Journal Square 2060

Redevelopment Plan
As Presented to the Jersey City Planning Board
July 8, 2010
I) INTRODUCTION

On November 25, 2008 the Jersey City Municipal Council determined, by Resolution #
08-879, the Greater Journal Square Study Area to be an "area in need of rehabilitation,"
pursuant to the New Jersey Local Housing and Redevelopment Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-
1 et seq.). Previously, portions of the Journal Square area were also declared to be an
"area in need of redevelopment," called the Journal Square Redevelopment Plan
originally adopted in 1974 and amended several times since.

This redevelopment plan focuses on Journal Square, the PATH rail station and bus depot,
as well as the surrounding neighborhoods within walking distance, comprising an area of
approximately 211 acres, 57 city blocks, and approximately 1600 individual parcels.

The purpose of the Journal Square 2060 Plan is to foster the redevelopment of Journal
Square, Jersey City's central business district, by providing for transit oriented
development of new housing, offices, commercial, and public open spaces within
walking distance to the Square and transit facilities, returning Journal Square to a
flourishing central business and shopping destination.

Since the mid 1950’s, various plans in and around Journal Square were adopted by the
Jersey City Municipal Council to address the adjacent air-rights development over the
PATH rail cut and various development parcels in the vicinity of the Journal Square
Transportation Center. Then in 2007, Vision Journal Square was prepared by A.
Nelessen Associates, Inc. (ANA) and Dean Marchetto Architects, PC (DMA) in
coordination the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) and the City of Jersey City.
The process included multiple charrettes and public meetings, producing a
comprehensive vision for the greater Journal Square area.

The Jersey City Master Plan lists several specific objectives and recommended actions
which guide the standards and requirements for this plan. More specifically, the award
winning Jersey City Master Plan Circulation Element, Jersey City Mobility 2050,
recommends that the City:

Develop and implement smart growth strategies that locate new residential
development within walking distance of bus stops and passenger rail stations,
with the highest density zones located within walking distance of passenger rail
stations; that mixes residential land use with commercial land use;

Create meaningful public spaces that facilitate integration of the built

environment with arterials and major transit routes;

Requirements to provide bicycle amenities for building users, such as interior

bicycle storage facilities for residential buildings that are accessible without

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stairs or tight corners, and bicycle racks and employee showers for commercial
buildings;

Parking space requirement maximums that reduce the number of permitted

parking spaces in development near fixed rail transit stations in proportion to
distance and inversely proportional to the intensity of development.

In addition, the NJ Department of Transportation and NJ Transit created the "Transit

Village Initiative" to recognize municipalities that have demonstrated a commitment to
revitalizing and redeveloping areas within walking distance of rail or bus facilities into
compact, mixed-use neighborhoods that are consistent with Smart Growth principles. In
2005, the Journal Square area received designation as a Transit Village by an inter-
agency Transit Village Task Force.

It now appears appropriate for the City to take a more pro-active approach to
redevelopment in this Area, so as to bring the Area into greater compliance with the
recommendations of the Master Plan. The Master Plan calls for “station areas” around
Jersey City's mass transit facilities to be up-zoned to include higher density residential,
neighborhood retail, restaurants and other uses compatible with a mixed use transit
oriented station area. In addition, parking requirements are to be reduced “to capitalize on
the availability of high quality mass transit” and to increase building coverage, floor-
area-ratios, and residential density, which can be supported near transit facilities.

As Jersey City enters the 21st century, we wish to continue developing in a sustainable
direction. This means focusing future development to areas where mass transit is
available, reducing parking to limit traffic congestion and effects on air quality, requiring
bicycle parking and wider sidewalks to limit automobile use and promote alternative
modes, requiring retail uses along pedestrian corridors to create an enjoyable and safe
neighborhood environment, concentrating high density high-rise development along the
major thoroughfares and immediately adjacent to mass transit facilities, preserving the
most distinguished historic structures, and provide for design guidelines so that new
development sits comfortably next to the historic fabric of this area.

Journal Square and its surrounding neighborhoods are not a blank slate. The existing
physical structure of the Area is extremely varied. Building types range from detached
two-family homes with generous front yards, to 4 to 6 story apartment buildings, office
buildings, and commercial uses. This variety of uses and building types are all
interwoven at a fine scale. Some streets are quiet and narrow, while others have intensive
retail uses. This diversity need not inhibit the City from drafting new development
guidelines. This redevelopment plan balances the need for new development at higher
densities with the existing context of diverse and varied neighborhoods. To do this, this
plan employs an approach to development that requires higher density projects to

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 assemble sufficient development sites to accommodate building designs and forms that
can reasonably fit into its surroundings while providing improved infrastructure. The
Plan employs the use of building stepbacks, sidewalk widening, open space and plaza
provisions, contextual yard requirements, required retail uses, parking limitations and
bicycle parking requirements, green building requirements, and design guidelines to
assure that future development contributes to the sustainable future of Journal Square.

II) BOUNDARIES
A) A map of the boundary, entitled, Map 1: Boundary Map, dated July 8, 2010 is attached
and shall govern the boundaries of this redevelopment plan.
B) The boundary of the Journal Square 2060 plan omits land on Blocks 593.1 and
628.1which was authorized as part of the Greater Journal Square Study Area (Resolution
08-879). As this site has already been redeveloped under the St John's Redevelopment
Plan and no substantive change to this site is currently contemplated, this area will not be
included as part of the Journal Square 2060 Plan.
C) The boundary of the Journal Square 2060 plan also omits land on Block 631.1 and
portions of Block 571 and 530 which are part of the Bergen Arches right-of-way and
which were authorized as part of the Greater Journal Square Study Area (Resolution 08-
879).
III) REDEVELOPMENT PLAN OBJECTIVES
Renewal activities for the Journal Square 2060 plan area will be undertaken in conformity
with, and will be designed to meet, the following objectives of the Redevelopment Plan:
1) Re-establish Journal Square as a Jersey City's primary central business district and
activity center.
2) Make sustainability a theme of future development and redevelopment that guides
land use and transportation decisions.
3) Integrate open space into the Area by incorporating a system of parks, plazas, and
natural amenities.
4) Promote a pattern of mixed and multiple-use development. New buildings within
the Area should appropriately combine residential, commercial, and entertainment
uses and encourage a balance of jobs-to-housing.
5) Make walking and biking an easy, safe, desirable, and convenient mode of
transport.
6) Encourage local quality retail within the greater Journal Square area.
7) Reduce automobile dependency by encouraging high density development in close
proximity to mass transit with low automobile parking ratios and with bicycle
parking requirements.
8) Provide for urban amenities such as transit, housing variety, open space, and
entertainment that will attract new employers and a range of new residents to the
area while sustaining existing neighborhoods.
9) Encourage the adaptive reuse of existing structures.
10) Encourage buildings to meet or exceed the US Green Building Council’s LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification or equivalent.
11) The removal of vacated, deteriorated and obsolete structures.

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 12) The overall improvement of traffic circulation through the development of new and
improved vehicular and pedestrian circulation systems which provide for separation
of vehicular and pedestrian traffic and the maximum use of public transportation.
13) Coordination of redevelopment activities, reinforcing already existing adjacent
renewal programs and in accordance with the Master Plan for the City overall.
14) Provide for the conservation and preservation of select structures with historic or
architectural significance, and provide opportunity for adaptive reuse for future
generations.
15) Encourage the private sector to consolidate development parcels to allow for
sufficient building stepbacks providing, light and air to the street and adjacent
properties.
16) Provide for redevelopment without public acquisition or relocation of residents and
business concerns.
17) Provide for an active "front door" plaza entry way where Magnolia Avenue
accesses the Journal Square PATH station, at the existing kiss-and-ride area.
18) To promote balanced development in accordance with applicable State laws and
City requirements regarding affordable housing.
19) Creation of major new employment, housing, educational, recreational, commercial
and retail opportunities for the residents of Jersey City.
20) Coordinate redevelopment activities to provide a uniform and consistent attack on
blighted, dilapidated, and obsolete structures within the Area.
21) To promote the principles of “Smart Growth” and “Transit Village” development,
including a variety of housing choices, providing wider sidewalks, minimize
automobile use by maximizing the appeal of mass transit, encourage reduced
parking and shared use parking solutions, and creating a livable community with
convenient access to commercial facilities.
22) Maintain and improve pedestrian access to the Journal Square PATH Station from
the surrounding communities.
23) To maximize the use of rooftop open space for recreation and/or green roofs.
24) Utilize stepbacks, architectural design elements, and building massing regulation to
maintained light and air to the street and adjacent properties.
25) All structures within the project area shall be designed and maintained so as to
improve the visual impact of the Jersey City skyline as viewed from within and
beyond the City’s borders.
26) Provide for new transport systems such as a streetcar along Kennedy Blvd. and
Bergen Avenues and a Bus Rapid Transit system connecting to Route 440.
IV) GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
A) No building shall be constructed over public rights-of-way in the project area with the
exception of freestanding structures ancillary to public plazas and/or pedestrian
walkways, which shall be subject to review by the Planning Board.
B) Prior to commencement of construction, site plans for the construction and/or
rehabilitation of improvements to the Area shall be submitted by the developer to the
Planning Board of the City of Jersey City for review and approval so that compliance of
such plans with the redevelopment objectives can be determined. Site plan review shall
be conducted by the Planning Board pursuant to NJSA 40:55D-1 et. seq. Applications
may be submitted for the entire project or in any number of phases.

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C) As part of any site plan approval, the Planning Board may require a developer to furnish
performance guarantees pursuant to NJSA 40:55D-53 et seq. Such performance
guarantees shall be in favor of the City in a form approved by the Jersey City Corporation
Counsel. The amount of any such performance guarantees shall be determined by the
City Engineer and shall be sufficient to assure completion of site improvements within
one (1) year of final site plan approval.
D) Split zoned development sites:
1) For any consolidated development site which overlaps multiple zone districts, the
zone that covers the largest portion of the site shall govern the entire development
site. Zone 6 and 7 are excluded from this split zone provision. All property in Zone
6 or 7 must be developed under the provisions of that zone.
E) All traffic impact studies shall incorporate, as part of the study, all projects approved or
proposed in the immediate area. A listing of the projects may be obtained from the
Division of City Planning.
F) No use or reuse shall be permitted, which, when conducted under proper safeguards, will
produce corrosive, toxic or noxious fume, glare, electromagnetic disturbances, radiation,
smoke, cinders, odors, dust or waste, undue noise or vibration (60 decibels), or other
objectionable features so as to be detrimental to the public health, safety or general
welfare.
G) All residential redevelopment proposals and construction plans shall meet or exceed
applicable FHA minimum room size requirements prior to approval by the Planning
Board.
H) The provisions of this plan specifying the redevelopment of the project area and the
requirements and restrictions with respect thereto shall be in effect for a period of fifty
(50) years from the date of approval of this plan by the City Council of the City of Jersey
City, provided however that any development or redevelopment projects that are
commenced and/or completed within said fifty (50) year period shall be deemed to
comply with all applicable laws, so long as they comply with the provisions of this
Redevelopment Plan. At the end of this fifty (50) year period, the zoning regulations
contained herein shall be incorporated into the zoning ordinance of the City of Jersey
City in accordance with the appropriate State statutes.
I) Any subdivision of lots and parcels of land within the Redevelopment Area shall be in
accordance with the requirements of this plan and the Land Development Ordinance
(LDO) of Jersey City.
J) Upon demolition of existing structures, the site shall be graded and planted or sodded,
with a durable dust free surface in the interim period prior to construction of new
buildings.
K) Deviation Requests
The Planning Board may grant deviations from the regulations contained within this
Redevelopment Plan, where, by reason of exceptional narrowness, shallowness or shape
of a specific piece of property, or by reason of exceptional topographic conditions, pre-
existing structures or physical features uniquely affecting a specific piece of property, the
strict application of any area, yard, bulk or design objective or regulation adopted
pursuant to this Redevelopment Plan, would result in peculiar and exceptional practical
difficulties to, or exceptional and undue hardship upon, the developer of such property.
The Planning Board may also grant such relief in an application relating to a specific

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 piece of property where the purposes of this Redevelopment Plan would be advanced by
a deviation from the strict requirements of this Plan and the benefits of the deviation
would outweigh any detriments. No relief may be granted under the terms of this section
unless such deviation or relief can be granted without substantial detriment to the public
good and will not substantially impair the intent and purpose of the Redevelopment Plan.

