CBR seeking to preserve Ridgewood’s ‘ineffable’ quality
Friday October 25, 2013, 9:36 AM
The Ridgewood News
CBR seeking to preserve Ridgewood’s ‘ineffable’ quality
Lori Weil
To the editor:
The Citizens for a Better Ridgewood (CBR) are long-term residents who genuinely care about the future of Ridgewood. It is disappointing that our attempt to inform the public about the serious nature of the issues facing Ridgewood has been characterized as “tactics intended to create hysteria.” Wanting to protect the unique reputation and outstanding quality of life in our village does not make us anti-development or anti-developer.
This issue has less to do with housing and more to do with the future of Ridgewood. We are looking at irrevocable changes that will permit a substantial number of high-density housing units, and we worry that if development is not thoughtful and prudent, Ridgewood will suffer the consequences of overcrowded schools, traffic congestion, parking shortages and most importantly, the lack of that ineffable feeling that makes Ridgewood so special.
Developers claim that new housing developments will provide the town with “beneficial solutions to downtown problems.” We truly hope that is the case, but we fail to see how adding more residents will improve traffic issues, pedestrian safety and parking. We are also concerned about overcrowding in our schools and hope that the Planning Board is able to put mechanisms in place to guarantee that new housing goes to empty-nesters or seniors, where there is a need.
Is this group against the valley expansion or is it just housing?
CBR has focused in the building in the CBD.
CRR. Has focused on Valley.