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Jersey City council adopts bird‑friendly building standards after hours of testimony
Summary
After nearly three hours of public testimony and a clash over costs and local data, the Jersey City Municipal Council adopted ordinance 25‑123 to require bird‑friendly design measures for new construction and substantial alterations, voting 7–0 with one abstention.
The Jersey City Municipal Council on Tuesday adopted a bird‑friendly building ordinance aimed at reducing bird‑window collisions across the city, after an extended public hearing in which conservationists, architects and housing advocates testified in favor and some business groups urged caution about cost and scope.
Supporters told the council that bird‑safe glass and other design measures can cut collisions dramatically while adding little to project budgets. "Bird‑friendly design eliminates 90% of collisions," said Saman Mahmood, director of advocacy engagement for the New York City Bird Alliance, which monitors collisions in the metropolitan area. Architects and local volunteers described repeated incidents of injured and dead birds along Jersey City’s waterfront and said several low‑cost options exist for both new construction and retrofit work.
The ordinance applies its rules to new construction and to major alterations up to a specified height, and draws on examples from nearby cities. Danielle Dedamo, an environmental planner who works on urban forestry and green infrastructure in Jersey City, told council members the measure “is practical, affordable, evidence‑based and aligned with national best practices.” Angeline Jacques, an architect, described the market availability of bird‑safe glass and noted that in many projects the incremental cost is a small portion of window budgets.
Opponents asked the council to narrow the ordinance, delay its implementation or commission additional local cost studies. Eric Connor of Better Blocks New Jersey said he was concerned the city had not completed due diligence on construction cost impacts and warned the policy could raise housing costs for some residents. Several speakers cited differences among ordinances adopted by New York City, Newark and Toronto and urged Jersey City to match, rather than exceed, regional standards.
Council members acknowledged the concerns and some said they wanted continued engagement between advocates and builders. Councilperson Ridley said she would vote yes but asked both sides to sit down to identify mitigations for affordability concerns. The final roll call recorded adoption of city ordinance 25‑123 by a vote of 7–0 with one abstention (Councilperson Eulings) and Councilperson Solomon absent. The council also directed that staff and advocates continue outreach to clarify timelines and compliance options.
The ordinance is expected to affect the planning and permitting of future projects in areas along the Atlantic Flyway that regularly receive migrating birds. Implementation details, such as compliance checks and permits, will be handled by the city’s planning and building departments as the ordinance is finalized.
Council members said the vote marks a step toward aligning Jersey City’s building standards with regional best practices and protecting migrating and resident bird populations while the city continues to monitor economic impacts and technical details.
