[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6188095,"mediaKeyId","5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee","parentId",5064121,"title","Council questions outreach and proximity after local support for Kind Buds cannabis retailer is reintroduced","audioSeconds",720,"startMs",1061000,"endMs",1781000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee&start=1061&end=1781","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee/thumbnail_1061000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6188095/Jersey-City/Hudson-County/New-Jersey/Council-questions-outreach-and-proximity-after-local-support-for-Kind-Buds-cannabis-retailer-is-reintroduced","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188095-aa598aefc0e51b2f18a409eab0e12422/orig.mp4?Expires=1771207322&Signature=bFmBk5x-XE2oUOxpAT-wp09kR3AkXn-H9trsYA5lbJhRP5WgNCItZEmp506I-o4MCYkGV2mVb-aUeuavZhSd8ZkorEaOuZJyDEFfg9lzZS0yCwhHpi5xAe5P0cr5bSQVQFaXHbXGubuZgCpYSFClXEWoXOfWlrBeqTPF8-jDUrq4yvA0YGzNUZ6rLgBTxriIeWshbnavl0HGp8mcetg9qMT~WcFUS6gSwISL57dWIDYZvXF9c~XlqL8A9tvaYAxoQIjd-WiU2XcHrghsLW3tatv297tg8ZG4pIB0VXOve0Yo-PhbSlFU9w-QhB-qpwbuWpPXU3YRNpNjn6A3BserYg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Jersey City, NJ","date","2025-06-25T12:15:49.247Z","article","City planning staff presented a resolution requesting local support for Kind Buds Jersey City LLC to operate a Class 5 retail cannabis business at 545 Newark Avenue, a request that prompted an extended caucus discussion about community outreach and the order of competing applications.

Staff told the council the application was approved by the Cannabis Control Board (CCB) on Nov. 13, 2023 and by the planning board on Feb. 25, 2025. Several council members said the application had previously been voted down by the council because of concerns over whether the applicant had completed the community outreach requested by the CCB and whether outreach records were on file.

Michael Daniel, the owner of Kind Buds, told the council he personally met with the Hilltop community group and that he was the only applicant who sat with that community at that time. “I was actually the only person that did meet with the community,” Daniel said, and he said representatives from the community later informed the CCB that the meeting had occurred.

Fuqua Muzan, a partner at the law firm Fox Rothschild who represents the applicant, said his client is “among the most qualified” and that the operator is a local business owner. Council members asked Daniel and his counsel to provide a written account of outreach efforts and asked Councilman Bogiano’s office to clarify prior communications; the council president asked staff to confer with neighborhood leaders and Bogiano’s office and to provide that documentation before the council considers a final vote.

City staff (Maynard) provided a timeline for competing applicants: Neon Heights submitted its application Oct. 3, 2022, received CCB approval Dec. 12, 2022, planning board approval May 9, 2023, and city council approval Aug. 16, 2023. Staff said Kind Buds’ application did not submit before Neon Heights had reached that approval milestone. Several council members noted the proximity of the other approved dispensary and cautioned about opening another retail outlet in close physical proximity; council members also emphasized the need for consistent application of rules.

The resolution to provide local support for Kind Buds was placed on the upcoming council agenda for formal consideration; no final council vote occurred during the caucus.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Jersey City Municipal Caucus Meeting June 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City planning staff reintroduced a resolution to provide local support for Kind Buds Jersey City LLC at 545 Newark Avenue, prompting council questions about whether the applicant completed required community outreach and about proximity to an earlier-approved dispensary.","taxTitle","Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey","taxId",2747,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6188099,"Jersey City looks to renew security guard contract for city facilities in three-year, $11.8 million deal",200,232000,432000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee&start=232&end=432","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee/thumbnail_232000.jpg","/articles/6188099/Jersey-City/Hudson-County/New-Jersey/Jersey-City-looks-to-renew-security-guard-contract-for-city-facilities-in-three-year-118-million-deal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188099-4135ee923b8683bb9fecaf1c8a2be597/orig.mp4?Expires=1771207322&Signature=Lo5cxG6Uol1i4aSGwO0K82jHtSLW0LQjfJC-gp1J87g3yAzsb6HZU2O1tfqJa-ImAzWuiSdJhdOFz~gFU5ag3yU9upxjNFWcmWOfzbnRTjChsTXhjh5u5HskcKRyaw~8XA3CtCPoUUIW1Kthe8PpTpnJrS5dxrSOYHXWdR2x3TUDfx~eRfLGSnh58jaXGIXRzvjDvMYS-gjM08JttNW6zYJR9eT~AqegoYTHniSIJKmaym2odS9av~znRR0iJ7Mcrr9nbTCCoHpB~bH3YdcgxT3ZZiMnl3crLS40ZFOhWqzCa88byd7uMXaxyNLdqKP71HNNdtZCHAbArqg-SG7Hvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a resolution to award a three-year, competitively bid contract to Gateway Security Incorporated (DBA Gateway Group) to provide armed and unarmed security guard services at various Jersey City facilities, with a total three-year cost of $11,811,118.73.

