Ridgewood NJ, There will be a Village Council Special Public Meeting held on Friday, January 8, 2016 @ 5PM in the Court Room at Village Hall. Various Consultants will be presenting proposals for the 4 Multi-Family Housing Studies covering; fiscal impact, traffic, education & municipal infrastructure.
Planning Board and Historic Preservation Commission – Proposed Master Plan Amendment to Permit High Density Multifamily Housing Around the CBD
an article worth reading and so relevant to what Ridgewood is going through right now..
PUBLISHED BY LESLIE WRIGHT ON DECEMBER 22, 2015
At this time of year, when we gather with loved ones, often returning to, or remembering, the places we hold dear, the reflections of Orton Family Foundation Trustee Ed McMahon on the importance of place seem especially apropos. Ed is senior resident fellow at Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C.
We live in a world of rapid change: immigration, new technologies, global trade, instantaneous communication, changing consumer tastes, rapid movement of people, ideas, and goods, etc. However, if I have learned anything over 25 years in the community planning arena, it is this: change is inevitable, but the destruction of community character and identity is not. Progress does not demand degraded surroundings. Communities can grow without destroying the things people love.
Place is more than just a location or a spot on a map. A sense of place is a unique collection of qualities and characteristics—visual, cultural, social and environmental—that provides meaning to a location. Sense of place is what makes one location (e.g. your hometown) different from another location (e.g. my hometown), but sense of place is also that which makes our physical surroundings valuable and worth caring about.
Land use planners spend too much time focusing on numbers—the number of units per acre, the number of cars per hour, the number of floors per building—and not enough time on the values, customs, characteristics, and quirks that make a place worth caring about. Unfortunately, many American communities are suffering the social, economic, and environmental consequences of being places that simply aren’t worth caring about. The more one place (one location) comes to be just like every other place, the less reason there is to visit or invest. Just take tourism, for example: the more a community comes to look like every other community, the less reason there is to visit. On the other hand, the more a community does to enhance its distinctive identity, whether that is natural, cultural, or architectural, the more reasons there are to visit. Why? Because tourism is about visiting places that are different, unusual, or unique; if one place was just like everyplace else, there would be no reason to go anyplace.
Similarly, when it comes to 21st century economic development, a key concept is “community differentiation.” If you can’t differentiate your community from any other community, you have no competitive advantage. Capital is footloose in a global economy. Natural resources, highway access, locations along a river or rail line have all become less important. Richard Florida, a leading economic development authority and author of The Creative Class, has said, “How people think of a place is less tangible, but more important than just about anything else.”
The CSAC is absolutely right when it identifies parking lots as dangerous places and anything that makes them a little safer would be a welcome change. There is obviously be a cost associated with that plan – how much would parking lot re-striping cost? This is where the devil really IS in the details. As an example, how much change could there be in even one parking lot for the amount that was just spent on that electronic sign at the train station? There are ways to scrimp and save when something is really important.
Additionally, we can’t expect the police department to be everywhere all the time. It seems unrealistic to think they can provide full traffic safety coverage in the CBD all the time. An increased police presence would definitely be an effective deterrent and make people less likely to drive like maniacs, but in the meantime we must figure out some other ways to protect ourselves. Can’t we have (some version of) crossing guards in the most dangerous intersections at the most dangerous times of day? Crossing guards are not full-time and not paid much but, for the most part, drivers do yield to their directions. Reasonable hourly pay and no benefits makes it at least something to consider in the short term – until we figure out another way.
I think most of us appreciate Ridgewood for its relative safety, i.e. low crime rate. We have a town in which it’s actually possible to allow our kids to go downtown alone and walk around – in many ways a really nice throwback to an earlier era. However, even though we have that luxury, we have to worry that they will be killed by a car if we let them go. It’s sad and a waste of the police dept’s efforts to keep it a safe place.
I am forwarding/resending an email that I sent to Roberta a year ago (12/9/14) on the traffic issue. Since that time, nothing meaningful or effective has been done to alleviate Residents’ traffic and safety concerns at Garber. To the Residents on this chain, I will say that Roberta did respond very quickly at the time (which I appreciated). However, in the email she put forth her belief that the Village never promised new signals, but rather a calibration of the existing signals.
