Jersey City Council Preview: Water Tax, Building Inspections

JERSEY CITY, NJ — Jersey City's next City Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, August 18 at 6 p.m. and the agenda is full of ordinances, resolutions and letter readings.

There are eight ordinances on the agenda for a first reading, three for a second reading and 61 resolutions that will be voted on.

The Council meeting can be viewed online and is open to the public. Residents can speak during the public speak portion of the meeting, but must sign up before the meeting. A form can be submitted online to sign-up for public speak.

Some First-Reading Ordinances

Two of the eight first-reading ordinances on the agenda have to do with traffic and intersections in the city. Ordinance 3.3 designates Hutton Street and Cambridge Avenue, Hutton Street and Hancock Avenue, and Clinton Avenue and Sackett Street as a multi-way stop control. Ordinance 3.5 designates Concord Street and St. Pauls Avenue; Bevan Street and St. Pauls Avenue; Park Street and Astor Place; and Jersey Avenue and Wayne Street as stop control intersections.

The Greenville Neighborhood Alliance is on the agenda with an ordinance to add a community garden to 81 Garfield Avenue. The nonprofit is applying for the garden through the city's "Adopt a Lot" program. The ordinance starts the garden lease at 12 months.

Read the full ordinance here.

Some Second-Reading Ordinances

Up for a second reading is an ordinance that states landlords must adopt a policy on smoking tobacco indoors and outdoors on their property and have the policy, whatever it may be, clearly defined in renters lease-agreements.

Read the full ordinance here.

A second reading for an ordinance that would establish regulations for cannabis businesses in the city is also on the agenda. The planning board approved the regulations to be passed onto the City Council. Under the regulations, cannabis consumption areas would be allowed in the city and exist within a cannabis retail facility — somewhere selling recreational or medical marijuana.

Read the full ordinance here.

Another ordinance up for a first reading is Mayor Steven Fulop's proposed legislation to strengthen building safety and inspection protocol. The legislation comes in response to the Florida condo collapse that gripped headlines and captured the nation's attention for weeks.

The enhanced mandates will require ongoing inspections at a minimum of every five years for façade inspections and every ten years for structural inspections.

Read the full ordinance here.

Some Resolutions on the Agenda

A resolution will be voted on honoring the late Torrico Ice Cream owner, Pete Berrios.

Berrios died on June 28 at home with his family by his side, according to his obituary. He was 76-years-old and leaves behind his wife Pura and four daughters. Berrios migrated to Jersey City from Puerto Rico with his family in 1959. In 1968, Pedro and Pura opened a delicatessen at the corner of Erie and First Streets that would eventually become a Jersey City ice cream staple. Pura's pregnancy with their first child brought strong cravings for the fresh island fruits and ice cream the couple enjoyed in Puerto Rico — so Pedro made it happen.

Read the full resolution here.

Another resolution on the agenda is one to refund homeowners for and repeal the Solid Waste Charge or the "Water Tax."

The resolution reads in part:

"The 'water tax is a regressive tax because it forces families to pay the same amount, regardless of the value of their home. For example, families that live in a home worth $200,000 home are estimated to pay almost $300 dollars annually just as a family in a home worth $1M will pay $300;"

Read the full resolution here.

The full council meeting agenda along with documents for ordinances and resolutions can be found online.