Planning Board - Planning Board Meeting

1 CITY OF UNION CITY HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY PLANNING BOARD : TRANSCRIPT OF RECORDED REGULAR MEETING : : PROCEEDINGS ___________________: Via Zoom Video Conference Union City, New Jersey Tuesday, May 26, 2020 Commencing at 6:04 p.m. M E M B E R S P R E S E N T: YDALIA GENAO, Mayor’s Designee, (Via Remotely) RUDY RIVERO, (Via Remotely) ALEJANDRO VELAZQUEZ, Alternate No. 1, (Via Remotely) JOSE GUARENO, Alternate No. 2, (Via Remotely) JEANNE KOEHLER, Vice Chairperson, (Via Remotely) DIANE CAPIZZI, Chairperson, (Via Remotely) M E M B E R S A B S E N T: ALICIA MOREJON CAROLINA FERNANDEZ FRANKLIN MEDINA BRIAN P. STACK, Mayor CELIN VALDIVIA, Commissioner A L S O P R E S E N T: CARLOS VALLEJO, Secretary to the Board, (Via Remotely) BRIAN M. CHEWCASKIE, ESQ., Board Attorney, (Via Remotely) DAVID SPATZ, Consultant, (Via Remotely) Community Housing and Planning Associates  2 A P P E A R A N C E S: ELAINE BERKENWALD, ESQ., (Via Remotely) Attorney for Applicant, PBG Realty, LLC  3 I N D E X PAGE CALL TO ORDER 4 SALUTE TO FLAG 5 ROLL CALL 5 ADOPTION OF MINUTES 8 HEARINGS PBG Realty, LLC 10 ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS/CORRECTIVE RESOLUTIONS 13 ADJOURNMENT 18  4 1 THE SECRETARY: All right. 2 Union City -- 3 MS. DILLON: On the record. 4 THE SECRETARY: -- Planning Board. 5 Please take notice that pursuant to 6 Governor Murphy Executive Order 107 and 108, 7 ordering a statewide lockdown and P.L. 2020, c 11 8 permitting public bodies to conduct meetings via 9 electronic means, declared a state of emergency, 10 a Regular Meeting of the Union City Planning 11 Board has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 12 2020, at six p.m. 13 The Regular Meeting will be conducted 14 remotely from electronic meeting platform Zoom. 15 Members of the public can join the meeting 16 and participate during the public comment by 17 joining the meeting using the Zoom mobile 18 application or a smartphone or tablet, join the 19 meeting by laptop with microphone or dialing in, 20 using a telephone to the Zoom teleconference 21 system. 22 Information on how to join the meeting 23 electronically appears below, and also was posted 24 on the bulletin board on the website of the City 25 of Union City, posted in the City Clerk’s Office.  5 1 Opening -- opening statement. 2 This is a meeting called in compliance with 3 Chapter 231, Public Law 1975 of the Open Public 4 Meeting Act. 5 Notice of this meeting has been provided as 6 follow: 7 Notice of this meeting, setting forth the 8 time, date, location, to the agenda, to the 9 extent known as forwarded to The Jersey Journal, 10 The Record, and The Hudson Reporter. Has been 11 posted on the bulletin board in City Hall and has 12 been made available to the public in the Office 13 of the Municipal Clerk. 14 Before we call roll for this evening 15 meeting, can everybody kindly rise to salute the 16 flag? 17 18 (Whereupon, the Pledge of Allegiance was 19 said by all.) 20 21 THE SECRETARY: Thank you. 22 23 ROLL CALL: 24 25 THE SECRETARY: Roll call.  6 1 Roll call for tonight’s meeting. 