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Sustainable Jersey Certification Report

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This is the Sustainable Jersey Certification Report of Jersey City, a Sustainable Jersey silver certified applicant.

Jersey City was certified on October 15, 2024 with 395 points. Listed below is information regarding Jersey City’s Sustainable Jersey efforts and materials associated with the applicant’s certified actions.

Contact Information

The designated Sustainable Jersey contact for Jersey City is:

Name:Amanda Diamond
Title/Position:Director, Division of Sustainability / Infrastructure
Address:13-15 Linden Ave
Jersey City, NJ 07305
Phone:2015473035

Actions Implemented

Each approved action and supporting documentation for which Jersey City was approved for in 2024 appears below. Note: Standards for the actions below may have changed and the documentation listed may no longer satisfy requirements for that action.

  • Arts & Creative Culture

    Municipal Commitments to Support Arts and Creative Culture

    20 Points

    Program Summary: The City created the Powerhouse Arts District Redevelopment Plan (PADRP) in 2004. The intent of the Redevelopment Plan was to transform the 11-block neighborhood in downtown Jersey City that makes up the Powerhouse Arts District "into a vibrant neighborhood with primary emphases o the arts, entertainment and culture, while providing for a broad range of retail, restaurant and personal service uses that will help create a dynamic and economical sustainable community." (PADRP, II.B, p.5) The Redevelopment Plan also aims to "Provide for the development of an artists' work/live project initiated by the City or its agents", "accommodate at least one major arts anchor within the district", and "require public art be installed at each development site the PAD." (sections II. M - II.O of the PADRP). As noted in section VI of the PADRP, (page 17), all development in the PAD must do the following: Permanent public art is required to be installed within all development sites as part of the development or redevelopment project, and the art should be conceived at the earliest possible stage of project design. Pursuant to NJSA 40:55D-27, the mayor may appoint one or more persons as a Citizens' Advisory Committee to make non-binding recommendations to the planning board about proposed art installations. At least one percent (1%) of the first $20,000,000 of "total building construction and rehabilitation costs minus the cost of constructing affordable units" and one-half of one percent (0.5%) of such amount thereafter up to a maximum contribution of $500,000 shall be dedicated to permanent public art, which may be applied to the permanent public art requirement above, or may be used to fund other permanent public art elsewhere within the Powerhouse Arts District. Preferred consideration should be given to acquiring works of art by Jersey City and Hudson County, New Jersey artists." The PADRP also requires at least .7 live/work units or artist studios for every 1 residential unit and that at least 10% of all work/live units within each building shall be restricted to the exclusive use and occupancy as affordable units by income qualifying Certified Artists and their families. Additionally, at least 10% of ground floor space be dedicated to art gallery or art theater space. There are a number of other requirements within the plan that encourage the arts. The last update to the Powerhouse Arts District Redevelopment Plan was Oct. 13, 2022 with Ord. 22-084 (all ordinances are attached below in JC Arts Ords document).

  • Community Partnership & Outreach

    Green Team

    10 Points
    Bronze Required Silver Required

    Program Summary: The Jersey City Environmental Commission, designated as the official Green Team of the city by ordinance 14.105 passed by the City Council in September 2014, has been a driving force in advancing sustainability and environmental initiatives in the community. Reorganized in October 2010, the Commission began its work in earnest with its first meeting on May 23, 2011, comprising nine dedicated members appointed by the Mayor. The Commission serves as an advisory role to the City and works closely with the Division of Sustainability and tackles various environmental issues, providing recommendations for actions, initiatives, and policies. Monthly meetings, open to the public, serve as a platform for collaboration and engagement. In 2017, the Commission established a dedicated working group for Sustainable Jersey Certification and actions, leading to the certification of 28 local businesses with the Jersey City Green Business Certification Program. The Commission secured its first Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) grant, funding a successful pollinator garden project in partnership with local organizations and the school district. Additionally, the Commission engaged in public education efforts on the city's Bag Ban and collaborated with ANJEC on a virtual event addressing plastics during Covid-19. In 2022, the Commission made significant policy recommendations to the City through various letters, including the Pay Up Climate Resolution, the EmpowerNJ Resolution (NJ Turnpike), and the Spotted Lantern Fly Document, aiming to address environmental concerns at both local and regional levels. Throughout 2023, the Commission continued its efforts with formal gatherings, recruitment of new commissioners, and the pursuit of an ANJEC grant to establish more pollinator gardens in Jersey City in order to make Jersey City a designed Pollinator pathway. A resolution reaffirming the Jersey City Environmental Commission as Jersey City’s Green team was passed at the May 22nd Council meeting