Staff broke the contract into annual amounts: roughly $3,000,781.79 for year one, $3,931,165.99 for year two and $4,098,165.64 for year three. An initial encumbrance of $250,000 was cited for the account identified in the presentation.

Council members asked whether the contract returns the city to a full schedule of security posts. John Lynch of administrative services said the city has operated month-to-month with the provider and that “the annual budget amount and the budget is pretty close to what they’re being awarded the contract will be.” A representative from the VA’s office said current scheduling is “scaled back” and that those hours will remain scaled back “until I’m authorized to add more.”

Council members pressed for a cost analysis to restore full hours, noting that guard coverage on weekends and extended hours had been reduced. Staff responded that the contract awarded defines the locations (posts), and that daily hours at each post can be adjusted up or down as needed within the contract.

The resolution was presented in caucus for council consideration; no final vote was recorded during the caucus discussion.","City staff introduced a resolution to award a three-year, competitively bid contract to Gateway Security Incorporated (DBA Gateway Group) for armed and unarmed guard services at multiple municipal facilities totaling $11,811,118.73; council members questioned scheduling and hours amid cost and service continuity concerns.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6188103,"City officials seek emergency HVAC repairs at Bishop Street communication center to protect 9-1-1 servers",583,159000,742000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee&start=159&end=742","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee/thumbnail_159000.jpg","/articles/6188103/Jersey-City/Hudson-County/New-Jersey/City-officials-seek-emergency-HVAC-repairs-at-Bishop-Street-communication-center-to-protect-9-1-1-servers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188103-6b3e547e4dc6596586c8fb80edd0f2b3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771207322&Signature=b2qDc4ylShT8Ks0SPlVOmpVRYowG5wVYEg2d99yWh3lFLcUyjLDXLa~foH4kIRpA7OT4bndSybpOUrB9pMaIqg7aw6zFPd0Up20ygwroPLgePQqbQALcj2~QpxRcmPE95hb6L7hrSGNBGQjWjshkGHC8mxKmaTFpQLKiBQUwK5IXm0cBq9M5iQJU7TV0SetMuf6ZbLyUguD-GR3KOiD64itD-hRjKHqZxw7xjRAeQZvufCS-0uUOgHsXtYTJ-rTlw~0mFU6GGblSiU0HVEoJNsAnhzhViA~jnO3l79HK0o0rUZpCbBNwynYhHWLx2sEC6UtHygAGfoo6VwxcE8eEeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City officials on Monday presented a resolution to award a $124,843 contract to McCluskey Mechanical Contractors for emergency repairs and replacement of the HVAC system at the Bishop Street Communication Center, which city staff said currently houses servers that run the city’s 9-1-1, telephone and network systems.

The repairs were described as urgent because staff said the current system was old and had recently failed when temperatures spiked. “If we lose the servers, we lose everything. We lose communications, we lose the network and telephones, even 9-1-1 goes down,” a city staff member said during the caucus meeting.

The resolution to fund the work was presented as agenda item 10-34; staff said funds are available in the listed account. City staff told the council the Bishop Street building will remain in public use after the new Public Safety Building is fully built out, and as long as the city retains the property it must maintain operational systems there.

Several council members questioned why the city is spending on the older building while a new Public Safety Building exists. Staff said migration of all servers and systems to the new facility is not complete and that a full migration is custom-designed and will take, at minimum, about a year to finish.

City staff also said temporary portable cooling units had been used in recent weeks during extreme heat but that the permanent HVAC repairs were needed to avoid recurring outages. At the caucus the resolution was introduced for council consideration; no formal roll-call vote was recorded in the caucus discussion.

