Archive for the ‘City of Summit’ Category
November 16, 2008
The Summit City Council approved an ordinance to increase downtown floor area ratio or FAR from 225% to 300%. In a 6 to 1 vote (Nov 5th meeting) council approved the ordinance drafted by the city planning board to permit property owners in the CRBD zone (downtown) an opportunity for additional development. The ordinance allows for the increase in FAR only if the property owner intends to add residential units to the upper floors.
The master plan re-examination committee and planning board had previously recommended the increase in FAR. However, the recommendation was linked to a downtown parking study and plan to increase downtown parking capacity.
A parking study is expected to be completed by Dec 2008 or Jan 2009. It is expected that the parking study recommendation will lead to an immediate parking solution for downtown.
08-2827 Amend DRO – Central Retail Business
(Increase Floor Area Ratio to 300%)
Tags:"summit downtown", CRBD, FAR, parking study
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November 15, 2008
In a surprising close vote of 4 to 3, Summit City Council voted down the Planning Board’s recommendation to re-zone the Franklin Place property to the R-5 residential zone.
The property owner’s architect presented a concept plan for an appropriate transit-style residential development. Residential neighbors to the East and North of the property were organized in their support of an R-5 designation.
Common Council members voting against the R-5 designation seek an alternative residential designation allowing for greater unit density on this property located next to the downtown (CRBD) and walking distance to the train station.
08-2817 Amend DRO(Rezone Infiniti Auto
Tags:Franklin Place, Infiniti dealership in Summit, planning board down zoning, transit village development
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September 27, 2008
The Director of Community Services, Beth Kinney, sent a memo to Common Council regarding a recommendation to start the discussions to change the current CRBD zoning ordinance from the current 225% DRO to 300% FAR. The memo promotes the City’s contract planner’s view that the 300% change may be tied to downtown residential development thereby limiting the parking/traffic impact concerns which have stalled adoption of 300%.
Common Council (Sept 16th meeting) referred the matter to the Planning Board for their recommendation.
Tags:'summit downtown development", CRBD, FAR
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September 27, 2008
Rita McNary, Parking Services Manager has asked Common Council for an increase in parking fees for resident commuter and downtown employee, leased space and bagged meter/dumpster effective January 1, 2009. The Sept. 16th memo seeks the introduction of 3 ordinances for the increase.
The City Council hearing date is expected to be October 21st.
Memo Link parkingincrease
This action follows the Common Councils approval of a rate increase for non-resident rates for the NJ Transit lot and Broad St East Lot taken up on Sept 3rd.
Tags:city fees, common council, commuter parking, downtown parking, employee parking fees, parking fees
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September 25, 2008
The City of Summit held a public meeting at the Lawton C. Johnson Middle School on September 23rd. The meeting was a short presentation by the Desman Associates on the status of the study and to solict comments and ideas from the public.
The preliminary assessment from their research indicates Summit Downtown needs more parking spaces and an administrative ”systems” overhaul. The planners referred to our current approach to management as a”punitive system” and indicated other options may better serve the public.
The parking space shortage is most acute at 1 PM week days.
Desman’s presentation was well prepared and they seem capable of solid research and sound recommendations. City staff attended as did representatives from City Council. Several downtown property owners attended as did representatives from SDI, Summit Chamber of Commerce and several Summit residents.
Study results are expected sometime in December 2008.
Tags:"summit parking study" desman associates, Summit Chamber of Commerce
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July 7, 2008
UPDATE:
The Summit Planning Board voted to re-submit the Infiniti lot down-zoning recommendation back to the City Council with the new qualification that the board reviewed their recommendation and found it consistent with the Master Plan Re-examination report adopted by the City Council. The Board will also make the same recommendation regarding the down-zoning of the business zone to neighborhood business for the properties along Morris Ave and River Rd. This should come as no surprise to anyone. Four of the current planning board members also served on the re-examination committee and show little interest in an hearing fresh thinking or alternatives which may be more beneficial to the both the property owners and community as a whole.
It should be noted that the City Council adopted the entire master plan and it contains a far more balanced set of recommendations which should be taken as a whole versus making recommendations out of context as is being done at this time. The notion that the new City retained planner supports these recommendations should be viewed in light of her recent comments to City Council in a review session. The planner clearly stated that other planners may have different views and that she finds “nothing wrong” with this planning board’s recommendations and that she is making the interpretation suggested by the re-examination report and current board. The read between the lines may be that if we had a truly independent planner-different interpretations and recommendations may be offered. In any case, the next Planning Board Meeting is July 28th and the City’s Common Council meets on July 29th
| SPECIAL MEETING OF COMMON COUNCIL – JULY 8 – 8:30 AM |
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| July 06, 2008 |
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| A Special Meeting of the Common Council of the City of Summit has been called by Council President J. Andrew Lark to be held on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at 8:30 amin Council Chambers at 512 Springfield Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901.The Special Meeting is to discuss and consider voting down the following entitled ordinances and consider reintroducing the idential ordinance whose hearings would then be held at the regulary scheduled Council meeting on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 8 PM.08-2804 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE, CHAPTER XXXV ARTICLE 4 – ZONING, SECTION 4.1 ZONING REGULATIONS, SUBSECTION 4.1-2, ZONING MAP[Rezone Infiniti Auto Dealership property to residential].08-2805 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CODE, CHAPTER XXXV, ARTICLE 4 – ZONING, SECTION 4.1-2, ZONING MAP AND SECTION 4.3 ZOING REGULATIONS, SUBSECTION 12 NB – NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS ZONE [Extend Neighborhood Business Zone and add Supplementary regulations.Questions, contact the City Clerk’s office at 908-273-6400. |
Tags:Business Zone, Franklin Place, Infiniti dealership, Morris Ave, Neighborhood Business Zone, River Rd, summit common council
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June 25, 2008
The Springfield Ave bridge reopened to traffic on June 27, 2008. A ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 6:00PM.
Tags:bridge reopening, ribbon cutting ceremony, springfield ave bridge, summit common council
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June 13, 2008
Summit Common Council will authorize the $33,000 parking assessment study at the Tuesday June 17th Common Council meeting. The Council will authorize the contract to Desman Associates of NYC. Four firms submitted a proposal, Desman Associates http://www.desman.com , Tim Haahs & Associates- New Brunswick, NJ, RBA Group- Parsippany, NJ and Rich and Associates-Southfield Mi.
parkingrfp
Tags:downtown parking study, parking study, Summit parking authority
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