HELP STOP COUNCIL'S PUSH FOR UNWANTED LACK. PLAZA PLAN

Ask your mayor and council representatives to explain what reasons they have to push their own Lackawanna Plaza plan against overwhelming opposition.....why do they only support what the developer wants who brought us the highly criticized Valley and Bloom project.... and once again an over sized, bulky plan. 
​This first stage of approval ( Council could vote very soon)  of the Redevelopment Plan will determine the height and bulk of any construction for Lackawanna Plaza. Later stages or site plans will determine the details of design, circulation etc. 
It takes 4 votes of the 7 member Council to approve this. Mayor Jackson and Rich McMahon have been historically been open about wanting large scale development in Montclair. That said, individual ward representatives are key to what happens in their ward.  Its not what you say....”its what you do...or how you vote.”
Mayor Jackson told residents that “the town will have more control” when he proposed  “Redevelopment Area” designations in town.  Is “ the town” a few elected officials??
Now instead of listening to what residents wanted during the Plaza“ visioning workshops” and Master Plan reviews, the Mayor and  Council push a plan for 350 new apartments in Lackawanna Plaza...adding to another 1075 apartments planned in our downtown, according to a planning board member, Carmel Loughman. Residents have consistently complained about adding congestion and higher density and about wanting open space.
A Council vote may be imminent in coming weeks for this unwanted plan.  

DO WHAT YOU CAN BUT ....DO SOMETHING
Ask Council members to meet with you in a small group. 
Write to your representatives and Mayor Jackson. 
Attend a meeting below, speak out or hold a sign up. 

We all need to tell our officials to:
1.Stop bypassing the Planning Board and let them do their job for the town. 
2.Stop ignoring what residents overwhelmingly want. 3.Stop ignoring what our Historic Preservation Commission recommendations for this nationally, state and locally registered historic Station which made Montclair into the nation’s early commuter town. 
4.Stop ignoring Montclair’s Master Plan’s official land use guidelines.
5.Stop pushing for only what the developer wants.

This can be a wonderful opportunity to enhance our downtown with a development to be proud of and the Station at the center piece. 

Important Meeting Schedule. 
June 26 Planning Board was required by Council to review and provide recommendations for a Plan supporting what the developer wants and written by a planning firm hired by the Council.   An alternate plan which incorporated what residents and HPC wanted had already been rejected by the Council.
Mon, July 10, 7:30 Planning board finalizes Council Resolution with its recommendations after just one review meeting as Council required, short circuiting the normal process of several months of reviews. 
Tues, July 11, 7PM Council Conference meeting in town hall, 2nd floor. Residents normally may speak on any topic. See town site for agenda.
Tues, July 25, 7PM Council Regular meeting in town hall. Residents may speak during public comment. See town site for agenda.
**See the town site’s appropriate page for meeting agendas and changes which are usually posted just 1-2 days before. 
Call (973) 509-4901 if you need your representative’s name.
Mayor Robert Jackson: rjackson@montclairnjusa.org
1st Ward Cllr. Hurlock: whurlock@montclairnjusa.org
2nd Ward Cllr. Schlager: robinschlager@montclairnjusa.org
3rd Ward Cllr. Spiller: sspiller@montclairnjusa.org 
4th Ward Cllr. Baskerville: rbaskerville@montclairnjusa.org 
At-Large Robert J. Russo: rrusso@montclairnjusa.org
At-Large Rich McMahon: rmcmahon@montclairnjusa.org