The item was presented to the council for consideration and will appear on the council agenda for formal action.","Council members discussed a resolution to award a $124,843 contract for emergency HVAC repairs at the Bishop Street Communication Center, which currently houses servers that support the city’s 9-1-1, phone and network infrastructure; staff said full migration to the new Public Safety Building will take about a year.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6188084,"Council hears first reading to rezone Palisade Avenue/Upper Route 139 area after community talks",248,2708000,2956000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee&start=2708&end=2956","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee/thumbnail_2708000.jpg","/articles/6188084/Jersey-City/Hudson-County/New-Jersey/Council-hears-first-reading-to-rezone-Palisade-AvenueUpper-Route-139-area-after-community-talks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188084-17415dde30e46914e902c6ae22775526/orig.mp4?Expires=1771207322&Signature=Eyrjmfsogic0itPQTYGOZ7RmDxM5LqSIzxNFUFai4lD6~DpqyN2vMXutIfxXoYUfSEVSIk5lzkSOBnFEcvnKAkfu0r46wC7xgVxNk0sbvw-n75l0c8ovvAuq5zSP4imkbIkuue08dxBMnlNxvoBVqn9KmTE88uYlDdR9K2EnFAbzDrNP6bh0dUgWjuYwwnQLFkIWV3cP4PNIgL0GZU1ohtO7UKyS2iTlUPKpYUCjD3eTcjXQ0ZnumKxl4dFVcsRzp2OOR~kmfC12R0lFuRvM6~FsAow~kuYaG4c7ESS05Az2KSajIe4Gg1rPTSns9ahxwbrErGbN1sqhGIaPvGvyLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City planning presented a first-reading ordinance to amend the Jersey City official zoning map for an area at Palisade Avenue and the Upper Route 139 corridor, proposing a change from the R-3 district to a Residential Commercial 2 (RC-2) district.

Planning staff said the rezoning followed community meetings with an adjacent community group and the councilmembers representing Wards C and D, and that city planning determined the rezoning aligns with the master plan. The presenter described the change as supported by the community group.

The ordinance was introduced as a first reading; the matter will return to the council for a public hearing and final vote after required notice and review. City planning also presented a separate housekeeping amendment to the Land Development Ordinance to update submission requirements for digital plan filing and stormwater compliance language.

No votes were taken during the caucus; staff said the rezoning and ordinance updates were part of an effort to modernize requirements and reflect community input.","City planning presented a first-reading ordinance to amend the official zoning map for an area at Palisade Avenue and the Upper Route 139 corridor, changing parcels from R-3 to Residential Commercial 2 after meetings with adjacent community groups and council representatives; planning staff said the change aligns with the master plan.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6188090,"City authorizes Friends of Quality Education to act as agent on remediation case for former Commercial Street lot",204,2338000,2542000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee&start=2338&end=2542","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064121-e1d8b187cef9222a5c4222564075e2ee/thumbnail_2338000.jpg","/articles/6188090/Jersey-City/Hudson-County/New-Jersey/City-authorizes-Friends-of-Quality-Education-to-act-as-agent-on-remediation-case-for-former-Commercial-Street-lot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188090-b69332b9c7556e885c7eb44999de1c11/orig.mp4?Expires=1771207322&Signature=ZsmRc6qgJx-wVZLFHgxMncwkNXj38xZ27OKiYaK~IX35NHzoUIEZDgiMTGwkTyko7dOJhxrb6nOJus5l0gKK52g-5z01JLM3uk0tAORUdr4CBe6stYxhcJGqnhHS~DZpJQsl6FdnvTWmnPCflrbP8Y3lOytqe5CPRxXOnMJguGxjSC0mjSkBdQnIm~9zh69inW-6x5bHN9uZ0YkGsMNT0sWQ0X-ZOj09UlOp1S99hi4-Kg~f1zDm5O5hvoVurx-tfb2Lrgb8JQtw7ZmLPzqITf5kzhLCz-mAW5Dd9K91F7xP5jJKhsdrK~RTbNQlInKGBKAt79T5FyNhx0BfZfHflg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City engineering staff presented a resolution authorizing an agreement that would allow Friends of Quality Education to act as the city’s agent, through its licensed site remediation professional, on an existing New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) case concerning historic fill at the former Commercial Street lot on Caven Point Avenue (Block 24, Lot 24301/1.02), a site connected to a proposed charter school redevelopment.

Drew Banghardt, deputy director for the Department of Infrastructure on behalf of engineering, said the agreement “is just to let them act as an agent of the city, with their licensed site remediation professional for an existing case on that property.” He explained the DEP already had an open case for historic fill at the site.

Council members asked whether city staff would review the work or if the city was ceding oversight. Banghardt replied the engineering division and the law department would be involved in reviewing and signing documents as the project moves forward.

Staff said the property was transferred through the JCRA process or the entity is the named redeveloper and the city inspected work before agreeing to accept improvements. The item was introduced at caucus for council consideration; no formal vote was recorded in the caucus discussion.","An agreement was presented allowing Friends of Quality Education and its licensed site remediation professional to act as the city’s agent on an existing DEP historic fill remediation case at the former Commercial Street lot (Old Commercial Street lot) on Caven Point/Haven Point; staff said the site is tied to a charter school redevelopment plan.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council questions outreach and proximity after local support for Kind Buds cannabis retailer is reintroduced

Jersey City looks to renew security guard contract for city facilities in three-year, $11.8 million deal

City officials seek emergency HVAC repairs at Bishop Street communication center to protect 9-1-1 servers

Council hears first reading to rezone Palisade Avenue/Upper Route 139 area after community talks

City authorizes Friends of Quality Education to act as agent on remediation case for former Commercial Street lot