I don’t understand how supporters of the majority council don’t have a problem that these 3, plus Roberta lied to residents to get that November vote. That is telling and shameful- all residents whether you want a garage or not should have no tolerance for such trickery.
Telling residents nothing has been decided with respect to design when indeed, the design has been decided, and we are not disclosing that our chosen design is 12 feet in the street was wrong and horrible leadership. Contracts to begin specs for design A were signed on October 28th – before the vote!!! It was deceitful and despicable, with no accountability and cost taxpayers $120,000 in change orders.
I can understand and be sympathetic to mistakes but not deliberate and deceitful plotting and scheming to get what you want. The current design is still too big. It is 5 feet in the street and 60’10” tall…not 46′ that they keep saying -which is frickin ridiculous they don’t count the towers when discussing height. Mt. Carmel (FYI is 50′ tall) will be here a lot longer than any restaurant or business. The way these people have disrespected the church and ALL residents is shameful, and to defend that behavior or turn a blind eye because you want a garage….what? Why?
Ridgewood NJ, Jim McCarthy is a fourteen-year resident of Ridgewood as well as the father of four daughters and husband to his wife, Gail. Listen to what he has to say about the upcoming garage vote on June 21st.
Ramon M. Hache Councilman-Elect Village of Ridgewood
Ridgewood NJ, On June 21st, residents will be voting on a binding referendum regarding the bonding of $11,500,000 to finance the cost of building the Hudson Street parking deck. There is a high level of speculation and misinformation circulating, including print and video propaganda posted on the Village website. As a member of the next Council, I feel it is important to communicate my views regarding the overall parking issue.
I am, first and foremost, committed to improving the quality of life of our residents, public safety and the health and well-being of our Central Business District. I certainly recognize that bringing additional parking to our Village, if properly done, will enhance quality of life, public safety and the vibrancy of our CBD. Also, as I stated during my campaign, I am supportive of a parking deck on Hudson Street. It is also important to note that the next Council is committed to implementing a comprehensive parking solution, that includes a parking deck, but most importantly, will bring much needed parking relief to the entire CBD. A parking deck on Hudson Street, while crucial, only solves part of the problem. Ultimately we have a parking distribution problem in our CBD, not a parking deck problem. We have already begun planning for more cost-effective solutions that will require minimal expenditures.
Without knowing the outcome of the June 21st referendum, we are exploring all options including the impact and viability of a smaller deck on Hudson Street combined with a second deck/lot at the corner of Walnut and Franklin. While the Hudson Street deck will address the parking needs of commuters and patrons of the shops and restaurants within its immediate proximity, we also need to consider the parking needs of the rest of the CBD. Again, this is why solutions in addition to the Hudson Street deck are so crucial.
We will be working with an expanded group of experts, residents, board and committee members. We are fortunate to have a tremendous amount of intelligent and caring people in our community. We will leverage their knowledge, expertise and love of community to devise the right solution that meets the broader needs of our Village, not just of a selected few.
Ridgewood has waited 90 years for a parking solution, not just a parking deck. The notion that a single parking deck will solve our parking problem is in itself an outdated 90 year old idea. The Village needs a comprehensive and modern parking solution that is both innovative and reflective of the world we live in. Coupled with bringing a better mix of businesses, it should serve to enhance an already vibrant Central Business District.
Being fiscally conscious, we want to avoid unnecessary and costly expenses including changes in work orders. The Village Council has already spent over $600,000 of taxpayer money and we have not added a single additional parking space. The next Council will make final decisions regarding size, shape, and look of the Hudson Street parking deck. What the final comprehensive solution will look like, will depend on the outcome of the referendum. Therefore it would be premature at this time to communicate any specific plan but rest assured we are prepared for either possible outcome. As I had promised during my campaign, I will support whatever the people want to do and I will not direct residents on how to vote. It is my duty as a member of the Council, to listen to the voice of the people and act accordingly. I look forward to working for you, and with you, in moving forward on the various important issues our Village is facing.
Ridgewood NJ, Please join Dparz for their Grand Opening on Saturday June 11 at 1 pm 12 S Broad St.
Long gone are the times when shoes were just an accessory. Nowadays, shoes are the focal point, the stars, or should we say the “Dparz,” of every outfit. A sophisticated modern woman can easily put together a “traffic stopping” ensemble around a pair of killer shoes.
Shoes are our world. “Dparz” is an online boutique specializing in high quality, affordable, fashionable footwear; thus enabling the stylish ladies of the 21st century to fulfill their every fashion desire.
We are proud to be the first exclusive distributor in the USA of renowned Brazilian designers such as; Tanara, Raphaella Booz, Capodarte Maythe, and Dumond.
Our shoes are not only beautiful, but made of 100% genuine leather. Good looks and quality in every pair; for what more could a woman ask?
