Council suspends City Manager over vulgar text messages

Clifton suspends City Manager over text message conduct. City Council voted 4-1 to suspend City Manager Gary De Marzo for five days without pay and required workplace-conduct training within 90 days following resident complaints that he exchanged vulgar text messages with constituent Gina Scaduto.

Planning Board adopts city's first Open Space and Recreation Plan

Clifton Planning Board adopts its first Open Space and Recreation Plan. Unanimously approved as an element of the city's Master Plan, the plan, prepared by Barbara Haskins Davis of the Land Conservancy of New Jersey, positions the city to pursue public funding for parks and recreation facilities

Board approves three applications, adjourns fourth for revisions

Clifton Zoning Board of Adjustment approves three applications and adjourns one pending site plan revisions. The board unanimously approved three applications: residential additions for Sora Leiter and David Parnes at 132 Allwood Place and Eli and Tzipora Zakutinsky at 27 Autumn Street, plus a use

Clifton Council passes sidewalk repair ordinance, consolidates communications

Clifton Council passes sidewalk cost-share program, approves $1.8M park grant. The City Council unanimously approved Ordinance 8080-25 establishing regulations for shared sidewalk repair costs, while two salary compensation ordinances passed 6-1 with Councilwoman Sadrakula dissenting. The council

Planning Board continues hearing on Islamic Center site plan.

The Planning Board held a special meeting to continue a hearing on the Islamic Center of Passaic County, Inc.'s site plan amendment application for 257-259 Pershing Road. Chair Susan Kolodziej, Vice Chair Withers, board members Binaso, Korbanics, Lataro, Welsh, Rodgers, and Fragapane attended,

Route 46 shopping center approved for supermarket, daycare, and play area

Clifton Zoning Board approves shopping center with supermarket, daycare, play area. The board voted 6-0 to approve Albi Properties' mixed-use renovation of 1030-1050 Route 46, which will operate a supermarket, daycare, and indoor amusement center for children. Applicant's planner Peter Steck

Clifton Planning Board approves Panera restaurant on former Hoffmann LaRoche campus

Clifton Planning Board approves 3,500-square-foot Panera on former pharmaceutical campus. The board unanimously granted preliminary and final site plan approval and a Section 35/36 variance for PB Nutclif Master, LLC to construct a one-story restaurant with 77 seats and a drive-through on the

Board approves hookah store expansion and two home additions

Zoning board approves hookah store warehouse conversion with 12 conditions. The Zoning Board of Adjustment unanimously voted to grant Hookah Paradise USA LLC a warehouse use variance at 1219-1231 Main Avenue, permitting a two-story addition to the existing commercial building. Conditions restrict

City Council adopts 12 ordinances addressing parking, hazmat, and salaries

Clifton City Council passes 12 ordinances in unanimous vote on comprehensive policy changes. Mayor Raymond Grabowski presided as the council adopted amendments to handicapped parking regulations, established a municipal budget cap bank ordinance, and approved salary adjustments for Class II Special

Board of Adjustment approves restaurant variances and driveway buffer

Clifton Zoning Board of Adjustment approves bank-to-restaurant conversion with major parking lot. The board unanimously approved Fawzi Abelgani's application to convert a vacant bank building at 1610 Main Avenue and 80 West 2nd Street into a restaurant with a new 25-space parking lot created

Clifton adopts $59 million temporary budgets for 2026

Clifton City Council approves $59 million temporary budgets pending full 2026 adoption. The Council authorized $52.7 million for the general fund and $6.3 million for the Sewer Utility with approval votes of 5-0-1 on both budgets, with Councilman Gibson absent. The Council passed a resolution