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Councilmember seeks to table Route 139 rezoning after residents express strong opposition
Summary
City planning introduced a rezoning ordinance for neighborhoods along Route 139 that would change several zones to allow taller buildings (5–8 stories); a councilmember said residents were not adequately consulted and said they would move to table the item at the next meeting.
City planning presented an ordinance to amend the official zoning map around Upper Route 139, reclassifying many parcels now zoned R-1 or G to new zones (NC-1, R-3 and RC-3) that permit building heights ranging roughly from five to eight stories.
Planners said the rezoning follows recommendations in Jersey City’s 2021 master plan small-area vision work and that outreach had been conducted; they also said they reduced some proposed intensities after meetings with a council office. The presentation noted that the prior recommended heights were higher in earlier phases and the current version reduced those heights in response to input.
One councilmember told staff that residents on Upper Route 139 were “furious,” said they had not been adequately consulted, and announced an intention to make a motion to table the ordinance at the council’s next meeting so additional community meetings could be scheduled. The councilmember said they had held a local meeting and spoken with several older residents who oppose the rezoning because of traffic and density concerns.
Planning staff replied that the rezoning recommendation originated from the master plan process adopted in 2021, which included multiple public meetings and outreach, and said the current proposal moves those master plan recommendations forward.
Staff described the technical differences: the existing R-1 zone allows three stories (35 feet) and about 42 units per acre as-of-right, while the proposed zones would permit up to 4, 5 or 8 stories depending on the subzone. Council members asked for a community meeting and one councilmember said they planned to move to table or withdraw the item at the forthcoming meeting.
No formal motion to table was recorded at the caucus; staff said a councilmember intends to make that motion at the next meeting.
