Meeting record
Zoning Board of Adjustment, May 7, 2026
- Body
- Zoning Board of Adjustment
- Date
- May 7, 2026 (regular meeting)
- Video
- city recording, 1h 32m
- Called to order
- 0:00:34
- Adjourned
- 1:32:13
- Agenda
- data.jerseycitynj.gov
- Memorialized resolutions
- jerseycitynj-energovpub.tylerhost.net
- Votes
- 2 confirmed, 1 as heard, unconfirmed
The Zoning Board of Adjustment publishes no written minutes, so the votes and attendance on this page are as heard on the video and are marked unconfirmed until a memorialized resolution confirms them (see the
vote rule).
Attendance
Items
10 Z2025-0094 case
Announced under correspondence (the chair asked 'Are there any correspondence that you'd like to share with us?', 0:02:01) by a speaker who is not named: the applicant 'requested to carry to July 9th with preservation of notice' (0:02:20). Carried to July 9, 2026, with preservation of notice. No motion or vote was heard.
11 Z2025-0023 case
Announced with item 10 by the same speaker: the applicant 'requested to carry to the June 4th meeting with preservation of notice' (0:02:35). Carried to June 4, 2026, with preservation of notice. No motion or vote was heard.
9 Z2026-0029 case
7-0 7 ayes, 0 nays, roll call at 0:05:47 as heard, unconfirmedFull pass. The chair asked for 'a motion to vote with conditions on case Z2026-0029' (0:05:29). Several speakers who are not named offered the motion and second (0:05:40 to 0:05:47); a speaker said 'Go ahead, Carl' and a speaker then said 'I will officially make the motion. Can I get a second? Second.' (0:05:47); mover and seconder not recorded (see needs_checking). Roll call by a reader who is not named from 'Vice Chair Araujo' (0:05:47, word 361.4 s): Araujo 'Yes' (p 1.00), Czaplicki 'Yes' (p 1.00), Shedeed 'Yes' (p 0.98), DiAngelo 'Yes' (p 1.00), Patel called and then 'Oh, sorry.' with no answer (p 0.99), Coviello 'Yes' (p 1.00), Burns 'Yes' (p 1.00), Chair Coyle 'Yes' (0:06:23, p 0.98). Announced 'Motion carries 7-0' (0:06:23). Patel is not-voting: after the opening roll call a speaker who is not named said 'only seven will be voting. One of our commissioners will just be sitting and listening, but he will not vote tonight' (0:01:12). Allen was not called. No resolution of this case uploaded to EnerGov since 2026-05-07 (resolutions fetched 2026-10-19). Commissioner Patel sat without voting, as announced at 0:01:12, and is recorded not-voting (Adam Hanford, review of 2026-10-20).
- 0:03:13 Attorney: The applicant's attorney (agenda: Rosemary Stone-Dougherty, Esq.) asked for three one-year extensions, two of them retroactive, of the site plan approval with D1, D6 and c variances granted February 24, 2022 and memorialized July 28, 2022.
- 0:05:12 Staff: Staff asked the applicant to confirm it agreed to the conditions of the original approval and recommended approval.
Called at 0:03:03 ('case Z20260029 which is 1768.5 Kennedy Boulevard'). Attorney heard as 'Rosemary Stone-Dalworthy with the law firm of A.Y. Strauss' (0:03:13) on behalf of Mann Property Group. Original approval Z21-084 (agenda). The chair asked whether any member of the public wished to comment; none was heard, and the chair closed the public portion (0:04:41).
13 Z2025-0074 case
7-0 7 ayes, 0 nays, roll call at 0:37:57Full pass. The chair asked for 'a motion to vote with conditions on Z2025-0074' (0:37:57); 'I'll make the motion. Can I get a second?' by a speaker who is not named; no second heard. Roll call by a reader who is not named from 'Vice Chair Araujo' (0:37:57, word 2298.0 s); Araujo first said 'We're making a motion to approve', a speaker answered 'Yes, motion to approve', and Araujo was called again and answered 'Yes' (2311.1 s, p 1.00); Czaplicki 'Yes' (p 1.00), Shedeed 'yes' (0:38:35, p 0.89), DiAngelo 'yes' (p 0.99), Coviello 'yes' (p 0.98), Burns 'yes' (p 0.97), Chair Coyle 'yes' (p 0.93). Announced 'motion passes 7-0' (0:38:35). Patel was not called (not voting tonight, as said at 0:01:12). Allen was not called. RESO Z2025-0074 on EnerGov (date of hearing May 7, 2026; memorialized June 4, 2026), p. 6: 'does hereby approve'; voting in favor: Coyle, Araujo, Burns, Shedeed, Czaplicki, 'Rocco Caviello', DiAngelo; no tally printed (7-0 counted from the list). The table does not list Allen (absent as heard) or Patel (not voting). Held: the script did not match 'Caviello' to a member. The resolution spells Commissioner Coviello 'Rocco Caviello'. Commissioner Patel sat without voting (0:01:12) and is not listed (Adam Hanford, review of 2026-10-20).