2 Mayor Brian P. Stack? 3 Is absent. 4 Diane Capizzi? 5 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Here. 6 THE SECRETARY: Jeanne Koehler? 7 Ms. Koehler? Is right there, I can see 8 her. 9 MR. CHEWCASKIE: She’s on mute. 10 VICE CHAIRPERSON KOEHLER: Here. 11 THE SECRETARY: Thank you. 12 Ydalia Genao? 13 Ydalia? 14 All right, she’s present. 15 Commissioner Celin Valdivia is absent. 16 Carolina Fernandez is absent. 17 Rudy Rivero? 18 MR. RIVERO: Here. 19 THE SECRETARY: Here. 20 Franklin Medina? 21 Is absent. 22 Alicia Morejon is absent. 23 Alejandro Velazquez? 24 MR. VELAZQUEZ: Here. 25 THE SECRETARY: Jose Guareno?  7 1 Jose? 2 Jose is present. I can see him. 3 Unmute yourself. 4 MR. GUARENO: Okay. 5 You hear me? 6 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Yes. 7 THE SECRETARY: Yes, now. 8 MR. GUARENO: Oh, beautiful. 9 THE SECRETARY: We have now -- we have one, 10 two, three, four, five, six members present. 11 Correct? 12 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Yes. 13 THE SECRETARY: We have a full -- full 14 quorum for tonight’s meeting. 15 Are the attorney for PBG Realty is here? 16 Anybody from the -- 17 MR. CHEWCASKIE: No. PBG, Ms. Berkenwald 18 is here. She’s muted. 19 * * * 20 21 22 23 24 25  8 1 ADOPTION OF MINUTES: 2 3 ( 1) Regular Meeting held on February 25, 2020 4 5 MR. CHEWCASKIE: You also have, before that, 6 the adoption of minutes, Carlos. 7 THE SECRETARY: Yes. Yes. 8 Let me do it. 9 I’m sorry. 10 Let me go for -- 11 All right. 12 Adoption of minutes. 13 Regular Meeting held on February 25th, 14 2020. 15 Can I have a motion? 16 MR. VELAZQUEZ: I make the motion. 17 THE SECRETARY: Motion by Mr. Velazquez. 18 Any second the motion? 19 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Second. 20 THE SECRETARY: Second by Ms. Capizzi. 21 Roll call on the motion. 22 Ms. Capizzi? 23 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Yes. 24 THE SECRETARY: Ms. Koehler? 25 VICE CHAIRPERSON KOEHLER: Yes.  9 1 THE SECRETARY: Ms. Genao? 2 Ms. Genao? 3 Can you hear me? 4 Yeah. She’s present. 5 All right. Ms. Genao, I cannot hear you. 6 MS. GENAO: Can you hear me now? 7 Hello? 8 MR. CHEWCASKIE: Yes. 9 THE SECRETARY: Yes. Okay. 10 MS. GENAO: Yes. 11 THE SECRETARY: Thank you. 12 Mr. Rivero? 13 MR. RIVERO: Yes. 14 THE SECRETARY: Mr. Velazquez? 15 MR. VELAZQUEZ: Here. 16 THE SECRETARY: Mr. Guareno? 17 MR. GUARENO: Yes. 18 THE SECRETARY: Six in favor. 19 Motion carries. 20 * * * 21 22 23 24 25  10 1 PBG Realty, LLC - 2207 Summit Avenue: 2 3 THE SECRETARY: Now, we are going to 4 hearings and extensions. 5 PBG Realty, LLC, 2207 Summit Avenue. 6 The attorney from PBG, please? 7 MS. BERKENWALD: Elaine Berkenwald, 8 representing PBG Realty. 9 We asked for an additional year. My client 10 has had major medical issues this year and is 11 better and hopes to get a move on it. It’s just, 12 things have been somewhat delayed now with the 13 pandemic, but one more year should do it. 14 And we would appreciate the Board’s 15 consideration. 16 MR. CHEWCASKIE: If I may, Ms. Capizzi? 17 I took a look at the previous approvals. 