No deviations may be granted which will result in permitting:

1) A use or principal structure in a district which does not permit such use or principal
structure;
2) An expansion of a non-conforming use;
3) An increase in height of more than ten feet or 10% of the height in feet, whichever
is less.
4) An increase in the height of the building base exceeding 5% in feet;
5) An increase in the permitted floor area ratio;
6) An increase in the parking ratio of 10%;
7) Breach the minimum or maximum number of permitted stories.
8) Right-of-way width, and pavement width beyond normal adjustments encountered
during survey synchronization;
9) Non-completion of minimum open space, parks, or other type of phased
improvements required to be implemented;
10) Deviation from the Impact Fees provisions set forth in this Plan; or
11) Non-compliance with the specific goals and objectives enumerated in the Plan.

Any deviation in the above categories (1-11) or any other deviation that would
otherwise constitute a "d" type variance or deviation constitutes a request for a
legislative plan amendment cognizable only by the Governing Body. The Jersey City
Zoning Board of Adjustment's powers are strictly limited to "a" and "b" appeals
(N.J.S.A. 40:53D-70A&B).

L) All development projects within Zone 1, Zone 2, or Zone 10 shall be pursuant to a

redevelopment agreement approved by the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency. The
agreements will be undertaken on a project by project basis.
M) IMPACT FEE
1) Redevelopment shall provide adequate water, sewer and other necessary utilities to
the site, to the satisfaction of the Municipal Engineer and the Municipal Utility
Authority. All costs necessary for infrastructure improvements associated with a
development project, off-site as well as on-site, are the responsibility of the developer
or redeveloper.
N) PROCEDURES FOR AMENDING THE PLAN
1) This Redevelopment Plan may be amended from time to time upon compliance with
the requirements of law. A fee of $5,000.00 plus all costs for copying and transcripts
shall be payable to the City of Jersey City for any request by a private entity to amend
this plan. The City of Jersey City reserves the right to amend this plan.
O) INTERIM USES
1) Interim uses may be established, subject to agreements between the developers and
the Planning Board, that such use will not have an adverse effect upon existing or

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 contemplated development during the interim use period. Interim uses may include
surface parking provided there is no ingress or egress onto Journal Square itself.
Interim uses must be approved by the Planning Board, which may establish an interim
use period of between one (1) year and three (3) years in duration, subject to the
Planning Board’s discretion. Additional renewals of an interim use may be granted
by the Planning Board, subject to the same interim period limitations specified above.
V) OTHER PROVISIONS NECESSARY TO MEET REQUIREMENTS OF STATE AND
LOCAL LAWS
A) The Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, N.J.S.A 40A:12A-1 et seq. requires that a
Redevelopment Plan shall include an outline for the planning, development,
redevelopment, or rehabilitation of the project area sufficient to indicate:
1) This Redevelopment Plan achieves the stated objectives of the Jersey City Master
Plan by locating high density development in exceptionally close proximity to mass
transit facilities with low parking ratios to reduce the traffic impact of future high
density development. Other uses such as retail and office uses compatible with a
mixed use transit oriented station area are permitted. The plan also provides for
adequate setbacks for the widening of Pavonia Avenue, the continuation of Central
Avenue, and improved access to the PATH station as well as requirements for the
provision of rooftop recreation space so as to reduce the impact of new development
on the City's park system.
2) This Redevelopment Plan provides for a list of permitted principal uses, as well as
accessory uses and prohibited uses in the redevelopment area. The plan also provides
for density restriction through the use of a maximum floor area ratio, maximum
height limits, as well as setback and stepback requirements and various design
controls.
3) There will be no displacement of existing residents through the implementation of
this plan through condemnation, as this is an area in need of rehabilitation and
condemnation is not permitted. Any condemnation action already commenced by the
Jersey City Redevelopment Agency may continue.
4) The Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan proposes no new acquisition or
condemnation of private property for private redevelopment purposes.
5) The area covered by this Redevelopment Plan constitutes the area within walking
distance of Jersey City's central business district and the transportation hub for
Hudson County. This location in the very center of Jersey City and is remote from
any adjacent municipality. Jersey City is designated as a "Planning Area 1" in the
State Plan and is at the center of the Hudson County "urban complex." The
development envisioned by this plan is in conformity with the "State Planning Act"
P.L. 1985, c. 398 (C.52:18A-196 et al) as well as the master plan of Hudson County
and all contiguous municipalities.
6) No affordable units are identified to be removed as part of the implementation of this
redevelopment plan.
7) No affordable units are identified to be removed as part of the implementation of this
redevelopment plan.
VI) TRANSPORTATION AND CIRCULATION
A) The Plan proposes the widening of Pavonia and Oakland Avenues. The western half of
Pavonia Avenue between Kennedy Blvd and Summit Avenue was previously widened

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 along the PATH Transportation Center. The remainder of Pavonia Avenue must be
widened to match the previous project. This shall be achieved through the dedicating of
land to the City along the south side of Pavonia Avenue as shown on Map 6: Circulation
Map. Oakland Avenue shall also be widened to a total width of 60 feet by a dedication of
land along the western side of the Avenue between Newark Avenue and Hoboken
Avenue as shown on Map 6: Circulation Map.
B) Central Avenue currently functions as the primary commercial street for the Heights
Neighborhood to the north of the Journal Square 2060 Plan area. This Plan proposes a
new street to connect Central Avenue in the Heights Neighborhood to Summit Avenue
and the Journal Square PATH station. A new street connector is shown on Map 6:
Circulation Map.
C) Cook Street is proposed to be vacated and added to Block 527, provided the Central
Avenue connector is constructed.
D) The Bergen Arches right-of-way runs along State Highway Route 139, connecting
downtown Jersey City to the national railway network. This right-of-way has many
potential future uses. To insure that future use of this right-of-way can be maximized for
public benefit, any development on top of the Bergen Arches shall preserve an at grade
public easement along the top of the Bergen Arches tunnel or open cut as shown on Map
6: Circulation Map, Right-of-Way Preservation area.
E) The Journal Square Transportation Center is currently configured with its main entrance
on Kennedy Blvd. A secondary entrance is located at the eastern end of the
Transportation Center at Magnolia Avenue and currently functions as a kiss-and-ride
drop off point. This secondary entrance must be upgraded and redesigned as a new front
entry plaza by any developer with greater than 200 linear feet along the Magnolia Avenue
right-of-way as required in Zone 1. Improvements shall include decorative sidewalk and
lighting throughout the plaza with bollards to control traffic, street furniture, and other
design elements to successfully create an active plaza entryway from Magnolia Avenue.
F) The Plan envisions a narrow-gauge streetcar line that runs in a dedicated right-of-way
along Kennedy Boulevard, Journal Square and Bergen Avenue. This streetcar system is a
critical north/south component of a comprehensive transit network designed to service
Journal Square and surrounding neighborhoods. A streetcar system will ensure that new
and existing developments along Kennedy Boulevard and Bergen Avenue have
convenient access to the Journal Square Transportation Center and proposed extensions
of the Hudson Bergen Light Rail in the Bergen Arches. The Redevelopment Plan
recommends that a streetcar run from the intersection of John F. Kennedy Boulevard and
Route 139 to Bergen Avenue at McGinley Square (see Map 6). During the development
of a streetcar system, a dedicated bus lane should be implemented along the streetcar
right-of-way. All stops should be permanent and substantial in nature. A transitional bus
along the streetcar route can help establish a riding habit among Journal Square residents
and encourage transit appropriate development along the eventual streetcar corridor. The
streetcar may be extended in the future to service additional neighborhoods as part of a
comprehensive bus rapid transit system for Jersey City.
G) Bus priority lanes should be provided within Sip, Pavonia, and Summit Avenues to
accommodate a western waterfront bus rapid transit (BRT) system. A BRT line that
connects the western waterfront corridor to the Journal Square Transportation Center is
necessary to support the development and redevelopment of Jersey City’s western

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 waterfront. At the time of this writing, the City of Jersey City is developing a concept
design for a two directional BRT route that runs along the Routes 440 and 1&9 Truck
corridor between Danforth Avenue and Sip Avenue, and connects to the Journal Square
Transportation Center via Sip Avenue. The route will have loop turnarounds at each end.
The southern turnaround will be in the vicinity of Danforth Avenue, and the northern
turnaround will be at the Journal Square Transportation Center via Pavonia, Summit and
Sip Avenues. In order to accommodate the BRT route as it traverses the Journal Square
area, the full length of Sip Avenue between Garrison Avenue and the transportation
center should be designed to include bus priority lanes so that the BRT vehicles are not
delayed by general traffic. These lanes may be placed within the existing right-of-way or
cartway, and may be comprised of two one-directional lanes, or one reversible lane that is
eastbound during the AM peak and westbound during the PM peak. Additionally, to
accommodate the loop turnaround at Journal Square, Pavonia, Summit and Sip Avenue
should be designed to include bus priority lanes so that BRT vehicles departing Journal
Square for Route 440/1&9T via Sip Avenue are not delayed by general traffic.
VII) DESIGN REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL ZONES
A) GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
1) All structures within the project area shall be situated with proper consideration of
their relationship to other buildings, both existing and proposed, in terms of light, air
and usable open space, access to public rights of way and off-street parking, height
and bulk.
2) All minimum building height requirements shall be measured as stories above
sidewalk grade. No floors partially below grade or mezzanine levels shall be
considered for minimum height requirements (see building height tables for each
zone district).
3) All lots at the time of adoption of this plan are conforming lots for development,
however any newly created lots or development sites through subdivision or
consolidation shall have a maximum shape factor of 30. Shape factor is defined as
the perimeter of the lot squared, divided by the lot area ( ).
(a) Example for a standard 25' by 100' rectangular lot:
perimeter = 250'
perimeter squared = 62,500
area = 2500 square feet
shape factor is = 25
4) Groups of related buildings shall be designed to present a harmonious appearance in
terms of architectural style and exterior materials and shall be encouraged to
incorporate historic elements found throughout the surrounding area.
5) Buildings shall be designed so as to have an attractive, finished appearance when
viewed from all vantage points within and outside of the project area. Each façade
shall be treated as being of equal importance in terms of material selection and
architectural design.
6) Access by the elderly, physically handicapped and/or disabled shall meet barrier free
design regulations as specified in the New Jersey and Federal ADA Standard Uniform
Construction Code.

