Tag: CBD

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Urge Village Council to Learn the Facts

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Please read this compelling email from CBR Supporter, Lorraine Reynolds, and consider emailing Village Council Members.

Thank you!

Citizens  for  a Better Ridgewood
[email protected]

All,

As you may or may not know, on September 30th the village council will be continuing the 2 night hearing and voting on the 5 ordinances regarding the high density housing. These ordinances would increase the density allowed from 12 units per acre (current) to 35 units per acre (UPA) in our downtown. Here’s a comparison as to what some other towns in our area allow: Fort Lee 50 UPA, Teaneck 28 UPA, Englewood 12 UPA, Hackensack 22 UPA. If passed, Fort Lee would be the only town in our area, similar in population, with a greater density per acre. I do believe the majority of the town is accepting of development, but on a smaller scale. Maybe 25 units per acre? Do we really want to be built up more than Teaneck? I certainly don’t want to be anywhere near Fort Lee’s density.

The planning board spent approximately 3 years in discussions and 1 1/2 years in a public hearing before voting. The village council had a small portion of their Sept 16 meeting devoted to this and now the council will be coming to the sept 30th meeting with their written statements prepared on how they are voting and why. The Ridgewood News had an editorial last week about “what’s the hurry?”. I have to agree with them. While I don’t want this to drag out, I do want the council to do their due diligence and get all of the facts before they vote. During the Valley hearings at the council level, the council brought in the traffic expert, planner, geotechnical engineer, etc and each council member asked questions of these experts and based their vote on what was discussed at council.

It appears that the majority of the council does not want to bring in any experts. They are ready to vote without asking any questions of any experts as to how this will effect Ridgewood. At the planning board level, a concern about the increase this would bring to our taxes was brought up several times by residents. The discussion was always shot down, because “it is not in the purview of the planning board to consider finances.” In fact, the village planner stated, “residential housing almost always increases taxes, we should not be doing this if we think taxes will go down, but there are other benefits to residential housing.” The council has a much broader scope of items they can discuss, finances being one of them. You may remember that Tom Riche voted yes to the Valley amendment at the PB level, but no to it at the council level. That is because the council is able to look at a broader range of issues. Finances should definitely be discussed.

I would like to see the council bring in several experts in addition to a financial expert. Water must be discussed. I know this year is an exception with the lack of rain, but we have mandatory water restrictions every year. Can you imagine an additional few hundred apartments to supply? I can’t.

Schools must be discussed. The planning board did not have a member of the BOE at their public hearings. The council needs to ask Dr Fishbein to appear at the council hearing to answer questions.

The traffic expert, the engineer, the planner, etc should all be questioned. I do hear the planner will be there, but that’s it.
I don’t know how anyone could possible vote on something so monumental without questioning all of these experts to see what the impacts will be for Ridgewood.

I urge you to e-mail our council and ask them to have these experts at the hearing, get the facts first hand, and then vote.
These people are our elected officials, and we have a right to make sure they have done their due diligence before they vote.
Whether you are for or against the increase to 35 units per acre, I think we can all agree that each council member needs to be able to ask questions of the experts to help them in their decision making process.

Below are the e-mails of all the council members. Please send them an e-mail today and forward this to friends. Thanks

[email protected]
[email protected]
s[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

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Readers Look to Name for Village parking garage

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We’ll have a nonbinding, ignored referendum on the garage at Hudson and Broad…but perhaps unwittingly demonstrating just how real that building already feels to those in power, the Village Manager announced at Wednesday’s council meeting that they are soliciting suggested NAMES for it. Once you name a thing, they know, it becomes real.

How about Armagarageddon?

Other ideas?

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Revised N.J. construction code lacks fire safety changes urged after Edgewater blaze

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file photo by Boyd Loving

SEPTEMBER 18, 2015, 11:34 PM    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2015, 11:36 PM
BY LINH TAT
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

For months after a five-alarm fire ripped through a massive apartment complex in Edgewater and left a pile of debris in its wake, residents, firefighters and lawmakers called for changes to state regulations that dictate building standards and requirements, in hopes of improving fire safety.

Many provided input to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, which happened to be in the midst of updating the state Uniform Construction Code, a process that takes place every three years.

On Monday, the newly revised code will take effect. But absent are the changes that so many had been pushing for after the Avalon at Edgewater fire.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/revised-n-j-construction-code-lacks-fire-safety-changes-urged-after-edgewater-blaze-1.1413352

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Ridgewood selects firm to design downtown parking garage

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SEPTEMBER 17, 2015    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2015, 2:11 PM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The Village Council is moving ahead with a design for a parking garage at the Hudson Street lot, selecting Desman Design Management as the firm to provide architectural renderings for the governing body and the public to review.

