Monday, September 11, 2023
7:00 p.m.
Plainfield Municipal Court
325 Watchung Avenue
We encourage everyone to attend in person but you can attend by livestream.
The City Council will be designating LE Development as the Redeveloper for Grace Church and will be authorizing the execution of the Redevelopment Agreement between the City and the Developer (Agenda Item R 327-23). You can view the agreement between the City and the Redeveloper here: https://plainfieldcitynj.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=4&ID=5104
On February 10, 2020, by Ordinance MC 2020-01, City Council enacted a redevelopment plan entitled the TODD South Redevelopment Plan. On April 10, 2023, Grace Church (Block 837, Lot 1) was included in the TODD South Redevelopment Plan.
A short review of what has happened: In April of 2022, we learned that an attempt to sell Grace Church to a developer who would demolish part or all of it was being made and that the City had assured church leadership that this was perfectly legal. When Economic Development put forth a resolution to have the City Council order the Planning Board to conduct a blight study on Grace Church, the Mayor and Economic Development denied plans to harm the building. When the blight study was conducted and the Planning Board voted to reject it, the City was not happy and doubled down, weakening the Historic Preservation Ordinance AND including Grace Church in the TODD South Redevelopment Plan. Now, Economic Development is ordering the City Council to approve their contract with a redeveloper that would allow a six story apartment building with 136 apartments and 136 parking spaces and there is no reference to preservation. Once this contract is finalized, the redeveloper will purchase the property.
To watch a livestream of the City Council meeting, go to: https://youtube.com/@PCTV_3496?si=nX8dBDHS7rGzdZwa
The link is view only. You must attend in-person or call-in to comment.
Want to Make a Public Comment During the City council Meeting?
How To Call In:
Dial 1 (646) 558 8656 during the meeting.
Enter meeting ID 938 3643 9534 followed by #.
If the meeting has not already started, press # to wait.
Press # to skip entering the participant ID.
Caller Controls:
Dial *9 to Raise/Lower Hand
Dial *6 to Mute/Unmute
When It Is Your Turn To Speak:
Your phone should not be on speaker mode and you should mute the device showing you the livestream.
Please Note:
The meeting will not be audible by calling in. Calling in will only allow you to be heard.
in order to hear the meeting, you must be on the livestream.