    Community Education & Outreach

    15 Points

    Program Summary: Jersey City is committed to involving the city’s youth in programs and initiatives that serve both them and the community. On three occasions, municipal staff members have volunteered their time to attend schools around the city and host presentations on the progressive work being done by the Department of Infrastructure. The Director of Sustainability hosted Sustainability Presentations to elementary school students at JC PS5 (1/18/24) and Waldo International School (4/22/24). For both of these presentations, the Director’s goal was to speak on what the City’s goals are, what the City is doing to support or pursue sustainability efforts to make lives better for residents. These were achieved, the Director was able to connect with the students using their ongoing projects as well as their alumni's projects yin years past to demonstrate how their choices affect their community, and their voices can be heard by the city. The City’s Sustainability Manager Andrew Fenwick and Transportation Planner Lyndsey Scofield held two presentation seminars on 1/25/24 for PS 5’s Fifth Grade class to learn more about what is involved with city planning, specifically looking at maps around their own school and instructing them to think about how to improve their own public spaces. The Department of Infrastructure has continued to reach out to school principals across the city and regularly host presentations for elementary and middle schoolers in the next school year 2024-2025, with 3 school visits lined up for the first few months of school. There are no social media promotional materials, the city is coordinating with principals and the JC BOE to set up these presentations.

  • Energy

    Energy Efficiency for Municipal Facilities

    40 Points
    Bronze Priority Silver Priority

    Program Summary: The City of Jersey City has gone through the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities’ (NJBPU) Office of Clean Energy Local Government Energy Audit Program (LGEA) program and is in the process of finalizing its Energy Savings Plan (ESP) as part of the NJ Energy Savings Improvement Program (ESIP). In 2016, the City of Jersey City audited 26 buildings through the LGEA Program. At the time, these were all of the City buildings that were eligible for the program. The 26 buildings assessed had a total combined area of approximately 412,000 square feet. The LGEA provided a list of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) that could potentially save approximately $223,600 in energy costs per year. The City then engaged Gabel Associates to identify new opportunities and assist in determining strategies for implementing these cost saving measures. With Gabel the City developed a request for proposals for an ESCO to conduct an Industrial Grade Audit (IGA) and prepare an ESP. The ESCO Schneider Electric was chosen to perform this work and they completed the IGA and ESP in 2021. The ESP now includes 24 buildings, as some of the buildings that were originally audited are no longer in use. The City has finalized the construction contract for these energy efficiency upgrades and expects construction to begin in early 2022. The ESP provided a list of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) that are projected to provide energy savings of 20.5%.

    Energy Tracking & Management

    20 Points
    Bronze Priority Silver Priority

    Program Summary: Jersey City has implemented an Energy Savings Improvement Plan (ESIP) to enhance energy efficiency across its municipal facilities. The City has entered into an agreement with Schneider Electric to assist in the implementation, tracking, and optimization of energy consumption improvements. In addition to past energy audits to complete our ESIP, Jersey City is currently undergoing a new audit in collaboration with PSEG. These audits help identify historical energy consumption trends and assess the performance of key equipment and facility operations. The energy audits provide detailed recommendations for a wide range of energy conservation measures, including lighting upgrades, HVAC system improvements, and solar installments. These measures are part of a broader strategy to reduce energy use, minimize costs, and lower the city's carbon footprint. Jersey City has used Energy Star Portfolio Manager and this submission is for up to 20 points.

    Public Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

    15 Points

    Program Summary: In 2019, Jersey City installed its first municipally-owned electric vehicle charging station near the downtown business district. In 2020 and 2021, the city rolled out 9 additional level 2 dual-port charging stations across the city. These accessible sites were chosen to incentivize and encourage people to purchase electric vehicles and own them in the city. Electric vehicles may park at the designated spots without additional permits or fees associated with street parking. The city only charges a low fee of $1.60 per hour for level 2 charging. To bring attention to charging spots for EVs, the city added signage next to the ChargePoint stations and green striping within the parking spots' boundaries. The process is simple: drivers pull into the designated street parking spot, plug their EV into the charging station, run errands or shop and return to a charged vehicle. Drivers may utilize the ChargePoint application or their ChargePoint RFID card. (The letter signed by a municipal authority will be uploaded before the final deadline.)