“Dparz” will be opening its’ flagship location in Bergen County NJ shortly.
Ridgewood NJ, This is the Hudson Street lot at 9:20 Friday morning. I do not know how many Village Council meetings I have attended at which members of the Chamber of Commerce stated that this lot is filled to capacity first thing in the morning every morning with commuters and restaurant workers. My crummy little camera does not show the scope of how empty the lot was. Please vote NO on June 21. We might (operative word is “might”) need a small increase in parking, but we certainly do not need the gigantic garage that Aronsohn, Roberta, Hauck and Pucciarelli are continuing to promote in the waning days of their time in “power.”
the staff of the Ridgewood with a little help from our friends
Ridgewood NJ ,According to Ridgewood resident Derek Schnure this Another Aronsohn propaganda piece — you’ll see if you drill into the info on the website. VOTE NO!
The word is the video was produced by a company that the son of the Hillman lighting company owns or works for. So there may have been no cost. However, was it filmed when Roberta, Chris, Bob, etc were working? Meaning that they were making this film and reading our mayor’s script when they were supposed to be actually working? Now there’s a cost
Dear Nattering Nobs of Negativity,
Earlier this week, I sent an e-notice reminder to vote in this week’s primary election. I also indicated that on June 21st there would be another election to determine whether or not to finance a parking deck at Hudson Street. There is background information on the website that you may want to consider while making your decision. Here is the link: www.ridgewoodnj.net
Best,
Roberta Sonenfeld Village Manager 201-670-5500, ext. 203
On Tuesday, June 21—in less than 2 weeks—Ridgewood will hold a special election for a binding referendum (unlike the nonbinding referendum on the parking garage last November) on whether the Village should bond $11,500,000 for a parking garage on Hudson Street.
Bonding…and binding.
See below for important information on voting by mail.
What the ballot will say
You will be asked to answer yes or no to this question: Shall ordinance No. 3521 submitted by referendum petition providing for the Council of the Village of Ridgewood to issue $11,500,000 [in] bonds or notes to finance the cost of constructing the Hudson Street parking deck, be adopted?
What the ballot doesn’t reveal
The $11.5 million bond was linked from the start to garage design “D,” consisting of 4 stories with 5 parking levels. The southern wall would extend 5 feet beyond the existing parking lot, over the sidewalk and into Hudson Street. The narrower street would contain two lanes rather than the current three: one for parking across the street from the garage and one as a combination “thru lane” and turning lane into the garage.
If the referendum passes
One might think that with a binding referendum coming up, garage-related activity would be “on hold”—but no. In their zeal to make this project happen and to fulfill promises made, the outgoing council “majority” of Mayor Paul Aronsohn, Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli, and Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck, aided by Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld, are actively pursuing completion.
Their goal is to sign a contract just before leaving office, committing the Village to Design D and letting the new council cope with the fallout.
Progress toward a construction contract is well under way. A consultancy firm was recently hired to confirm cost estimates by the architectural firm that created Design D and to engage in preconstruction preparations. If the referendum passes, that same consultancy firm will go out to bid immediately. Legal advice has been sought at taxpayer expense as well. Yet a “no” vote on theJune 21 referendum would nullify all this. How’s that for fiscal responsibility?
If, as the “council majority” continues to insist, the bond is not tied to any design, why is a firm being paid $20,000 to work further on Design D, only weeks before the result of a binding referendum could stop the project in its tracks?
In addition, rumor has it that the contract would carry prohibitively steep penalties for making any changes (change orders), further tying the new council’s hands while committing the Village to this massive edifice permanently.
Residents who want a garage, please note: the three incoming and two continuing council members are not opposed in principle to building a parking garage, including on Hudson Street. All, however, acknowledge that the designs proposed to date are too big. They’d appreciate a chance to think smaller and to try lower-cost, less-disruptive ways to enhance downtown parking. They do “get it,” and they want to do something. But not this.
On May 10, voters made a clear statement of trust for the incoming council. The three new council members won in every district. A “no” vote on the referendum would allow them and their two continuing council member colleagues to do their job unshackled by “deals” of the past.
How to vote
If you want the new council to be given the chance to try comprehensive, achievable parking solutions designed to benefit commuters, residents, and the entire Central Business District, voteNo to the referendum.
If you approve of the amount of the bonding, have no problem with under-the-radar deals, and are willing to let garage design “D” rise noisily in the mist, you may wish to vote Yes—with the understanding that the three council members who have pushed so hard for this project will be out of office on July 1, leaving the new council members—and us, the taxpaying residents— holding the bag. A very big bag.
It may be of interest that Rev. Msgr. Ronald J. Rozniak, P.A. (Father Ron), Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (down the street from the proposed garage), stated flatly in the church’s June 5 weekly bulletin: “the parish will never endorse the [currently proposed parking] deck.” (Full statement at https://www.olmcridgewood.com/images/pdf/bulletin.pdf.) The church’s traffic consultant, he continued, considers the planned reversal of direction of Passaic and Hudson Street traffic unnecessary.
