Recap Regular Jersey City Council Mtg. Tue., Nov.25, 2025
Click here for the November 25, 2025 Council Agenda Next Caucus Meeting: Monday, December 8, 4 PM Next Council Meeting: Wednesday, December 10, 6 PM Meeting began at 6:21 PM and adjourned at 11:35 PM. Councilperson Solomon absent, Councilperson Boggiano departed early; all other Councilpersons present. PLEASE NOTE: December 10 is the last Council Meeting for 2025. The Monday, January 5, 2026 meeting will be with the CURRENT councilmembers. No new ordinances or resolutions, strictly procedural to pay bills. The reorganization meeting with the NEW council members is scheduled for Thursday, January 15, 2026, 6 PM. Agenda item 10.3 Resolution 25-730 Caucuses and Regular Meetings of the Municipal Council for the Year 2026 was adopted at the November 25 meeting. |
JERSEY CITY RUN-OFF ELECTION REMINDER: The Jersey City (and Hoboken) run-off election is on Tuesday, December 2. Polls will be open from 6 AM to 8 PM. Click here for Hudson County Election Resources. JERSEY CITY MUNICIPAL RUN-OFF CANDIDATES (listed in order of ballot position; sample ballot link per ward below ) MAYOR (Vote for 1) James Solomon Jim McGreevey COUNCIL AT-LARGE (Vote for 3) Meredith Burns Daniel Rivera Tina Nalls Rolando Lavarro Michael Griffin Mamta Singh WARD A Brandi Warren Denise Ridley WARD B Efrain Orleans Joel Brooks Richard Boggiano Tom Zuppa Jake Ephros Catherine Healy November 4 first ballot decisions/no Ward run-off; only Mayor and Council At-Large on ballots WARD E Councilperson-elect Elena Little WARD F Councilperson Frank Gilmore, re-elected |
FIRST READING |
Agenda Item 3.1 - Ordinance 25-127 INTRODUCED 8-0 November 25 Amending Chapter A350 Council Rules Order. The Council shall hold its regular meetings each year during the months of January through December inclusive, except for the months of July,and August, and December on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 6:00 p.m. Any person may address the Council on any subject of interest during the Public Request for Hearing portion of each Council meeting. Anyone who wishes to address the Council during this portion of the meeting must register with the City Clerk no later than two hours (2) hours prior to the scheduled start of the Council meeting by providing their name, and telephone number to the City Clerk through the City’s webpage. The countdown timer shall not be stopped for any questions asked during the public hearing, unless the Council President gives the explicit direction to stop the time. The Council President and the Council may elect not to answer questions during the public hearing portion. Agenda Item 3.3 - Ordinance 25-129 INTRODUCED 8-0 November 25 An Ordinance Of The Jersey City Municipal Council Amending The Jersey City The Official Zoning Map And Incorporation Of IZO Compliance Provisions VIDEO: Matt Ward and discussion related to 25-129 This ordinance replaces second reading of Agenda item 4.1-Ordinance 25-112. Council will move to defeat agenda item 4.1 once this ordinance is introduced The removal of the R-3 District is included in the updated ordinance. Update to the Official Zoning Map regarding properties in and around Upper Route 139 and inclusion of IZO Compliance Provisions to make it clear if future developments in these areas exceed 14 units, that onsite affordable housing will be required. Agenda Item 3.4 - Ordinance 25-130 INTRODUCED 8-0 November 25 Ordinance of the City of Jersey City authorizing the City of Jersey City to enter into a Lease agreement with the Exchange Place Alliance District Management Corporation for space at 335 Washington Street. This is a building dedicated to the city as part of a development project (across the street from the powerhouse). Exchange Place Alliance will outfit the space as a community art and performance space. |
SECOND READING |
Agenda Item 4.2 - Ordinance 25-119 INTRODUCED 9-0 November 12 Carried to December 10 meeting A Bond Ordinance providing for various Capital Improvements by and in the City of Jersey City, in the County of Hudson, State of New Jersey; reappropriating $58,393,447.96 in excess Bond or Note proceeds from various Bond Ordinances, not needed for their original purpose, to finance the cost thereof. Agenda Item 4.3 - Ordinance 25-120 INTRODUCED 8-1 (Solomon) November 12 TABLED Prior to conducting a public hearing 8-0 November 25 An Franchise Ordinance granting permission to 201 Newark Ave Property LLC, its successors and assigns, to construct private improvements within the sidewalk area of the Jersey Avenue public right-of-way, adjacent to Lot 5, Block 12702, on the Official Tax Assessment Map of the City of Jersey City. Agenda Item 4.4 - Ordinance 25-121 INTRODUCED 9-0 November 12 ADOPTED 8-0 November 25 An Ordinance amending Chapter 3, Article X of the Jersey City Municipal Code. Amendments to the Division of City Planning and Zoning include: The Director of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce shall also act as Chief Planning and Zoning Officer of the City as long as the person assigned to this role is in possession of a New Jersey Professional Planning license. Serve as consultant to the Planning Board, as long as the person assigned to this role is in possession of a New Jersey Professional Planning license. Coordinate special planning studies to be made by the Assist in the review requests for variances Board, as long as the person assigned to this role is in possession of a New Jersey Professional Planning license. E. Division of City Planning.