Ridgewood NJ, the no2BCIA petition was certified by the village clerk at the village council open public meeting tonight. (certified means she confirmed that we needed 814 signatures and we had at least 814 valid signatures).
The petition provided two options -the council could either withdraw the ordinance 3519 (bond for garage through BCIA), or put that as a referendum question to the voters of Ridgewood.
The mayor tonight at the council meeting, promised that he will be introducing an ordinance to repeal ordinance 3519 (BCIA funding) at the next meeting, and he decided not to proceed with the referendum question on the May ballot.
According to the petitioners , based on understanding of the law, the BCIA option for garage funding, as it was passed in ordinance 3519 appears to be dead for now.
Ridgewood will get a garage that’s funded by a local bond where Ridgewood will be in complete control. (The size of the garage is still an open question, and if you would like to be a part of petition, which will request the council to consider a smaller sized garage that’s right for that specific lot, please reach out to us at its2big.com
Ridgewood NJ,last night It was a very predictable, 3-2 votes on anything meaningful and the majority stating all the reasons they were voting yes except representing the people. The leaving council majority aka the 3 amigos are enacting a “scorched earth policy” as they will be gone. Turn out was lower than expected because so many saw the vote as a for gone conclusion.
Zoning vote 3-2
Garage vote 5-0
All 5 voted for the Village to bond the garage not the county., Susan and Mike had no other choice but to vote that way because the council majority aka the 3 Amigos would have just gone to the BCPA. This way Ridgewood may retain control of the size, commuter parking and rates. Mike said something about researching a surcharge for businesses owner that are close to the garage to defray cost of maintenance.
The traffic study spokesman talked about increased traffic in several locations( 2 on Broad) and that is without the consideration of the garage. He mentioned some additional policing. No one in the garage discussion talked about the need for policing there or the need of an attendant. I believe I could live with the garage if it was one deck shorter, remained completely on the foot print and the street parking spaces would remain on Broad and Hudson Streets. Local business in those locations will take a hit without them.
Residents again questioned how is it that the council majority refuses to listen to the public? Could it be that they truly are in their own heads and are immune to incoming sounds,like the voices of the residents?
One nuclear physicist spoke wondering how they could be so emphatically certain that the were correct and that the developers could see no cause for concern? He said nothing is that certain and his world is one of exactness.
Mike and Susan seemed on there game and nobody clapped for Rurik and Jim when pontificated .
For most residents it is just too much development/ construction at once ,Yes these developments will bring traffic. The Hudson garage will not be enough. and the business owners must be salivating but most central business district businesses will not survive the construction phase.
Lastly Former Mayor Kieth Killion gets the last laugh , so many voted for this trio ,now buyers remorse .
After the September 16th Village Council meeting, everyone I spoke with said, “Well, it’s a done deal with the High Density Housing.” But then September 30th proved us different.
The point is, as Rocky Balboa once said, “It ain’t ’til it’s over.” To add to that: It’s only over if we don’t show up.
Tonight is probably the most important Village Council meeting in the history of Ridgewood. It is the night when it’s decided whether we live in a Village or a City.
No one can foresee the future, but one thing is for sure: coming tonight will send a strong message – not only to this outgoing Village Council majority, but also as a mandate to those who are running for election. Perhaps even more important is that we can say that we showed up when our Village needed us the most and did what we could to stop this madness.
Lastly, if it’s absolutely impossible for you to come, The link to the broadcast can be found here: https://livestream.com/accounts/18208820/events/4985052
(NOTE: this is an unofficial broadcast and can ONLY be viewed at the above link.)
Please share this link and forward this note to as many residents as you can.
Thank you for helping protect our most wonderful village. Hope to see you tonight.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Council candidate Ramon Hache also shared his feeling on the high density meeting tonight , “I think tonight’s meeting is unfair to residents. There are two major decisions on the agenda tonight. Having two major topics on the same agenda will cause the meeting to go until early Thursday. The issues should have been split onto two agendas.”
First Ramon commented on the Hudson Garage ,”I hope the Council will vote to bond the garage ourselves. The newest design option, although not perfect, represents a compromise between residents and the Council. The original proposed size and footprint of the garage were simply too large.”