My takeaway from the Underpass meetings was that the Village would clearly be looking at ways to better and more safely address traffic flow at this problematic bottleneck. I firmly believe there was specific discussion of traffic light changes as an option. At the very least, we need that. Turn signals that allow the train station and West RW Ave traffic to turn towards the underpass as separate times, without competing would be a great holiday gift to us all!
This morning at 8:50, traffic from Garber was backed up past Heights and even past the McNamara’s house. That’s a bad and unnecessary thing. Wasn’t like that before. And once again, a Ridgewood business (this time Sook) lost my breakfast business, because I couldn’t get there and had to reroute away from our CBD.
Roberta and Paul, please… let’s use this current stream of emails as a catalyst to effect something positive that your Residents are really asking for and clearly need: Something far simpler and less expensive than an almost football-field-sized parking garage, that will have an immediate positive impact for all Residents, especially the West-siders. Perhaps right after the New Year we can meet again to discuss this situation. Again, I see an OPPORTUNITY to fix something that’s broken, using real “data from the field… your Residents input.”
At those preconstruction Underpass meetings, there was a commitment from the Village to continue the discussions and situational monitoring once the work was complete. Now is a great time for us to talk again.
Happy and Merry Everything. May your New Year be fruitful and filled with many short trips through the underpass!
Cheers,
Dave Slomin
Subject: New Traffic Lights at Garber Square?
Good Morning Roberta,
Hope all is well with you and a happy almost New Year.
Back in the Spring, when we were discussing the Garber Square project, you indicated that an important facet of the project, to ensure proper traffic flow, was the installation of new traffic lights with turn signals. These were referred to as necessary to achieve the desired traffic flow goals of the project and to improve safety. As such, when will these be installed?
As a West-Sider, I am finding – especially at rush hour times when train station pickups and drop-offs are in full force – that traffic on W. Ridgewood Ave often backs up well past Washington Place due to the fact that cars leaving the train station lot, turning right, have the right of way. Now that there is only one vehicular lane of traffic heading East, cars on W. Ridgewood Ave have to wait until all the cars coming out of the station lot are through the light. Oftentimes only one or two vehicles on W. Ridgewood can get through the light before it changes, leading to this backup. On many recent occasions, I have sat through 4-5 turns of the light before reaching the intersection. I have also witnessed some problematic and unsafe jockeying for position at this intersection, as W. Ridgewood Ave drivers assert themselves more aggressively to get through the intersection.
Frustration aside, the downside to the Village and its businesses is that at rush hours – which are also the dinner and breakfast/coffee hours – my family and I have started avoiding that intersection. At the evening rush, we have been diverting from downtown Ridgewood to Midland Park more frequently than in the past. In the morning, I’ve been getting my coffee in Fairlawn or Glen Rock, rather than stopping in at Carlo’s or Ridgewood Coffee and having to deal with Garber Square. I hate doing this, but it’s just easier not to deal with Garber Square at those times. Again, bad for Ridgewood business. But fixable…
As we discussed earlier, that intersection is the “gatekeeper” to Ridgewood’s CBD from the west side. I hope that the lights will be going in soon to keep that gate more fully open.
Please let me know where this stands.
Thanks much,
Dave Slomin
David Slomin, President
Andover Properties
25 East Spring Valley Ave, Suite 280
Maywood, NJ 07607
Tel: 201-368-5900 x101
Fax: 201-368-5959
Eml: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]
There will be a Village Council Special Public Meeting held on Friday, January 8, 2016 @ 5PM in the Court Room at Village Hall. Various Consultants will be presenting proposals for the 4 Multi-Family Housing Studies covering; fiscal impact, traffic, education & municipal infrastructure.
Our council lurches from project to project without a common theme or goal perhaps other than “if someone with money asks for it, then lets give it to them.” The majority on this council exhibit no sense of serving the Village of Ridgewood. They’ve never shown that they looked into the future to ask or try to divine what’s best for the Village as a whole. Instead, they appear only to react to and be driven by the demands of developers, land speculators, restaurant owners and other profiteers.
I have lived in town quite a few years now, and have had agreements and disagreements with many that always ended with a friendly handshake. Sadly, this crew has engendered an entirely different feeling. More sadly yet, they seem to smugly relish what the discord have sown.