  • Health & Wellness

    Building Healthier Communities

    10 Points

    Program Summary: Jersey City implements a multifaceted approach to health promotion, disease prevention, and wellness efforts targeting various segments of the population, ensuring comprehensive care for everyone. Jersey City engages the entire community through city-wide campaigns, health fairs, and workshops covering various health topics. Special outreach efforts, including flyers and targeted events, cater to specific groups such as veterans and newly arrived immigrants, ensuring they have access to essential health resources and services. In addition, the mayor has demonstrated a commitment to community wellness by signing the Mayor's Wellness Campaign Annual Pledge of Participation.

  • Innovative Projects

    Innovative Community Project 1

    10 Points

    Program Summary: The Native Plants Ordinance that was introduced to city council on March 20th, 2024 by Councilwoman Prinz-Arey and Councilman Saleh, and passed on April 10th, 2024 which includes the need for educational materials both for residents and property owners to learn about native plants and in order for developers and landowners to make better choices when planting greenery. Native plants are localized, well adapted to the local soils and climate, tend to be more insect and disease resistant, and require less watering, than non-native plants. They enhance the beauty of the landscape, maintain and restore biodiversity, and support native pollinators, butterflies, and birds, who use the plants for food, cover and rearing their young.

  • Land Use & Transportation

    Bicycle & Pedestrian Audits

    10 Points

    Program Summary: Jersey City routinely uses walk and bike audits (handlebar surveys) as a tool for engaging with the public to identify issues and opportunities on streets. Comprehensive bike and walk audits were completed in neighborhoods in all six Wards to inform recommendations in Jersey City’s Bicycle Master Plan, Pedestrian Enhancement Plan, and School Travel Plan. Since the completion of those audits in 2018, many subsequent bike and walk audits have been less formal, but nonetheless contribute important data and feedback to inform street design changes. In January 2022, a walk audit was completed and documented detailing issues and opportunities for street safety improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists along portions of West Side Avenue and Duncan Avenue, intersecting streets in the City’s High-Injury Network. The councilperson and representatives from the Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association, Bike JC, and Safe Streets JC joined Planning and Traffic Engineering staff on a walk audit covering approximately 0.7 miles. Participants used a checklist to rate and comment on issues related to pedestrian and cyclist safety and comfort, including conditions such as sidewalk condition, presence of street crossing markings and ADA curb ramps, speed of traffic, bicycle facilities like bike lanes and/or parking, and more. Jersey City had already secured funding and started the design process for longer-term corridor improvements on West Side Avenue, so the recommendations of the walk audit focused on prioritizing improvements that could be implemented in the short term using quick-build tactics. Since completing the walk audit in 2022, curb extensions have been installed with flexible delineators at six intersections along the walk audit route, a conventional bicycle lane on Duncan Avenue has been converted to a protected two-way cycletrack, all crosswalk striping was refreshed, and an RRFB has been installed at the intersection of a public library.

    Bicycle and/or Pedestrian Improvement Projects

    35 Points

    Program Summary: Project 1: On Saturday, April 6, 2024, members of the community and elected officials joined Transportation staff to install pedestrian safety measures using temporary materials like tempera paint, traffic tape, and flexible delineator posts along a 3-block span of Monticello Avenue. The project was installed for approximately two weeks to allow the community to provide feedback and for the Transportation Division to collect before/after data. Project 2: Jersey City took advantage of funding through NJDOT’s Municipal Aid Road Program, which is traditionally used for routine resurfacing and street maintenance, to implement safer and complete streets designs in alignment with the City’s plans and policies. Each project listed above falls under the Climate and Energy Action Plan T&LU-5 "Encourage development of mixed-use transit nodes in under-served, lower-density areas of the City." has a co-benefit of "Equity", which can be found here https://us.ftp.opendatasoft.com/analyzejerseycity/files/Sustainability/Jersey%20City%20Climate%20Energy%20Action%20Plan_FINAL.pdf See attached demographics data from https://censusreporter.org/profiles/86000US07304-07304/

    Bicycle and/or Pedestrian Plan

    10 Points

    Program Summary: Jersey City's Transportation Planner worked with collaborating agencies to adopt a Bicycle Plan in the Circulation Element of the City's Master Plan. This Circulation Element adopts as a City standard a street-regulating plan that regulates the form of all streets, bike lanes, where feasible, and sidewalks in accordance with the street typologies and illustrated hierarchy of streets in the City. What has been accomplished is a new policy that will be used to guide the design of all streets within the city to promote bicycle-friendly development.