- 0:06:56 Attorney: The applicant's attorney (agenda: Gerard D. Pizzillo, Esq.) asked for an administrative amendment to the site plan approval granted under Z19-008 for streetscape grading on Broadway and an interim design for the piazza area, and said the entry signage in the notice had been removed from the plans.
- 0:11:39 Applicant: The applicant's engineer described the 3.4-acre site, the 2019 approval of a 12-storey mixed-use building with 477 units and 285 parking spaces, and changes to the piazza, bollards, the Broadway driveway and an elongated planter.
- 0:22:40 Applicant: The applicant's landscape architect described the paving, lighting, shade structure and planter, and an interim plan with temporary asphalt until the second phase is built.
- 0:30:23 Public: A member of the public spoke on the item.
- 0:36:33 Staff: Staff said the changes met the Fayette and Broadway Redevelopment Plan and land development ordinance standards, confirmed the conditions of Z19-008 would apply, and recommended approval.
Called at 0:06:23 ('Z2025-0074 which is 1072-1075 Westside Avenue'). Attorney heard as 'Gerard Pazillo from Genova Burns' (0:06:23), addressed by staff as 'Mr. Pizzillo' (0:37:03). Witnesses: engineer Douglas Clelland of Insight Engineering (spelled C-L-E-L-L-A-N-D, 0:10:38) and landscape architect Cristina Musto (spelled C-R-I-S-T-I-N-A, 0:21:13); a seven-slide presentation was marked A2 (0:21:58). The chair asked questions about the signage (0:09:20); commissioners who are not named asked about street parking (0:33:44) and the parish festival (0:34:28). Public portion opened 0:29:43 and closed 0:33:23; one member of the public spoke.
12 Z2026-0015 case
0-6-1 0 ayes, 6 nays, 1 abstention, roll call at 1:26:08Full pass and the re-transcription of 5275-5320 s (checker, 2026-10-19). A speaker who is not named said 'I will make a motion to determine whether this appeal is viable' (1:25:35); a speaker who is not named said 'yes would mean that you are in favor of the appeal. No would be voting to uphold the zoning officer's decision' (1:25:49 to 1:25:58); 'Can I get a second?' (1:26:05), no second heard. Roll call by a reader who is not named from 'Vice Chair Araujo' (1:26:08): Araujo 'I'm going to abstain' (1:26:25 and 1:26:44, 'abstain' p 1.00); Czaplicki 'I'm going to vote no' (1:28:01, p 0.98) and 'No on the appeal' (1:28:07); Shedeed called (1:28:10) with no answer heard in either pass; DiAngelo 'No' (1:28:17; full pass p 0.29, re-transcription p 0.53); Coviello 'No' (p 0.99); Burns 'No' (p 0.99); Chair Coyle 'No' (p 0.99). Announced 'Appeal fails, six noes, one abstain' (1:28:09): seven members were called, five noes and one abstention heard, so Shedeed's no is filled from the count. Patel was not called (not voting tonight, as said at 0:01:12). Allen was not called. RESO Z2026-0015 on EnerGov (date of hearing May 7, 2026; memorialized June 4, 2026), p. 7: 'MOTION TO DENY THE APPEAL VOTE: MOTION IS APPROVED 6-0-1', Yes for Coyle, Shedeed, Burns, Coviello, DiAngelo and Czaplicki, Araujo abstain; p. 1: 'Six Board Commissioners voted that the appeal was not viable and one Commissioner abstained.' The resolution records the six as yes on a motion to deny; the video records them as no on the appeal; held (see needs_checking). The question was put on the video as 'yes means in favor of the appeal' (1:25:49), and six members answered no; the resolution (RESO Z2026-0015) records the same six as yes on a 'motion to deny the appeal', 6-0-1, Araujo abstaining. Same outcome and members, opposite framing. Published as heard on Adam Hanford's review of 2026-10-20.
- 0:39:41 Attorney: The appellant's attorney, Timothy Little, said the appeal was on behalf of David Czehut (heard 'Zeehut'; RESO spelling) of 617 Jersey Avenue and argued that the use had grown beyond its prior use and needed conditional use approval.
- 0:40:48 Vincent J. La Paglia (Board Attorney): The board attorney asked about the 2024 zoning and historic approvals and the December 19 letter from the zoning officer and said they did not think the board had jurisdiction (0:45:28).
- 0:50:16 Applicant: Planner Samuel Bellamy testified for the appellant that baking on site made the business a cafe category 2 restaurant rather than a retail use.
