Ridgewood NJ, According to Mayor Knudsen , “The first meeting of the Planning Board Master Plan subcommittee was Tuesday Aug 2. The meeting was very efficient and productive. We are looking forward to continuing on such a positive path. Our mission statement is as follows:
“The goal of the Master Plan Subcommittee is to assist the Planning Board, the Ridgewood Village Council and the public with the Master Plan process including, but not limited to: project education, scheduling, milestones, budgeting, public engagement and participation, and to ensure an open and transparent process.”
An open letter to Mr. Richard Joel, the Chairman of the Planning Board re the newly constituted Master Plan Subcommittee:
Dear Mr. Joel:
I listened in to certain parts of the past few Planning Board meetings, and would like to share some thoughts with you.
I agree it is critically important for the Planning Board to set up a Master Plan Subcommittee that can play a critical role in determining the vitality of Ridgewood’s future. I feel strongly, however, that this Subcommittee should be manned with a selection of prominent members of Ridgewood Residents who represent a cross section of the community and disciplines. It is imperative that the Subcommittee has the benefit of a free exchange of creative ideas of smart people who care about our town.
In my opinion, this Subcommittee should be chaired by you or Mr. Joel Torielli and include one or two members of the Planning Board but that it should not include Mayor Knudsen, as I will make clear later.
Listening to the Planning Board meeting one wonders if it is you or the Mayor who is chairing the meeting. The problem of having someone with the Mayor’s domineering personality is that she sucks the air out of the room, discouraging a healthy and honest debate on issues. Most people do not like confrontation, and withdraw into their shell in the presence of someone who dominates a meeting. Hence my recommendation that she stay off the Subcommittee.
Another point is the order in which the Planning Board votes. I see she votes first, then you. I assume you are the senior member of the Planning Board and thus you should vote first. I assume the Mayor and Mr. Voigt are ex-officio members (?) and should vote last. Having said that, you may consider voting as I believe they do in the Supreme Court, with the order being in reverse order of seniority by tenure. Thus, the justice who is the most recent appointee votes first. I understand that the reason for this if for the newer members to feel free to vote as they see fit without feeling pressured by longer serving justices. You are a lawyer and would know more about this than I.
With thanks for your consideration, and more importantly for your service.
Best regards,
Rurik
cc: Members of the Planning Bard and Village Council.
Ridgewood NJ, Special Properties Real Estate Services, LLC, an exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, has welcomed Christina Gibbons, a veteran Bergen County resident and community volunteer, as a Broker Associate at its Ridgewood, NJ office.
Christina joins the Bergen County real estate market with a winning perspective, following a successful career in cardiology and service on various regional philanthropic boards. She brings intelligence, drive and personality to each and every client interaction, working closely with buyers and sellers to ensure a successful conclusion to the real estate transaction. Christina has a keen intuition for people’s needs, a skill for negotiating, and a roster of high quality professional and personal contacts.
Over the past 15 years, Christina has been a key member of the Bergen County community, devoting her free time to staying active in the community, giving her a well-rounded perspective on Bergen County and the diversity of its communities. Christina has served as the president of the board of directors for the YWCA of Bergen County, president of the Ridgewood Newcomers Club, and a board member of the Willard Elementary School Home and School Association. She currently holds board positions on the George Washington Middle School Home and School Association and the Ridgewood Baseball and Softball Association.
Christina grew up in upstate New York and graduated from Penn State University, where she studied medicine and played on the women’s tennis team. She enjoys spending time with her three sons and her husband of 15 years, as well as friends and extended family. She also enjoys playing golf, tennis and paddle tennis at a competitive level.
About Special Properties Real Estate Services
Special Properties Real Estate Services embraces the history and traditions of its flagship brokerage location in Saddle River, NJ, into an expanded, modern presence in Mahwah, Franklin Lakes, and Ridgewood, NJ. With a staff of accomplished real estate brokers, its clients across northern New Jersey and southern New York are provided with customized, personalized services, backed by the luxury real estate brand of Christie’s International Real Estate. Special Properties provides local expertise with global connections. For more information, call (201) 962-9552.
First Time Ever-Restaurant Week During The Summer!
Sunday-Thursday, August 13-17th. Sunday-Thursday, August 20-24th.
