Ball Rolling Again On Proposed Zoning Changes In Newark

NEWARK, NJ — The ball is rolling again on a series of proposed zoning changes that could create more housing in Newark, although some community members still have concerns about the plan’s impact on their neighborhoods.

The proposed ordinance would update Newark’s zoning and land use regulations, laying out new rules for building heights and density, and allowing for some new permitted uses in the city, such as “accessory dwelling units.” Read More: Newark's New Zoning Plan Could Change Your Neighborhood (Here's How)

City administrators previously highlighted several major changes that would happen if the plan crosses the finish line. They include:

• Corridor Upzoning – “Modest increases in height to allow more opportunities for housing development along primary and secondary corridors within the neighborhood context. Non- residential uses are required on the ground floor of primary corridors and permitted, but not required on the ground floor of secondary corridors.”
• Replace Aging Redevelopment Plans – “Three redevelopment plans have grown outdated relative to the new Master Plan standards. Replacing the plans with standard zoning will prevent those parts of the city from being more strictly regulated than their immediate neighbors.”
• Zoning For More Homes – “Changes to minimum lot area and density standards for multi-family buildings provide context-sensitive opportunity to add new housing units to most neighborhoods.”
• Streamline Small Development – “Three-family dwellings and other small projects can be approved administratively, and existing undersized lots grandfathered in to speed up the development process.”
• Commercial Use Flexibility – “Permit home-based businesses to promote entrepreneurship and allow more diverse and flexible uses within commercial zones.”
• Update Building And Design Standards – “Changes to certain lighting, signage, building transparency, landscaping, and building placement standards will address frequent variance requests.”

The Newark City Council introduced the original ordinance in March, forwarding it to the Central Planning Board for more review. A series of public meetings and workshops followed, with city administrators getting a wide range of feedback – both for it and against it.

Some residents have praised the proposed changes, which officials say will result in better “walkability” and the creation of more housing – a perpetual hot-button issue in Newark. But other residents are concerned that the plan will clear the way for a variety of negative development in a city that is already the most populated place in New Jersey.

After taking the plan back to the drawing board, the City of Newark’s economic and housing development department has now introduced a new version with several revisions. The council has asked the planning board to take a look at the latest version of the ordinance.

Another community meeting on the proposed changes is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 17 at 6 p.m. It will be held via Zoom and also livestreamed on the city’s Facebook page.

The planning board is expected to hold a hearing on the plan during their meeting on Aug. 21. The revamped ordinance could possibly be introduced to the city council again on Sept. 7.

During the council’s meeting on Aug. 8, deputy mayor Allison Ladd, the city’s director of economic and housing development, said administrators made “substantial” changes after getting feedback from concerned community members – and there is an urgency towards getting the new ordinance over the finish line (watch the video below, cued to the discussion).

“We have held many meetings about the zoning ordinance, and we believe that in Newark, that is something we should be proud of,” Ladd said. “In other states and cities, it’s not required to hold this volume of community meetings.”

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OBJECTIONS

Some residents and community groups have been pushing back against the plan, saying that there are many lingering questions about its environmental impact and what it will mean for historic neighborhoods in the city.

Speaking at the Aug. 2 council meeting, members of the South Ward Environmental Alliance argued that the proposal would put a burden on Newark’s housing system and infrastructure, and add to flooding problems. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz, who represents Newark in the 29th District, sent a letter to the council and Mayor Ras Baraka, saying that areas identified for “upzoning” are already overpopulated, TAPintoNewark reported.

The Forest Hill Community Association has also gone on the record with their concerns, claiming that the zoning changes will “destroy our historic district and all the historic districts throughout the City of Newark.”

“We believe that the city's goal of increasing available housing should not be accomplished at the expense of its present residents and taxpayers,” the group said in an online petition.

NEW CHANGES

One of the big changes in the latest version of the plan would permit accessory dwelling units (ADUs), small units that can be added to existing residential properties to provide additional housing options – and a possible source of income for homeowners.

Other Essex County municipalities, such as Montclair, have recently passed similar legislation that permits ADUs. Read More: Accessory Dwelling Units Approved For Montclair Renters

According to Ladd, officially clearing the way for ADUs can help Newark to make a dent in a big need: finding affordable places for residents to live.

“As you know, in the city of Newark, we have a very great need for housing,” Ladd told the council at their Aug. 8 meeting. “We have over 16,000 units that are needed. And every one unit helps us to make sure that our market is able to have more stable housing and not inflated market conditions.”

“So we pushed for accessory dwelling units because it will help us create more units,” Ladd said.

ADUs located in historic districts would need to be approved by the city’s central planning board and the historic district, she said.

“One last note about accessory dwelling units is that now we are just recommending it in our [R-1] zones, not in all of the residential zones,” Ladd added.

There has also been a change to the regulations for dry cleaners and warehouses, Ladd said:

“Second, there was especially in our East Ward, and a conversation about dry cleaners, and the chemicals that are actually used to clean clothes. And so one of the recommendations were making is to split the dry cleaning category into two for retail, so where you drop off and pick up dry cleaning, that could be any place in an appropriate commercial zone. But for cleaning services, for those that you actually drop off your clothes, and your clothes will be cleaned on site, that could only be in industrial zones. So we're splitting it such that we're making sure we're protecting those residents that are in and around a commercial corridor from any negative environmental impact. And so that we can put that more in industrial spaces.”

Ladd continued:

“The third item is the development of warehouses. We know that this is a big piece, both in our South and our East Ward about development, and also some in our North Ward. So one of the things we're doing with warehouses is it's going to be a conditional use. So it means it needs board approval.”

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