- 1:08:13 Attorney: An attorney for the business cross-examined the appellant's planner about other coffee shops, the certificate of occupancy and the oven and grease trap.
- 1:22:28 Staff: A staff member said an appeal of a zoning determination on an already approved use would extend the 20-day appeal period indefinitely.
Called at 0:39:10 ('Case Z2026-0015, 615 Jersey Avenue'). The appellant's attorney introduced themself as 'Timothy Little ... Timothy J. Little, PC' on behalf of appellant David Zeehut [as heard] (0:39:41); RESO Z2026-0015 (p. 1) names the appellant David Czehut and the attorney 'Enrique Hernandez Jr., Esq. (Timothy J. Little, P.C.)', with Timothy J. Little, Esq. appearing; the agenda names Enrique Hernandez Jr. as applicant and attorney. The appellant's planner was sworn at 0:49:51. Public portion opened 1:08:01 and closed 1:17:49; three members of the public spoke after the cross-examination (1:14:19, 1:14:54, 1:16:55), one of them saying they spoke for the office of Councilperson Mamta Singh. Commissioners who are not named asked about health, building and fire department violations and ventilation (1:19:41 to 1:21:52). The board's words: 'Appeal fails' (1:28:09); recorded Denied per EDITORIAL.md §5, with a no vote described as upholding the zoning officer's decision (1:25:58).
14.1 case
Resolution: appeal, 'sixth statement placed' (as heard; case number not read)
Voice vote, no roll call at 1:30:39 as heard, unconfirmedNo member's answer is recorded for a voice vote.
Agenda item 14 (Memorialization of Resolutions); the agenda lists no individual resolutions, so 14.x is this record's order of reading. The chair said there were 'three resolutions that we need to memorialize this evening' (1:29:06). Read by a speaker who is not named as 'Crystal, Agropoulos, sixth statement placed. There was a vote on a motion to deny the appeal. That passed, thereby denying the appeal and affirming the zoning office's decision' (1:30:17); 'six in favor, none opposed', in favour as read: Vice Chair Araujo, Commissioners Allen, Czaplicki, Burns, Coviello and DiAngelo (1:30:31). Hearing date not read. Memorialized by voice vote: 'All in favor of memorializing that? Aye.' (1:30:45, 'Aye' p 0.92); no roll call, so no by-member vote is recorded.
14.2 Z2026-0021 case
Voice vote, no roll call at 1:31:01No member's answer is recorded for a voice vote.
Heard April 9, 2026; present as read: 'Chair Coyle, Commissioners DiAngelo, Burns, Allen, Barron, and Shedeed' (1:30:45). Read as 'Z-2026-0021, the applicant was Barthes B-E-H-I-N, the address is 297-2, an application for an extension, that passed, 6 in favor, none opposed' (1:31:01); RESO Z2026-0021 (EnerGov, p. 1) names the applicant Farhad Behin and the address 290 Seventh Street (Block 10006, Lot 42), 'Decided on April 9, 2026, Memorialized on May 7, 2026'. Memorialized by voice vote: 'all in favor of memorializing that? Aye' (1:31:26, 'Aye' p 0.75); no roll call.
14.3 Z2025-0055 case
Voice vote, no roll call at 1:31:26No member's answer is recorded for a voice vote.
Read as 'same date, same six commissioners, the case was Z-2025-0055, applicant was Ben Schwartzback and Meda Patel [as heard], the address was 366 Fifth Street, that was an application for a C-variance approval, and again that passed 6 in favor, none opposed' (1:31:26); RESO Z2025-0055 (EnerGov, p. 1) names the applicants Ben Schwartzbach and Megha Patel, 366 Fifth Street, 'Decided on Thursday, April 9, 2026, Memorialized on May 7, 2026'; its vote table lists Commissioner Patel where the reading of the April 9 members named Barron. Memorialized by voice vote: '[all] in favor of memorializing that? Aye' (1:31:56, 'Aye' p 0.74); no roll call.
16 motion
Adjournment
Voice vote, no roll call at 1:32:08 as heard, unconfirmedNo member's answer is recorded for a voice vote.
'I don't think we have any other board business. Okay, so I motion to adjourn this meeting. Can I get a second?' (1:31:59); 'Second' (1:32:07); 'All in favor of meeting adjourned? Aye' (1:32:08); 'Meeting adjourned.' (1:32:13); speakers not named. Before the resolutions the chair announced that from the next month zoning board meetings would be held virtually (1:28:33). Other agenda items: call to order 0:00:34; sunshine announcement 0:00:45; roll call 0:00:57 (see attendance); swearing in of staff asked at 0:01:44 (oath not heard); correspondence 0:02:01. Items 7 (Old Business), 8 (New Business) and 15 (Executive Session) were not called on the video.
Record drafted 2026-10-19, checked 2026-10-19, reviewed by Adam Hanford (review pending).