    Effective Parking Management

    10 Points

    Program Summary: Jersey City completed a Parking Plan in 2020 with the goals of optimizing the use of current parking supply and identifying parking management strategies to inform policy and regulations for future development. Jersey City has been a leader in effective parking management in New Jersey, with over 60% of its 97 redevelopment districts including a parking maximum, the elimination of parking minimums in transit-rich areas, longstanding bicycle parking minimums for buildings with as little as 5 units, and investments in alternatives to vehicle travel.Since 2019, the City has installed over 20 protected bike lanes in alignment with the Bicycle Master Plan, significantly expanding the safe bicycling network to encourage bicycle use. The City has also installed over 200 bicycle racks to increase the amount of parking for alternative modes. In 2021, Jersey City awarded a contract to Oonee to install and operate up to 30 publicly-accessible, free secure bike parking pods and docks throughout the City, further supporting alternative transportation. In 2020, Jersey City launched Via, an on-demand microtransit program providing corner-to-corner transportation to any location within Jersey City. With over 2 million rides since the program launch and top destinations being the City’s major transportation hubs, this service is providing a convenient alternative to driving. The City has also invested heavily in improvements to make walking safer and more comfortable, including daylighting over 150 intersections with curb extensions, installing RRFBs at over 40 intersections near schools and parks, upgrading 15 intersections with leading pedestrian intervals to give pedestrians a head start when crossing major streets, and creating new pedestrian-only streets and plazas. In 2022, Jersey City implemented one of the recommended policy actions from the Parking Plan: a graduated pricing system for permits to discourage households from purchasing multiple vehicles (Ord. 22-022 ).

    Enhanced Stormwater Management Control Ordinance

    20 Points

    Program Summary: "Stormwater management aims to minimize pollution caused by stormwater in order to restore, enhance, and maintain the integrity of waters of the state. Federal, as well as state, water pollution laws permit municipalities to undertake additional actions including ordinances with standards stronger than the statewide minimum requirements N.J.A.C. 7:8-1.5(a). A municipality may choose stronger or additional measures, beyond the minimum standards and expectations set forth in N.J.A.C. 7:8, to improve local water quality, mitigate flood risk, and/or address other environmental or community needs." (NJFuture, ENHANCED MODEL STORMWATER ORDINANCE FOR MUNICIPALITIES) For the past 20 years, Jersey City has exploded with new development, and an infusion of new residents to come and enjoy this great city. As Jersey City is developed, additional Impervious Surfaces are added throughout the Municipality. The Jersey City Stormwater Control code (updated Feb 10, 2021) is meant to establish minimum Stormwater management requirements and controls for "Major Development" and "Minor Development", to reduce pollution from municipal Separate Sewer Systems, direct discharges to surface waters, and CSO events; to reduce flooding and streambank Erosion; and promote rainwater harvesting for re-use on-site. Under this framework, structural BMPs will be integrated with nonstructural Stormwater management strategies and proper inspection and maintenance plans. See documentation attached below.

    Transit-Oriented Development Supportive Zoning

    20 Points

    Program Summary: Most of the City is transit-oriented. Additionally, a number of the City's Redevelopment Plans have density and affordable housing requirements around transit hubs. The TOD element to the Morris canal plan has effectively turned the surrounding area into a Transit Oriented Development. The buildings that have been developed in this area permit fewer parking spaces (.9 per unit), require higher density, give affordable housing bonuses, allow for mixed uses, encourage bicycle usage, encourage walking, have park-and-ride facilities, and provide access to the Liberty HBLR Station.

