

I and I just want to say thank you.

Uh, one of my classmates, I think he's gonna do very well in this position, as he did when he was on the force.

So thank you.

I thank you for that, but I really want to take the opportunity to highlight our chief of police, Louis Guzman, who has maintained great relationships with officers who have uh genuinely dedicated their lives to serving our residents, and when they retire, uh they come back in the appropriate time and are able to serve in a new capacity.

You're right, he's one of the more uh likable officers that we have.

He treats people with a great deal of respect.

I wouldn't go that far in there.

I mean he's all right.

You can you say that because you have a good relationship with course that says that, but I I did want to share that because we've had a number of retired officers, and we're always excited because obviously there is a savings, there's a public safety benefit to have these individuals, especially whether they're in our UEC zone, they're on the streets, or they're assisting with particular activities.

But I think it's gonna mean a lot to him to know that the council was so appreciative because sometimes we lose individuals when I say lose, and I know what that connotes, they retire.

They deserve to be able to retire, they reach the uh the point of their career where they can, but many of them choose to want to continue to serve and possibly a lesser capacity, and that's not in status or commitment or dedication, but rather uh commitment of hours and times or obligations, and this is a wonderful opportunity.

I thank the council in general for making these things available.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Mayor.

Is there a motion please to accept 10 through 16?

Second, motion and second roll call, please on 10 through 16.

Councilman Monk, yes, councilman love, yes, councilwoman mellow, yes, councilman mayor, yes, councilman Garcia, yes, councilman Colom Montañez, yes, and council president shear.

Yes, thank you.

We're up to resolutions, remember numeral eight on our agenda.

Number 17 is a resolution authorizing closed executive session.

Mr.

Manson, we don't need closed executing session, do we?

Very good.

Thank you, Mr.

Fernandez.

Mr.

Mayor, sir, and I just thank you, sir.

Members of the council.

Very good.

If we could look, please, if I could draw your uh to 18 through 21.

Are there any questions, please on 18 through 21?

Senior lights at this time is there motion, please to accept 18 through 21.

No move motion and second.

Councilman Monk.

Can I just yeah, I'm not sure.

Councilman, did you wait?

Did you uh we're in the middle of a roll call, Councilman?

Okay, I just I just uh I couldn't unmute my button fast enough.

Um I just want to ask regarding resolution 20.

Yes, sir.

Uh exactly what what are what are these pavers?

So what what's the purpose of these papers?

So they're commemorative papers.

Um, so that we can honor uh Latona Griffin and the Latona Griffin Park.

There were two firefighters that passed, and the idea, mayor.

I think that was your idea to have the papers.

Uh you can buy a paper, and it's gonna have the seal like the fire department seal in the center of it, and you know, you can donate to buy a paper, and it's paid the the paper itself without the engraving, because you you are the one that pays for the engraving, is all coming from CDBG, just to clarify councilman.

That's at the top of the hundred steps, and that's where we had the fitness park, but also that park where we chose to honor those firefighters and the family who was so appreciative.

We went down there and uh had a ceremony, and we said we would uh not only put a memorial to both of the firefighters, but give an opportunity for the community in the area that was so excited that we were able to renovate the steps and add their first park ever in the area that they can actually uh buy one of the papers and rather ingrade uh an appropriate message honoring the history in that area.

Thank you, thank you.

Sorry, I'm sorry, so thank you, Council President.

I my vote is yes, yes, yes.

Thank you, sir.

If we could continue with the roll call, Councilman Mellow, yes, Councilman Mayor, yes, Councilman Garcia, yes, councilman Colom Montañez, yes, and Council President Shear.

Yes, thank you.

We're on number nine, please.

Payment of bills.

Are there any questions on the bills as presented by the administration to the clerk?

Seeing no lights, is there a motion, please to accept the bills as presented?

Moving motion second and second roll call, please.

Thank you.

Councilman Monk, yes, yes, councilman love, yes, councilwoman Mellow, yes, councilman mayor, please, councilman Garcia, yes, councilman Colom Montañez, and Council President Sheer.

Yes, thank you.

Administrators report, Mr.

Fernandez.

Not at the stack, very good.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Um yes, Council President one.

If I may, and I know that um councilman love have wanted this shared in the very beginning.

Um we know that there was a passing vision of the Reverend Jesse Jackson.

Obviously, there was an expression that um councilman uh Dr.

Terrance wanted to uh have a moment of silence.

Movement of silence.

Yes, thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you, Mayor.

And uh Council President, for me, I also wanted to um remind all of our residents that uh interesting enough.

I don't know how interesting, but as we go into this evening, there are um three major communities that will be uh observing um uh either uh sacred and religious um parts of their faith as well as celebrations, and believe the the Ramadan begins uh as of this evening, as does Lent for the Catholic observing community, and it is uh the uh the Chinese New Year.

I believe that is this evening.

So I think it's the year of the horse.

That's what I've been told.

And I'm not very familiar, but that's what I've been told.

So with these things, and obviously, on behalf of the council, and we post up uh these fires.

Thank you, Renee, for making sure that we have these displayed.

We we obviously uh express um our unity to all of our communities because we are a diverse and uh remarkable city, and to all those that observe whether those of the Muslim faith who will be fasting, those of the Catholic faith that will be sacrificing whatever it is, including meat or a specific uh tree during this time.

Uh, we join with you in uh prayers or our thoughts that we may all continue united as a community and respecting each other's beliefs and to our uh our community that celebrates uh their new year.

I believe it's a new year, right?

It's Chinese New Year.

Um congratulations and we celebrate along with you in this time uh with our diversity.

Thank you, Councilman.

Thank you, mayor.

The council, of course, joins with you in acknowledging these very important days on all of our calendars.

There'd be no other business as being properly advertised necessarily.

So is there a motion, please to adjourn the meeting?

Second to adjourn.

Well called Councilman Monk, yes, councilman love, yes, councilman mellow, yes, councilman mayor, yes, councilman Garcia.

Yes, Councilman Colom Montaguez, yes, Council President Chair, yes, thank you.

This meeting is adjourned.