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7) All utility distribution lines, including multi-media telecommunication lines, and
utility service connections from such lines to the project area’s individual use shall be
located underground.
8) All adaptive reuse of existing structures shall not be required to meet minimum
building height requirements.
9) Roof treatment, Mechanical Screening and Electrical Equipment
(a) All mechanical equipment located on any roof of a building shall be screened
from view from all vantage points with a material complementary with the façade
of the structure. The screening shall not resemble a utility or rooftop elevator or
stair tower. It shall instead resemble an upper level extension of the building and
be designed to contribute to the building top design.
(b) A roof plan must be developed and submitted for approval. Roof plans shall
include mechanical equipment, trellises to obscure view, colored roof patterns and
landscaping. Parking deck roofs shall be designed to maximize recreational
amenity space and all remaining rooftop areas shall be developed as a green roof.
(c) All electrical communication equipment shall be located in such a way that it does
not negatively impact the appearance of the building nor create objectionable
views as seen from surrounding structures.
(d) Transformers and primary and back-up generators shall be located interior to the
building or vaulted underground within the pavement area of an adjacent street.
Location within and upon the sidewalk, between the sidewalk and the building, or
anywhere outside at grade is not permitted.
(e) The placement of all new or reconstructed signal boxes is required to be below
grade.
(f) The screening of all new or reconstructed telecom equipment is required.
10) Streetscape
(a) All buildings shall be designed to front on a public street to create a street wall
and a pedestrian environment at a human scale.
(b) Main entrances into buildings shall be located on all public streets. Secondary
entrances shall also be provided from parking areas and/or as necessary according
to the design of the structure.
(c) Entrances shall be designed to be attractive and functional. Indicators such as
awning, changes in sidewalk paving material or other indicator consistent with the
design, proportions, material and character of the surrounding area shall be
provided.
(d) Automobile parking between the building line and a public right-of-way is
expressly prohibited, even where surface parking is a permitted use. Parking is
not permitted in any front yard.
(e) Porte-cocheres and drop-off lanes are prohibited.
11) A cornerstone marking the date of construction shall be located in an appropriate
ground level corner of any building five or more stories. The cornerstone shall be
incorporated into the primary facade material.
12) Overhead walkways (skywalks) connecting buildings and or parking above streets or
rights-of-ways are prohibited.
13) All facade vents for air conditioning or heating units must be incorporated into the
window design such that vent grills and windows appear as a single unit. This is best

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 achieved by lining up vent grills with the vertical or horizontal edge of the adjacent
window and matching the window's length or width or using a spandrel panel to fill
any voids.
14) All new sidewalk concrete shall be tinted charcoal grey or equivalent tint.
15) All storefronts shall incorporate a cornice element or horizontal projection above the
storefront glazing separating ground floor uses from the building above.
16) Ground floor storefront bulkheads below the display windows shall be a maximum of
18 inches in height above sidewalk grade.
17) All ground floor non-residential facades shall incorporate a minimum of 80%
transparent glass.
18) All ground floor entryways shall be recessed to avoid door swings into any public
right-of-way.
19) All large residential development projects are strongly recommended to include
provisions for a dog run.
B) FLOOR HEIGHT MINIMUM
1) Residential floor-to-ceiling heights must be a minimum of 9 feet and a maximum of
12 feet.
2) A ground floor residential use (where permitted) must be 2 feet above sidewalk grade.
Building lobbies may be at grade for ADA accessibility.
3) Ground floor floor-to-ceiling height minimums for a non-residential use are regulated
by the following table:

Maximum First
Minimum Maximum Floor Height
Building First Floor First Floor within 30' of a
Height Height Height Rear Lot Line
2 to 6 12' 18' 12'
7 to 12 15' 20' 12'
13 and up 20' 30' 12'
Table 1

C) SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A TOWER ON A BASE

1) When indicated in the Building Stepback Tables in each Zone district, the following
“Tower on a base” requirements shall apply.

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2) All buildings shall have a base, which shall be designed according to the following:
(a) Building base height requirements:

Base Height Requirements by Zone (In feet)

Zone Minimum Maximum
1 60' 75'
3 30' 60'
4 30' 42'
5 30' 50'
10 30' 55'
Table 2

3) Towers shall be setback from the front lot line a minimum of 10 feet for sites with a
lot depth of 100 feet or less. Tower setback shall be a minimum of 15 feet for sites
with a lot depth of more than 100 feet.
4) Towers shall be setback from side lot lines a minimum of 20 feet.
5) Maximum tower length or width dimension is 150 linear feet for primarily residential
or hotel use buildings.
6) Maximum tower length or width dimension is 200 linear feet for primarily office use
buildings.
7) Where the tower base abuts a lower density zone, the base of a tower shall be set back
from side lot line a minimum of 10 feet and the tower shall be setback a minimum of
30 feet.
8) Tower bases must set back 30 feet from any adjacent property's rear property line,
except the ground floor which may cover 100% of the lot.
9) Front yard setback requirements for each Zone shall apply.
10) Building Base Design Requirements:
(a) A visual cue or indicator such as a cornice, belt coursing, a significant change in
the glass to solid ratio, or any other indicator consistent with the design,
proportions, and materials shall be provided at the top of the base.
(b) Decorative features and materials are required to provide detail and interest to the
pedestrian level of the building.
(c) Building bases shall be constructed of durable material of high quality, including
but not limited to glass, stone, brick, textured concrete, metal paneling, etc. Glass
shall constitute a minimum of 80 % of the ground floor facade (see ground floor
height minimum).
(d) A decorative screening facade may substitute for glass to wrap parking facilities,
subject to approval by the Planning Board.
(e) Retail and/or other permitted uses are required along all public rights-of-way,
with a minimum depth of twenty-five (25) feet. No more than fifteen (15) percent
of the first floor street frontage and no more than twenty (20) consecutive linear
feet along a public right-of-way may be dedicated to other uses such as meter
rooms, blank walls, garage doors or loading zones, emergency exits, etc.
(f) First floor retail height shall be regulated by the ground floor floor-to-ceiling
height table in Table 1 above.

12 DRAFT
 11) Building Tower Design Requirements:
(a) A visual cue or indicator such as a cornice, belt coursing, a significant change in
the glass to solid ratio, or any other indicator consistent with the design,
proportions, and materials shall be provided at the top of the tower.
(b) Building towers shall be constructed of durable material of high quality,
including, but not limited to glass, stone, textured concrete, brick, metal paneling
etc. Glass shall constitute a minimum of 40 % of the facade.
(c) Building towers are required to have a minimum separation distance of 50 feet.

D) PARKING STANDARDS

All parking shall be provided in multi-tiered structures or automatic garages. Parking

structures shall meet the following requirements:

1) Bicycle Parking Provisions:

(a) For development on all lots greater than 2,500 square feet, bicycle parking is
required. A bicycle storage room, located in a convenient and accessible location
to the front entry of the building with no more than four vertical steps (ramps may
be utilized) between the bicycle room and the sidewalk with room for 1 bicycle
space per bedroom and 1 bicycle space per 2500 square feet of non residential use
is required. Bicycle parking must also be provided in the sidewalk or accessory
parking area for all retail or similar ground floor uses at a rate of 1 space per 1500
square feet to a maximum requirement of 15 spaces.
2) Automobile Maximum Parking Ratios By Use:
(a) For lots of less than 60 feet in width: no parking is permitted.
(b) Residential uses may provide up to a maximum of 0.5 off-street parking space per
dwelling unit.
(c) Office and other commercial uses may provide up to a maximum of 0.5 spaces
per 1000 square feet of gross floor area.
(d) Retail, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and health clubs may provide up to a
maximum of 0.5 space per 1000 square feet of gross floor area.
(e) Theaters may provide up to a maximum of 1 space per 20 seats.
(f) Hotels may provide up to a maximum of 1 space per every 3 rooms.
(g) Public/semi-public uses may provide a maximum 0.5 space per 1000 square feet
of gross floor area.
(h) Colleges and Universities may provide a maximum of 1 space per faculty and
administrative member per 8 hour shift.
(i) All other uses may provide a maximum 0.5 space per 1000 square feet of gross
floor area.
(j) Parking garages are obviously exempt from the parking maximum.
3) Automobile Parking Provisions
(a) Commuter parking is prohibited.
(b) Semi-annual reporting of the parking pricing and usage shall be provided to the
Director of the Division of City Planning and the Chairman of the Jersey City
Planning Board in a format and detail similar to the semi-annual parking report
submitted for the Newport Redevelopment Plan Area.

13 DRAFT
 (c) To assure the most efficient and effective use of the parking resources located
within the Redevelopment Area, shared use of the parking facilities is
encouraged.
(d) Use of the first 10% of parking stalls from the garage entrance shall be limited to
retail users of the on-site retail and neighboring retail uses and be limited to a
maximum duration of 4 hours.
4) Design Standards:
(a) In any building over six stories, or any stand-alone parking structure, a parking
level at grade may not contain any parking or mechanical floor area adjacent to
the sidewalk/street frontage. Atrium, lobby, and/or retail space shall occupy these
areas with a minimum depth of 25 feet.
(b) In any building under six stories, a parking level at grade shall be set back from
the sidewalk a minimum of 3 feet to provide for landscaping, screening the
parking use.
(c) For stand alone parking structures, the ground floor retail use shall be a minimum
height of 15 feet and a depth of 25 feet.
(d) Any parking structure shall be designed to eliminate headlight glare by the
provision of opaque screening for head lights and placement of interior garage
lighting to be directed into the structure and mounted on the interior side of
columns so as to prevent glare from such lighting to be visible from the street or
adjacent property. Light fixture details and location shall be included within the
garage floor plan at the time of site plan application.
(e) The facade of all parking levels shall be of a compatible material to that used
throughout the development or adjacent structures and shall be designed to
provide visual interest.
(f) All openings must be screened with glass or decorative façade materials. Any
openings shall be in a vertical proportion. Open horizontal bands along the façade
of any parking structure are prohibited.
(g) Exterior lighting of the screening materials on a parking structure façade is
required in order to provide additional visual interest in terms of light and shadow
and to further mask the interior lighting of the parking structure and headlight
glare.
(h) All pedestrian access points shall be provided at street level and designed to
encourage street activity. Overhead or elevated pedestrian or vehicular
connections are prohibited.
(i) All parking spaces shall be 9 feet wide by 18 feet deep. Compact parking spaces
(8x15), may be provided, up to fifty (50) percent of approved parking spaces.
(j) Aisle widths shall conform to the following standards:
(i) 90 degree parking 22' wide two-way aisle
(ii) 60 degree parking 18' wide one-way aisle
(iii)45 degree parking 15' wide one-way aisle
(iv) 30 degree parking 12' wide one-way aisle
(k) All one-way aisles shall be clearly designated.
(l) All automatic garage parking is exempt from the above space and aisle
dimension requirements.

