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  • 05 Apr 2016 1:27 AM | Anonymous

    Looking to Beautify Your Block?  Plant a tree with the help of the DPW

    For the cost of $200, the Department of Public Works will plant a tree in an existing tree pit in front of your property, or create a new tree pit where regulations allow.


    The average cost of purchasing and planting a tree ranges from $750-$1200.  By partnering with the Department of Public Works, you can reduce your tree planting costs while increasing the number of street trees throughout Jersey City.


    The benefits offered by trees are myriad and quantifiable; they reduce energy costs for property owners, increase property values, contribute to a cleaner environment, can reduce or prevent flooding and have actually been found to reduce stress levels.


    To learn more about the benefits of trees, visit: https://vcuf.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/presentation-slides.pdf


    You can access the 2016 Spring Tree Application through the link below:

    http://www.cityofjerseycity.com/uploadedFiles/City_Government/Department_of_Public_Works/2016%20Spring%20Tree%20Planting%20Application.pdf


    One word of advice from one of our board members: tree pits in front of old historic buildings may lead to water seeping thru to the basement of the building; speak with a professional before creating a new pit.


  • 05 Apr 2016 12:42 AM | Anonymous

    There's a lot of new development happening north of Hamilton Park and it falls under the Jersey Ave Park Redevelopment Plan.

    2015.05.13 Jersey Ave Park Amd 07 - RDP.pdf

    The Cast Iron Lofts have been built, the Soho Building is in progress, and 286-298 Coles Street along with the Van Leer project have initial site plan approval.

    Below is an overhead of the latter 2 developments placed into the redevelopment plan map.  All of the open space Hoboken Brownstone is incorporating into the project is very exciting!



    What's being planned for 286-298 Coles Street?  Here's a breakdown of the units along with some initial renderings and the latest site plan. The developers will be asking for a variance to the current minimum unit size at the April 5th, 2016 planning board meeting.  For instance the redevelopment plan states that the minimum studio size is 600 sq feet and the developer would like a variance to create studios that range from 450 sq ft to 650 sq ft.

    This site is approximately 5.5 acres and will contain a 2 acre public park.  The site is currently approved for 873 units but with the addition of a lot and a variance request approval this would be bumped up to 1,181 units for this site.

    2016.03.21 286-298 Coles Street 677009 Site Plan.pdf



    Both the Van Leer and 286-298 Coles street site are being developed by Hoboken Brownstone.  The Van Leer site will have approximately 530 units and include a public playground.  


    One odd thing about the way this redevelopment plan is being handled is that the maximum density allowed per acre is being calculated not just by using the acreage of the land the developer owns and will build on but also by allowing the developer to count the acreage to the middle of the streets surrounding the building.  This in turn is bumping up the density allowed in this area.



  • 04 Apr 2016 5:48 PM | Anonymous

    This plan has been adjusted since it was last presented to the HPNA.

    The latest change adjusts the Maximum Building Height: 

    North of Newark Avenue: 4 Stories, 41 feet

    South of Newark Avenue:  3 Stories, 31 feet

    Other key items in the plan to note 

    Max density 80 units an acre

    Max Building Coverage 70%

    Max Lot Coverage 80%

    Read the full 4/1/16 plan here

    This plan was supposed to go before the planning board on April 5th but was withdrawn.

  • 03 Mar 2016 1:30 PM | Anonymous

    Current specs for the building as discussed at the March 2nd HPNA meeting.

    This proposed plan goes before the zoning board 3/17, 6:30pm, 280 Grove Street

    • The building has an existing 21' wall in the back that will be lowered to 16’ or 5’ less than what’s there now; this height allows the developer to provide 1-1 parking 
    • The R1 lot will have a stepback at 59'
    • In addition at 68' there will be an overall stepback and a small additional portion of the building will sit centered above that
    • The max height will be 78'
    • There will be 1 parking spot per unit.  This will be achieved via the addition of lifts.
    • The units are intended to be condos
    • There will be a 5000 gallon retention center
    • And a green roofing system







  • 26 Feb 2016 2:13 AM | Anonymous

    Tanya Marione from the Jersey City Planning Department has been working on a plan to change R1 zoning to R5 zoning in downtown JC. If you're wondering what zone you currently live in, see the map below.  The necessity to fix the zoning is that the Village area is the last frontier of downtown and since not many developers come in and want to build 3 story houses, the zoning department is constantly being asked for variances for lots in R-1 zoning.  

    This R1 zoning also makes up a healthy portion of the Hamilton Park neighborhood which why the we've invited Tanya to our 3/2 meeting to discuss it.

    R1 zoning is one and two family housing with a max height of 3 stories and 1:1 parking.  

    R5 zoning would be max 4 stories - 45 ft (plus some if in a flood zone), 80 units an acre, with .5 parking.  The draft wording can be seen here:  2016.02.25 R-5 PB Version.pdf

    Tanya has worked on this for two years. Case law as early as the 1950s gives a lot of weight to the reconsideration and re-examination of existing zoning. For example, if the zoning board grants a bunch of the same use or height variances – they are abusing the point of variance relief, because they zone by ordinance/law and not by variance. Zoning by variance is essentially the wild west – there’s no master plan or common purpose.

    She has provided us with the annual report from the previous year. Including density and height analysis done for each block and lot within the R-1 district downtown along with a plethora of other data she has collected.

