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Plainfield seeks multiple grants, approves redevelopment studies and considers cannabis facility subdivision
Summary
Council reviewed Economic Development requests including a $2M center-of-excellence grant application, a $3M USDOL PACE pre‑apprenticeship grant, tree‑planting match funds, redevelopment studies for local parcels, and a proposal to subdivide an existing cannabis cultivation/manufacturing site that staff said could add about $1.1M in annual revenue.
Economic Development staff told the council they will apply for and, if awarded, accept several grants and advance multiple redevelopment studies.
Items presented included a not-to-exceed $2,000,000 grant request for a center of excellence to support professional services and construction, and a $3,000,000 PACE pre-apprenticeship grant (U.S. Department of Labor related) to support workforce development and construction training at the former South Second Street youth center.
The department also described the annual Greening of Union County program (a 50% match) that would fund additional street trees (city match $15,000). Staff requested authorization to pursue redevelopment studies for properties including 335–345 East Front Street and to designate 229–231 Prescott Place as in need of redevelopment; they also proposed a condemnation redevelopment study for five vacant/abandoned properties with multiple tax liens and incident reports.
On a separate matter, staff described a proposal at 1355 Plainfield Avenue where an existing approved cannabis cultivation and manufacturing tenant would subdivide roughly 41,000 square feet of an approved 132,000‑sq‑ft space for additional cultivation/manufacturing. Staff estimated that the subdivision could add approximately $1,100,000 per year in revenue under the city's 2% ordinance; council members asked for clarification on existing revenue and whether the subdivider would be the incumbent licensee (staff said the license is already approved at that location). Residents later raised odor complaints during public comment.
Next steps: council gave consensus to add many Economic Development items to the voting meeting; staff will return with any application authorizations and redevelopment-study authorizations as required.