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 (m) Off-street parking and loading areas shall be coordinated with the public street
system serving the project area in order to avoid conflicts with through traffic or
obstruction of pedestrian walks and thoroughfares.
(n) Surface parking lots (as an interim use) and all loading areas, shall provide a
screen planting of dense evergreens along any street line and along all property
lines except those instances where a building intervenes or where the proposed
planting may interfere with sight triangles. Within the parking area, a minimum
of three percent (3%)of the parking area shall be landscaped and maintained with
shrubs no higher than three (3) feet and trees with branches no lower than six (6)
so that the landscaping is dispersed throughout the parking area.
(o) The number and design of off-street loading spaces shall be demonstrated by an
applicant according to an anticipated need. All freight loading activities are
encouraged to be restricted to early morning and/or late evening hours. The
design and number of off-street loading shall be regulated by the Jersey City Land
Development Ordinance.
(p) Drop off areas may be required for uses generating organized pick-up and drop-
off services such as, but not limited to, medical offices.
(q) All entry ways to off-street parking and loading structures shall incorporate
decorative materials coordinated with the primary base façade on all surfaces
twenty-five (25) feet deep into the structure to create an attractive view from the
sidewalk and adjacent pedestrian areas.
(r) Parking and service access should not be located on the main traffic oriented
streets. A head-in/head-out design is required for all loading and parking
facilities. For parking facilities with 30 spaces or less, driveway widths shall be a
maximum of 12 feet. For all other parking facilities, driveway widths shall be a
maximum of 18 feet.
(s) Direct new development to minimize pedestrian and traffic conflicts.
5) Below grade parking is permitted to cover 100% of the lot and shall not be counted
against permitted FAR.
6) All developments which propose valet parking shall submit a parking management
plan. Such plan shall include but not be limited to: number of vehicles to be parked,
number of rows of cars to be stacked, all parking stall and aisle widths and any other
information deemed necessary to effectively evaluate the management plan. All
parking management plans shall be subject to review and approval of the Division of
Traffic Engineering, the Division of City Planning and the Planning Board. Valet
parking schemes shall not be permitted to increase the total number of parked cars
above the maximum number of permitted spaces.

E) OPEN SPACE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

1) Where possible, new structures surrounding or enclosing open space should be
designed and sited to allow the greatest penetration of sunlight onto open space areas
throughout the year.
2) Open space shall provide visual and functional elements such as bicycle parking,
benches, seating walls, drinking fountains, refuse containers and planters, and public
fountains. Open space amenities shall include decorative material such as: stone

15 DRAFT
 pavers, brick pavers, asphalt pavers, stamped and tinted concrete, and decorative
lighting and detailing.
3) Adequate lighting shall be provided to encourage active usage and a sense of security
in the open space.
4) Open space shall be distributed so as to provide for maximum usability.
5) Through creative design, open space features shall address the need for human
comfort and enjoyment and provide both active and passive leisure uses for secure
and pleasant outdoor and indoor settings to meet public and private use requirements.
Open space and plazas shall be designed at a human scale to invite and attract the
public.
6) Open space shall be oriented to maximize views.
7) As a general guide, one (1) linear foot of seating for each linear foot of plaza
perimeter shall be provided. Seating space may include planters, benches, fountains,
etc.
F) LANDSCAPING AND LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS
1) Landscaping shall be required for any part of any parcel not used for buildings, off-
street parking, plaza areas or loading zones. The developer’s plan shall include
proposals for landscaping indicating the location, size and quantity of the various
species to be used.
2) All plant material used must be able to withstand an urban environment. All screen
planting shall be a minimum of 4 feet high and shall be planted, balled and burlapped
as established by the American Association of Nurserymen. A planting schedule
shall be provided by the developer and approved by the Planning Board. Ground
cover shall be used in place of mulch.
3) All new trees shall be of a species and gender so as to minimize fruit and pollen.
4) Any landscaping which is not resistant to the environment or dies within 2 years of
planting shall be replaced by the developer.
5) Underground watering facilities shall be required for all landscaped areas. Hose bibs
shall be provided immediately adjacent to planting areas abutting a building.
6) Street trees shall be planted along curb lines of streets in a regular pattern, spaced at
one-half the mature spread of the tree canopy to further enhance the aesthetic quality
of the redevelopment area. All trees shall be a minimum of four (4) inches in caliper.
7) Lighting within the site shall sufficiently illuminate all areas, including those areas
where buildings are setback or offset to prevent dark corners.
8) All lighting sources must be adequately shielded to avoid any off-site glare. The area
of illumination shall have a uniform pattern of at least one-half (0.5) foot candles.
9) All landscaping must be fully enclosed by curb or seating wall constructed of a
masonry or metal material with a minimum of 6 inch in height. Landscaping shall be
elevated to match the height of the curb or seating wall. Fencing is discouraged, but
may be set into the required curb.

G) GREEN BUILDING REQUIREMENTS

1) For new construction projects with more than 9,000 square feet of roof top area, 90%
of all roof top area not used for recreation space, solar panels, elevator or stair
housing or other areas necessary for mechanical equipment must be a “green roof".

16 DRAFT
 2) All plumbing fixtures must demonstrate a 30% improvement over US EPA 1992
Energy Policy Act standards. All new toilets must be a duel-flush design and use an
average of 1.28 gallons per flush or less and achieve the US EPA HET standard. All
new shower heads and faucets must be equipped with aerators or other mechanisms to
reduce water flow.
3) All new construction must demonstrate 20% improvement in energy efficiency of the
building envelope and mechanical systems over ASHRAE 90.1 2007 or the most
recently adopted energy standards by NJ Department of Energy.
4) All paints and carpets must be “low VOC” generally defined as having less than 60
grams per liter of volatile organic compounds.
5) All new installed appliances and light bulbs must be Energy Star rated.
6) The recycling and reuse of grey water is encouraged when feasible.
H) BUILDING AMENITY REQUIREMENTS
1) All buildings with 4 or more units must provide a washer/dryer room in the building.
2) Buildings with over 50 units must include at least 2% of the units designed with 3
bedrooms or more.
3) Buildings with 4 or more floors must provide an elevator.
4) A minimum of 30% of the lot area must be dedicated to useable recreation space by
occupants. This space may be placed in a rear yard or on a roof. Roof decks are
encouraged and may be necessary to achieve this requirement.
5) Showers and other facilities necessary to support people biking to work is required in
all office buildings and other major centers of employment greater than 100,000
square feet.
I) BUILDING MATERIALS REQUIREMENTS
1) Synthetic stucco materials such as EIFS is prohibited.
2) Concrete block may not be used as a decorative finish on any facade.
3) Exterior doors including emergency exits and utility access shall not be secured with
a pad lock. All door must include a built in lock mechanism.
4) Brick facades are encouraged to utilize multi toned brick selections with at least 3
tones so as not to create a dull or flat brick facade.
5) Front cantilevered balconies may project no more than 12 inches from the facade
where located within 45 feet from grade or on the base of any "tower on a base"
building design (see Section IV: C). Above a stepback, balconies may extend no
more than the width of the stepback.
6) Use of chain link fencing, razor wire, barbed wire, or other similar security devises is
expressly prohibited. Chain linked fencing may be temporality utilized during
construction only.
7) Security Gates: All front security gates shall be completely composed of the open
mesh type, except for two feet at the bottom of the gate which may be solid. Storage
boxes for all security gates shall be mounted on the interior of the building. Gate
tracks shall be recessed into the glazing reveal and the gate housing shall be flush
with the plane of the storefront. No storage box, tracks or mechanical devices related
to the gates may project from the plane of the storefront.
VIII) SIGNAGE REGULATIONS
A) Signage Approval Process

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 1) All signs are subject to site plan review when included as part of a major site plan
application.
2) All temporary banner signs for marketing projects on site shall be considered as an
interim use.
3) All new signage (except billboards) that complies with the redevelopment plan shall
not require site plan approval.
4) Minor Site Plan application with deviation must be submitted to the Planning board
for all non-conforming sign proposals.
5) Any signage (except billboards) more than 45 feet above grade is not permitted in this
Redevelopment Plan. All requests for this type of signage constitutes a minor site
plan application with deviation.
6) Billboards or theater marquees are subject to minor site plan review.
7) During construction, one (1) temporary sign indicating: the name of the project or
development, general contractor, subcontractor, financing institution and public entity
officials (where applicable) shall be permitted. The sign area shall not exceed forty
(40) square feet.
B) Number and Size of Signage
1) The building address is required to placed on either the main entry door, transom
window, building, or awning flap at a maximum font height of 10 inches.
2) Corner lot development is encouraged to display the street names on the building
facade or imprinted into the sidewalk.
3) Sign requirements along all Rights-of-Way where retail is mandatory (see Map 4:
Required Retail Use Map):
(a) For retail, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and other similar ground floor uses:
(i) Each use fronting on a public street may be permitted one (1) exterior sign per
street frontage.
(ii) Maximum sign height shall be 24 inches.
(b) All other uses:
(i) Each such use fronting on a public street may be permitted one (1) exterior
sign per entryway per street frontage. Buildings with multiple uses shall have
no more than one (1) sign per use.
(ii) The total exterior sign area shall not exceed the equivalent of three (3) percent
of the first story portion of the wall to which it is attached. In no case shall a
sign on any structure exceed 10 square feet.
4) Sign requirements along all Rights-of-Way where retail is not required (see Map 4:
Required Retail Use Map):
(a) For retail, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and other similar storefront uses:
(i) Each such use fronting on a public street may be permitted one (1) exterior
sign per street frontage.
(ii) Maximum sign height shall be 18 inches.
(b) All other uses:
(i) Each such use fronting on a public street may be permitted one (1) exterior
sign per entryway per street frontage. Buildings with multiple uses shall have
not more than one (1) sign per use.

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 (ii) The total exterior sign area shall not exceed the equivalent of two (2) percent
of the first story portion of the wall to which it is attached. In no case shall a
sign on any structure exceed 8 square feet.
C) Sign Design Requirements
1) All signs shall be attached to the first floor level of the building only, although blade
signs may be attached to the first or second floor façade.
2) All wall signs shall be flush mounted;
3) All blade signs shall project no more than 30 inches from the facade and the bottom
of the sign must be a minimum of 9 feet above the sidewalk.
4) Window signs (other than lettering and logos as specifically permitted) shall be
prohibited. Lettering or logos shall be limited to decorative metal leaf, flat black or
etched / frosted glass style lettering and shall be limited to the name of the business
occupying the commercial space / storefront and shall cover no more than twenty
(20%) of the window area.
5) Permitted signage material includes:
(a) Painted wood.
(b) Painted metals including aluminum and steel.
(c) Brushed finished aluminum, stainless steel, brass, copper, or bronze.
(d) Carved wood or wood substitute.
6) Permitted lettering material includes:
(a) Lettering forms applied to the surface of the sign.
(b) Single colored lettering forms applied to the surface of the sign.
(c) Metallic solid body letters with or without returns.
(d) Painted acrylic or metal letter.
(e) Vinyl lettering attached permanently to a wood, wood substitute or metal
signboard.
7) Signs may be lit from backlit halo, and up-lights. Internally lit signs and sign boxes
are prohibited.
8) Storefront windows shall not be blocked by any interior display case or other form of
barrier. Pedestrians on the street shall have the ability to see into the shop and view
the activity within.
9) Signs may include the name of the store only. Building address, phone number,
operating hours and other additional information may be stenciled on the door.
10) One portable sign is permitted within of 8 feet of the entryway of the associated use.
Portable signs are not permitted for parking garages.
D) Parking Garage Signage
1) One (1) sign shall be provided per entrance to garages indicating the parking facility
by the international parking symbol and direction arrow. The sign area shall not
exceed twenty (20) square feet. If applicable, one (1) sign per entrance may be
allowed indicating parking rates, not to exceed eight (8) square feet.
2) Portable signs are not permitted for parking garages.
E) Billboard Requirements
1) Billboards are only permitted within a 400 foot radius of the intersection of the center
lines of Kennedy Boulevard and Bergen Avenue.
2) Billboards are permitted only on building rooftops greater than 30 feet above grade.
Billboards may also permitted on a building facade only at the discretion of the