  • Local Economies

    Support Local Businesses

    10 Points

    Program Summary: Expand purchasing opportunities: Jersey City Wants to Do Business with You is a seminar that teaches diverse business owners how to secure public contracts with Jersey City. Presented in collaboration with the Division of Purchasing and Jersey City Economic Development Corporation, these seminars cover everything from placing a bid to obtaining a small business loan. These in-person events are publicized on the city’s social media accounts, the last one being held on Jun 26th, 2024. Links below include a listserve of all of the city vendors as well as any small business interested in doing business with the city, as well as a sign-up form to be included in this publicly accessible list. This can be found on the city’s Purchasing webpage. https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=6189744&pageId=16151719 https://analyzejerseycity.opendatasoft.com/pages/diverse-suppliers/ We encourage certified businesses to submit proposals for open public contracts, especially: Minority-owned businesses Women-owned businesses Veteran-owned businesses Disabled-owned businesses LGBTQ-owned businesses Small businesses Business development activities: The city also has a dedicated website to support the economic development of the community, including having a “Small Business Center” website page with links to resources, a Small Business Lease Subsidy Pilot Program, information about funding sources, and events which are a collaboration of the efforts between JCEDC and JC Cultural Affairs. https://jcedc.org/smallbiz/

  • Natural Resources

    Natural Resource Inventory

    20 Points
    Bronze Priority Silver Priority

    Program Summary: In 2015 the Jersey City Environmental Commission and the Jersey City Division of Planning began working with the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and the Center for Urban Environmental Sustainability (“CUES”) of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, to conduct an updated Environmental Resource Inventory for Jersey City. The inventory was completed in the spring of 2017 and was posted to the City's Data Portal. The document can be found here: http://data.jerseycitynj.gov/dataset/jersey-city-environmental-resource-inventory. In addition to a written document, this project also included a "data dictionary" that indicates the source of all of the data used so that both City officials and members of the public can easily access this data and use it in other projects. The Environmental Resource Inventory was adopted as part of the Jersey City Master Plan on June 13, 2017, by the Planning Board. The Environmental Commission will continue to have the responsibility of maintaining the Environmental Resource Inventory and insure that it is updated at least every 10 years. The Environmental Commission will partner with Rutgers and other universities to maintain the inventory.

    Environmental Commission

    10 Points

    Program Summary: The Jersey City Environmental Commission was reorganized by ordinance in January 2011 after being dormant for five years. A whole new commission was appointed, and the focus of the Commission was restructured to have more of an advisory role to the Planning Board and City Council in regards to the City’s natural resources and open space. Additionally, the newly formed Commission also has a strong emphasis on environmental education and outreach to Jersey City residents. The first meeting of the newly-formed Environmental Commission was May 2011, and they meet on a monthly basis. All meetings are open to the public. The Environmental Commission has overseen the completion of a number of important projects, most notably the Shade Tree Inventory and the Environmental Resource Inventory. The Environmental Commission also serves as the official Green Team for Jersey City. Since 2018 the Environmental Commission has certified 28 local businesses through the Jersey City Green Business Certification Program. The Commission also received its first Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) grant to fund a pollinator garden, which was a successful project thanks to newly formed partnerships with local community organizations and the school district. The Commission also worked on engagement and education on Jersey City’s Bag Ban by partnering with ANJEC to co-host a virtual event on plastics in the time of Covid-19. As of 2021, there are eight active members in the Environmental Commission. For more information on the Jersey City Environmental Commission, please visit https://jerseycitynj.gov/cms/one.aspx?pageId=11808642.

    Open Space Plans

    10 Points

    Program Summary: Jersey City has experienced sustained growth since the 1980s. Amid this evolution, the City has consistently maintained its master plan. There have been updates to the City’s master plan in 2000, to the Open Space and Recreation Element in 2008.These updates have enabled the City to meet the changing needs for community... The Open Space, Recreation and Community Facilities Element builds on the 2000 Master Plan effort and 2008 Recreation and 2021 Open Space Master Plan and more recent planning processes in support of a comprehensive plan for the city. Attached below is a portion of the 2021 JERSEY CITY MASTER PLAN: OPEN SPACE ELEMENT and the full document can be accessed by the links listed below. The full document is too large to upload. The following chapters of the plan align with the necessary scope of the “What to Do” section. Introduction (Executive Summary, Goals & Policies) Past Planning Studies Chapter 1. Existing Conditions (General Open Space Map, Additional Parcel Data Requirements) Chapter 2. Identity (Inventory, Resource Assessment) Chapter 3. Community (Public Participation) Chapter 5. Gap Analysis (Needs Analysis) Chapter 7. Every Square Inch (Action Plan, Additional Parcel Data Requirements) Plan Adoption was concluded by the JC Planning Board in 2021/2022. Attached below is also the agenda meeting of the Planning Board Jan 18th 2021 which presents the new plan with the ability to gather comments from the public meeting. As well as a special presentation given on Nov. 2021, recorded and posted to youtube (link below). https://ourjc-jerseycity.hub.arcgis.com/pages/open-space-element https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:a0e7dbf2-d1aa-4b8d-83e4-f1f974fe73d8?viewer!megaVerb=group-discover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyaBfGmWEfI&list=PL3ty7DQXb7TFJ7MySuVsgr5L9Udg_FnAq&index=2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSLFOYkZjqA&list=PL3ty7DQXb7TEFS3i0rT2RZmjUdbEH7CKA&index=72