    2014 and 2015 Zoning Board Annual Report.pdf

    2012 and 2013 Zoning Board Annual Report.docx

    2015 The Village Zoning Table E.pdf

    2015 village north analysis.xlsx

    As Tanya puts it, in the 1970s many areas, specifically downtown, were zoned as low density strictly residential. That was never the reality, and the new zoning, only to be solidified in 2000 with the new master plan – created buildings that are very out of character with the historic nature of the area. Three story buildings, with 2 families and a garage is the outlier, not the standard for R-1 downtown.  The R-5 zoning matches the existing density of the current neighborhood but provides more square footage. It also has green infrastructure requirements built into it.


    For some interesting background reference – the zoning from 1957, the one that would be most representative of what’s existing (except for maybe the more historic districts), was that the height was regulated by the width of the street. So the street front of your building could only be as high as the width and ½ of your street. Using that rule was partially how Tanya came about the 45 ft, because she went through and used google earth to measure street widths – even in the 30s and 50s, 45 ft would have been permitted. The law then specified that every ft after 45 ft had to be setback.



  • 17 Feb 2016 11:37 PM | Anonymous

    This is a reminder that the Public Hearing for this ROZ modification is scheduled for February 23, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers of City Hall. Per public input, two minor changes have been made to the Heights section of the map (attached) to remove one residential area along Palisade Avenue and add one commercial area along Central Avenue. No changes have been made to the downtown section of the map. In the interest of consistency, no further changes will be made to either map prior to the Board’s hearing.

    Questions?  Reach out to Willow LathamPlanner, 201-547-4428wlatham@jcnj.org

    2016.02.08 Restaurant Overlay Zone 2016_2.pdf

    2016.02.08 Restaurant Overlay Zone 2016_1B.pdf

  • 25 Jan 2016 11:28 AM | Anonymous

    Newport Associates would like to lower the parking ratio to their next 10th Street embankment building (The Revetment Building).  The redevelopment plan requires a 1 to 1 parking ratio.  They are proposing 96 parking spots for the 163 units in the building.  That's an on-site parking ratio of .58 per unit.  Through a shuffling of parking spots Newport Associates would like the majority of the people in The Embankment Building to use a lot on the other side of 11th Street.  The Revetment Building would then be allowed to rent parking spots in the The Embankment Building.  By doing this, on paper, Newport Associates can say that the parking ratio is higher.

    It wasn't too long ago that past HPNA board members worked with the city to solidify having 1 to 1 parking and items such as dog runs for these buildings.  Newport Associates/LeFrak agreed to those items and they were placed into the redevelopment plan.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/14/realestate/postings-lefrak-begins-building-west-its-newport-waterfront-complex-153-rentals.html


    2016.01.14 310 10th Street Revetment Drawings.pdf

    This change will go before the planning board on 2/23.  All are welcome to speak.

    Please check the homepage of our website for updates.

    You can also email your city representatives.

    Bob Cotter (head of planning), MaryAnn Bucci (planning), Councilwoman Osborne, Councilman at Large Rolando Lavarro, and the HPNA

    bobbyc@jcnj.orgmaryannb@jcnj.orgcosborne@jcnj.org

    RLavarro@jcnj.orghpnajc@gmail.com

    2007.01.09 Resolution of the Planning Board for Newport Associates.pdf

    2013.02.13 Jersey Ave Tenth St RDP Amd2.pdf

    2014.01.31 270 Tenth Street amendments.pdf

    2014.06.30 270 Tenth Street Public Notice Request to Lower Parking Ratio.pdf

    2014.07.08 270 10th St Amended final resolution.pdf

    2016.01.14 310 Tenth Street Public Notice Request to Lower Parking Ratio.pdf

  • 20 Jan 2016 1:28 PM | Anonymous
    Free youth (boys and girls k-8) lacrosse clinics at MS4 6:30 to 8pm on 2/10 and 2/17, and at PS15 on 2/9 and 2/11 5 to 7pm. No equipment or experience needed!


    http://jerseycitylacrosse.org/


  • 05 Jan 2016 9:07 PM | Anonymous

    Put the tree out Wednesday night

    Curbside Christmas Tree Collection Schedule for the year 2016

    • JANUARY 07, 2016
    • JANUARY 14, 2016
    • JANUARY 21, 2016
    • JANUARY 28, 2016

    Christmas trees must be free of ornaments and/or lights and placed curbside Wednesday night between the hours of 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM for Thursday's collection. Once curbside, any and all bags must be removed from tree. 

    WREATHS AND/OR ARTIFICIAL TREES WILL NOT BE COLLECTED WITH CHRISTMAS TREES. PLEASE PLACE THESE ITEMS CURBSIDE WITH YOUR REGULAR GARBAGE.
    .

    For additional information please call 201-432-4645 EXT. 2620.

    http://www.jciaonline.org/xmas.php


  • 17 Dec 2015 9:50 AM | Anonymous
     There's a new Retail furniture and decor shop located at 150 Bay St. They can also wrap and ship the gifts for you.



Address: 344 Grove St. PMB #166, Jersey City, NJ 07302

Phone: +1 (201) 589-0750

Email: hpnajc@gmail.com

Have a question?

Click to see our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Hamilton Park Neighborhood Association is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

344 Grove St., PMB #166, Jersey City, NJ 07302

Phone: +1 (201) 589-0750

email: hpnajc@gmail.com

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