19 DRAFT
 Planning Board and only for the purpose of screening a blank wall or parking
structures and within the 400 foot radius described above.
3) All billboards are required to be coplanar, (placed in the same plane) with the
building facade.
4) Billboards may not exceed 15 feet in height and are required to be the same width as
the portion of the facade it is built coplanar to.
F) Prohibited Signs
1) Freestanding signs, except for those indicating direction, transportation, circulation
and parking are prohibited.
2) Portable advertising signs not associated with use within 10 feet are strictly
prohibited.
3) Product advertising signage of any kind.
4) Signage attached to parking meters, light poles, benches, or other street furniture.
5) Monument signs
6) Internally or externally illuminated box signs
7) Flashing or animated signs, spinners, pennants, reflective materials that sparkle or
twinkle
8) Window signs, posters, plastic or paper that appear to be attached to the window.
9) Pole signs.
10) Waterfall style or plastic awnings.
IX) REQUIRED LAND USE REGULATIONS
A) Retail and/or other permitted uses are required along all public rights-of-way where
indicated on Map 4: Required Retail Use Map.
1) Minimum depth of retail use shall be twenty-five (25) feet.
2) No more than fifteen (15) percent and no more than twenty (20) consecutive linear
feet may be dedicated to other uses such as meter rooms, blank walls, emergency
exits, etc.
3) Ground floor residential is only permitted if necessary to meet the requirements of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, there is no elevator access, and provided the
following conditions are met:
(a) Must be situated behind the retail use.
(b) The building must maintain a minimum of 600 square feet of retail space at grade
level and at the front of the building.
(c) The building must incorporate a cellar not less than 600 square feet or 50% of the
building’s footprint, whichever is greater, to provide storage space for the retail
use and for the location of trash rooms, mechanical rooms, meters or other
infrastructure needs of the building so as to maximize available retail space at the
ground floor level. Additional space may be allocated to residential tenants.
X) SPECIFIC LAND USE REGULATIONS
A) ZONE 1: CORE
The purpose of this zone is to provide for high-density, high-rise construction on parcels
immediately adjacent to the Journal Square Transportation Center. As the center of the
Journal Square plan with the greatest access to both heavy rail and bus transportation
systems, this block has the greatest potential to provide housing, office space, and other
uses in a transit oriented manner.

20 DRAFT
1) Permitted Principal Uses:
(a) Mid and High-rise Residential: no residential units permitted on the ground floor.
(b) Retail Sales of Goods and Services/Financial Services.
(c) Office: Permitted everywhere except ground floor.
(d) Art galleries
(e) Live/Work units and home occupations: except on the ground floor.
(f) Restaurants, category one and two.
(g) Hotels/Bed and Breakfast.
(h) Theaters.
(i) Child/Adult Day Care Centers: except on the ground floor.
(j) Night Clubs/Bars.
(k) Schools.
(l) Community Centers.
(m) Museums.
(n) Government uses.
(o) Billboards: as per billboard requirements in Section VII: E above.
(p) Any combination of the above
2) Accessory Uses
(a) Structured parking and loading
(b) Fences and seating walls
(c) Landscape features
(d) Improved Open Space
(e) Signs
(f) Rooftop Recreation
(g) Sidewalk Cafe: where sidewalk width permits.
3) Prohibited Uses
(a) Surface parking as a principal or accessory use.
(b) Drive-through facilities pertaining to restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and other
drive through uses
(c) Gas stations, service stations, auto repair, auto body shops, and other automobile
related uses (not including car share programs).
4) Lot Size and Dimension Requirements
(a) All existing lots at the time of adoption of this plan are conforming lots.
(b) Subdivisions must conform to the following minimum standards:
(i) Minimum lot area: 10,000 square feet.
(ii) Minimum lot width: 100 feet.
(iii) Lot Depth: 100 feet.
(iv) Shape Factor Maximum: 30

5) Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR)Standards

(a) The permitted Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for any new development shall be
regulated according to the following table:

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 LOT SIZE (Square Feet) Maximum Maximum
Permitted FAR Permitted FAR
(residential (office primary
From To primary use) use)
0 5,999 4 4
6,000 19,999 8 6
20,000 29,999 16 8
30,000 59,999 20 10
60,000 ∞ 25 15
Table 3

(b) The Floor Area Ratios in Table 3 above are inclusive of all built structures at or
above grade including, but not limited to parking decks, lobbies, hallways,
building core, common areas, etc.
(c) Buildings over 210 feet must comply with "tower on a base" design requirements
in Section IV: C.
6) Minimum Building Height Requirement
(a) The minimum height for any new building shall be sixty-five (65) feet.
7) Sidewalk and streetscape elements shall complement the established design, color,
materials and street furniture of the Journal Square Streetscape improvements.
8) The current public pedestrian access easement that traverses the Block 1866, Lot 36
and provides access between Sip Avenue and Concourse East shall be maintained at
grade level. Its location may be shifted to the eastern edge of Block 1866, Lot 25H,
parallel to the Hudson County College walkway. The existing College pedestrian
walkway along the western side of Lot 27C on Block 1866 shall be maintained and
widened to a minimum of 5 Feet.
9) Improvement shall be provided to Concourse East to insure a seamless connection
between the projects and usable shared sidewalk.
10) It is required that Pavonia Avenue be widened by approximately ten feet (10') on the
South side, in-line with a previous street widening in front on the Journal Square
Transportation Center. The required setback along Pavonia Avenue therefore must be
sufficient to accommodate this street widening as well as the required sidewalk width
of twenty (20') feet, totaling an approximate thirty (30) foot setback from the existing
curb line along this section of Pavonia Avenue. The land necessary for this right-of-
way improvement shall be dedicated to the City. All setback and stepback
requirements shall be measured from the new property lines created.
11) A maximization of lot coverage and FAR is being permitted as a component of this
zone due to its proximity to the Journal Square PATH station. At grade open space is
not required on site, but instead must be provided as improvements to the Magnolia
Ave kiss-and-ride drop off area as described in section VI) E above by any
development adjacent to Magnolia Avenue for a length greater than 200 linear feet.
Any developer that triggers this provision shall fund, improve, and maintain this new
plaza entry way for the Journal Square Transportation Center. Any development
application for building under this provision shall include the site plan development
improvements for the plaza as part of the same application. Construction of the plaza
shall be completed simultaneously with the principal building.

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B) ZONE 2: AIR-RIGHTS
1) The sole permitted use in this zone is for transportation uses. It is desirable in the
future to deck over the existing rail tracks and develop the air rights above for a
variety of uses, including office, commercial and residential uses, and to incorporate
public open space to create landscaped pedestrian plazas that form a continuous link
from the Journal Square PATH station to the surrounding neighborhoods from
Baldwin Avenue to Garrison Avenue. Recommended pedestrian corridors are shown
on Map 5: Required Sidewalk Width and Map 6: Circulation. Building heights,
forms, and permitted uses are to be determined as a future amendment to this
redevelopment plan.
2) It is desirable that privately owned land east of Summit Avenue in Zone 2 be reserved
for public open space. To achieve this goal, any privately owned parcels in Zone 2
east of Summit Avenue may dedicate land to the City in exchange for an FAR bonus
granted to an adjacent site in Zone 3 or 4. The bonus shall be calculated as a 1:1 ratio
of land area to FAR. For example, a 10,000 square foot lot dedicated to the City may
add 10,000 square feet of floor area above the permitted zoning on an adjacent site.
Any structure built under this bonus provision shall have a maximum building height
of 12 stories an 130 feet and must maintain a 30 foot separation buffer with the
historic Summit House. Any structure built under this bonus provision that is
adjacent to Zone 6 shall have a maximum building height of 8 stories and 85 feet.

C) ZONE 3: COMMERCIAL CENTER

The purpose of this zone is to provide for an active and intensive use of parcels
surrounding the Journal Square Transportation Center. With close proximity and short
walking distances to heavy rail and bus transit systems, this zone complements the
established commercial center of Jersey City.
1) Permitted Uses:
(a) Residential: permitted everywhere except on the ground floor of buildings greater
than 65 feet in height.
(b) Retail Sales of Goods and Services/Financial Services.
(c) Offices: permitted everywhere except on the ground floor of buildings greater
than 65 feet in height.
(d) Art galleries.
(e) Live/Work units and home occupations: except on the ground floor of buildings
greater than 65 feet in height.
(f) Restaurants: category one and two.
(g) Structured Parking: provided the design standards of Section IV: D above are
met. Structured Parking is not permitted at any street corner location.
(h) Hotels/Bed and Breakfast.
(i) Medical Offices
(j) Child and Adult Day Care Centers.
(k) Theatres/Night Clubs/Bars.
(l) Schools
(m) Museum
(n) Government uses.
(o) Billboards: as per billboard requirements in Section VII: E above.

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 (p) Any combination of the above.
2) Accessory Uses
(a) Fences and seating walls.
(b) Landscape features.
(c) Improved Open Space.
(d) Signs.
(e) Rooftop Recreation.
(f) Sidewalk Cafe: where sidewalk width permits.
3) Prohibited Uses
(a) Surface parking as a principal or accessory use.
(b) Drive-throughs pertaining to restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and other drive
through uses.
(c) Gas stations, service stations, auto repair, auto body shops, and other automobile
related uses (not including car share programs).
4) Lot Size and Dimension Requirements
(a) All existing lots at the time of adoption of this plan are conforming lots.
(b) Subdivisions must conform to the following minimum standards:
(i) Minimum lot area: 7500 square feet.
(ii) Minimum lot width: 75 feet.
(iii) Lot Depth: 100 feet.
(iv) Shape Factor Maximum: 30
5) Density and Height Requirements
(a) Density is not regulated by floor area ratio or units per acre in this zone. Instead,
a "building envelope" is defined, depending on the size and shape of the site.
Minimum room and unit sizes are regulated by building code.
6) Maximum and minimum building height shall be calculated based on the lot size
according to the following table provided the required standards in the table are met:

Approximate Lot Area Minimum Maximum

Lot up to: Building Height Building Height
Dimension (square feet) (stories)/(feet) (stories)/(feet)
0 to 2499 3 / 32' 3 / 34'
25x100 2500 to 4999 3 / 32' 5 / 54'
50x100 5000 to 7499 4 / 42' 8 / 85'
75x100 7500 to 9999 5 / 52' 10 / 105'
100x100 10000 to 12499 5 / 52' 18 / 195'
125x100 12500 and up 5 / 52' 25 / 265'
Table 4

7) Building Stepbacks: To provide light and air to adjacent lots, buildings taller than 4
stories must provide a "stepback" from the property line at the following intervals:

24 DRAFT
 Front Side Rear
Story Level Stepback Stepback Stepback
1 none none none
2 to 5 none none 30'
6 to 10 10' none 30'
11 to 18 10' 15' 30'
19 and up See Tower on a Base Section IV: C
Table 5

8) Yard Requirements
(a) Front Yard Requirements:
(i) Front yard setback shall be sufficient to provide the minimum sidewalk width
indicated in Map 5: Required Sidewalk Width Map, measured from the ground
floor building facade to the curb. Example: If the existing sidewalk width is
10 feet, and the required sidewalk is 20 feet, then the required front yard
setback shall be 10 feet.
(ii) Up to 30% of a building façade may be set back up to an additional 10 feet to
accommodate outdoor seating areas or public space, but not for front yard car
parking and must be designed to be impractical for such use.
(b) Side Yard Requirements:
(i) Side yards are not permitted within 10 feet of a right-of-way except where
required by fire or building code to accommodate adjacent windows or as per
the “Tower on a Base” requirements in Section IV: C.
(c) Rear Yard Requirements:
(i) No rear yard is required, however a second floor step back of 30 feet is
required as per Table 5 above.
(ii) For through lots, a 50 foot "rear yard" is required at grade or above the first
floor, and centered in the middle of the block.
(iii)Corner lots must stepback on the second floor 30 feet from any adjacent
property's rear property line.
D) ZONE 4: NEIGHBORHOOD MIXED USE
The purpose of this zone is to provide for new housing, office space, and other uses on
parcels within a 10 minute walk of the Journal Square Transportation Center. This zone
continues the existing pattern of mixed land uses and building types while providing for
increased height limits on corner lots.

