BAYONNE — The Bayonne City Council has authorized a contract increase for DMR Architects, the Bergen county firm hired to design the city’s updated master plan.
The increase of $56,800 more than doubles the firm’s original contract with the city, bringing the total amount to $106,800, according to the City Council resolution pass Jan. 18.
While the original contract was “for an amount not to exceed $50,000,” according to previous reports, the need for an increase was not entirely unexpected as the firm continued to analyze the city’s needs, according to Terrence Malloy.
“They’re not doing any unforeseen work,” Malloy said. “It was anticipated that (the contract) would be raised.”
The Master Plan provides a template for city progress moving forward — like how development should proceed. It sets goals for development, preservation, transportation, recreation, and other aspects of the community using input from various stakeholders, including council members, zoning board officials, development entities, and the public.
City Business Administrator Joe DeMarco told The Jersey Journal that the contract increase was necessary because the previous master plan was outdated.
“There were more issues that had not been realized,” DeMarco said. “The combination of developments that took place, as well as developments that are planned, influenced (the contract increase).”
He also pointed to the unique land situation of the city — an urban area surrounded by water — contributing to the need for additional funding for the firm’s assessment.
Bayonne’s most recent master plan was adopted in 2000. New Jersey typically recommends that municipalities update their plans every eight years, according to a planning board meeting introduction in September 2015.
When the contract was originally awarded in July 2015, it was suggested that the “re-examination process… including the presentation of the draft plan… usually takes six to nine months.”
The plan’s time frame has also exceeded the firm’s estimation of a “10- to 12-month process,” which was discussed during public meeting in October 2015.
However, both Malloy and DeMarco did say that the increase was expected and necessary.
“When you see the product, you’ll see they did the work,” DeMarco said. “A lot of issues have been raised and a lot of useful information has been gathered.”
Malloy says the firm expects to have the updated master plan completed within the next six months, or by the end of the summer.
“The Master Plan dictates what direction the town wants to go in as far as development, and the makeup of the town in terms of homes and businesses — even the types and designs of buildings they want,” said Third Ward Councilman Gary La Pelusa Sr.
The firm also gathers opinions from residents through various surveys and public meetings regarding on their vision for Bayonne.
“Residents want to know what the cities going to look like in the future,” said First Ward Councilman Tommy Cotter.
The firm will eventually come up with a draft to take to the planning board for review and recommendations. From that comes the master plan, which the planning board and municipal council would then vote on, Malloy said.
“The master plan becomes more than just a vision statement, it then affects the zoning ordinances,” Malloy said. “They’d get amended to conform to the plan. That’s then the blueprint for the community moving forward, as well as for developers.”
Malloy pointed to the commercial development in South Cove Commons off Route 440 — which was developed through community input and drew commercial developers into the city — as an example of the master plan’s significance for the community.
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