I can think of two reason for this. One is payback to the supporters of the gang of three in the last election. The second is to secure votes and financial backing for the gang of three for the upcoming election. If our current Mayor chooses not to run next year then you can be sure that our Deputy Mayor will make a run for Mayor and Gwen will be Deputy Mayor. The plans are already in the works for this. Im sure Albert has already pick a candidate that will support his bid for Mayor .
Make no mistake readers Albert and Paul are smart people. We will not know this mystery candidate until after the election. We will again have four years of block votes and the systematic destruction of the Village . I would suggest to all voters to do their due diligence next year. Know your candidate and their history not just their talking points for the election.
DECEMBER 23, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2015, 10:07 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Many local shops have been seeing a predictable increase in customers and sales this holiday season.
This increase, according to Walter Boyer, owner of Bookends, is a result of people valuing the convenience of shopping nearby, while also understanding that doing so is good for Ridgewood.
Other merchants credit the unseasonably warm weather with helping to increase sales.
“People want to shop locally,” Boyer said, noting the value shoppers place on customer service. “People are realizing that in order for this town to remain a vibrant town, they need to spend their money locally.”
Dawn Puente, a cosmetics worker at Town & Country Apothecary, echoed this sentiment, explaining that people don’t want to go anywhere near New Jersey’s famous shopping malls close to Christmas.
She also added that Town & Country is a destination for such people, as it gives them some of the benefits of the malls while remaining a local shop.
“People come to the store because the items are unique, and we carry a lot of brands that are only available in department stores,” she said.
Joan Groome, executive director of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, said, “People come to Ridgewood because of the real ‘downtown feel.’ You do not find wonderful boutiques like we have in the mall.”
As the holidays approached, many scrambled to purchase gifts before it was too late. Boyer said he anticipated his store being quite busy up until Christmas Eve.
He also expected former residents who are visiting family to shop at Bookends, seeking holiday gifts.
Reducing lanes at Garber Square Has made congestion hard to bare Bike lanes to nowhere not so great This plus over development need not be our fate
The council has heard our many suggestions It’s not too late to change direction We love this town so charming and rare Let’s move forward with caution and care
Happy Holidays to all and a Happy New Year too May the spirit of the season last all year through For the good people working so hard for us all Let’s hope they are listening especially Roberta and Paul!
Ridgewood NJ, Since it was only a few days before Christmas the staff did a walk through in the Central Business District to eye ball the parking situation . The Cottage place lot, mid-day on Saturday December 19, the last Saturday before Christmas Star Wars was open, the Chipmunks was running, plenty of shopping to do with only 6 days until Christmas. And yet tons of empty spaces.
Hudson Street lot
And of coarse the Hudson Street lot, December 5 Saturday mid day – Santa was at Christ Church, he was at a breakfast at The Office, he was cruising around on a firetruck, less than three weeks until Christmas, and an abundance of open spaces.
Ridgewood NJ, readers responded with sarcastic wit at the possibility of using the ParkWise parking space locator App to quickly find down town parking availability. Some laughed ,” Not much of an advantage for Ridgewoodites. There will be plenty of open spots in the new parking structure.”
Other’s said “This idea makes great sense. Which is why, of course, the council and Roberta will not have anything to do with it.”
Many have learned over the years that with the Village of Ridgewood the MOST EXPENSIVE SOLUTION is always the best. Whether this is building and over priced ramp at Graydon Pool that nobody uses instead of the far better but cheaper alternative of the “mobi chair” .
Why should taxpayers spend nothing when we could spend millions needlessly? Thank you Paul, Albert, and Gwenn. is the question that rolls of readers tongue ?
Some still not really seeing the parking issue and said , “or they could drive around the block twice and find a spot.”
Other’s offered us a glimpse into the criminal mind as demonstrated in the past when Parking Meter improvement suggestion were being made, the suggestions were always attacked . Since then we have all learned that certain employees had a vested interest in carting out the lose change , ” That’s Boston…This is Ridgewood. Get over yourself’s Boston you are NOT.what a complete waste of time and effort.”
Regardless of where you stand on development in Ridgewood, one thing we can all agree on is that our Village Council must be held to the highest of standards when it comes to their voting practices and in their commitment to fulfilling their votes.