1) Permitted Uses:
(a) Residential: permitted everywhere except on the ground floor of buildings
utilizing a corner height bonus depicted on Map 3: Corner Lot Bonus Map.
(b) Retail Sales of Goods and Services/Financial Services.
(c) Offices.
(d) Art galleries.
(e) Live/Work units and home occupations.
(f) Restaurants: category one and two.
(g) Structured Parking: Except at any street corner location.

25 DRAFT
 (h) Hotels/Bed and Breakfast.
(i) Medical Offices.
(j) Child and Adult Day Care Centers.
(k) Theatres/Night Clubs/Bars: on corner lots, provided no more than 60 decibels is
measureable outside the establishment. Night clubs and bars are limited to 5000
square feet.
(l) Houses of worship.
(m) Museum.
(n) Schools.
(o) Community Centers.
(p) Government uses.
(q) Any combination of the above.
2) Accessory Uses
(a) Structured and surface parking and loading.
(b) Fences and seating walls.
(c) Landscape features.
(d) Improved Open Space.
(e) Signs.
(f) Rooftop Recreation.
(g) Sidewalk Cafe: where sidewalk width permits.

3) Prohibited Uses
(a) Surface parking as a principal use.
(b) Drive-throughs pertaining to restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and other drive
through uses.
(c) Gas stations, service stations, auto repair, auto body shops, and other automobile
related uses (not including car share programs).
(d) Billboards.
4) Lot Size and Dimension Requirements
(a) All existing lots at the time of adoption of this plan are conforming lots.
(b) Subdivisions must conform to the following minimum standards:
(i) Minimum lot area: 7500 square feet.
(ii) Minimum lot width: 75 feet.
(iii)Lot Depth: 100 feet.
(iv) Shape Factor Maximum: 30
5) Density and Height Requirements
(a) Density is not regulated by floor area ratio or units per acre in this zone. Instead,
a "building envelope" is defined, depending on the size and shape of the site.
Minimum room and unit sizes are regulated by building code.
(b) Maximum and minimum building height shall be calculated based on the lot size
according to the following table provided the required standards in the table are
met:

26 DRAFT
 Minimum Maximum
Approximate Lot Area Building Maximum Building Maximum Maximum
Lot up to: Height Building Height Height with Building Height Building Height
Dimension (square feet) (stories)/(feet) (stories)/(feet) Bonus "C" with Bonus "B" with Bonus "A"
0 to 2499 2 / 22' 3 / 34' (stories)/(feet) (stories)/(feet) (stories)/(feet)
25x100 2500 to 4999 2 / 22' 4 / 44' 5 / 54' 5 / 54' 5 / 54'
50x100 5000 to 7499 3 / 32' 5 / 54' 6 / 64' 6 / 64' 8 / 85'
75x100 7500 to 9999 4 / 42' 6 / 64' 6 / 64' 8 / 85' 8 / 85'
100x100 10000 and up 5 / 52' 6 / 64' 6 / 64' 8 / 85' 12 / 130'
Table 6

(c) Corner Lot Bonus: Corner lots at selected locations are permitted a height bonus
to encourage larger buildings at street corners as indicated in Map 3: Corner Lot
Bonus Map. To qualify for the bonus height, corner lots must have the minimum
lot size indicated in Table 6 for each bonus as well as the minimum sidewalk
width indicated in Map 5: Sidewalk Width Map. Corner Bonus projects are not
required to match adjacent front yard setbacks in section 6 below, but instead
must provide a front yard setback sufficient to meet the minimum sidewalk width
as per the Map 5: Sidewalk Width Map. Projects must also comply with the
minimum floor-to-ceiling height requirements and required building stepbacks.
The Corner Lot Bonus is applicable to a maximum lot area of 20,000 square feet.
(d) Whole block development provision: where an entire block measuring greater
than 30,000 square feet (not including any property in Zone 6) is consolidated,
bounded only by rights-of-way, the development standards for Zone 3 may be
applied provided that:
(i) A 20 foot sidewalk is provided around the entire circumference of the block.
(ii) Tower stepbacks of 12 feet are accommodated set back from the base facade.
(iii)Parking is not permitted to front along any right-of-way at grade level. All
parking uses must be screened from view through the use of wrap units. Any
non-parking permitted use must occupy the first floor along all rights-of-way
to a depth of a minimum of 25 feet. Parking may only be exposed on or above
the second story.
(iv) Properties in Zone 6 must be excluded from any site plan under this provision.
(v) No buildings may be placed in the right-of-way preservation area as indicated
on Map 6: Circulation. All preservation areas must be designed as publicly
accessible plaza.
(e) Building Stepbacks: To provide light and air to adjacent lots, buildings must
provide a "stepback" from the property line at the following intervals:

27 DRAFT
 Front Side Rear
Story Level Stepback Stepback Stepback
1 none none none
2 to 4 none none 30'
5 10' none 30'
6 10' 5' 30'
7 15' 5' 30'
8 15' 10' 30'
9 and Up See Tower on a Base Section IV: C
Table 7

6) Yard Requirements
(a) Front Yard Requirements:
(i) Front yard setback shall match the setback of the "Primary Building Façade"
(see Article I of the Land Development Ordinance for definition of Primary
Building Façade) on either side of the subject parcel, provided that the
building setback to be matched shall be closest to the predominant (most
frequently occurring) setback on the block front. Where sidewalk widths are
less than 8 feet, the front yard setback requirement must be the minimum of 8
feet from front facade at the ground floor to the curb.
(ii) Up to 30% of a building façade may be set back up to an additional 10 feet to
accommodate stoops, outdoor seating areas or public space, but not for front
yard car parking and must be designed to be impractical for such use.
(iii)If the adjacent front yard setbacks are greater than 10 feet, and the project site
has 60 feet or more of frontage on a right-of-way, then the building may limit
the front yard setback requirement to 10 feet.
(iv) Where retail is required as indicated in Map 4: Required Retail Use Map, the
front yard setback shall be sufficient to provide the minimum sidewalk width
as depicted in Map 5: Required Sidewalk Width Map, measured from the
ground floor building facade to curb. Example: If the existing sidewalk width
is 10 feet, and the required sidewalk is 20 feet, then the front yard setback
shall be 10 feet.
(b) Side Yard Requirements:
(i) Where the adjacent building is less than four stories, the minimum side yard
setback shall be 10% of the lot width up to a maximum requirement of 10 feet
and the minimum required by fire or building code to accommodate adjacent
windows.
(ii) Where a ground floor retail use is mandatory (see Map 4: Required Retail Use
Map), side yards are not permitted within 10 feet of a right-of-way except
where required by fire or building code to accommodate adjacent windows.
(iii)Where the adjacent building is greater than 4 stories, or where the adjacent
building is built on the lot line, side yards are not permitted within 10 feet of a
right-of-way except where required by fire or building code to accommodate
adjacent windows.
(c) Rear Yard Requirements:

28 DRAFT
 (i) No rear yard is required, however a second floor step back of 30 feet is
required as per the building step back table above.
(ii) For through lots, a 50 foot "rear yard" is required at grade or above the first
floor, and centered in the middle of the block.
(iii)Corner lots must stepback on the second floor 30 feet from any adjacent
property's rear property line.
(iv) Where a rear lot line abuts a side lot line, only a side yard is required.
E) ZONE 5: COMMERCIAL MAIN STREET
The purpose of this zone is to continue the existing pattern of main street type
commercial buildings along Newark Avenue while providing for efficient modern new
construction and increased density on corner lots.

1) Permitted Uses:
(a) Residential: permitted everywhere except on the ground floor.
(b) Retail Sales of Goods and Services/Financial Services.
(c) Offices.
(d) Art galleries.
(e) Live/Work units and home occupations.
(f) Restaurants: category one and two.
(g) Structured Parking: Except at any street corner location.
(h) Hotels/Bed and Breakfast.
(i) Medical Offices.
(j) Child and Adult Day Care Centers.
(k) Night Clubs/Bars: on corner lots, provided no more than 60 decibels is
measureable outside the establishment.
(l) Museum.
(m) Any combination of the above.

2) Accessory Uses
(a) Structured parking and loading.
(b) Fences and seating walls.
(c) Landscape features.
(d) Improved Open Space.
(e) Signs.
(f) Rooftop Recreation.
(g) Sidewalk Cafe: where sidewalk width permits.