The council voted 3-1 on Wednesday evening to award the contract for professional architectural and engineering services for the design of a multi-level traditional self-parking structure to Desman Design Management in an amount not to exceed $295,350.

A special public meeting was held last Tuesday by the governing body for the purpose of hearing presentations from four different companies as they pitched their ideas on a downtown parking garage.

The next night, during the Village Council’s regular work session, Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld said the steering committee decided to recommend either Desman Design Management or Timothy Haahs & Associates Inc.

During the ensuing discussion, three members of the council gave a similar opinion while two others stated a preference for Desman, with all five members eventually agreeing on Desman as the choice for the garage.

Councilman Michael Sedon noted that Desman had focused on the “bones” of the structure more than other presentations, broaching topics such as firewalls and keeping some space between the garage and surrounding businesses.

“They had one design that was interesting with ramps outside the building and a lot of their designs had space between the shops on Hudson Street in the rear of it,” said Sedon. “They would maintain that easement outside the garage, which was different than all the other presenters.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/council-picks-firm-to-design-garage-1.1412253

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Central Business District Forum will resume next Wednesday, September 23, at 730 PM

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file photo by Boyd Loving

Next CBD Forum – September 23 at 7:30PM – Village Hall

Our Central Business District Forum will resume next Wednesday, September 23, at 730 PM, in the Village Hall Courtroom. We will discuss the new garage planned for Broad and Hudson Streets. No longer just a nice idea, the garage is moving into the design phase. We have already seen some exciting design possibilities that will be offered to our residences for their consideration. The Mayor will attend the forum and he and I will bring everyone up to date as to where the process stands and where it is headed, including a look forward at the all-important referendum on November 3. Please join us and invite your friends and neighbors to attend.

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Ridgewood continues talks on North Walnut Street site

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SEPTEMBER 14, 2015    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015, 9:35 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

With the prospect of a parking garage on Hudson Street and a vote looming on the fate of multifamily housing in the village, things are heating up downtown as summer comes to an end.

Last Wednesday, the council revived the subject of the North Walnut Street redevelopment zone and the potential future uses for the site, namely the possibility of housing for seniors in need of long-term personal care.

Preliminary negotiations have begun with Kensington Senior Development, which pitched an assisted-living facility for the Town Garage site at a council meeting in March.

One of the goals of redeveloping the North Walnut Street zone is to bring additional parking spaces to Ridgewood’s Central Business District (CBD).

The request for proposal (RFP) put out by the village stated a parking garage built on the site would have to result in a net gain of 100 spaces for village use. That number is beyond the spaces currently available and any spots reserved for the development.

Kensington proposed a 60-foot-high facility with 98 assisted-living units and retail space on the first floor for the 1.1-acre site, along with a parking garage to be built and donated to the village.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/talks-on-ridgewood-housing-proposal-continue-1.1409623

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Reader says high density housing will only result in MORE children in school AND HIGHER taxes for services to support those children

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It’s been said before and should keep being said, we all want seniors to be able to stay in town if they would like. Apartments currently exist for that purpose and a few more can and maybe should be built within the current density levels.

But the worst thing that could happen to seniors who would like to stay in their homes would be for hundreds of new apartments to be built. Either families would occupy those apartments OR the homes vacated by seniors moving into apartments. Either way the result is MORE children in school AND HIGHER taxes for services to support those children (school budget is by far the largest % of our tax bills). We NEED to find ways for people without children in school to stay in their homes and increasing the school budget is not the way to do it.

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It was a great Night for a Car Show in the Village of Ridgewood

car show 2015
September 12,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog and Photos by Boyd Loving

Ridgewood NJ, it was a beautiful fall evening to host the Annual Fall Car Show, presented by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce. The Village was buzzing with energy and filled with a wide variety of cars, from muscle cars and hot rods to current models and unique designs , with cars ranging from the years 1930 to 2015!

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The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce dedicated the 2015 Car Show to the memory of those who died on 9/11 and a special “Memorial Award” was given out by Duxiana of Ridgewood.

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The huge American flag suspended between two hook and ladder fire trucks! The Ridgewood High School Marching Band gave their first performance of the season and the RHS Maroon Men acapella group started the evening off with the Star Spangled Banner.Many of Ridgewood’s fine restaurants were open for business.

