Council moving to cut 'tear-down' incentives

Jersey Journal -- Dec. 13

The Jersey City City Council plans to introduce an ordinance tonight to stem the tide of developers practicing "tear-downs" - buying a single-family home on a large lot, ripping it down and replacing it with two smaller homes.

The special "R-1A" zone would apply to a few blocks - mostly within an area bordered by Gifford Avenue to the north, Harrison Avenue on the south, Bergen Avenue on the east and West Side Avenue on the west.

"This will make it much more difficult if not impossible to get a subdivision from the city and hopefully diminish the incentives to tear down these homes," said Jeff Wenger, principal planner for the city's Division of Planning.

"The gist of this is to protect the character of the district," Wenger added.

Originally, the new zone also was to include a swath of Greenville. But Ward A Councilman Michael Sottolano, who represents the area, objected on the grounds that the ordinance would diminish the value of the homes and the homeowners weren't fully informed.

The council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., City Hall, 280 Grove St.

KEN THORBOURNE