3) Prohibited Uses
(a) Surface parking as a principal or accessory use.
(b) Drive-throughs pertaining to restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and other drive-
through uses.
(c) Gas stations, service stations, auto repair, auto body shops, and other automobile
related uses (not including car share programs).
(d) Billboards.
4) Lot Size and Dimension Requirements
(a) All existing lots at the time of adoption of this plan are conforming lots.
(b) Subdivisions must conform to the following minimum standards:

29 DRAFT
 (i) Minimum lot area: 2500 square feet.
(ii) Minimum lot width: 25 feet.
(iii) Minimum Lot Depth: 100 feet.
(iv) Shape Factor Maximum: 30
5) Density and Height Requirements
(a) Density is not regulated by floor area ratio or units per acre in this zone. Instead,
a "building envelope" is defined, depending on the size and shape of the site.
Minimum room and unit sizes are regulated by building code.
(b) Maximum and minimum building height shall be calculated based on the lot size
according to the following table provided the required standards in the table are
met:

Minimum
Approximate Lot Area Building Maximum Maximum Maximum Maximum
Lot up to: Height Building Height Building Height Building Height Building Height
Dimension (square feet) (stories)/(feet) (stories)/(feet) with Bonus "C" with Bonus "B" with Bonus "A"
0 to 2499 3 / 32' 3 / 34' (stories)/(feet) (stories)/(feet) (stories)/(feet)
25x100 2500 to 4999 3 / 32' 4 / 44' 5 / 54' 5 / 54' 5 / 54'
50x100 5000 to 7499 3 / 32' 5 / 54' 6 / 64' 6 / 64' 6 / 64'
75x100 7500 to 9999 4 / 42' 6 / 64' 6 / 64' 8 / 85' 8 / 85'
100x100 10000 and up 5 / 52' 6 / 64' 6 / 64' 8 / 85' 12 / 130'
Table 8

(c) Corner Lot Bonus: Corner lots at selected locations are permitted a height bonus
to encourage larger buildings at street corners as indicated in Map 3: Corner Lot
Bonus Map. To qualify for the additional height, corner lots must have the
minimum lot size indicated in Table 8 above for each bonus as well as the
minimum sidewalk width indicated in Map 5: Required Sidewalk Width Map.
Corner Bonus projects are not required to match adjacent front yard setbacks in
Section 5 below, but instead provide a front yard setback sufficient to meet the
minimum sidewalk width. Projects must also comply with the minimum floor-to-
ceiling height requirements and required building stepbacks. The Corner Lot
Bonus is applicable to a maximum lot area of 20,000 square feet.
(d) Building Stepbacks: To provide light and air to adjacent lots, buildings taller than
4 stories must provide a "stepback" from the property line at the following
intervals:

Story Front Side Rear

Level Stepback Stepback Stepback
1 none none none
2 to 5 none none 30'
6 10' none 30'
7 to 8 15' 10' 30'
9 and Up See Tower on a Base Section IV: C

30 DRAFT
 Table 9

6) Yard Requirements
(a) Front Yard Requirements:
(i) The front yard setback shall be sufficient to provide the minimum sidewalk
width as indicated in Map 5: Required Sidewalk Width Map, measured from
the ground floor building facade to curb. Example: If the existing sidewalk
width is 10 feet, and the required sidewalk is 20 feet, then the front yard
setback shall be 10 feet.
(ii) Up to 30% of a building façade may be set back up to an additional 10 feet to
accommodate outdoor seating areas or public space, but not for front yard car
parking and must be designed to be impractical for such use.
(b) Side Yard Requirements:
(i) Side yards are not permitted within 10 feet of a right-of-way except where
required by fire or building code to accommodate adjacent windows.
(c) Rear Yard Requirements:
(i) No rear yard is required, however a second floor step back of 30 feet is
required as per Table 9 above.
(ii) For through lots, a 50 foot "rear yard" is required at grade or above the first
floor, and centered in the middle of the block.
(iii)Corner lots must stepback on the second floor 30 feet from any adjacent
property's rear property line.
F) ZONE 6: PRESERVATION
Situated with the original palisaded town of Bergen to the south, and Newark Avenue and
Five Corners to the north; the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan Area has been
the site of architectural endeavors for some 350 years. Although many early buildings
have been razed in the development of the area, much remains to give us an idea of the
area's development: socially, economically, architecturally, historically and culturally.
Many resources remain that are locally significant and that still possess integrity of
location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, These
buildings and streetscapes give the area a unique sense of place different not experienced
elsewhere in the city.

During prior waves of development in the twentieth century, when the area’s landscape
changed from that of a suburban small town to the city’s Central Business District,
important buildings were demolished, altered, or moved. Development, especially in the
first half of the twentieth century, was sometimes undertaken without examination and
appreciation of past cultural and architectural development. This plan seeks to preserve
important resources which help to define the unique character of the Journal Square area.
This Zone shall preserve a wide variety of buildings characteristic of the area’s varied
development encompassing the seventeenth century Newkirk / Summit House, the
eighteenth and nineteenth century Apple Tree House, Victorian brick townhouse rows, a
Classical Revival Terrace on East Street, late 19th century mixed use developments and
large early 20th century apartment buildings as well as churches, theatres and office
buildings.

31 DRAFT
The properties that have been selected for Zone 6: Preservation have, paraphrasing the
National Register Criteria for Evaluation:

A. Been associated with events that have made significant contribution to the broad
patterns of our history; or

B. Are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or

C. Embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or

that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a
significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction;
or

D. Have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

To respect the special character that the Journal Square area has acquired and retained
over the past three and one half centuries, the buildings included in this Preservation
Zone shall be rehabilitated in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards
and Guidelines for the Treatment of Historic Properties so that future generations can be
delighted by the history and architecture of the Journal Square Neighborhood.

1) Permitted Uses:
(a) All uses at their existing location at the time of adoption of this Plan are
permitted.
(b) New uses shall be considered by the Planning Board on a case by case basis,
guided by adjacent uses only. Because historic buildings in this zone are scattered
throughout the Plan Area, and are situated in a variety of land use areas, the
permitted uses in this zone must be contextual to the site.
2) Lot Size and Dimension Requirements
(a) All existing lots at the time of adoption of this plan are conforming lots.
(b) Subdivision is not permitted.
3) Height and Bulk Requirements
(a) The existing building height, floor area, established setbacks and the exterior
building envelope as of the adoption of this Plan shall constitute the development
standards of each building. Any change to the above standards shall constitute a
deviation from this plan.
(b) Minor alterations in site plan and façade characteristics may be permitted by the
Planning Board provided such alterations are consistent with the above standards
for this zone. Any changes not consistent with this Plan are cognizable under a
deviation application, and will be judged on their merits.
4) Yard and Coverage Requirements
(a) building coverage: existing
(b) lot coverage: existing
(c) front yard: existing
(d) side yard: existing
(e) rear yard: existing

32 DRAFT
 5) Building Design Requirements
(a) All visible façades must retain historic building fabric where practicable.
Architectural elements must be fully retained, preserved, restored, or recreated as
necessary, based on site, photographic, or period documentation.
(b) Any rehabilitation is to be done in compliance with the Secretary of the Interiors
Standards and Guidelines for the Treatment of Historic Properties
(c) All building must comply with all State or national historic register regulations.
(d) Parking is not permitted in this zone unless present at the time of adoption of this
redevelopment plan.
G) ZONE 7: DECO
The purpose of this zone is to retain and preserve the early twentieth century art-deco
facades along Bergen Avenue while providing for vertical additions to these historic
facades.
1) Permitted Uses:
(a) Residential: permitted everywhere except on the ground floor.
(b) Retail Sales of Goods and Services/Financial Services.
(c) Offices: permitted everywhere except on the ground floor.
(d) Art galleries.
(e) Live/Work units and home occupations: permitted everywhere except on the
ground floor.
(f) Restaurants: category one and two.
(g) Hotels/Bed and Breakfast.
(h) Medical Offices: permitted everywhere except on the ground floor.
(i) Child and Adult Day Care Centers: permitted everywhere except on the ground
floor.
(j) Night Clubs/Bars: on corner lots, provided no more than 60 decibels is
measureable outside the establishment. Night clubs and bars are limited to 3000
square feet.
(k) Museum.
(l) Any combination of the above.
2) Lot Size and Dimension Requirements
(a) All existing lots at the time of adoption of this plan are conforming lots.
(b) Subdivision is not permitted.
3) Height Requirements
(a) Maximum building height: 8 stories and 85 feet
(b) Building Stepbacks: a 15 foot front stepback is required for any additions above
the existing deco buildings along Bergen Avenue. A 5 foot stepback is required
for any additions on Newkirk Street.
4) Yard Requirements
(a) The maximum permitted building and lot coverage shall be the existing building
and lot coverage at the time of adoption of this Plan.
5) Building Design Requirements
(a) All visible façades must retain historic building fabric where practicable.
Architectural elements must be fully retained, preserved, restored, or recreated as
necessary, based on site, photographic, or period documentation.

33 DRAFT
 (b) Any facade rehabilitation is to be done in compliance with the Secretary of the
Interiors Standards and Guidelines for the Treatment of Historic Properties
(c) The front façade of any roof top addition must include 75 % glazing which will
minimize any impact the addition may have on the historic resource.
(d) Parking is not permitted in this zone.
H) ZONE 8: BERGEN SQUARE
The purpose of this zone is to demarcate and preserve the footprint, block, and lot lines of
the original Dutch settlement of Bergen, established in 1661. This zone provides for
mixed use development respecting the established height limits and development context
found in Bergen Square.

1) Permitted Uses:
(a) Residential: permitted everywhere except on the ground floor of buildings
utilizing a corner height bonus.
(b) Retail Sales of Goods and Services/Financial Services.
(c) Offices.
(d) Art galleries.
(e) Live/Work units and home occupations.
(f) Restaurants: category one and two.
(g) Bed and Breakfast.
(h) Child and Adult Day Care Centers.
(i) Night Clubs/Bars: restricted to Bergen Ave, provided no more than 60 decibels is
measureable outside the establishment.
(j) Schools.
(k) Community Centers.
(l) Government uses.
(m) Museum.
(n) Any combination of the above.
2) Accessory Uses
(a) Fences and seating walls.
(b) Landscape features.
(c) Improved Open Space.
(d) Signs.
(e) Rooftop Recreation.
(f) Sidewalk Cafe: where sidewalk width permits.

3) Prohibited Uses
(a) Surface parking as a principal or accessory use.
(b) Drive-throughs pertaining to restaurants, banks, pharmacies, and other drive
through uses.
(c) Gas stations, service stations, auto repair, auto body shops, and other automobile
related uses (not including car share programs).
(d) Billboards.
4) Lot Size and Dimension Requirements
(a) All existing lots at the time of adoption of this plan are conforming lots.
(b) Subdivisions must conform to the following minimum standards:
(i) Minimum lot area: 2500 square feet.

34 DRAFT
 (ii) Minimum lot width: 25 feet.
(iii) Minimum Lot Depth: 100 feet.
(iv) Shape Factor Maximum: 30
5) Density and Height Requirements
(a) Density is not regulated by floor area ratio or units per acre in this zone. Instead,
a "building envelope" is defined, depending on the size and shape of the site.
Minimum room and unit sizes are regulated by building code.
(b) Maximum and minimum building height shall be calculated based on the lot size
according to the following table provided the required standards in the table are
met:

Minimum
Approximate Lot Area Building Maximum
Lot up to: Height Building Height
Dimension (square feet) (stories)/(feet) (stories)/(feet)
0 to 2499 2 / 22' 3 / 34'
25x100 2500 to 4999 2 / 22' 4 / 44'
50x100 5000 and up 3 / 32' 5 / 54'
Table 10

(c) Building Stepbacks: To provide light and air to adjacent lots, buildings taller than
4 stories must provide a "stepback" from the property line at the following
intervals:

Story Front Side Rear

Level Stepback Stepback Stepback
1 to 4 none none 30'
5 10' none 30'
Table 11

6) Yard Requirements
(a) Front Yard Requirements:
(i) Front yard setback shall match the setback of the "Primary Building Façade"
(see Article I of the Land Development Ordinance for definition of Primary
Building Façade) on either side of the subject parcel, provided that the
building setback to be matched shall be closest to the predominant (most
frequently occurring) setback on the block front.
(ii) Where retail is required as indicated in Map 4: Required Retail Use Map, the
front yard setback shall be sufficient to provide the minimum sidewalk width
as depicted in Map 5: Required Sidewalk Width Map, measured from the
ground floor building facade to curb. Example: If the existing sidewalk width
is 10 feet, and the required sidewalk is 20 feet, then the front yard setback
shall be 10 feet.
(b) Side Yard Requirements:

