Council explains redevelopment designation process after residents say they missed notices

Passaic City Council voted to refer a proposed redevelopment designation to the planning board for study and outlined the multi‑step process that would follow, drawing extended questions from council members and residents about how neighbors are notified.

What the designation does: Administration explained the redevelopment designation is a procedural step that asks the planning board to study whether an area meets statutory criteria under New Jersey redevelopment law. If the planning board finds the criteria are met, the council could later adopt a designation and then a redevelopment plan by ordinance that would set unit counts, heights, setbacks, parking and other land‑use rules.

Why neighbors were concerned: Several council members said residents sometimes tell them they had no warning that a project was advancing. The attorney/staff explained notice rules: the council issues general notices and newspaper postings, the planning board reviews consistency with the master plan, and later site‑plan and zoning steps (when applicable) require 200‑foot notices to property owners in the affected parcels.

Council responses and outreach ideas: Members pressed for more proactive outreach; administration agreed to explore stepped approaches such as distinct mailing envelopes, enhanced social‑media notices, town halls and targeted 200‑foot notices for parcels that would be impacted. One council member said a clearly marked mailing that looks different from routine correspondence (for example, a marked envelope) could make affected residents less likely to discard notices unread.

Next steps: The council directed staff to send the designation to the planning board for the required study; any redevelopment plan would return to the council as an ordinance after public review and planning‑board input.