Why that reversal? Because behind the scenes, an agreement with special interests was made to reroute the traffic.
The traffic-direction-reversal plan can be reversed. But the enormous structure that has been dubbed GarageZilla and GarageMahal, once built, would loom over us for a very long time, as would paying for it.
Please ignore whatever means may be used over the next two weeks to entice or confuse voters into approving the $11.5 million bond (and, unspoken, Design D) on June 21. Let’s recall the acres of “Vote yes for parking” signs that littered the landscape before last November’s referendum, when it was known but not divulged that all the garage designs under consideration at that time would have occupied a significantly larger chunk of Hudson Street than Design D. Many whovoted “yes” later wished they hadn’t. What else don’t we know?
Developers and others are desperate to build this thing. The lame-duck council members pushing for it would not be accountable for it.
Let’s JUST SAY NO.
Consider voting by mail
If you can’t vote in person on Tuesday, June 21, or if it would be inconvenient, consider voting by mail.
June 21 is the day after RHS graduation. Ridgewood schools will have closed for the summer. Many residents will be on vacation already or busily planning trips. You don’t even need a reason to vote by mail; if it appeals to you, do it.
If you or your teenage children (age 18+ by June 21) who are registered voters wish to have a say in what happens with this enormous and precedent-setting downtown project, but may be out of town or otherwise occupied or preoccupied and might not vote that day…you can vote by mail (now called Vote by Mail Ballot, no longer Absentee Ballot), if you start soon.
There are two steps: applying for a ballot and receiving it, then completing the ballot and mailing it in.
Or pick up a copy at the Village Clerk’s office during Village Hall business hours (8:30 am–4:30 pm, Monday–Friday). Or call and ask to have one mailed to you: 201-670-5500 ext. 201.
Indicate which election: Where you are asked in which election you wish to vote by mail, check “Special.” Where you’re asked to specify, write: Referendum. For the date, write June 21, 2016 (or 6/21/2016). (We have done this in the application form provided above.)
Your name: For your vote to be counted, you must write and sign your name precisely as it appears in the voting records. If you aren’t sure about a middle initial, spelling, or other item, you can check. Go to: njelections.org or voter.njsvrs.com. Click on “Am I registered?” and follow the simple instructions.
Remainder of form: Fill in your address, the date, etc. Fold, seal, and apply first-class postage (one 47-cent or Forever stamp).
If you mail the application form, the county clerk in Hackensack must receive it at least 7 days before the election (that is, by Tuesday, June 14). Therefore, it’s best to send the form promptly.
You may also submit the application in person at any time up to 3 PM on the day before the election (that is, by 3 PM on June 20).
If you mail the application, in due course you will receive a ballot for the election requested. On the ballot, check the desired box (Yes or No) and mail the form. A return envelope will be provided, but you must use your own first-class stamp (again, 47 cents or Forever). (Ballots for future elections may require more postage, depending on weight.)
Vote-by-mail ballots must arrive in Hackensack before the closing of the polls on election day (June 21). Mail early—at least five days before.
Once you have applied for a Vote by Mail ballot, you must vote that way.
If you have questions about obtaining or using a Vote by Mail ballot, you may call the League of Women Voters of New Jersey at 1-800-792-VOTE.
Dads Night Band concert at Graydon: Sunday, June 12, 3–6pmLifelong Graydon member and longtime Preserve Graydon Coalition supporter Pete Diamond proudly reports that the Somerville–Hawes Dads Night Band will play the first show in Graydon‘s all-new SummerConcert Series on Sunday, June 12, at 3pm.
Free to Graydon badge holders; $10 for others. Some of the proceeds will support the DadsNight Scholarship Committee.
Ridgewood NJ, Jane Milanos, owner of Milridge Realty LCC, a major property owner within the RIdgewood Central Business District, gave $2,000 to the Richard Brooks for Council campaign according to records filed with the NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission.
Milridge Realty is headquartered at 35 Park Street, Tenafly, NJ, the same address as was reported on the below noted document.
The most recent post election related report filed by Janice Willett shows no contributions received from outside sources and Evan Weitz has not yet filed a post election report.
Ridgewood NJ, On the first Friday of June, July & August from 6:30-9pm meet us on the sidewalk outside of Memorial Park on Van Neste Square local artists will sell their works (with 20% going to the Ridgewood Guild). Listen to live music, browse beautiful art, and enjoy the warm Friday night! It is also the 7th season of Music in the Night in downtown Ridgewood .
