The city and a developer are appealing the rejection a hardship exception for a proposed development within a flood zone just across the river from downtown.
City Administrator and Deputy Redevelopment Director Cherron Rountree briefed commissioners during the Oct. 3 monthly, public meeting of the Redevelopment Agency.
The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) initially rejected an application for a Flood Hazard Act (FHA) individual permit-hardship exception because it is “a couple of feet” below the 100-year level on FEMA’s flood map, according to Rountree. But two new flood maps that have been held up on appeals are more favorable for the project and both options are improvements, she added.
Rountree told commissioners that she and interim Mayor Ray Giacobbe, Jr., were scheduled to meet last week with DEP officials in a conflict resolution setting to resolve the discrepancy. UPDATED: Rountree said she anticipates another meeting for further discussion in the next 60 days as “a few items need to be researched on both sides.” The developer, Tesla Redevelopment, filed an appeal along with the city, said Rountree. She’s confident the developer and city have “plenty of resources to manage the options.”
Bridgeview is a proposed development of 174 units across two buildings along Essex Street and Clarkson Place. Tesla Redevelopment was granted conditional designation as redeveloper by the Redevelopment Agency after presenting a concept plan in May 2017.
The project is contingent upon a Flood Hazard Act (FHA) individual permit-hardship exception from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) because it is located in a flood zone.
City Council endorsed the application in the form of a resolution passed at its February regular meeting, supporting the Bridgeview redevelopment project and its application for a FHA individual permit-hardship exception.
“A flood hazard area includes any land, and any space above that land, which lies below the flood hazard area design flood elevation (DFE), which is equal to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) 100-year floodplain in coastal areas and at least one foot higher than FEMA’s floodplains in non-coastal areas,” according to DEP.
The concept plan presented two buildings that would feature four floors of residential above a ground-floor level of parking and amenities, plus 4,000 square feet of retail. The two buildings would total 174 units, with 110 units in one building fronting Bridge Street and Clarkson Place, and 64 units in another building along Essex Street. Ground-floor parking would total 140 spaces — 77 spaces and 34 spaces in each building, plus 29 surface spaces between the two buildings.
