Friday, December 6, 2013
Mayors Share Tree Lighting
Dan's blog post today notes that outgoing Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs will light the holiday tree for the ninth time tonight despite serving an eight-year term. Click here for a very early Plainfield Plaintalker post on the matter.
Planners Urge Standards For New Elmwood Gardens
The Elmwood Gardens housing complex was declared in need of redevelopment in October 2011, but how it will be done is still under discussion.
The Planning Board heard Thursday from Michael Sullivan, lead planner for Clarke, Caton and Hintz, on issues regarding a redevelopment plan. The firm is preparing the plan and the discussion included parking strategies, density and possible expansion of the site as well as ways to make the project "green."
The talk soon became a polite tug of war between Sullivan, who cast things in light of what a developer might or not be willing to do, and the board, with members holding out for desired design standards.
"The developer is not first here," acting chairman Ron Scott-Bey told Sullivan.
On parking, the board specified 1.1 spaces per dwelling unit, but Sullivan said in other places, low-income housing developments calculate .9 or 1 per unit. He also suggested that because West Second Street is 45 feet wide next to the site, on-street reverse-angle parking could be employed. But the board did not want any parking on the street and asked whether the site could be enlarged through acquisition of adjacent properties.
Reverse-angle parking is where drivers back in to a space. Asked whether there are any studies on its use, Sullivan said studies show it is much safer than face-in parking and is easier than using a 90-degree space. Board member Horace Baldwin asked for examples of its use in New Jersey.
"Flesh it out a little more," he said, asking whether its use in Plainfield would be a pilot project..
But Sullvan said the only example he had seen was in Pottstown, Penna.
The Elmwood Gardens site formerly had a density of 31 units per acre, but the board wants 18 per acre for the new housing. Sullivan repeatedly cited how tight it made the plan, necessitating trade-offs. For example, the plan calls for a community room for tenants' use, but as far as adding open space, Sullivan said residents could walk to a nearby park.
Board member Willliam Toth raised a concern about inclusion of green initiatives, such as solar panels, bike routes and personal outdoor space. Sullivan called it a "tough proposition" to fit the latter items into the proposed grid pattern for the new complex..Solar panels would trigger other compromises, he said.
Toth also inquired about LEED certification, but Sullivan said developers say they want LEED standards without the $50,000 certification.
Board member Gordon Fuller asked whether the Authority would still be the landlord at the new complex and Executive Director Randall Wood said it would come back to the Housing Authority after 15 years.
The meeting adjourned with some questions still unanswered, such as comparative density and parking allowances in other low income housing complexes.
Meanwhile, at a Nov. 26 special City Council meeting, Wood said all the Elmwood Gardens tenants have been relocated. At the Nov. 12 meeting of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, officials said the authority has a "memorandum of understanding" with the Housing Authority to dispose of debris when Elmwood Gardens is razed and they hope to have a contract once the demolition begins.
The concerns about conditions at Elmwood Gardens go back many years (see 2008 post here), but notable figures, including the late Mayor Richard L. Taylor, grew up there and urban fiction author J.M. Benjamin based his book, "My Manz And 'Em," on his experiences there. On Thursday, Planning Board member Sandra Chambers recalled growing up there. She wanted to know how it will be decided which relocated tenants can go back and whether there will still be a basketball court.
"People have nice memories," she said.
--Bernice
The Planning Board heard Thursday from Michael Sullivan, lead planner for Clarke, Caton and Hintz, on issues regarding a redevelopment plan. The firm is preparing the plan and the discussion included parking strategies, density and possible expansion of the site as well as ways to make the project "green."
The talk soon became a polite tug of war between Sullivan, who cast things in light of what a developer might or not be willing to do, and the board, with members holding out for desired design standards.
"The developer is not first here," acting chairman Ron Scott-Bey told Sullivan.
On parking, the board specified 1.1 spaces per dwelling unit, but Sullivan said in other places, low-income housing developments calculate .9 or 1 per unit. He also suggested that because West Second Street is 45 feet wide next to the site, on-street reverse-angle parking could be employed. But the board did not want any parking on the street and asked whether the site could be enlarged through acquisition of adjacent properties.
Reverse-angle parking is where drivers back in to a space. Asked whether there are any studies on its use, Sullivan said studies show it is much safer than face-in parking and is easier than using a 90-degree space. Board member Horace Baldwin asked for examples of its use in New Jersey.