    Community Forestry Management Plan & NJUCF Accreditation

    20 Points

    Program Summary: The City is actively participating in the Community Forestry program. In 2023 the City completed a new tree data inventory across the city using a USDA UCF grant. The City's previous Municipal Forester, Edward O'Malley, is overseeing the City's tree-planting program and execution of the Community Forestry Management Plan. And by the end of 2024, the City will complete a revised update to the Community Forestry Management Plan within the extended period. Jersey City has maintained NJUCF Accreditation status for 2022 and 2023.

    Tree Hazard Inventory

    10 Points

    Program Summary: Davey Resource Group completed a tree inventory for Jersey City during the months of November and December of 2020 and January, June, and July of 2021, collecting data on trees and stumps along the street right-of-way, and continuing the inventory work started by students from New Jersey City University (NJCU) in August of 2018. DRG analyzed the inventory data from both efforts to understand the structure of the city’s inventoried tree resource. In total, 12,916 sites were inventoried - 9,980 sites (77%) were collected by DRG and the remaining 2,936 (23%) were collected by the students – a significant but partial inventory of the City’s trees. The i-Tree Eco analysis of Jersey City’s inventoried trees quantified the functional benefits of three critical ecosystem services that they provide: air pollution removal, carbon sequestration, and avoided surface runoff. The city’s annual tree maintenance budget is $514,867 making Jersey City’s return on investment almost 24% annually. Urban environments have unique challenges that make the estimated $122,400 of functional benefits provided by Jersey City’s inventoried tree population an essential asset to the city. Carbon dioxide (CO2) impacts people, property, and the environment as the primary greenhouse gas driving climate change, valuing the 196,620 lbs sequestered by Jersey City’s tree resource at an estimated $16,800 annually. Avoiding stormwater runoff reduces the risk of flooding and combined sewer overflow, both of which impact people, property, and the environment, valuing the 7,018,700 gal of runoff avoided with Jersey City’s tree resource at an estimated $13,300, annually. Finally, compared to rural landscapes, urban landscapes are characterized by high emissions in a relatively small area, valuing the 5,560 lbs. of airborne pollutants removed by Jersey City’s tree resource at an estimated $92,300, annually. The replacement value of the city’s inventoried tree population is estimated to be $ ,100,000. In Jersey City, only ten species account for almost half of the public tree resource and half of the functional benefits it provides. If any of these species were lost to invasive pests, disease, or other threats, the loss would have significant costs. It is critical to promote species diversity with future plantings to minimize susceptibility to potential threats, and to plant large-statured broadleaf tree species wherever possible to maximize potential environmental and economic benefits. See Appendix C for a tree species list recommended by DRG. To implement the maintenance schedule, Jersey City’s tree maintenance budget should be: • No less than $977,000 for the first year of implementation • No less than $1,679,000 for the second and third years • No less than $1,365,000 for the final two years of the maintenance schedule Annual budget funds are needed to ensure that High Risk trees are expediently managed and that the vital Young Tree Training and Routine Pruning cycles can begin as soon as possible. If routing efficiencies and/or contract specifications allow more tree work to be completed in a given year, or if this maintenance schedule requires adjustment to meet budgetary or other needs, then it should be modified accordingly. Unforeseen situations such as severe weather events may arise and change the maintenance needs of trees. If maintenance needs change, then budgets, staffing, and equipment should be adjusted to meet the new demand. For more information on our tree inventory work, please see https://jcmakeitgreen.org/tree-mapping/