Time: 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Location: At participating restaurants in Ridgewood, all through the Ridgewood business district
For these two days, participating restaurants and caterers are offering you the chance to “experience” dining in Ridgewood or in your home.Each chef is preparing a tantalizing 3-course, prie-fixe menu at $30.17.
Visit these participating restaurants. Call for reservations and details.
Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce presents …
First time ever –
SUMMER RESTAURANT WEEK –
Sunday-Thursday, August 13-17th. Sunday-Thursday, August 20-24th.
Offering a Pre-Fixe menu of a three course meal,
at $30.17 +tax and tip. Beverages not included.
This can be eating-in or take-out menu and/or catering.
Participating restaurant to date…more to come,
check back.
Blue Sushi-201-882-1700 (lunch/dinner)
Cravings-201-857-8533 (lunch/dinner)
Finca-201-444-1199 (lunch/Dinner)
Latour, JUST ADDED, 201-445-5056 (lunch/dinner)
Leon Mexican Cuisine-201-857-0297 (dinner)
Lisa’s Mediterranean Cuisine-201-251-8686
(lunch/dinner)
Park West Tavern & Loft 201-445-5400
Pearl Restaurant-201-857-5100 (dinner)
Piccolo Bistro-Italian-201-882-1111 (dinner only)
ROOTS Steakhouse 201-444-1922 (lunch only)
SMOKED2Go 201-447-6653 (dinner only)
Steel Wheel Tavern-201-882-1800 (lunch/dinner)
White Maple Café-201-201-857-0700
Specialty Foods
Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt-201-857-3711
Offering a small party box at $30.17 ($45 value)
Chestnut Catering-201-445-3031
week of 8/13 only – pick up-eat at home.
For restaurant questions, call restaurant directly.
all other-Ridgewood Chamber 201-445-2600
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police issued three (3) summonses in connection with a Wednesday morning, 08/02 multiple vehicle crash at the intersection of East Ridgewood Avenue and North Irving Street. Two (2) damaged vehicles were removed from the crash site by a flatbed tow truck. No injuries were reported. Ridgewood Fire Departement personnel attended to a crash related fluid spill.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood on Wednesday morning, 08/02. The spilled fluid, believed to have originated from a commercial refuse removal vehicle, appeared to have been a mixture of paint and liquid food waste. FD personnel applied an absorbent material to surface areas on which the spill had not dried while Police officers attempted to track down the truck involved in the incident.
Ridgewood NJ, A primary electric cable fell to the ground and ignited in front of 620 Linwood Avenue, Ridgewood on Wednesday afternoon, 08/02. Ridgewood Police and Fire Department personnel stood by until a troubleshooter from Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) arrived and made the area safe. The small ground fire was contained to a 2 foot by 2 foot strip of grass. No information was available from crews on the scene as to the extent of any related power outages in the immediate area. A portion of Linwood Avenue remained closed for an extended period while PSE&G crews worked.
Ridgewood NJ, Stop by for some special treats, events, giveaways and meet the KILWINS MOOSE..
bring the kids.
Kilwins Ridgewood in Ridgewood New Jersey is a specialty candy and ice cream store selling delicious treats such as hand-crafted chocolates, caramel apples, homemade ice cream, and more!
Since 1947 Kilwins has been a celebrated part of Americana having earned a reputation for providing high quality products and excellent service. Our heritage was built on the simple premise of creating our products from the finest ingredients and providing customers with great service. Today we continue the tradition by uniquely combining high quality products with a warm friendly customer experience that is supported through a successful community of caring owner operators. We continue to offer the finest quality, traditional down-home confections and ice cream that are kitchen made fresh from premium ingredients and original recipes.
Our values are simple; Treat others as you want to be treated, Do your best, and Have fun! These values translate directly to a culture of people who are driven to provide an exceptional confectionery experience. Coupled with our high quality products, in-store craftsmanship, and genuinely friendly staff we create an atmosphere that our customers want to visit again and again.
Come into Kilwins Ridgewood, “Sweet in every Sense since 1947.”
