City Council
Agenda-fixing Session
7:30 p.m. Monday(tonight)
Municipal Court
325 Watchung Ave.
Board of Education
Special Meeting
7 p.m. Monday (tonight)
Plainfield High School Cafeteria
Among the council items are three redevelopment resolutions, related in part to an ambitious 2007 proposal to redevelop more than 90 properties near the Netherwood train station. It was reduced to 16 properties, but then stalled out, perhaps due to the financial woes of 2008 and beyond.
More recently, the Planning Board approved "in need of redevelopment" studies in June for two of the tracts. One contains the E. Paul and Royal Apex buildings on South Avenue.The other is a huge swath of land on North Avenue between Berckman and Leland for which the council approved an "in need" study in February. The resolutions for "in need of redevelopment" plans both stress "non-condemnation" intentions, meaning eminent domain will not be sought.
The third resolution is for the council to direct the Planning Board to conduct an "in need of redevelopment" investigation of 28 properties from 701 to 1021 South Avenue and 417-431 Berckman Street. This study also harks back to 2007 interest in the sites, though not as extensively on South Avenue.
By now, readers are probably aware of the process that requires the council to authorize the Planning Board to investigate whether a location is in need of redevelopment. If the Planning Board makes such a finding, the council may then direct the board to create a redevelopment plan. Early on, the Union County Improvement Authority was involved in the process, but that does not seem to be the case in the new thrust for redevelopment.
The areas now fall under the Transit-Oriented Development-Netherwood zoning ordinance that was adopted in 2013, allowing greater density around the Netherwood train station and designating sections for various types of development. See the TOD-N ordinance and map here.
Plainfield is finally taking off. Plaintalker encourages residents to learn more about the current redevelopment surge by checking resources on the city website and, if visiting City Hall, by examining the maps on display outside the Economic Development office on the second floor.
The Board of Education is holding two special meetings this week, on Monday and Tuesday. The board is expected to take action Monday on a resolution to hire a Head Football Coach at a stipend of $10,444. The candidate is not named. Tuesday's meeting is a closed session, if I am reading the agenda correctly. The regular work-and-study meeting took place on Aug. 2 and the business meeting is scheduled to take place on Aug. 16.
--Bernice
Going to the BOE meetings is like watching the Key Stone Cops. They are a mess.
ReplyDeleteThey are a mess! And the Mapp team platform was entirely about the meetings. They criticized everything from the location, participation, time.... I guess they had no idea. They forgot that the purpose of the meeting is to take care of business. And to listen to one member go on and on about something that can be said in 2 sentences. And another who doesn't understand what her role is as a committee chair. And another who can't provide leadership so wants to dictate. And another who seems to be intoxicated. What a mess!
ReplyDeleteWell it's better than having Wilma Campbell and krew. They could care less about the kids and only there to give out contracts for favors. Like a criminal background check they should also require a credit check. That would exclude the Campbell's from serving.
DeleteThe behavior of the new BOE members does not reflect caring about children in any way, shape or form. A bunch of bumbling idiots who are so full of themselves they don't see the mess they are creating. As a long time attendee of BOE meetings stated at the end of a meeting, "I have been attending these meetings for 25 years. I have never seen such an embarrassing mess!" But Anonymous 8:07 sees this as progress.
DeleteFC your days are numbered!
DeleteThe mess is not the BoE, it is the people of Plainfield who care nothing about children's education. Just accredited as a school after how many years? Shameful.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone share what is going on with Plainfield High School? Was the principal removed? Are they ready to accept students next month?
ReplyDelete