Then Ramon followed up on the high density housing, “The Council will vote on the proposed housing density of 35 UPA. I understand the need to develop the proposed sites but I would like to see mixed use, and a density of between 20 and 24 units per acre, more in line with the total average throughout the CBD. Although the recent study by BFJ suggest there would be minimal to no impact to the schools, Ridgewood is known for its schools and exceptional educational programs for special needs children. Therefore I would be cautious to rely on the student enrollment projections alone, which did not take into account the higher cost of special needs programs.
Ideally, I would rather see us approve one of these zoning changes first, to see how it goes. We would get real-world data while providing a good ratable which we need to finance the things we need and to stabilize property taxes.”
Ramon emphisized, ” These are very important issues that will have an enduring impact on the future of our community. I encourage residents to attend the meeting. I hope the Council will listen to the input from residents and will decide on responsible development that will preserve the character of our town while improving traffic safety.”
Ridgewood Nj, Candidate Jeff Voigt offered his view of tonight’s events, “While we may not be able to stop the vote for the high density housing – we need people to attend to demonstrate via a large turnout that the few should not benefit to the detriment of the many.
Unfortunately our process was hi-jacked by self-interests who used Ordinance 3066 to turn what should have been zoning issues into a planning issue. The planning board could have denied any of these applications but chose not to – resulting in a deviation from the original Master plan and a change in it. Each of these high density housing developments should have been decided individually and separately by the zoning board. Initially they were (i.e. the Enclave). However when the Enclave developers realized that there were too many variances that they were seeking and; that they were going to have major issues with the zoning board, they did an end around the zoning board and went to the planning board. The makeup of the planning board needs to be closely scrutinized by the new council to ensure it is non-partisan and holds Village interests of highest importance.
There is a case, decided by the 2008 NJ State Supreme Ct. – Riya v Township South Brunswick 2008 which ruled that if areas of a township/municipality are rezoned, they need to be consistent with the surrounding zones. It is my concern that what has occurred in Ridgewood goes against this ruling – as an example: commercial zones between the train tracks/Chestnut/Franklin Ave have been rezoned for residential use – which is inconsistent with these existing zones. Why the Council would expose us to potential lawsuits I believe is reckless on their part and smacks of favoritism for the few (e.g. developers) to the detriment of the Village.”
Ridgewood NJ, Readers say , “The only way to stop this is to fill up the room and let our Village Council know how we feel about this vote. It is important that everybody in town come out tonight. It is probably the most important vote in Ridgewood history because it is a question as to whether we want to continue living in a village or make it into a city. If the Village Council votes in favor of this high density master plan amendment, nothing will ever be the same again in our town.”
As Dave Slomin from CBR pointed out, “Ridgewood’s future held by the current powerholders in our Village Council and Planning Board, and that of a large majority of Residents. These powerholders see downtown Ridgewood as bigger scale, taller, denser, and much more bustling. They are planning a town center with a more urban look and feel, not a small town character. I don’t really know what is influencing them, as virtually every Resident CBR has spoken with – 1,000s of them over the past 4 years – wants Ridgewood to maintain its small town feel. Residents want to give their children and grandchildren the same wonderful town we enjoy.
Slomin went on , ‘Oddly, all three of the Council Members who support this over-scaled development are not running again. Why? We can only guess. But what we do know, is that in approving such unprecedented development as a Council Majority, but a Ridgewood Minority, they leave the mess to the next Council and to every Resident of this town… and to our children. Again, bad and unfair planning.”
Most readers find the idea that there will be No material impact? Really? These studies were hastily arranged at best and are not at all credible. If 70 units is so immaterial, why can’t you and your developer friends and family live without them?
The reality is that most residents for or against the planned development have no confidence in the Village Council majority aka the 3 amigos and do not think they are the people who should be making this decision . The current council majority has no overall vision of the future , and no plan just funding from special interests ,turning the Village into an urban environment .
Ridgewood NJ, A reader says that , “Valley has utilized deplorable tactics in its fight against Ridgewood to expand – and those tactics have failed miserably. Their “all or nothing” expansion plan hasn’t even broken ground yet and Hackensack has already beaten them. Valley spent all of this time fighting a rag-tag bunch of community activists and still haven’t prevailed despite having millions of dollars to spend on the fight and 2 insiders on the Village Council. They may ultimately get their way with Ridgewood but it will be far too little and way too late. A Hackensack takeover would be better for Ridgewood if it meant getting rid of the current Valley leadership team.”