Kilwins-Ridgewood
121 E. Ridgewood Ave.
201-445-4837
In addition to what the other folks are saying about the Elk’s, street conditions, garage etc. don’t underestimate the wireless towers. Wireless towers while improving wireless phone service come with a lot of bad side effects. The radiation (especially for those living close to it) is very dangerous for young children. In addition after installing a tower chances are the providers will add more on top of just repeaters. They can add microwave equipment which is a killer. I know many people are complaining about their wireless coverage at home but the benefit is much less than the damage. Not to mention these towers are an eyesore and tend to affect real estate. When I was looking to buy in NJ one the good reasons to buy in Ridgewood was the lack of wireless towers and high voltage lines.
This VC is obviously blind to this becuase the residents have expressed a need for quality of service. Many don’t even think when they ask for something. Anyone knows where the tower/s will be installed?
Ridgewood NJ, Renting out your home or second home for short periods of time is becoming increasingly popular with the advent of online services that match property owners with prospective renters. The online sites providing these services include Airbnb, VRBO, and HomeAway.
There are special (and often complex) taxation rules associated with renting out your home or second home for short periods of time. In some cases, these rules allow the rental income you receive to be tax-free. In other situations, the rental income and expenses may have to be treated as business income and reported on a Schedule C, as opposed to a rental activity reported on Schedule E.
The following is a synopsis of the rules governing short-term rentals.
Rented for Fewer than 15 Days during the Year – When you rent out your home for fewer than 15 days total during the tax year, the rental income is not reportable, and the expenses associated with that rental are not deductible. However, interest and property taxes need not be prorated, and the full amounts of the qualified mortgage interest and property taxes you pay are reported as itemized deductions (as usual) on your Schedule A, if you itemize your deductions.
The 7-Day and 30-Day Rules – Rentals are generally passive activities, meaning that they are not treated as a trade or business and are not subject to self-employment taxes. However, an activity is not treated as a rental if either of these statements applies:
A. The average customer use of the property is for 7 days or fewer—or for 30 days or fewer if the owner (or someone on the owner’s behalf) provides significant personal services, or
B. The owner (or someone on the owner’s behalf) provides extraordinary personal services without regard to the property’s average period of customer use.
If the activity is not treated as a rental, then it will be treated as a trade or business, and the income and expenses, including prorated interest and taxes, will be reported on Schedule C. IRS Publication 527 states: “If you provide substantial services that are primarily for your tenant’s convenience, such as regular cleaning, changing linen, or maid service, you report your rental income and expenses on Schedule C.” Substantial services do not include the furnishing of heat and light, the cleaning of public areas, the collecting of trash, and such.
Exception to the 30-Day Rule – If the personal services provided are similar to those that are generally provided in connection with long-term rentals of high-grade commercial or residential real property (such as public area cleaning and trash collection), and if the rental also includes maid and linen services that cost less than 10% of the rental fee, then the personal services are neither significant nor extraordinary for the purposes of the 30-day rule.
Profits and Losses on Schedule C – Profit from a rental activity is not subject to self-employment tax, but a profitable rental activity that is reported as a business on Schedule C is subject to this tax. A loss from this type of activity is still treated as a passive-activity loss unless you meet the “material participation” test, generally by providing 500 or more hours of personal services during the year or qualifying as a real estate professional. Losses from passive activities are only deductible up to the income amount from other passive activities, but unused losses can be carried forward to future years. A special allowance for real-estate rental activities with active participation permits a loss against non-passive income of up to $25,000, which phases out when modified adjusted gross income is between $100K and $150K. However, this allowance does NOT apply when the activity is reported on Schedule C.
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Running Company will be hosting a grand re-opening on Wednesday August 2nd and will be operating under a new name Jackrabbit .
The Grand Re-Opening will feature and Ice Cream Run. Wednesday’s Ice Cream Run!!! We will leave from the store at 7pm, run a 3.75 mi loop around scenic Ridgewood, then end at Ben & Jerry’s for Ice Cream
JackRabbit is located at 258 E Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450
Ridgewood NJ, For the second time in 28 days Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi’s attempt to get the State Assembly to relieve municipalities from over development arising from court-mandated housing requirements was denied.
The court mandated over development endangers Bergen County quality of life and will require many towns to build unneeded housing in a state with a declining population .
Schepisi said , “I’m very disappointed that the speaker again blocked my efforts to relieve municipalities of this incredible burden. The only roadblock helping our communities is Democrats’ continued refusal to take action,”
Earlier Schepisi asked Speaker Vincent Prieto to post her bill package addressing court-mandated affordable housing before today’s special voting session, but was again denied.
