Consultant: Ridgewood neighborhood would be ‘severely affected’ by Valley Hospital expansion
Tuesday October 1, 2013, 6:49 AM
BY BARBARA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
The Record
RIDGEWOOD – Nearly 500 people flocked to a school auditorium Monday night to hear a professional planner explain how The Valley Hospital’s plan to expand will have a “major effect” on the neighborhood, and not in a good way.
CHRIS PEDOTA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Valley Hospital
Peter Steck, a community planning consultant hired by the Concerned Residents of Ridgewood, told the board that the amendment to the village master plan that Valley is seeking is an “improper balance” between the hospital’s and community’s needs. Valley needs the master plan alteration to expand on its 15-acre site, seated in the middle of a residential community and next to a middle school.
Members of Concerned Residents, which is opposing the plan, have paid $100,000 to fight the project. They have been attending eight months of hearings but this is the first one where an expert has presented their side of the battle.
So is there another Planning Board meeting tonight or not? It is on the website, but last night they said no, that it would be Oct. 22nd.
Record article says not tonight, Oct. 22.
It won’t be just the neighborhood, with this kind of press EVERYONE living here will be effected in a negative way. As a matter of fact, we already have. And for what ? Simply put:GREED !
Too let a small group of people ruin the reputation of a town is a disgrace. Shame on the people of Ridgewood for letting it get this far. Outright embarrassing…
What about all the apartments the village is looking to build ,where are the protest? These will have a larger effect on the village than the hospital.
Like hell they will. Not that I’m for them, but at least they will be paying taxes. Not to mention that it won’t take 7-10 years to put them up AND bring the values of all homes in Ridgewood down.
Why has Valley’s attorney been permitted to act as obnoxiously as he has? There is a very fishy relationship between him and the Planning Board – particularly with Gail Price.
#4 – Don’t change the subject. This is about Valley. Some of us only have time to fight one battle.
The Ridgewood council needs to overturn ordinance 3066
Admittedly, I haven’t been watching these proceedings like a hawk, but I have a question for Valley — from a business standpoint, you’re spending x millions of dollars to rebuild the hospital. You’re only adding 3 new beds. You’re saying the number of visits to the hospital will be less than they are today. I hear all that, but since you’re spending the money with less visits, simple math would say it’s a losing proposition.
My guess is that visits won’t drop but will increase, they just worked the visits numbers until it worked in their favor.
Valley will be the largest enterprise in all of Ridgewood, if it isn’t already. Ridgewood will be all “about” the hospital, not about the community we love. Valley ran out of space long ago, and is hanging on to its tiny parcel because – let’s face- it’s FREE. Valley doesn’t want to pay the taxes and it is willing to gut the town in order to stay here.
Who out there actually believes that traffic will get better if Valley expands? Please.
C’mon Ridgewood, we can fight this! I know the mommies alone are formidable!!!!!!!
#9 – My guess is that Valley is hoping to attract “business” from other area hospitals and will ultimately try to put them out of business (why else would they try to block the re-opening of Pascack Valley?) They really want more business, which will result in more action around the hospital, more traffic, more pollution, etc.
The claim that traffic will “improve” is ludicrous – anyone who drives around here daily knows that the slightest little building project causes traffic jams.
No 7 — it is exactly the same subject. The hospital and the apartments will both destroy the town and lower our property values. Its just the hospital will do it sooner to the BF area and the apartments will do it sooner to the Ridge / GW area. There is most definitely an overlap of interests. And the whole town should be up in arms over all this nonsense.
Valley has already bought up the property along Maple Ave leading up to HoHoKus. This will certainly be built up to the max (high density?) if Valley expansion gets approved. Already in the works…..
Did anyone notice Drill bragging about Valley opening up satellite facilities? At one time this was introduced by residents as an ALTERNATIVE to expanding on Linwood/Van Dien, but now it seems that Valley wants to do BOTH. They are expanding the hospital AS WELL AS renovating/building other facilities in or near Ridgewood. Please note: Valley has already bought the blood donation place on Linwood and will be expanding it for its offices. This building is in Paramus, but will create even more traffic for us nonetheless.
People, we need to stop this before Ridgewood becomes Valleywood!!!
Good point,#13. The bottom line is these people are out of control. Keeping their ridiculously high paying jobs is the priority and screw the people of Ridgewood. What is fascinating to me is that there are actually a few people who actually believe this act. And they are willing to not only help pay for it all, but destroy the reputation of the town along with it. This is better than a reality show…
#7 not changing the subject just trying to make a point.
Remember
Mayor Paul Aronsohn stated at the Candidates Night” We should rescind the H Ordinance” What happen Mr. Carpetbagger?
I like #10 comment because it’s Free. Won’t the Blood Center, The old Village Ford property, and the current Valley location in Paramus all be tax free also? Not for Profit, means they pay no taxes.
They have all these other properties. Why are they still asking to double Valley in Ridgewood?
Why do they continue now that Pascack valley is now open?
Greed, pure Greed.
Valley knows that they shouldn’t be expanding here in Ridgewood they don’t give a crap. They will shove this down our throats until they get what they want. They are asking for 1,000,000 SF, where 400,000 SF now exists? Are they insane? No, they will be happy with 600,000 -800,000 SF, which will still crush Ridgewood. You all watch and see what happens.
The PB and current council scare the hell out of me. Valley may have lined up the right people to make this happen? I pray for no H-Zone or Master Plan changes!