HOBOKEN -- The city is floating the idea of moving its municipal garage operations to upper Clinton Street and closing off a block between 15th and 16th streets. But some members of the public expressed concerns at Wednesday night's council meeting.

John J. Curley, an attorney representing the Burlington Coat Factory, said that the closure would have a significant negative effect on the store's business and pointed out that the store has been in Hoboken for 25 years and has 30 employees. He also argued that under New Jersey law, such a street closure must be done by an ordinance and not merely by resolution.

He said the city could open itself up to damage claims against it by Burlington Coat Factory and other businesses that would be affected.

This led into a more freewheeling discussion of the entire Municipal Garage issue. Hoboken resident Stephanie Rose said the council still wasn't really addressing the garage issue, saying there were “nothing but temporary solutions on the agenda. Where’s the permanent solution?”

She received much applause.

Donald Pellicano, a long-time Hoboken resident and former chairman of the Hoboken Parking Authority, gave an impassioned speech saying that the location is too close to a Kidney Dialysis Center where he himself gets treatments. He asserted that not only would the street closure cut off easy access to the Dialysis Center by ambulance, but that the possible proximity of the garbage trucks and other vehicles would be dangerous for the patients.

Representatives of the Mayor’s Office stated that no garbage would be stored at the site, but still, nearly every member of the council showed concern over the dialysis center.

Councilman Michael Russo grilled representatives of the Mayor’s Office over how this particular street closure was chosen over any other street in northern Hoboken. Sixth Ward Councilman Nino Giacchi took a similar line, saying that he thought in concept the new proposal was an “innovative idea for accomplishing the immediate need of getting out of the [current] garage,” but that it appeared that the decision to close this particular street was “made in a vacuum.”

City Business Manager Arch Liston said that analysis was done on the feasibility of closing other streets to park the municipal vehicles there, but there were even greater problems with the other options.

In the end, language was added to the resolution to close the block, stating that the city is committed to taking whatever steps are required to preserve the existing medical and retail uses of the street.

The resolution was approved by a vote of 7-2, with only Theresa Castellano and Michael Russo voting no.