18 The approvals were granted July 24 th, 2018. This 19 is within a redevelopment zone. I know I believe 20 the Redevelopment Agency is also looking at this. 21 I took the liberty of preparing a Resolution to 22 authorize the one extension. I believe it’s 23 merited under the circumstances. 24 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Okay. Great. 25 Thank you.  11 1 THE SECRETARY: All right. 2 Can I have a motion -- 3 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Yes. I’ll make a 4 motion. 5 THE SECRETARY: -- to grant one year 6 extension by Ms. Capizzi. 7 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Yes. 8 MR. VELAZQUEZ: I second. 9 THE SECRETARY: Seconded by Mr. Velazquez. 10 Roll call on the motion to grant the one 11 year extension. 12 Ms. Capizzi? 13 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Yes. 14 THE SECRETARY: Ms. Koehler? 15 VICE CHAIRPERSON KOEHLER: Yes. 16 THE SECRETARY: Ms. Genao? 17 MS. GENAO: Yes. 18 THE SECRETARY: Mr. Rivero? 19 MR. RIVERO: Yes. 20 THE SECRETARY: Mr. Velazquez? 21 MR. VELAZQUEZ: Yes. 22 THE SECRETARY: Mr. Guareno? 23 MR. GUARENO: Yes. 24 THE SECRETARY: Six in favor. 25 Motion carries.  12 1 MS. BERKENWALD: Thank you very much and 2 good evening. 3 Be well. 4 MR. CHEWCASKIE: Thank you. 5 MS. GENAO: Thank you. 6 THE SECRETARY: Have a good night. 7 MS. GENAO: Thank you. 8 Have a good night. 9 10 * * * 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  13 1 ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS: 2 3 ( 1) Faraouk Sheikh, 912 Palisade Avenue, Block 4 186, Lot 33. Applicant proposes the construction 5 of a new three family home. Withdrawn 6 ( 2) Lilian Leon, 1608 New York Avenue, Block 7 88, Lot 22. The applicant proposes to subdivide 8 10,297 square foot vacant parcel into two lots. 9 A three family will be constructed on one lot and 10 the other will remain vacant at this time. 11 Withdrawn 12 ( 3) 733 32nd Street, LLC, 733 32nd Street, Block 13 174, Lot 18. Applicant proposes to expand an 14 existing mixed use building from one residential 15 apartment to three duplex apartments as well as 16 expanding the commercial area on the second 17 floor. Approved 18 19 ADOPTION OF CORRECTIVE RESOLUTIONS: 20 21 ( 4) Mardamer Builders, 546-548 35th Street. 22 Approved 23 ( 5) Mardamer Builders, 547 36 th Street. 24 Approved 25 ( 6) Mardamer Builders, 545 41 st Street.  14 1 Approved 2 3 ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS: 4 5 ( 7) PBG Realty, LLC, 2207 Summit Avenue, Block 6 120, Lot 12-20 & 33. Apartment complex with 208 7 residential units and ground floor commercial 8 space and 272 parking spaces. Seeking for one 9 year extension. The approval resolution was 10 memorialized on July 24, 2018. Approved 11 12 THE SECRETARY: All right. 13 We have adoption of Resolutions. 14 We have, in total, seven Resolutions. 15 MR. CHEWCASKIE: You should have six, 16 Carlos. 17 THE SECRETARY: Wait. 18 MR. CHEWCASKIE: The seventh one was PBG. 19 THE SECRETARY: Right. 20 You want to have it -- but you want to 21 adopt the Resolution in tonight’s meeting? 22 MR. CHEWCASKIE: Yes. 23 THE SECRETARY: Yes. That’s why I say 24 total seven. 