Planning Board Holds Master Plan Reexamination Meeting

A muggy summer evening and a less-than-comfortable basement conference room with a squeaky door didn't deter about 60 residents from attending Tuesday night's Master Plan reexamination meeting at City Hall.

Planning board planner Eileen Banyra of the New Paltz-based EFB Associates (the community and land use consultants retained by the city to prepare the report) briefed residents on the city's latest Master Plan, which was adopted in 2004 and which can be viewed here.

A Master Plan is typically defined as the general land use plan of a city. In Hoboken, which has had five different Master Plans (the first of which was introduced in 1904), the document has historically served as a veritable development bible that, taking into account the city's changing demographics and needs, guides development projects with an eye towards how they will affect the city's long-term future.

Banyra told residents that the chief objectives of the Master Plan Reexamination report—something the city is legally required to complete every six years—are to assess the relevance of the current plan, identify changes in state, county and local land use law, identify whether the community's policies or objectives have changed since the adoption of the current plan and to recommend specific changes going forward, if necessary.

Her team, Banyra said, has been engaging in ongoing discussions with "city policymakers, representatives of city boards" and "other stakeholders." And, she said, the report will take into account the input of the public, which was the primary function of last night's meeting.

In all, 27 residents stood before the planning board and made remarks on the current Master Plan, offering their perspectives on what elements need inclusion or reevaluation. By far, the most vocal and well-represented interest group at the meeting was Hoboken's arts community.

Director of Cultural Affairs Geri Fallo said she was speaking as a member of the Hoboken Arts and Industry Council and submitted an "Arts Master Plan" for the board's consideration. Fallo told the board she hopes it will "consider adding aspects, if not all, of the Arts Master Plan and add an arts district" to the city's Master Plan.

Chris O'Connor, founder of the Mile Square Theater followed Fallo, speaking in support of the Arts Master Plan, saying that it aims to draw more artists to the city, which in turn will benefit the local economy.

Several others from the arts community spoke about the importance of the Master Plan including a comprehensive strategy for nurturing the arts scene in Hoboken. Local artist Roslyn Rose, who handles public relations for the Hob'Art Cooperative Gallery, said that Hoboken needs more places where artists can display their work, or the city risks losing its vibrant arts scene.

Rose said city officials from Rahway, NJ have approached her about moving her studio to Rahway and bringing her colleagues with her. She said Rahway city planners want to emulate Hoboken's art scene and they have explicitly told her that they "are going to be the next Hoboken."

Other topics that many residents touched on were the need to preserve historic buildings in Hoboken, flooding problems, addressing the city's aging infrastructure—both crossing guard Margaret O'Brien and Democratic Committee member Ines Garcia-Keim said Hoboken's sewer system is nearly 150 years old—and decreasing the development of high-rise condos in the future.

Some residents seemed to be speaking off-the-cuff, their messages lacking real substance, while others, like Joan Abel and Leah Healy, addressed the board with the authority of having done their homework.

Abel, a local architect, told the planning board she has developed a plan to deal with Hoboken's surface water problems, noting that it takes into account Hoboken's natural ecosystem: one that featured marshes and streams prior to its urban development. She submitted the plan, which she said included a proposal for best management practices to mitigate flooding problems, to the board.

Leah Healy implored the board to consider Hoboken's population when determining changes to the Master Plan. "Population density has to be on the forefront of our minds," she told board members. Healy, a longtime advocate for increased park space, highlighted other cities that offer residents more open space.

Healy said that park development in Hoboken has been concentrated near the waterfront leaving the North, West and South parts of town "completely ignored."

Afterwards, Keith Furman, the Chairman of the Master Plan Reexamination Subcommittee, said he was pleased with the turnout and noted that much of the feedback from the community is in line with what the board has discussed with city officials.

"For me, the feedback I like the most related to the arts and open space," Furman said.

Banyra, the planner, echoed Furman's reaction. "I loved that the arts community came out," said Banyra, who added that she was happy to see so many people engaged in "something that's not controversial."

Furman said he thinks the Master Plan is still relevant, but that the city has experienced shortcomings in meeting some of the goals set forth in the plan. "It's unfortunate the plan was never codified. It's also unfortunate key provisions of the plan were ignored with a lot of the development we've seen since the plan's adoption," he said.

The reexamination report is expected to be completed sometime around October, but not without more input from the community.

"Another public meeting will take place in September or October, where a draft of the final plan will be presented," Furman said. "Residents will have an opportunity to give feedback on the final draft."

Furman added that the board is working on a way for residents to register feedback via the city's website until the end of July and that feature should be up and running soon, he said.