    Tree Maintenance Programs

    10 Points

    Program Summary: The Jersey City Tree Maintenance program is a city initiative aimed at ensuring the health and safety of trees within the public right of way. Led by a city-certified arborist, the program involves collaboration with homeowners to assess trees of concern and conduct regular pruning across the city. As part of the program, the arborist evaluates the health of trees by examining various factors such as overall structure, leaf condition, signs of disease or decay, and proximity to infrastructure. Through this assessment, the arborist prioritizes high-risk dead trees that pose a threat to public safety or property. Once identified, these high-risk trees are promptly addressed through removal or pruning, while other trees are maintained to promote their health and longevity. Regular pruning helps to mitigate potential hazards, improve tree structure, and enhance the overall urban landscape. The Jersey City Tree Maintenance program underscores the city's commitment to urban forestry and community safety, ensuring that its trees contribute positively to the environment and well-being of residents.

    Tree Planting Programs

    10 Points

    Program Summary: The 2020 Community Forestry Management Plan Status Report (attached) outlines the number of trees planted each year. The goal for last year and this year was to plant 500 trees a year so as to build up the canopy while replacing trees that have died. The City removed the fee from its residential tree planting program so that now residents are able to request a tree to be planted within the right-of-way in front of their house for free. You can find the 2021 Adopt-A-Tree Application here: https://www.cognitoforms.com/CityOfJerseyCity1/AdoptATreeApplicationFor2021. You can find a map of planted trees on the City's data portal here: https://data.jerseycitynj.gov/explore/dataset/tree-planting-locations/

  • Public Information & Engagement

    Improve Public Engagement in Municipal Government

    15 Points

    Program Summary: Accomplishment: JERSEY CITY TRAFFIC CALMING TOOLKIT - Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Members. What was accomplished was gathering a dataset of hyper local engaged community feedback gathered from residents that were directly affected by the project. In effect, a survey conducted in this fashion produced a higher quality of engagement instead of the same loud voices this engagement produced feedback from the actual intersection users who drive, walk and bike there every day. Steps Taken: The Dept of Infrastructure’s Transportation Division engaged consulting firm “The Sam Schwartz Study Team” & “Connect the Dots” for the Traffic Calming Tool kit together with the TAC. Connect the Dots has extensive experience engaging LMI communities in traffic demonstrations. Upon receiving recommendations, the changes made included: Physical popup events at the site locations instead of indoor meetings held away from the site Events held on weekends instead of weekday evenings which are a barrier to residents working outside the home and families Snacks and engaging activities for children such as coloring pages and painting the demonstration areas with temporary paint Simple 5 choice surveys on paper and local QR codes instead of just disseminating via online or social media which reached the community targeted for the safety improvement. Activity Boards with leading questions and colored sticky notes for community impressions and recommendations outside of the survey. Engaging educational posters left at the site with QR to the survey held open for an additional two weeks after the event to reach others who may utilize the area on weekdays only. How the Governing Body Expanded Citizen Participation: The feedback was condensed and archived for use by the Infrastructure Dept, Division of Transportation and Transportation Committee (TAC) to make decisions about traffic safety changes being considered for installation at the intersection.

    Open Data Inventory & Management

    15 Points

    Program Summary: The City of Jersey City has prioritized transparency of data and has allowed public access via http://data.jerseycitynj.gov/. There is a currently an executive order in the works that will finalize the long term commitment of the City to open data. Open data provides evidence to support the decisions people and governments make. It leads towards transparency, improved democratic control and efficiencies. It's also a way to measure the impact policies have. http://data.jerseycitynj.gov/about

  • Waste Management

    Food Waste

    10 Points

    Program Summary: Jersey City launched its first-ever composting efforts in 2018 with a Residential Compost Drop-Off Program. For residents without backyards or gardens, the city partnered with community gardens, municipal facilities and a school to create easily accessible drop off locations. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the city expanded these efforts to increase the number of drop off sites citywide from 3 up to 11 total to meet the growing demand and increase accessibility to encourage more participants. Organics at each of the sites are picked up by Community Compost Company who then processes it into compost. The Jersey City Composting Program offered free community workshops to engage and educate interested residents. The city created a webpage to educate residents on what to include and exclude for composting. Frequently Asked Questions and workshop slideshows have also been uploaded to jcmakeitgreen.org/composting. As of August 2021, this program has diverted a total of 189,336 pounds of food waste from the waste stream. To view more data visit the following link: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/jersey.city/viz/2019Composting/Story1.