(1) Urban Creation of the Division of City Planning; Director of City Planning in charge. Under the direction and supervision of the Director of Housing, Economic Development and Commerce, the Division of City Planning is established, the head of which shall be the Director of City Planning. The person serving in this role shall be in possession of a New Jersey Professional Planning license. Division of City Planning; functions. The function of the Division of City Planning is to Division of Agenda Item 4.5 - Ordinance 25-122 INTRODUCED 9-0 November 12 ADOPTED 7-1 (Rivera) November 25 An Ordinance supplementing Chapter 254 (Property Maintenance) Article IX (Maintenance and Responsibilities of Owners and Managers) amending Section 254-45 (General Safety and Sanitation) to align facade inspection standards with best practices. The ordinance is being amended to updated and align building façade inspection standards with best practices standards and local law. A façade inspection shall be conducted every The initial inspection shall be completed by December 31, 2023. Thereafter, a façade inspection must be conducted every Agenda Item 4.6 - Ordinance 25-123 INTRODUCED 9-0 November 12 ADOPTED 7-0-1 (Hulings) November 25 An Ordinance of the Jersey City Municipal Council amending the Jersey City Land Development Ordinance, Chapter 345 Article I Section 6 Definitions, Chapter 345 Article V Section 62 Residential Design Standards, and Chapter 345 Article V Section 63 Non-Residential Design Standards. At the September 23, 2025 Meeting of the Planning Board, the Board reviewed and commented on the proposed ordinance listed above. The purpose of the Amendments is to establish bird friendly design standards. BIRD FRIENDLY MATERIAL – A material that has or has been treated to have a Threat Factor less than or equal to 25 in accordance with American Bird Conservancy or complies with American Bird Conservancy’s Prescriptive Rating Criteria; a material with exterior surface obstructed and effectively covered by building-integrated structures that do not have gaps larger than 12” in any dimension, including non-glass double-skin facades, metal screens, fixed solar shading, exterior insect or solar screens; or a material deemed bird friendly in accordance with a relevant standard BIRD HAZARD INSTALLATIONS – Structures that pose significant collision risks to birds such as awnings, railings, noise barriers, and wind barriers; and building features that pose significant collision risks to birds such as skyways or skywalks, pedestrian bridges, all floors of building connectors, atriums, outside corners where a bird can see in one side of the building and out the other within 30 feet of the corner, all interior corners within 30 feet of the corner, glazing adjacent to courtyards, and any portion of a building façade adjacent to a green roof or landscape element up to 24 feet above the surface of the green roof THREAT FACTOR - The relative threat level to birds posed by various materials and design details as determined by American Bird Conservancy. The Threat Factor quantified as a number between one and 100 that indicates the relative effectiveness of materials or assemblies, typically in reducing bird collisions, but not exclusively, evaluated per a binary choice flight-tunnel protocol involving live birds. A Threat Factor of 1 is the least threatening and a Threat Factor of 100 is the most threatening. Residential design standards. Applicability - These standards shall apply to new construction, rehabilitation, and additions. Bird friendly materials shall be utilized on the following (residential): On all building facades, and any associated openings, from ground level up to100 feet above grade Where transparency of windows is required from ground level up to 100 feet, materials with a maximum Threat Factor less than or equal to 30 can be utilized. On all bird hazard installations (residential) 1. Bird hazard installations is defined in 345-6 and include but are not limited to awnings, railings, noise barriers, wind barriers, skyways or skywalks, pedestrian bridges, all floors of building connectors, atriums, outside corners where a bird can see in one side of the building and out the other within 30 feet of the corner, all interior corners within 30 feet of the corner, glazing adjacent to courtyards, and any portion of a building façade adjacent to a green roof or landscape element up to 24 feet above the surface of the green roof. Non-residential design standards. Applicability These standards shall apply to new construction, rehabilitation, and additions. a. Bird friendly