๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฒ'๐ฌ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ฐ๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ "๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐'๐ฌ" ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญThe linked video is long, but instructive. Synopsis: a developer wants to demolish a fire-damaged (and long-deteriorating) house at 305 Union Avenue and build a three-story building with 3 residential units and two retail spaces.Concerned neighborhood residents attended the meeting and spoke against it, and unsurprisingly, it was approved, despite resident objections. Something else that stands out is how seemingly annoyed some of the Planning Board members and even the developer's attorney seemed about people speaking out against the proposal.It would be easy to simply blame the planning board, chaired by Better Belleville's First Ward council candidate Patricia Inaugurato. But the real blame for how easily development is approved in Belleville lies squarely with the Township Council, which voted to approve Mayor Michael Melham's changes to not only the Master Plan, but also to zoning laws. Those changes removed significant guardrails, so as to allow developers what they wish, the public and the Township's small-town character be damned. Those changes essentially did away with density requirements, and made the Zoning Board essentially a municipal castrati.Just one more reminder about how important the May 14th municipal election is for the future of our Township. ... See MoreSee Less
The Planning Board meeting taking place in Belleville, NJ on Thursday, April 11, 2024.The following 2 cases were heard (and approved) during this meeting:PAR...