From the Assembly floor at 1 a.m. on July 4, Schepisi urged the legislature to suspend all affordable housing litigation until the end of the year so the legislature could address the issue. Her effort was voted down 44-26 along party lines.
“This is a bipartisan issue that has turned into a potential disaster for our towns and our constituents. Just ask the mayors from Democratic towns outside of my district who have asked me for help instead of their own local Democrat legislator,” continued Schepisi (R-Bergen).
“Maybe Democrats aren’t listening to their mayors, councils and constituents because Phil Murphy funds the non-profit suing our communities and forcing unwanted development. It’s not what is best for towns, our environment and our schools; it’s what is best for their party.”
On June 19 Schepisi introduced an eight bill package shifting all municipal obligations to the state and recalculate obligations based on reasonable need. It also makes changes to how affordable housing is administered to best help communities.
“I have introduced a package that addresses all of the concerns I have heard from mayors on both sides of the aisle. And it ensures that affordable housing will be built to accommodate the needs of the residents of this state,” concluded Schepisi.
Schepisi’s affordable housing package includes:
• Amending the state constitution to require the state calculate affordable housing obligations (ACR250).
• Increasing the numbers of senior and special needs housing that can count towards the affordable housing obligations in the State.
• Requiring COAH and Courts to take into account environmental considerations, municipal infrastructure, school and emergency services department capacities
• Allowing municipalities to provide preference to their own residents in need of affordable housing
• Requiring COAH to administer affordable housing obligations (A5025).
• Allowing municipalities to challenge obligations administered by COAH (A5026).
• Requiring COAH calculate obligations based on reasonable need factors and imposing a population increase cap (A5027/A5028).
• Eliminating the exclusion of urban aid municipalities from obligations (A5029).
• Amending the state constitution to prohibit exclusionary zoning and clarify municipal affordable housing obligations (ACR249).
• Prohibiting the builder’s remedy in exclusionary zoning litigation (A5030).
Town Garage is like some intergalactic stepping off point for a Steven King adult Day Camp..since the issues are hard..don’t ask don’t tell..lets it go to seed to be the whipping post instead of and for the bitching about how the whole town and its roads are a complete mess..
And the VC Still thinks fish needs a parking garage structure for good old times sake.,,another novel approach by the town leaders,
Many NJ seniors won’t qualify for property-tax reimbursement because program was capped at $70K following Great Recession — and that’s where the cap remains
A recent poll of New Jersey voters indicated the top issue this gubernatorial election year is the state’s notoriously high property taxes. Ever-rising property tax bills are also a particularly troubling issue for the state’s senior citizens because many are living on fixed incomes.
Yet the most recent state budget signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie earlier this month included fine print written quietly into budget documents that will keep many seniors from being able to collect sizable reimbursement checks that are offered through one of the state’s most popular property-tax relief programs.
The budget language effectively overrides the state law that funds the “senior freeze” Property Tax Reimbursement Program by lowering the program’s annual income cap from near $90,000 to $70,000. The cost-cutting measure started as the state faced deep budget problems in the wake of the Great Recession, but it has been maintained ever since even as revenue collections have now rebounded.
In the past, Democratic lawmakers have tried to block the income-cap change, but Christie, a second-term Republican, has used the line-item veto pen to override their wishes. But this year, Democrats prioritized increased funding for local school districts and several other programs in a budget showdown with Christie, leaving the frozen senior-freeze income cap in place for another year. That means it will likely be up to the state’s next governor to determine whether New Jersey seniors will eventually be made whole.
(Reuters) – A ban on pedestrians looking at mobile phones or texting while crossing the street will take effect in Hawaii’s largest city in late October, as Honolulu becomes the first major U.S. city to pass legislation aimed at reducing injuries and deaths from “distracted walking.”
The ban comes as cities around the world grapple with how to protect phone-obsessed “smartphone zombies” from injuring themselves by stepping into traffic or running into stationary objects.
Starting Oct. 25, Honolulu pedestrians can be fined between $15 and $99, depending on the number of times police catch them looking at a phone or tablet device as they cross the street, Mayor Kirk Caldwell told reporters gathered near one of the city’s busiest downtown intersections on Thursday.
