Hudson county’s northernmost town is hoping that new zoning regulations will spark a revitalization along a mostly industrial stretch of Tonnelle Avenue.
During their October 12 meeting, North Bergen’s township commissioners adopted an ordinance approving a redevelopment plan for just over seven acres of land situated near the Tonnelle Avenue Station of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.
The lots all have addresses spanning from 5601-5711 Tonnelle Avenue, with buildings along the stretch housing an eclectic collection of businesses that include garages, towing facilities, and Hudson Bread.
The car-heavy stretch sits along the western fringes of North Bergen and the plan allows a wide variety of uses as currently written. Under the new regulations, multi-family residential, shopping centers, hotels, wholesale businesses, storage, and distribution warehousing are allowed in the zone, as are vehicle storage and repair businesses along with light manufacturing.
In addition, any use already in existence within the area will be “grandfathered in” and allowable under the revamped rules.
The plan allows some additional height from previous zoning, as new buildings will be capped at 60 feet in height for residential, retail, and hotel developments. The plan includes smaller height limits for more industrial or commercial uses, requiring those uses rise no higher than 35 feet.
Despite the plan unanimously passing, North Bergen officials have stated that no formal applications have been submitted for the parcels within the redevelopment zone. The regulations nonetheless hope to spark a renaissance along the township’s “other” waterfront, complementing a long-running revitalization along North Bergen’s Hudson River properties.
