Several councilmembers hinted at their wish lists during Tuesday night’s caucus meeting.In other words, they’d didn’t hold back in revealing what they’d like administration to consider, or be up for approval on future council agendas.The list included requirements for zoning compliance certificates at sale of property, restrictions on cannabis vending during public events, relief pertaining to a controversial housing program, an increase in parking enforcement and a less onerous process for newly proposed permits required of private property owners for tree removal. The two-hour meeting concluded with John McKinney, a city attorney, noting how staff will likely ask for council to defeat proposed Ordinance 24-088, outlining a new permit that private property owners would need to obtain if they were to want to cut down trees.He said staff will be making changes to the requirement that those seeking a permit send send certified mailing to notify surrounding property owners.  Another revision will possibly pertain to the which invasive trees would require a payment to the city’s tree replacement reserve fund.Tree removal can have detrimental effects on surface and ground waters, states the ordinance. The city is required to introduce the permit because it is a new condition of the MS4 Stormwater Permit the municipality obtains from the Department of Environmental Protection. Councilman James Solomon asked that another change be made for property owners needing to act quickly in response to “dangerous situations.” The ordinance is slated to be considered on second reading during the Thursday regularly scheduled meeting beginning at 6 p.m. inside City Hall, 280 Grove St. If it is defeated, any revised measure would need to pass a first and second reading at future meetings in order to become law, according to the Office of the City Clerk.At the caucus meeting, the council also discussed proposed Planning Department fees for the zoning determination certificates the department writes up for short-term rentals and driveways.Councilman Yousef Saleh noted in response to Ordinance 24-096 how the sale of any property should only be allowed with proof of that certificate.“There are so many that are illegal,” he said, referencing properties with illegally constructed driveways.Planning Director Tanya Marione noted how a lot of other municipalities have the requirement, and it’s one Jersey City could propose again.When the municipality pitched such a requirement more than a decade ago, Marione noted how “there was really a lot of push back from realtors because it takes more time with the sale.”Enforcement of driveways is challenging, but Councilman Rich Boggiano suggested another reason why illegal ones popped up. “A lot of these driveways were okey dokey’d by a former mayor about 30 years ago and you can’t touch them today,” he said.  Council President Joyce Watterman added: “What we need to figure out is how we can move forward because we’re getting complaints.”Proposed amendments to cannabis regulations as part of Ordinance 24-078 led to another push by Watterman.She wants to crackdown on unregulated cannabis vending at public events like festivals.“I’m telling you what I’m seeing. What can we put in place to safeguard it? That’s all. It is happening,” said Watterman.  Her complaint centered in part around vendors who were selling without checking identification for proof of age.  “We’ll explore it,” said McKinney.“If people are selling it to minors, we can absolutely do something about it,” he added.Several resolutions on the discharging of mortgages led Councilman Frank Gilmore to bring up his disappointment surrounding “this criminal 95/5 program.”A complex matter involving both the city and state, the 95/5 program from a few decades ago restricted those who purchased certain homes at an affordable price to only keep a small percentage of what the property is worth today if they decided to sell.“If you maintain the property for 30 something years, you should be allowed to sell it at the market rate because even though you were provided a grant opportunity to purchase this housing, you put in sweat equity and you essentially maintained that property,” added Saleh.McKinney noted how the state legislature would need to get involved if any issues were to be resolved. Opponents of the program have called it a “scam.”Jennifer Wong, director of traffic engineering, addressed proposed Ordinance 24-095, adding 15-minute parking zones near the Mallory and Roosevelt avenues intersection between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.Questions lingered about the Public Safety Department’s involvement in such a decision and who would enforce it.  “What is Public Safety saying? How are they going to enforce these new rules? I’d like to know what are they saying to you guys,” said Councilman Daniel Rivera.Wong noted two lieutenants were involved in the conversations. She said they responded by noting how they’d enforce periodically and then come back “as needed.”Boggiano also griped about the parking enforcement division being understaffed and has called out how there’s been no one from the police department present at recent council meetings.The post Tree Removal Proposal to be Revised, Short-Term Rentals, Driveways and Parking Enforcement Debated appeared first on Jersey City Times.