35 DRAFT
 (i) Where the adjacent building is less than four stories, the minimum side yard
setback shall be 10% of the lot width up to a maximum requirement of 10 feet
and the minimum required by fire or building code to accommodate adjacent
windows.
(ii) Where a ground floor retail use is mandatory (see Map 4: Required Retail Use
Map), side yards are not permitted within 10 feet of a right-of-way except
where required by fire or building code to accommodate adjacent windows.
(iii)Where the adjacent building is greater than 4 stories, or when the adjacent
building is built on the lot line, side yards are not permitted within 10 feet of a
right-of-way except where required by fire or building code to accommodate
adjacent windows.
(c) Rear Yard Requirements:
(i) A rear yard of 30 feet is required.
(ii) Corner lots must stepback on the second floor 30 feet from any adjacent
property's rear property line.
I) ZONE 9: PARKS
1) Parks, plazas, and other types of public open space are the only permitted at grade use
in this zone. Underground parking facilities are also permitted beneath the required at
grade park.
J) ZONE 10: TRANSITION
1) All parcels in Zone 10 must be submitted to the City Planning Division as a single
site plan application, however construction may be phased.
2) A maximum of two buildings may be constructed in Zone 10, with the remainder of
the zone developed as open space. One of the two buildings must be on Block 1863
Lot N25 adjacent to the historic Lowes Theatre. The second building must be
situated south of the continuation of the Van Reipen Avenue right-of-way and a
minimum of 40 feet from the Zone 2 boundary line.
3) The as-of-right building height shall be a maximum of 6 stories. This height
limitation may be exceeded by constructing the un-built portions of Zone 10 as
publicly accessible open space. Surface parking is not permitted. Each square foot of
open space made available to the public may be converted to FAR applicable to the
two permitted building sites at a ratio of 6:1. For example, 10,000 square feet of land
designed as public open space will permit 60,000 additional square feet to be built
above the permitted 6 stories. The building site on Block 1863 Lot N25 shall not be
restricted in the amount of bonus FAR applied to this site, however any second
building shall have a maximum height of 12 stories or 130 feet with applied bonus
FAR.
4) The site plan for Zone 10 must be in conformity with all design requirements in
Chapter VI as well as the required public sidewalk requirements found on Map 5:
Required Sidewalk Width.

XI) DEFINITIONS
A) All definitions shall refer to the Jersey City Land Development Ordinance.

36 DRAFT
XII) MAPS
1) Boundary Map
2) Zone Districts Map
3) Corner Lot Bonus Map
4) Required Retail Use Map
5) Sidewalk Width Map
6) Circulation Map

37 DRAFT
JOURNAL SQUARE 2060 Boundary
MAP 1: BOUNDARY MAP
Redevelopment Plan Boundary
JULY 8, 2010
1 inch = 500 feet
0 250 500 1,000
Feet Z
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JOURNAL SQUARE 2060 Zone Districts
Zone 1: Core Zone 6: Preservation
MAP 2: ZONE DISTRICTS MAP Zone 2: Air-Rights Zone 7: Deco
JULY 8, 2010 Zone 3: Commercial Center Zone 8: Bergen Square
1 inch = 500 feet Zone 4: Neighborhood Mixed Use Zone 9: Parks
0 250 500 1,000
Feet Z Zone 5: Commercial Main Street Zone 10: Transition

STA
TE
6 HI G
HW
AY
139
LVD
JFK B

6
4
6
AVE
HOBOKEN

E
K ST

ND AV
5 5 WASH

COO
NE BU RN ST

A
WA

OAKL
R
AVE E ST KA
TAG
NEW
ARK CO T 4 VE
5
C OU R
T H OU

VE
L

S E PL
RT P

LA
BE

AVE

RA
N
EIPE 5
HER

NT
VAN

CE
6
3 6 V E
3
PAV
ON
N PL

NI A A IA A
PAVO VE
BRYA

VE
EN A
REIP
VAN 2 MA 4
GN
1
D

O LIA
JFK BLV

NI A
AVE 10 AVE
ST
AVE

PAVO
4
ST

ST

6
SUMMIT

WE

T
EAS

E
IA AV
TO

6 N OL
GARRISON AVE

G
6 2
N

MA
NE

JOURNAL
LE

SQ
BLVD
AV

VE
JFK 3 SIP A
E

3
9 6
E

6
PE RRINE AV
JONES ST
S PL
AVE

EN O

CUB

7
BER
LY P
HIGH ST
ST

L
GEN
PE N

BER

6
RE Y

E
BALDWIN AV

8 NEWK
VA N

IRK ST
4
6
E
S AV

RO CK S
T
R

SM IT
TUE

HS
T
ACA
D EMY
ST

ST
NT
S PL

FR O

6
E
JON

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JOURNAL SQUARE 2060 Corner Lot Bonus Locations
MAP 3: CORNER LOT BONUS MAP
A A Bonus Corner
JULY 8, 2010
B Bonus Corner

Z
B
1 inch = 500 feet
0 250 500 1,000 C C Bonus Corner
Feet

STA
TE
HI G
HW
AY
139
LVD

A
JFK B

A
A
AVE
HOBOKEN
A
A
A

E
K ST

ND AV
A
WASH

COO
A BU RN A
NE B ST

A
WA

OAKL
C
R
AVE
C C E ST KA
ARK C C TAG VE B
CO T
NEW
C OU R
C T H OU C

VE
A
L

S E PL
RT P

LA
C
BE

C AVE

RA
N
EIPE
HER

C C
R

NT
VAN C

CE
B
PAV
AVE ON
N PL

NI A IA A
PAVO VE
BRYA

VE
EN A
B REIP
VAN MA
GN
D

O LIA
JFK BLV

E AVE
IA AV
C PAVON
ST

B
AVE

ST

ST

C B
SUMMIT

WE

B
T
EAS

E
IA AV
TO

N OL
GARRISON AVE

G
N

C MA
NE

JOURNAL
LE

SQ
BLVD
AV

JFK VE
SIP A
E

E
PE RRINE AV
JONES ST
S PL
AVE

EN O

CUB
B
BER
LY P
HIGH ST
ST

L
GEN

B B
PE N

B
B
BER

B
RE Y

A
E

A
BALDWIN AV

NEWK
VA N

A A IRK ST A
A
E

B
B
S AV

B ROCK ST B
B
R

SM IT A B
A
TUE

HS
T

A ACAD
A
EMY
ST

ST
NT

B B
S PL

FR O

B B
E
JON

A
B B
VROOM ST C A A
JOURNAL SQUARE 2060
Ground Floor Use
MAP 4: REQUIRED RETAIL USE MAP
Required Retail
JULY 8, 2010
1 inch = 500 feet
0 250 500 1,000
Feet Z
STA
TE
HI G
HW
AY
139
LVD
JFK B

AVE
HOBOKEN

E
K ST

ND AV
WASH

COO
NE BU RN ST

A
WA

OAKL
R
AVE E ST KA
ARK TAG VE
CO T
NEW
C OU R
T H OU

VE
L

S E PL
RT P

LA
BE

AVE

RA
N
EIPE
HER

NT
VAN

CE
PAV
AVE ON
N PL

NI A IA A
PAVO VE
BRYA

VE
EN A
REIP
VAN MA
GN
D

O LIA
JFK BLV

AVE AVE
NI A
ST
AVE

PAVO
ST

ST
SUMMIT

WE

T
EAS

E
IA AV
TO

N OL
GARRISON AVE

G
N

MA
NE

JOURNAL
LE

SQ
BLVD
AV

JFK VE
SIP A
E

E
PE RRINE AV
JONES ST
S PL
AVE

EN O

CUB
BER
LY P
HIGH ST
ST

L
GEN
PE N

BER
RE Y

E
BALDWIN AV

NEWK
VA N

IRK ST
E
S AV

RO CK S
T
R

SM IT
TUE

HS
T
ACA
D EMY
ST

ST
NT
S PL

FR O
E
JON

VROOM ST
JOURNAL SQUARE 2060 Sidewalk Width Requirements
MAP 5: REQUIRED SIDEWALK WIDTH MAP
20 Foot Minimum Sidewalk Width
JULY 8, 2010
15 Foot Minimum Sidewalk Width
1 inch = 500 feet
0 250 500 1,000
Feet Z Prevailing Width (Minimum of 8')

STA
TE
HI G
HW
AY
139
LVD
JFK B

AVE
HOBOKEN

E
K ST

ND AV
WASH

COO
NE BU RN ST

A
WA

OAKL
R
AVE E ST KA
ARK TAG VE
CO T
NEW
C OU R
T H OU

VE
L

S E PL
RT P

LA
BE

AVE

RA
N
EIPE
HER

NT
VAN

CE
PAV
AVE ON
N PL

NI A IA A
PAVO VE
BRYA

VE
EN A
REIP
VAN MA
GN
D

O LIA
JFK BLV

AVE AVE
NI A
ST
AVE

PAVO
ST

ST
SUMMIT

WE

T
EAS

E
IA AV
TO

N OL
GARRISON AVE

G
N

MA
NE

JOURNAL
LE

SQ
BLVD
AV

JFK VE
SIP A
E

E
PE RRINE AV
JONES ST
S PL
AVE

EN O

CUB
BER
LY P
HIGH ST
ST

L
GEN
PE N

BER
RE Y

E
BALDWIN AV

NEWK
VA N

IRK ST
E
S AV

RO CK S
T
R

SM IT
TUE

HS
T
ACA
D EMY
ST

ST
NT
S PL

FR O
E
JON

VROOM ST
JOURNAL SQUARE 2060 New Circulation Elements
Proposed Streetcar

MAP 6: CIRCULATION MAP Proposed Bus Rapid Transit

Street Vacation
JULY 8, 2010

Z
Central Avenue New Street Connector

1 inch = 500 feet Pedestrian Plaza (exact boundaries to be determined)

Right-of-Way Preservation
0 250 500 1,000
Feet Street Widening

STA
TE
HI G
HW
AY
139
LVD
JFK B

AVE
HOBOKEN

E
K ST

ND AV
WASH

COO
NE BU RN ST

A
WA

OAKL
R
AVE E ST KA
ARK TAG VE
CO T
NEW
C OU R
T H OU

VE
L

S E PL
RT P

LA
BE

AVE

RA
N
EIPE
HER

NT
VAN

CE
PAV
AVE ON
N PL

NI A IA A
PAVO VE
BRYA

VE
EN A
REIP
VAN MA
GN
D

O LIA
JFK BLV

AVE AVE
NI A
ST
AVE

PAVO
ST

ST
SUMMIT

WE

T
EAS

E
IA AV
TO

N OL
GARRISON AVE

G
N

MA
NE

JOURNAL
LE

SQ
BLVD
AV

JFK VE
SIP A
E

E
PE RRINE AV
JONES ST
S PL
AVE

#
EN O

CUB
BER
LY P
HIGH ST
ST

L
GEN
PE N

BER
RE Y

E
BALDWIN AV

NEWK
VA N

IRK ST
E
S AV

RO CK S
T
R

SM IT
TUE

HS
T
ACA
D EMY
ST

ST
NT
S PL

FR O
E
JON
#

VROOM ST