"Flesh it out a little more," he said, asking whether its use in Plainfield would be a pilot project..
But Sullvan said the only example he had seen was in Pottstown, Penna.
The Elmwood Gardens site formerly had a density of 31 units per acre, but the board wants 18 per acre for the new housing. Sullivan repeatedly cited how tight it made the plan, necessitating trade-offs. For example, the plan calls for a community room for tenants' use, but as far as adding open space, Sullivan said residents could walk to a nearby park.
Board member Willliam Toth raised a concern about inclusion of green initiatives, such as solar panels, bike routes and personal outdoor space. Sullivan called it a "tough proposition" to fit the latter items into the proposed grid pattern for the new complex..Solar panels would trigger other compromises, he said.
Toth also inquired about LEED certification, but Sullivan said developers say they want LEED standards without the $50,000 certification.
Board member Gordon Fuller asked whether the Authority would still be the landlord at the new complex and Executive Director Randall Wood said it would come back to the Housing Authority after 15 years.
The meeting adjourned with some questions still unanswered, such as comparative density and parking allowances in other low income housing complexes.
Meanwhile, at a Nov. 26 special City Council meeting, Wood said all the Elmwood Gardens tenants have been relocated. At the Nov. 12 meeting of the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority, officials said the authority has a "memorandum of understanding" with the Housing Authority to dispose of debris when Elmwood Gardens is razed and they hope to have a contract once the demolition begins.
The concerns about conditions at Elmwood Gardens go back many years (see 2008 post here), but notable figures, including the late Mayor Richard L. Taylor, grew up there and urban fiction author J.M. Benjamin based his book, "My Manz And 'Em," on his experiences there. On Thursday, Planning Board member Sandra Chambers recalled growing up there. She wanted to know how it will be decided which relocated tenants can go back and whether there will still be a basketball court.
"People have nice memories," she said.
--Bernice
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Tour Van Wyck Brooks District Sunday
Take part in one of Plainfield's signature events on Dec. 8, a holiday house tour in the Van Wyck Brooks Historic District!
Historic house tours showcase the city's most opulent housing stock, featuring architectural details that delight the eye and cause visitors to marvel at the workmanship of the Victorian era. Many of these homes have been lovingly restored to their original elegance.
For full details, click here and share with friends and relatives around Central Jersey and beyond. Visitors will remember the tour for years to come.
The Van Wyck Brooks Historic District is fortunate to have not only an eclectic array of architectural styles, but one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic historic district associations. If you have never been to a Plainfield house tour, attend this one and you will be sure to anticipate future tours.
--Bernice
Historic house tours showcase the city's most opulent housing stock, featuring architectural details that delight the eye and cause visitors to marvel at the workmanship of the Victorian era. Many of these homes have been lovingly restored to their original elegance.
For full details, click here and share with friends and relatives around Central Jersey and beyond. Visitors will remember the tour for years to come.
The Van Wyck Brooks Historic District is fortunate to have not only an eclectic array of architectural styles, but one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic historic district associations. If you have never been to a Plainfield house tour, attend this one and you will be sure to anticipate future tours.
--Bernice
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Landmark Eyes Lot 9 For New Project
Plaintalker previously wrote about a conceptual hearing on erecting 86 apartments on Municipal Lot 9 and another city-owned lot. Now Gabe Bailer, planner and assistant project manager for Landmark Developers, tells us about another concept.
"We envision these properties as a green market center comprising of a food incubator, a brew pub and artisanal distillery. The food incubator will be a shared kitchen and restaurant space to develop food products for production and to supply local and surrounding restaurants," Bailer said in an email.
While both Landmark and the Housing Authority want to use the parking lot that takes up most of the block bounded by Madison Avenue, West Second Street, West Front Street and Central Avenue, Landmark's plan also encompasses two existing buildings. Both plans include a small parcel at the corner of West Second and Madison, across from a city playground. (Click image to enlarge.)
Sketch of the brewery as envisioned by Landmark
At present, neither proposal has an application before city land use boards. A group including representatives of the Housing Authority of Plainfield and the Plainfield Community Development Corporation met with the Planning Board in October, but Chairman Ken Robertson told them to settle with the city first over land ownership. At a special meeting on Nov. 26, an ordinance to convey the land to the Housing Authority was deemed "not legal" by Corporation Counsel David Minchello, as it lacked a price and proposed redevelopment where no such designation was in place.