With this reasoning, on January 6th, our council must table any vote on the parking garage until the comprehensive traffic study is completed.
Let me explain:
On September 30th, the Village Council voted (4-1) in favor of doing 4 comprehensive studies regarding the high density housing issue.
Clerk Mailander’s vote call: “Amended version that we just read: multiple studies, traffic and infrastructure study, financial study, and a school impact study. It’s a comprehensive traffic study as outlined by Councilwoman Knudsen, CBD, surrounding neighborhoods, entire village. OK.”
Regarding what Councilwoman Knudsen specifically “outlined”:
“There has never been a comprehensive traffic study done of the CBD proper or the adjacent communities as a whole. It becomes incredibly relevant when we consider that there are four large parcels being considered for high density development with the north walnut redevelopment zone assisted living facility …… and coupled with the fact that we are engaging in ….a parking garage that would add over 300 vehicles to an already narrow, difficult, congested intersection of Broad Street and Hudson. When you take all of these collectively it really becomes imperative that we do our due diligence and ….get this right….so I think to that question, “What traffic studies have been done?” I think “not enough.”
Seeking clarification on December 9th, I asked Councilwoman Knudsen if it was her “intent” on September 30th that the parking garage be included in this traffic study before the parking garage was to be built.
Her response:
“My intention was that it was under the assumption that it had not been built…I was clear with that intention..Each of these very large projects combined had the potential impact and needed to be studied before we moved forward.”
Based on Councilwoman Knudsen’s original outline of the traffic part of the vote from September 30th and substantiated by the above statement on December 9th, the Village Council has no further recourse but to table any voting or other steps toward choosing a parking garage size, applying for a bond, etc, until the traffic study is first completed.
Having a few extra months of study with regard to the parking garage will only improve the traffic/parking situation and pave the way for perhaps even smarter solutions. For example, resident Rick Boesch observed that the parking app could be GPS enabled to show the available parking spaces at any given moment,thereby helping the situation immensely.
It is only of benefit to Ridgewood that our Village Council follows through with their vote on September 30thin regards to the proposed parking garage, so as to ensure that development in our CBD is handled in a smarter, less expensive and less piecemeal fashion.
Ridgewood NJ, if the new parking lot goes through as designed, they will reverse the traffic patterns on Hudson ad Passaic streets. But more importantly (and this was never mentioned in the impact studies), is that they also plan to remove on-street parking. This will be devastating to Mount Carmel Church and Knights of Columbus .
Also many current Merchants on Broad Street and nearby are going to get hammered all around both before during and after. Many small shops will barely survive in durring the construction and later in the shadow of a garage.
Time: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Location: Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, E Ridgewood Ave and Oak St
Meet Santa at his house in Memorial Park at Van Neste Park Weather Permitting
Art of Motion is offering Teacher Holiday gift cards
Art of Motion is offering Teacher Holiday gift cards, $10.00 for a Pilates/Yoga, Dance or Conditioning Class in lieu of $20.00 drop in or two classes for $20.00.
Art of Motion
Chestnust St
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
DUXIANA Holiday Offer
DUXIANA is giving 20% off all down pillows and comforters through 12/31/15
Graham Elliot Saturday, December 12th @ 12:00 Noon
Star from the television show Master Chef and Junior Master Chef, Graham Elliot, will sign his new book:
Cooking Like a Master Chef
Richard Multi Saturday, December 12th @ 2:00pm
Former Mayor of Ramsey,
Richard Multi,will sign his new book: Sinatra at 100
Cookbook Launch Party Hoover Sunday, December 13th @ 2-4pm
Come celebrate the release of ALWAYS ADD LOVE: Real Food for Picky Eaters, written by Ridgewood author (and mom) Deidre Goehnert
This rich tapestry of family recipes offer clear, straightforward kid-freindly recipies and makes a great holiday gift.
A Merry Happy Noel
Music Launch Event
Sunday, December 13th 4-6pm
Come meet the artists, pick up a copy of the new CD, and have a cup of cheer
A new holiday (CD) album featuring:
Kristen Plumley, Soprano
Patricia Lazzara, Flute
Michael Caldwell, Piano
Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.
Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
First In Line Certificate use is the the discretion of Bookends. Blackout dates may apply.
Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.
While we try to ensure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed. We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.
Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726