Anti-Development? What Kool-Aid are you drinking. If you changed your thought properly to Over-Development, then you’d be 100% correct. Develop reasonable housing at 18-24 units, Valley can renew in Ridgewood with minor variances (not doubling in size-Ludacris). Parking garage, should be 2 levels on Hudson, then another 2 level garage at another location (Ken Smith, behind BOE building, or Hillman? Shoving overdevelopment down our throats is the reason all these are on hold. We need logical decision making and that’s what our new council will bring. Can someone please remove that illegal wall in front of the Greek Restaurant! Can anyone explain who and why this was allowed?
Reader says Vote NO on the big garage, Hudson lot half empty at 3:45 pm Saturday, 6/4
Please vote NO on the big garage. Once again we see the Hudson St lot with many open spaces on a busy Saturday. Everyone is in town, school is in session, the weather was great, and there is parking everywhere. Available parking in the CBR is the rule, not the exception even on a warm spring day before summer vacation.
Tue, June 07, 2016
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, 27 Chestnut St., Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Ridgewood NJ, Meetings of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce’s Brown Bag Lunch Bunch — a woman’s networking event — are held on Tuesdays. This networking is designed to place real value on the advice and wisdom of today’s business women organizers note.
The meetings have alternating times of 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., in the Chamber Office, at 27 Chestnut St.
For more information, call the Chamber office at 201-445-2600. For more info about the Chamber generally, visit its website or Facebook page.
Ed says , “High rents are an issue from the past. Commercial rents have declined precipitioulsy since the last recession. Rents and house prices are not determined solely by landlords or home sellers they are determined by prevailing market conditions at the time a transaction is contemplated. The entire process is driven solely by supply and demand. If demand for a particular real estate product is high then the cost of that product will be priced to reflect the current market demand. Conversely when demand is weak prices will fall …..and .sometimes they will fall rather quickly …..and dramatically. Generally speaking at any given time rents are a fairly accurate reflection of either current or anticipated conditions in the specific market to which the property relates. The problem is if a business cannot attract enough customers ANY RENT THEY PAY IS TOO HIGH TO SUSTAIN THEIR BUSINESS. The problem in Ridgewood is a dearth of customers. On the retail side people increasingly prefer to buy goods online at incredibly good prices and they enjoy the added benefir of having the goods delivered right to their door.. A conventional retailer can’t beat that type of competitor.”
Ridgewood NJ, the Village council passed a new sign resolution no. 16-137 effective 5/4/16. This allows
“A Frame” type signs on the sidewalks of the CBD until December 31, 2016
The Chamber of Commerce will be handed out a copy of the resolution on Monday 23, 2016 to Chamber members.
-The placement of any sign must not interfere with
pedestrian safety
-No sign shall be permitted to constrict the 52-inch
area of the sidewalk utilized by pedestrians.
-All signs must be removed at close of business.
-You need to contact the Village of Ridgewood with a
valid, current certificate of insurance, naming the Village of Ridgewood as additional insured for Comprehensive General Liability.
This must be done one week before placement of sign.
Signs are allowed during Sale Days meaning today.
Side street businesses during Sale Days only.
Can have one sign at the corner, place out of the way of pedestrian. Other stores must keep their signs in front of their own locations.
Ridgewood NJ, More or less all lawyers in New Jersey who are both intelligent and honest will freely admit that, even though the New Jersey Supreme Court has boldly declared and decreed that our state constitution mandates the ready availability of so-called “affordable housing”, the actual text of that document mandates no such thing. In other words, the New Jersey Supreme Court made it all up based on its policy preferences.
For its part, the New Jersey legislature subsequently failed effectively to fight against the Supreme Court’s usurpation of its constitutionally-bestowed power to devise and enact generally-applicable public laws. So why has the unconstitutional Mount Laurel regime survived and become so well-ingrained in New Jersey? Because the vast majority of New Jersey attorneys have regrettably maintained decades of strict radio silence on this issue, thereby allowing the Mount Laurel regime to develop the necessary patina of legitimacy. Some have done this because they fear the professional consequences of vocal dissent. In other words, they are ruled by political correctness. However most do so because they so heartily support the underlying affordable housing POLICY that they are willing to accept however much DAMAGE the Mount Laurel regime will unavoidably wreak on the integrity of our state constitution.
This is such a brutal attack on the New Jersey State Constitution that it arguably amounts to a violation of the United States Constitution. This is because the Mount Laurel regime is both judicially-created, and judicially-enforced, and therefore deprives New Jersey residents of the small “r” republican form of government the U.S. Constitution guarantees to all U.S. citizens. As a rueful result, New Jersey is now poised to be used by political progressives as a constitutional-law-based model for imposing a similar housing policy on the rest of the country, much like Massachusettes’ all-encompassing healthcare regime (i.e., Romneycare) was used by Obama and Ridgewood’s own Jonathan Gruber as a template for foisting the Affordable Care Act (i.e., Obamacare) on every U.S. citizen that currently draws breath.
