Dear Neighbors and Friends,
As many of you have likely read, Mayor Aronsohn yesterday proposed that the traffic garage be altered to the smallest of the three options.
On the surface, this seems like a generous compromise and that he is listening to the needs of Mount Carmel and the rest of us in town but I am concerned that he is still not hearing us.
Let me explain:
1) The footprint for the smallest proposed garage is the same as the biggest. More than anything, this is the most unseen problem. The proposed garage will in essence extend nearly to the center mark on the center line of Hudson street. As resident Rob Kotch put it today, “It’s like trying to fit an elephant into a VW bug.” So, the width is of equal concern as the height. This will affect traffic in that area in a major way, particularly with regard to the parishioners of Mount Carmel.
2) The
only traffic study already commissioned by the town was conducted between
7-9am and
3-6pm on the same day in October. The study itself states: “We recommend that an analysis be performed to incorporate the intersections of South Broad Street & East Ridgewood Avenue and North Broad Street & Franklin Avenue into our traffic model as these intersections are already operating at capacity and may affect access to the surrounding land uses. We recommend that a study be performed to include Passaic Street as Hudson Street and Passaic Street operate as a pair within the roadway network…It is also our opinion that the study should include the intersections of South Broad Street & East Ridgewood Avenue and North Broad Street & Franklin Avenue as these intersections are operating near capacity and have a noticeable effect upon traffic.”
In other words, more study is needed to do this properly, which of course brings us to–
Hoping to see you Wednesday night, 7:30pm at Village Hall.
Sincerely,
10ft off the top of that will still look hideous! They need to get it out of the street.
Isn’t the plan to eliminate all street parking on Hudson? Drawing shows cars parked on street with lots of room around them. This picture lies.
I vote for the 4th option – the smallest (and sanest) of all – No Garage.
1:52pm, I believe plan is only to eliminate parking directly adjacent to the garage where it juts into street. Still some street parking east of garage on Hudson.
Ummm…who is Dana…?
When is the next election to pick new VC members…?
We need a recall….we can’t wait until next year to end the kakistocracy that affects us now.
Dana.. Dana.. Dana.. we need to elect Dana..
If the residents believe in what our mayor is saying – then it’s like voting GW Bush second time to the office.
The oldest negotiating trick in the book – anchor the proposal at the bigger number and then look like you’ve compromised smaller…. This garage is a waste of money, rather than drinking & driving on weekend nights, just use uber
kakistocracy–good word! I believe that the mayor is listening and I am hopeful that there is some compromise that works. The points raised by the poster are all valid ones that I am hoping will be addressed tonight. On the cars depicted outside the garage, this may seem unfair but isn’t there often a queue of cars waiting to get in?
Mr. Aronsohn is changing his mind. But he was so adamant that his first choice was the correct one. He said he had thoroughly studied the garage issue and discussed it with experts. He chose the largest option, with great deliberation, he claimed.
Whatever are we to make of any of his decisions. Was he correct in voting for the the $500,000 study in the first place.
And how IS Parkmobile doing. Will it eliminate quarters at and replace parking meters. So that the town won’t have to be inconvenienced with meters and worry about theft. Or will both be employed meters with quarters and Parkmobile. Where then does that leave us. The town still has to employ attendants to take away quarters. I don’t mean steal quarters, heaven forbid. take them away to the bank, hopefully.
And I am still waiting to see a bicyclist under the trestle. Should I check at three in the morning, Mr. Aronsohn and company.
And there has never been a wheel chair, four wheels, on the new Graydon Pool ramp.
So what now; Mr. Aronshon, which priest or rabbi must be urged to speak to you about high density housing. Or any cleric, for that matter. To make you change your mind on that issue.
Mr. Aronsohn are you, excuse me, can you …… think.
I agree with 2:40. We can’t wait a year to rid ourselves of an uninformed government officials because that’s the real problem. Uninformed voters popping off with little or no facts — no problem there. Especially when it comes to next year’s council election.
Fixed it fer ya…
If the residents believe in what our mayor is saying – then it’s like voting Obama second time to the office.
Why are all of the liberal socialists in town (and there are many) supporting this garage? Why is the democrat mayor?
