Common sense should dictate board’s vote
June 12, 2014 Last updated: Thursday, June 12, 2014, 5:40 PM
John Hersperger
To the editor:
Residents might argue the merits of Valley Hospital’s master plan amendment request, but can’t we all agree that when our Planning Board deliberates on the expansion next Tuesday, it should consider its potential effect on the Ridgewood we know and love? Some members may envision changes that are mostly detrimental, others may see more benefits. This might all sound so obvious you are probably asking why I’m even writing this, but at the close of Wednesday’s Planning Board meeting, what seemed obvious came into question.
In what may have been a legal threat, Valley attorney Jon Drill argued that the Board would be “in error” if it uses existing conditions as the baseline for evaluating the marginal benefits and detriments of the 2013 proposal. Instead, he claims the board can debate only whether the 2013 amendment is superior to the 2010 version, which our Village Council unanimously declined to codify in 2011. And because the current plan is somewhat smaller in scope than its predecessor, Mr. Drill says the board can’t legally say “no” to it. So according to Mr. Drill, the board can’t consider how the new plan might affect existing conditions such light, space, traffic or quality of life, and moreover, must consent to Valley’s new plan. Does any Ridgewood resident believe we have ceded our zoning power to Valley?
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-board-should-use-common-sense-when-making-decisions-1.1034642#sthash.mBPEzMcD.dpuf
Very well said. Hopefully we don’t have a bunch of wimps on the Planning Board who are too afraid to stick up for what is right. If the Planning Board won’t stand up to a bully like Valley, what purpose does it serve? Perhaps the Planning Board only has the “courage” to bully the little guy rather than to protect those who don’t have the financial might of Valley.
If they do the right thing and vote against it, who cares if they sue ? What are”they”(whoever “they” are) going to do, throw you out of your house ? Let them sue, it would certainly be worth it.