NJ state Senators Stack and Sacco have introduced a bill that would radically downzone all of the Hudson waterfront from Jersey City to Fort Lee. In the northern half of downtown Jersey City this bill would prohibit any new buildings taller than about 6 to 9 floors.
Jersey City is about to study an inclusionary rezoning for the area north of the Holland Tunnel including new apartments for 373 public housing residents, and this bill would pretty much kill any chance of that happening: S3274
It’s called the “Palisades Cliffs Protection Act” but the bill would actually affect any buildings between the Hudson River and the cliffs–even those a full mile away from the cliffs. Most towns on the Palisades, including Jersey City, already have bills that protect views by limiting building heights right near the cliffs. But this would go WAY, WAY farther than that.
An inclusionary rezoning under consideration in Edgewater that would bring 180 affordable units and 1620 market-rate units would likely be impacted. Some parcels in Jersey City currently zoned for 60-story buildings would be downzoned from 60 stories to 6 stories!
All of the part of Jersey City below would be limited to the height of the Palisades minus ten feet (about 60 to 90 feet), even though there are already 400-foot-tall buildings in these neighborhoods!
In a statement, Hoboken 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher came out against the legislation, exclaiming that Stack and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla need to do better for Hoboken and the 33rd Legislative District.
“Our state senator, who also happens to be Union City mayor, introduced a state law that screws Hoboken just to protect Union City views?” she questioned.
“This law, if passed, would devastate Hoboken and our ability to lower taxes and to have a world class transit hub, more affordable housing, a community center, more open space and other needed city services. Senator/Mayor Stack needs to withdraw this bill and Mayor Bhalla needs to demand that he do so.”
I’d support this bill if it only applied to north of the Lincoln Tunnel. But also there should be height limits west of the Palisades north of the GWB, especially after the corruption surrounding LG’s new headquarters in Englewood Cliffs.
Years ago someone told me there were height restrictions for this area to make sure wind would be able to flush air pollutants out via the Hudson channel and toward the ocean. I have no idea if this is true(?).
^^This area includes Newport, which has no absolute height limits and where buildings up to 60 stories have been approved. So no, there aren’t height limits related to pollutants there…
Years ago someone told me there were height restrictions for this area to make sure wind would be able to flush air pollutants out via the Hudson channel and toward the ocean. I have no idea if this is true(?).