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Isn’t this garage very bad for the environment – very “non-green” – very bad for global warming (err climate change)?. Doesn’t it only encourage automobile use (and the additional evil of consumerism)?
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Why do these same groups oppose efforts to reduce gasoline prices but they are all for increasing parking to encourage automobile use?
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Inquiring minds want to know…
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Let’s save 12 mill. Tear it down before it’s built..JUST SAY NO
Since you can’t get a hook and ladder around that corner one reversed. It’s a safety issue with 2 high structures there incl my Carmel church
4:47. How did you come up with the idea that “liberal socialists” supported the garage?
What is a liberal socialist and who gave you the right to put people in this category? I do not support the garage but it does no good to make up political groupings for those who disagree with you.
I think that people should be allowed to define themselves and that includes not being forced into simplistic categories.
“Since you can’t get a hook and ladder around that corner one reversed. It’s a safety issue with 2 high structures there incl my Carmel church” That arrguement will not work 9:03. Roberta has the fFre and Police chiefs in her back pockets . The will say or do what every she want them to say. Its all about their raises.
Let nj transit take the Ken smith lot by eminent domain and build a garage at THEIR expense. Commuter use during the day.
Plenty of room at nite since it will be empty.
No need to waste 15 million of taxpayer funds to build a garage that puts a shadow over mount Carmel in order to accommodate restaurant patrons for the 3 hour period on Friday and Saturday night when parking is tight.
As a homeowner I a required to maintain setbacks from my property line. Mt Carmel has greenspace.
Why is the garage allowed to cover every square ince – and then some? We can’t change the buildings that are already there but isn’t this covered in the Master Plan?
Dear 7.45
Had to be Said..Spot on..Bingo…NJT has the ability to roll that into their
Capital plan..increase rates etc.retaurant mafia could not squawk..townsfolk appeased…but loss of control as to town traffic as more out of town commuters drive into and out of the village during work week.
Maybe Garber square could be fixed..Any large garage there likely needs to also discharge onto AJOINING local streets including street above the YMCA..THEY ARE PLANNING ON doing housing up there too.
I would agree with you 7:45 the only problem is that it would take that property off the tax rolls so you end up loosing the property tax and pay for a new garage. t=That has to factor in to the total cost of a parking garage at Ken Smith
Property address 9-17 Franklin Ave,
Ridgewood Village, NJ 07450
Parcel ID 2005-14
Acreage 1.42
Property class Commercial(4A)
Zoning Retail Business District (B-2)
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More about Bergen County Property Owners
Property Taxes
Tax year 2014-2015
Tax amount $78,046.74
Land value $1,691,700
Building value $1,580,700
Total value $3,272,400
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Dear 756
Idea is NJT TAKES THE HIT ON CAPEX ON KEN SMITH AND BUILD OUT and operating costs maintenance pensions etc
Any way, the Bond did not pass. Great opening comments by Seddon.
Had to go to sleep after the vote – – anyone know what happened when they went into the next session?
Anybody got a summary of last night’s meeting…?
Ok 8:15 now I get where your going with this. We just have to remember the devil is in the detail. That would be a good location as long as we don’t get screwed. There was a plan with drawing for this site to become a garage with the help of NJT back in the 80s The only problem was the then council did not want to condemned the property. Maybe we should dust of those plans. I doubt that this council will do that because a garage in that location does not help their friends.
8:22 – yes, a summary is SAME OLD SAME OLD. A million people spoke. Most were against the garage. The three amigos voted in favor of the bond. Susan and Michael voted against it. Aronsohn is immediately going to circumnavigate the law (legal, but still underhanded) and go to the BCIA, where he only needs three votes. He put that in motion before the ink was dry on the bond defeat. Good luck trying to find the Ustream on the new website. It seems to be nowhere.
8:54 So Susan voted to join in being underhanded when she voted in favor of introducing the BCIA funding? Disgusting. Oh and since you’re so plugged in to the workings of the village, let me help you find the meeting recordings. They’ve moved to YouTube. But then again, you have all the answers for Ridgewood so you probably knew that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neb4TSJ4QsY&list=PLc-HUj76SWSTAOjulD9eGA7BxP6kR18C1 And this YouTube thing is just another way for the Mayor to hide everything from everyone. Who in the world has ever heard of YouTube?