But some praised the Hospitals financial IQ , “On an executive level, Valley is well run and very strong financially. A lot of that is due to Ms Meyers. The way they celebrated victory before the dust settled implied that there was an inside track to get this done. That was evident when she showed up at one meeting at the 11th hour in a panic. Fortunately they also fell under the svengali like influence of PR hacks who figured the village for a bunch of sheeple who would roll over. Remember the ads and the “poll” results? That tone-deafness is a characteristic of many successful executives in all fields of operations. Arrogant and tone deaf? absolutely. But that does not take away from the hospital’s successful track record.”
Still overs say it time to pay taxes , “Challenge Valley’s not for profit status in the courts based on the Morristiwn precedent – if they have cash to buy properties and pay huge CEO salaries, they have cash to pay municipal taxes in Ridgewood given all of the municipal services they consume. Would add at least $4.0mn in property tax revenues a year or 10% of the current Village budget. Where the heck are the four “non-beholden to Valley” Council members on this? Maybe we can get three new Council members who aren’t afraid to challenge Valley in the courts on their not for profit status?”
The Village Council Meeting of March 23rd will be held at the Campus Center of the Ridgewood High School, located at 627 East Ridgewood Avenue.
Match 23,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ , The March 23rd Work Session meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. During the Work Session there will be a Special Public Meeting for the Public Hearings and vote on the multi-family housing ordinances as well as a public hearing and vote on the bond ordinance to appropriate money for the Hudson Street parking deck.
The meeting will be streamed live using UTube. This location is not equiped to broadcast the meetings live on the cable stations. The meetings will be filmed and available both on UTube and the Village Public Access Channel (Cablevision 77; Fios 37) the following day.
The Final Downtown Zoning Impacts Analysis that address the four multifamily housing study areas is now available. For the complete document Click Here
Click Here for the Reexamination of the Master Plan and Development Regulations adopted by the Planning Board February 2, 2016.
Ridgewood NJ, Please watch this brief message from Jeff Voigt, Ridgewood Village Council candidate. Wednesday night’s meeting is at 7:30pm, Ridgewood High School – Student Campus Center. Hope to see you there! https://youtu.be/poBneHlVqtg
The Village Council Meeting of March 23rd will be held at the Campus Center of the Ridgewood High School, located at 627 East Ridgewood Avenue.
The March 23rd Work Session meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. During the Work Session there will be a Special Public Meeting for the Public Hearings and vote on the multi-family housing ordinances as well as a public hearing and vote on the bond ordinance to appropriate money for the Hudson Street parking deck.
The meeting will be streamed live using UTube. This location is not equiped to broadcast the meetings live on the cable stations. The meetings will be filmed and available both on UTube and the Village Public Access Channel (Cablevision 77; Fios 37) the following day.
Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian spoke at Monday’s meeting of the Assembly Budget Committee in Trenton to voice his opposition to the state takeover effort. The Assembly will be the determining factor now that the takeover package from Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) has cleared the Senate. Assembly Speaker Vince Prieto (D-32) has said that he objects to allowing the state broad powers in altering collective bargaining agreements and may not put the bill to a vote. JT Aregood, PolitickerNJ Read more
Ridgewood NJ, Pro City residents continue to harp on the refrain: Didn’t an Didn’t an overwhelming majority of Ridgewood Residents vote in favor of a garage? To say the council only cares about builders, restaurant owners and party bosses is a lie – they are listening to the majority of us who are in favor or a garage. vote in favor of a garage?
Ridgewood Council members have even expressed concern over the “overwhelming majority of Ridgewood Residents”. The staff of the Ridgewood blog turned up some interesting foresight with a recent OPRA request of the Mayor Paul Aronsohns emails .
“I voted for the parking deck like many other before realizing how big the plan was to be . It will never be self supporting inless it is filled with commuters who will clog the narrow streets . There of coarse will need to be stop lights put at the intersection of East Ridgewood and Broad . The parking lot as it now stands is a disgrace and dangerous .certainly build something but not the huge facility that is envisioned now. Floral Park Nassau County ,Long Island also built a parking lot near the LIRR and it was said it was going to be filled and self supporting .It never was and the tax payers make up the difference .”