Lot 9 off West Front Street
Lot 9 at West Second and Central
The city parking lot has 113 permit-only spaces, but when Plaintalker surveyed all city parking lots in 2009, only 10 permits were sold Monthly permits are $25 for businesses, $30 for residents and $35 for non-residents and must be obtained from the Parking Bureau.
Pueblo Viejo Bar and Restaurant, West Front Street
The portion of Lot 9 opening onto West Front Street is flanked by Pueblo Viejo and a fish market.
Bailer's announcement was the first Plaintalker heard of Landmark's new proposal. Developer Frank Cretella already has about a dozen projects in the city in various states of completion, including plans for residential units, restaurants, an entertainment complex, offices and other facilities. While dealing with various land use boards and commissions in Plainfield, Cretella has renovated the Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station and has another major hospitality project in New Hope.
The Jersey City-based firm has been seeking one or more liquor licenses in Plainfield to further its hospitality ventures here, but so far has not acquired any.
According to state Alcoholic Beverage Control regulations, a brew pub would require a manufacturing license as well as a "plenary retail consumption" license. From the ABC Handbook:
BREW PUBS
WHAT ARE “BREW PUBS,” AND WHAT ARE THEIR PRIVILEGES?
A brew pub, referred to in the A.B.C. law as a Restricted Brewery License, is a manufacturing license that
permits the license holder to brew malt alcoholic beverages in quantities not to exceed 3,000 barrels per
license term. This license can only be issued to a person or entity that identically owns a Plenary Retail
Consumption License which is operated in conjunction with a restaurant regularly and is principally used for
the purpose of providing meals to its customers and having kitchen and dining facilities. The restricted
brewery licensed premises must be immediately adjoining the retail consumption licensed premises. The
holder of this license shall only be entitled to sell or deliver its product to that restaurant premises. The
purpose of this type of license is to allow the holder of the license to manufacture product and to sell it at its
retail licensed premises. No more than two Restricted Brewery Licenses shall be issued to a person or entity
which holds identical interests in two plenary retail consumption licenses, used in conjunction with
restaurants, as previously discussed.
Since this is a manufacturing license, it will also need certain approval from the federal Alcohol and
Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau and from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and may also require additional approval from the municipality in which it is located.
The proposed distillery would benefit from a new law effective Dec. 1 that allows production of up to 20,000 gallons of distilled alcoholic beverages annually.
Titsworth-Sutphen House
Landmark's concept also includes relocation of the Titsworth-Sutphen House to the other block, adjacent to the brew pub. The pre-Civil War structure is now on the PNC Bank lot on West Second Street and is being used by Angels in Action Foundation as an education center. As part of the approvals for Landmark's West Second Street Commons project in September 2010, Cretella pledged to relocate the historic building.
Historic sign on the Titsworth-Sutphen building
Regarding the "green market center" concept, Bailer offered this article by way of explanation of how it might work.
As with all Cretella's proposed projects, there is a strong sense of innovation and excitement involved in these ideas for the Lot 9 block. It is now part of the new Transit-Oriented Development-Downtown (TOD-D) zone and land use boards will have to determine how the brew pub/distillery/green market concept fits in with permitted uses. As details emerge, Plaintalker will endeavor to keep readers informed.
--Bernice
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Appointments Put Off For Details
Numerous appointments proposed by outgoing Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs failed to gain City Council consensus to be moved for action at the Dec. 9 regular meeting.
With only six members present (Councilman William Reid was in South Carolina), most instances found three members (Vera Greaves, Tracey Brown, Council President Bridget Rivers) in favor of moving nominations and three not in favor (Cory Storch, Rebecca Williams, Adrian Mapp).
As Plaintalker pointed out in this post, many of the mayor's nominations lacked necessary details, such as terms. Williams also noted that candidates for boards and commissions have in the past been interviewed by the council prior to a vote, but none on the list were interviewed nor were applications available for review.
All the nominations for the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority failed to get a consensus. Most consisted of rearranging current commissioners to realign terms, with Malcolm Dunn and Cecil Sanders favored for the longest terms.
Shade Tree Commission names also failed to get consensus.