25 MR. CHEWCASKIE: Okay.  15 1 THE SECRETARY: With PBG. 2 All right. 3 Let me read now the Resolution. 4 Resolution number 1. 5 Faraouk Sheikh, 912 Palisade Avenue. 6 Resolution number 2. 7 Lilian Leon, 1608 New York Avenue. 8 Resolution number 3. 9 733 32nd Street, LLC, 733 32nd Street. 10 Now, we are going to Resolution number 4, 11 Corrective Resolution. 12 Mardamer Builder, 546-548 35th Street. 13 Resolution number 5. 14 Mardamer Builder, 547 36th Street. 15 Resolution number 6. 16 Mardamer Builder, 545 41st Street. 17 Now, we are going to Resolution number 7. 18 Resolution number 7. 19 PBG Realty, LLC, 2207 Summit Avenue. 20 Can I have a motion to adopt -- to adopt 21 the seven Resolutions? 22 MR. VELAZQUEZ: I make a motion. 23 THE SECRETARY: Motion by -- 24 MS. GENAO: I -- 25 THE SECRETARY: -- Mr. Velazquez.  16 1 MS. GENAO: I second. 2 THE SECRETARY: Second by Ms. Koehler? 3 MS. GENAO: Ydalia. 4 THE SECRETARY: Ydalia? 5 Okay. 6 I’m sorry. 7 MS. GENAO: Yes. 8 THE SECRETARY: Ydalia Genao seconded. 9 Roll call on the motion. 10 Ms. Capizzi? 11 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Yes. 12 THE SECRETARY: Ms. Koehler? 13 VICE CHAIRPERSON KOEHLER: Yes. 14 THE SECRETARY: Ms. Genao? 15 MS. GENAO: Yes. 16 THE SECRETARY: Mr. Rivero? 17 MR. RIVERO: Yes. 18 THE SECRETARY: Mr. Velazquez? 19 MR. VELAZQUEZ: Yes. 20 THE SECRETARY: Mr. -- Mr. Genao (sic) -- 21 Guareno? 22 MR. GUARENO: Yes. 23 THE SECRETARY: Six in favor. 24 Motion carries. 25 That was very easy.  17 1 Right? 2 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Yeah. 3 * * * 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  18 1 ADJOURNMENT: 2 3 THE SECRETARY: All right. 4 There being no other application or any 5 other item on tonight’s agenda, can I have a 6 motion to close tonight’s meeting? 7 MR. VELAZQUEZ: I make the motion. 8 THE SECRETARY: Motion by Ms. Capizzi. 9 Seconded by Mr. Velazquez? 10 MR. VELAZQUEZ: Yes. 11 THE SECRETARY: Roll call on the motion to 12 end tonight’s meeting. 13 Ms. Capizzi? 14 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Yes. 15 THE SECRETARY: Ms. Koehler? 16 VICE CHAIRPERSON KOEHLER: Yes. 17 THE SECRETARY: Ms. Genao? 18 MS. GENAO: Yes. 19 THE SECRETARY: Mr. Rivero? 20 MR. RIVERO: Yes. 21 THE SECRETARY: Mr. Velazquez? 22 MR. VELAZQUEZ: Yes. 23 THE SECRETARY: Mr. Guareno? 24 MR. GUARENO: Yes. 25 THE SECRETARY: Six in favor.  19 1 Motion carries. 2 Let the record show that the meeting has 3 ended. 4 Thank you, everyone. 5 CHAIRPERSON CAPIZZI: Thank you. 6 MS. GENAO: Thank you. 7 THE SECRETARY: It’s nice to see everybody 8 again. 9 10 (Whereupon, there was a chorus of good- 11 bye.) 12 13 (Whereupon, the proceedings were concluded 14 at 6:15 p.m.) 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25  20 1 STATE OF NEW JERSEY : 2 : 3 COUNTY OF ESSEX : 4 5 6 I, DEBRA A. KASZNIAK, assigned transcriber, 7 do hereby affirm that the foregoing is a true and 8 accurate transcript in the matter of the REGULAR 9 MEETING of the UNION CITY PLANNING BOARD heard on 10 Tuesday, May 26, 2020 and digitally recorded. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Monitored and proofread by: Deborah Dillon