The OPRA requests turned up many such emails , with the conclusion being that many voted for a garage but not the over sized monstrosity proposed . More did not believe the Mayor and sugested a lack of confidence in the Village decision making process
VILLAGE COUNCIL FINAL VOTE ON HIGH DENSITY HOUSING
THIS WEDNESDAY, 3/23. 7:30pm at RHS CAMPUS CENTER
RIDGEWOOD NEEDS YOU… ONE LAST TIME!
Dear Neighbors,
This Wednesday night, 3/23, our Village Council, is set to vote on High Density Housing that is TOO BIG, TOO DENSE, TOO OUT OF SCALE and TOO OUT OF CHARACTER with the Village we love. Check out this video to see what the “new density” looks like: YouTube High Density Video.
All politicking, threats of lawsuits, and municipal studies and impacts aside… this comes down to a matter of “Vision” for Ridgewood. And right now, there is a huge disconnect between the vision for Ridgewood’s future held by the current powerholders in our Village Council and Planning Board, and that of a large majority of Residents. These powerholders see downtown Ridgewood as bigger scale, taller, denser, and much more bustling. They are planning a town center with a more urban look and feel, not a small town character. I don’t really know what is influencing them, as virtually every Resident CBR has spoken with – 1,000s of them over the past 4 years – wants Ridgewood to maintain its small town feel. Residents want to give their children and grandchildren the same wonderful town we enjoy. When we want more city, we know that Manhattan is a short drive away. Why doesn’t our Council majority feel the same?
Citizens for a Better Ridgewood (CBR) is for fitting and positive development. We are only naysayers to bad representation and bad planning. CBR believes that we can promote fitting development in Ridgewood by lowering the density of the current ordinances from 35 to 25 units per acre, which is already a 100% increase over current zoning, yet has solid precedent in our Village. Additionally, our planners must also limit Floor Area Ratio (e.g. building size), and enforce proper street setbacks and parking to make new buildings work. We feel it is our Council and Planning Board’s job to increase the quality of life value of our entire town, not just the property values of some developers.
Wednesday night is our last chance to try and stop this. Oddly, all three of the Council Members who support this over-scaled development are not running again. Why? We can only guess. But what we do know, is that in approving such unprecedented development as a Council Majority, but a Ridgewood Minority, they leave the mess to the next Council and to every Resident of this town… and to our children. Again, bad and unfair planning.
I know it’s a huge pain, and not a whole lot of fun… But Ridgewood needs you one more time. Please come, show your support for fitting development in OUR downtown. Tell the Council to VOTE NO to the current High Density Ordinances and let the new Council, coming in this summer help get it right.
RIDGEWOOD NEEDS YOU THIS WEDNESDAY NIGHT… 7:30 at RHS! A failure to plan, is a plan to fail.
Thanks for your support over these four long years.
Dave Slomin
CBR Supporter
Ridgewood Resident (and father of 4th Generation Ridgewood Kids)
Ridgewood NJ, Audrey Meyers President and CEO, Valley Hospital remains one of the highest paid executives in New Jersey , yet
many residents are far from convinced she has done a good job.
Lets face it the Valley expansion like it or not has wasted a huge amount of time for the hospital while its competitors have better positioned themselves through strategic acquisitions . Valley has floundered in self indulgent arrogance and still has not been able to expand in Ridgewood . Audrey Meyers strategy of “my way or no way” has so far failed to make head way in the Village . While other major project like NJ Transit’s massive renovation on the Ridgewood Train station , trestle and elevated tracks is just a distant memory Audrey has made little to no head way despite devastation public relations reversals .
Readers for or against the expansion question why she still has the support of the trustees and wonder if she had shown even and once of flexibility the hospital expansion like the train station would have already been a thing of the past .
Ridgewood NJ, with the March 23, meeting just around the corner and the almost certain approval by the Village Council of 4 major developments in Ridgewood’s central business district and a new parking garage on Hudson Street , the only question that remains to be asked is will any Ridgewood merchants actually survive construction?
Readers predict massive traffic jams and a central business district that will remain nearly inaccessible during construction phase.
While the Mayor and rest of the council majority continues to assure us the the 5 simultaneous developments will have no impact on life in the Village . That’s no impact on traffic, schools, water ,and sewage the experts tell us.
Many merchants already claim with out more parking they are done , so how the Ridgewood blog asks can a small business stay afloat with virtually no traffic for two years??
