City Council Looks To Take Legislative Action Against 'Excessive' Waterfront Development

In order to try to stop two 11-story towers from popping up on an uptown pier, the city council is looking into introducing legislation "that will protect the City from excessive waterfront development."

The resolution mentions the proposed Monarch at Shipyard development by Applied Housing, a projectThe new legislation, howver, would also be in effect for future proposals.

While Mayor Dawn Zimmer, the city council and Assemblyman Ruben Ramos have all opposed the plan, New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection has granted for the project. Before the Monarch at Shipyard development can go forward, more—local—approvals are needed.

The DEP's approval of the proposed project has sparked the city to look into drafting legislation to protect the waterfront. Last month, Zimmer wrote uptown residents a letter,

"The City Council believes that it is appropriate and warranted to promptly determine whether any legislative response may be available in order to deal with the concerns posed by the “Monarch at Shipyard” development and other similar developments that may threaten the City’s Hudson River waterfront in the future," the resolution, introduced by Councilwoman Beth Mason, states.

On Wednesday night, the city council is asking the city attorney to draft legislation by February 1.