materials shall be utilized on the following (non-residential): i. On all building facades, and any associated openings, from ground level up to100 feet above grade 1. Materials other than bird friendly materials shall not exceed an aggregate of 10 square feet within any 10 feet by 10 feet square area of exterior wall area below 100 feet above grade 2. Where transparency of windows is required from ground level up to 100 feet, materials with a maximum Threat Factor less than or equal to 30 can be utilized. On all bird hazard installations (non-residential) 1. Bird hazard installations is defined in 345-6 and include but are not limited to awnings, railings, noise barriers, wind barriers, skyways or skywalks, pedestrian bridges, all floors of building connectors, atriums, outside corners where a bird can see in one side of the building and out the other within 30 feet of the corner, all interior corners within 30 feet of the corner, glazing adjacent to courtyards, and any portion of a building façade adjacent to a green roof or landscape element up to 24 feet above the surface of the green roof. Agenda Item 4.7 - Ordinance 25-124 Ordinance amending Chapter 345 (ZONING), Section 52 regarding permitted uses in the Medical Zone. This item will be carried to December 10 as it is on the agenda for the Planning Board meeting also scheduled for Nov.25. The ordinance is to adopt an amendment to the Medical zone to ensure that the zones are used for hospital purposes only, not permanent senior housing. Agenda Item 4.8 - Ordinance 25-125 INTRODUCED 8-1 (Boggiano) November 12 DEFEATED 3-3-2 (Hulings/Saleh/Watterman- VIDEO: Council Discussion of Ordinance 25-125 An Ordinance amending and supplementing Chapter 260 – (Rent Control) to address institutional ownership of units not currently subject to rent control. WHEREAS, the Council recognizes that institutional investors are purchasing dwellings not subject to rent control by purchasing multiple 4 unit or less homes under independent corporate entities and, thus, raising rents further exacerbating the City’s housing crisis Definitions. DWELLING—Any building or other structures containing housing spaces rented or offered for rent to one or more tenants consisting of a household or family as defined in this chapter. A dwelling includes buildings or structures that are exempt from the restrictions of rent increases mandated under this chapter. A.Exempt from this definition are: 1.Dwellings with four or less housing spaces; Agenda Item 4.9 - Ordinance 25-126 INTRODUCED 6-2-1 (Boggiano/Gilmore no; Solomon abstain) November 12 DEFEATED 1-6-1 (Saleh yes, Hulings abstain) November 25 An Ordinance Approving a 30 Year Tax Exemption for a Mixed-Use Project at 30 Newport Parkway and 40 Newport Parkway and Authorizing Financial Agreement with Nc Housing Associates #200 Urban Renewal Company Pursuant to the Long Term Tax Exemption Law, N.J.S.A. 40a:20-1 Et Seq. Preserve and deepen affordability by maintaining the existing 160 affordable apartments and converting 18 additional market-rate units to very low-income units (30% AMI). Improve affordability levels by converting 116 of the 160 existing units from 80% AMI (moderate-income) to a mix of low (50% of AMI) and very-low (30% of AMI) income unit as vacancies occur. Invest approximately $30 million in significant capital improvements, including full façade and window replacement, lobby renovations, system upgrades, and energy-efficiency measures such as rooftop solar. Provide stable PILOT revenue based on 10–12% of Annual Gross Revenue, generating substantially higher annual payments than the existing NJHMFA PILOT, while maintaining long-term affordability protections. |
2026 Caucus and Council Meeting Schedule Caucus (4 PM) and Council Meetings (6 PM) are held in-person at Council Chambers, unless otherwise noted. A recording will be uploaded on the city's Jersey City TV You Tube channel within 24-48 hours of each meeting. LIVESTREAM: All Municipal Council Caucuses and Meetings are streamed via Microsoft Teams. Public speakers must be present in person to speak at Council Meetings. Link to view Caucus Meeting via Microsoft Teams Link to view Council Meeting via Microsoft Teams Link to Jersey City Online Permitting and Licensing Portal Link to Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authorities (JCMUA) Link to JC Housing , Economic Development & Commerce CITY COUNCIL AND WARDS Joyce E. Watterman, Councilperson-at-Large, Council President Daniel Rivera, Councilperson-at-Large Amy DeGise, Councilperson-at-Large Denise Ridley, Councilperson, Ward A, President Pro Tempore Maureen Hulings, Councilperson, Ward B Richard Boggiano, Councilperson, Ward C Yousef J. Saleh, Councilperson, Ward D James Solomon, Councilperson, Ward E Frank E. Gilmore, Councilperson, Ward F Please contact me with any questions or concerns. Wendy S. Paul, MPA Executive Director Jersey City Apartment Owners Association 344 Grove Street | Suite 189 | Jersey City, NJ 07302 tel: 551-430-0371 | wpaul@jcaoa.com |
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