Eight names were offered for the new Community Emergency Response Team, formed by ordinance in September, but on advice of Corporation Counsel David Minchello, Greaves removed herself from nomination rather than give up her council seat due to the city's prohibition on dual office-holding. Williams pointed out there were no terms indicated for the nominees and City Clerk Abubakar Jalloh confirmed that he received only names with no dates.
"So this won't get this group off to a good start," Storch said.
Mapp said the nominations should not be moved until the terms were spelled out.
"Let's do it right," he said.
Formation of the African Caribbean Commission was proposed in August and passed in September. The ordinance provided for nine members, with initially staggered terms of three members each for one-, two-, or three-year terms. Eight names were offered, but the one-year terms were misstated as ending on Dec. 31, 2015.
Although Williams and Mapp called for a delay until nominees could be interviewed or at least have their applications reviewed, Rivers objected, saying the group had already held a celebration and swearing-in.
"Which makes it all the more egregious," Williams said.
A bit of confusion ensued, with the council attempting a vote to table the matter and Jalloh saying it failed, but Mapp pointed out the council can't actually vote at an agenda-fixing session. It was unclear whether the names will be up for a vote on Dec. 9, but at any rate nominee Charles Eke will have to make a choice between having a seat on the commission or keeping his current alternate's seat on the PMUA.
--Bernice
With only six members present (Councilman William Reid was in South Carolina), most instances found three members (Vera Greaves, Tracey Brown, Council President Bridget Rivers) in favor of moving nominations and three not in favor (Cory Storch, Rebecca Williams, Adrian Mapp).
As Plaintalker pointed out in this post, many of the mayor's nominations lacked necessary details, such as terms. Williams also noted that candidates for boards and commissions have in the past been interviewed by the council prior to a vote, but none on the list were interviewed nor were applications available for review.
All the nominations for the Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority failed to get a consensus. Most consisted of rearranging current commissioners to realign terms, with Malcolm Dunn and Cecil Sanders favored for the longest terms.
Shade Tree Commission names also failed to get consensus.
Eight names were offered for the new Community Emergency Response Team, formed by ordinance in September, but on advice of Corporation Counsel David Minchello, Greaves removed herself from nomination rather than give up her council seat due to the city's prohibition on dual office-holding. Williams pointed out there were no terms indicated for the nominees and City Clerk Abubakar Jalloh confirmed that he received only names with no dates.
"So this won't get this group off to a good start," Storch said.
Mapp said the nominations should not be moved until the terms were spelled out.
"Let's do it right," he said.
Formation of the African Caribbean Commission was proposed in August and passed in September. The ordinance provided for nine members, with initially staggered terms of three members each for one-, two-, or three-year terms. Eight names were offered, but the one-year terms were misstated as ending on Dec. 31, 2015.
Although Williams and Mapp called for a delay until nominees could be interviewed or at least have their applications reviewed, Rivers objected, saying the group had already held a celebration and swearing-in.
"Which makes it all the more egregious," Williams said.
A bit of confusion ensued, with the council attempting a vote to table the matter and Jalloh saying it failed, but Mapp pointed out the council can't actually vote at an agenda-fixing session. It was unclear whether the names will be up for a vote on Dec. 9, but at any rate nominee Charles Eke will have to make a choice between having a seat on the commission or keeping his current alternate's seat on the PMUA.
--Bernice
"The People's Inaugural"
"I want to include everyone in the city of Plainfield," Mapp said.
He plans to take a ceremonial oath on the steps of City Hall, then let attendees come through the building to greet him as mayor before going to
The food will come from restaurants invited to participate and Mapp said the event is expected to last four hours.
The service theme for his first week as mayor will include a service activity on each day, he said.
Traditionally the mayor is sworn in at midnight on Dec. 31 and then oaths are taken at the annual reorganization. Councilwoman Bridget Rivers will also be taking her oath of office for a second four-year term representing the 4th Ward.
The reorganization meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Jan. 6. It usually includes numerous appointments, including cabinet members, and naming of official newspapers and other business for the year, as well as the mayor's State of the City address.
Plaintalker will provide more details on "The People's Inaugural" as they emerge.
--Bernice
Monday, December 2, 2013
Council Meeting Tonight
City Council Agenda-fixing Session
Tonight
7:30 p.m. Dec. 2
Municipal Court
325 Watchung Ave.
Click here to view agenda
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