The Construction & Planning (CAP) Committee is a committee of the Journal Square Community Association that provides a forum for developers to present proposed projects to CAP Members before they are reviewed by the City. The committee provides feedback, asks questions and  encourages developers to improve projects where appropriate.

JSQCA's Construction and Planning Committee has reviewed more than 40 site plans since 2017. Those reviews have identified potential conflicts and issues, and our members have worked with development teams and City Planning staff to address many of those issues prior to final Planning Board review. 

Our members and leaders have shown up at Planning Board and City Council meetings to voice concerns about specific projects or amendments, with mixed results. 

The Construction and Planning Committee established a working group to coordinate public community design workshops for the Homestead Place pedestrian plaza, which is being developed by several private developers. The Committee also established a task force to develop, gather public input, and develop a coalition of support for amendments to the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan that were enacted in 2024, making affordable housing mandatory in parts of the Redevelopment Plan area.

JSQCA invites developers to meet with community representatives prior to their Planning Board hearing in order to see and discuss any potential issues or impacts on the neighborhood. Developers' participation in these meetings is not mandatory under city or state law, but their participation can lead to better outcomes for the project and for the community. 

Reach out to JSQCA, become a member. 

Whether you join JSQCA or not, you can become an informed resident by reading and learning more about the rules, laws, and processes that govern development in Journal Square, Jersey City, and the State of New Jersey.

Developers seek approvals from the Planning Board. The Planning Board members are appointed by the Mayor. 

The Planning Board reviews development applications and makes determinations as to whether or not they comply with local zoning, and/or whether any requested deviations or variances from local zoning rules are admissible. Planning Board hearings are broadcast on YouTube.

The size of a building and what uses (for example, residential, office, retail, etc.) are mandated in the city's Zoning Code. In much of Journal Square, the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan specifies a separate set of development regulations that supersede the Zoning Code.  

A developer must propose a development that fits within the height, width, and depth dimensions prescribed. If the proposed building exceeds those dimensions by even an inch, the developer must request a variance or deviation, which the Planning Board would have to review and then vote to approve or deny. 

Yes and no. In parts of Journal Square (zones 1 and 3 of the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan), any building with 30 or more units must reserve 10% of the units as affordable units. The affordable units are to be distributed via lottery to individuals or families who meet eligibility requirements earning 30%, 50%, or 80% of area median income. 

Affordable units cannot be different from other units. They cannot use cheaper materials or be on an undesirable floor, for example. They must comply with city and state laws for affordable housing. 

Outside of Zones 1 and 3 of the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan, the city's Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance applies. Many of the buildings built outside Zones 1 and 3 are too small to trigger the Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance, and therefore no affordable housing units are required in those projects.

The affordable housing requirement was designed so that the developer could build and manage the affordable housing without the need for a long-term tax abatement or other subsidy. 

Because housing is mostly built by private sector (for-profit) companies financed by for-profit lenders, higher affordable housing requirements make projects un-financeable without long-term tax abatements, grants, or other incentives to offset costs or risks. At 10%, a developer can build a building with enough market rate units to offset the hit in revenue from the affordable units, and no abatement or subsidy is required.

Information about affordable housing, including eligibility, income limits, and housing opportunities are available on Jersey City's Division of Affordable Housing page.

Jersey City's Forestry Standards, last amended in 2023, require a certain number of trees along the street frontage. However, there are sometimes technical obstacles that get in the way, such as underground utilities, driveway entrances/exits, etc. 

In these cases, a developer will often request a variance from the Planning Board and explain the reasons, and sometimes offer a contribution to a green space fund or similar gesture to make up for the missing tree(s). 

This is a commonly-heard misconception. There are quite a few projects that have received tax abatements over the years, including a few here in Journal Square. 

However, most of the new development in Journal Square has been built without tax abatements. Tax abatements must be approved by the City Council, because they impact city revenue. If or when a developer seeks an abatement, it will be on a City Council agenda. 

The Planning Board must review applications in comparison to the Zoning Code or the Redevelopment Plan (if the site is in the redevelopment area). 

New Jersey's Municipal Land Use Law heavily supports the rights of property owners to use their property as the law allows them to. Zoning is the law, the developer is the property owner. 

If the zoning or redevelopment plan allows a big building (and in much of Journal Square, it does), and a developer proposes a big building that complies with the zoning rules, it is hard for the Planning Board to deny that application. 

The Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan sets the allowable building dimensions in much of the Journal Square area. The Redevelopment Plan aims to re-establish Journal Square as Jersey City's primary business district and activity center, and it envisioned the "core" of Journal Square, near the Transportation Center, to have the highest density due to its proximity to transit. 

Thus, the tallest buildings are near the Transportation Center and building heights are reduced at intervals the farther away from the Transportation Center you go. 

There is a long list of projects that have been approved by the Planning Board but that have not yet started construction. And there are a few new large projects that seek approvals every year. 

Barring unforeseen economic downturns that affect the housing market and financing, development in Journal Square can be expected to continue for years to come. 

The Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan includes some community benefits written into the plan. For example, development of certain properties must include public plazas or open space. 

Additional public benefits can sometimes be negotiated with a developer, especially if the developer is seeking a variance or deviation from the allowed zoning rules. Some development teams have included public access to amenities, additional affordable housing units, contributions to open space or arts funds, for example.

The City of Jersey City's CItizen Planner Course is a great place to start. It provides a good overview of urban planning and how planning and development in Jersey City works. 

If you want to get into the weeds, immerse yourself in the city zoning and state laws that govern development and the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan. Jersey City's Planning Department has a map of approved, under-construction and completed projects.