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more photos will be appearing on the Ridgewood blog Facebook page later today https://www.facebook.com/theridgewoodblog

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Four firms pitch plans for Ridgewood parking garage , NYC based Desman Design Picked

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015, 9:26 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The Village Council held a special meeting Tuesday to continue the discussion on a parking garage for Hudson Street.

Six firms responded to the village’s request for proposal (RFP) for the garage; that number was narrowed down to four before the meeting began.

“We went through talking about each firm’s strengths, weaknesses and fees, and we’ve come down to four firms that are most qualified to serve the village,” said Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli. “They’ll be presenting their concepts, their designs, their thought processes on what this parking garage will look like.”

The governing body will now deliberate on the proposals, and should narrow its choices by the next council meeting, officials said.

Here is a look at what the council will be discussing.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/four-firms-pitch-plans-for-ridgewood-garage-1.1408106

 

Ridgewood council moves to select firm to design downtown parking garage

SEPTEMBER 10, 2015, 5:53 PM    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015, 5:55 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — The village council moved Wednesday night to select a parking consulting firm that will design a large public garage downtown.

The Ridgewood council could adopt a resolution at its meeting Sept. 16 to hire Desman Design, a firm based in New York City.

The firm, once hired, will prepare architectural renderings for presentation to the council next month, officials said.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-council-moves-to-select-firm-to-design-downtown-parking-garage-1.1407408

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Ridgewood Council adds second hearing on multifamily housing

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015, 12:33 PM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

In response to a request by a local grassroots organization, village officials have decided to extend the public hearing on multifamily housing in Ridgewood’s Central Business District (CBD) to a second evening.

A statement submitted to The Ridgewood News on Thursday by Citizens for a Better Ridgewood (CBR) called for the Village Council to reschedule its public hearing on the ordinances that would approve the changes made to the master plan passed by the Planning Board in June.

The public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16, which is the same night that four village schools – Hawes, Ridge, Somerville and Willard elementary schools – have their annual back-to-school nights scheduled.

On Friday morning, representatives from CBR sent the statement along with another message urging the mayor and council to reschedule or add more opportunities for residents to voice their concerns for the ordinances.

Mayor Paul Aronsohn replied that village officials could not have known about the conflict when the hearing was originally scheduled in June and noted residents were encouraged to speak on the topic at any meeting during the two months between introduction of the ordinances and the scheduled hearing.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-council-adds-second-hearing-on-multifamily-housing-1.1408234

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“Rubber Stamp ” Approval of High Density Housing in Ridgewood

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Dear CBR friends and supporters,
 
The Ridgewood News editorial today highlights in the importance of the September 16 Village Council meeting for the future of our village, and asks the Mayor and Council, “What’s the Hurry?”   (see link below)
The Ridgewood News approached CBR to make a statement about how the Village Council intends to rush the vote to approve ordinances that would allow high density housing, and asked our opinion on holding the public hearing on a night that conflicts with many Back-to-School nights.  (see our statement to the Ridgewood News below)
 
We have asked the Mayor and Council to reschedule the meeting.  We urge YOU to also email the Mayor and Council and ask them to either reschedule the public hearing, or to schedule additional opportunities for public comment in the future on this very important matter.  The email addresses are below.  Also, please continue to reach out to friends and neighbors and encourage everyone to attend this vital meeting on Wednesday, September 16.
Thank you for your support.
 
Citizens for a Better Ridgewood
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Ridgewood Police : Traffic Alert Tonight Fall Car Show 9/11/15

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East Ridgewood Ave in the central business district will be closed beginning at 4:30pm for the chamber of commerce fall car show.

Ridgewood NJ, The Annual Fall Car Show, presented by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, will take place on Friday, September 11h, 2015 from 6:00-9:00pm. Don’t miss this FREE chance to stroll through Ridgewood’s historic, bustling downtown area, filled with 400 cars from the years 1930 to 2015! This year, the Car Show will take place around Memorial Park at Van Neste Square and on E. Ridgewood Ave. The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce 2015 Car Show is dedicated to the memory of those who died on 9/11. A special “Memorial Award” will be given out by Duxiana of Ridgewood. This is the best EVENING car show of the fall! Bring the entire family and take your picture under the huge American flag suspended between two hook and ladder fire trucks! Come see the Ridgewood High School Marching Band in their first performance of the season. The RHS Maroon Men acapella group will start the evening off with the Star Spangled Banner. Listen and dance to a live band, have dinner at one of Ridgewood’s many restaurants, and see the wide variety of cars, from muscle cars and hot rods to current models and crazy designs

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Ridgewood Planning Board approves plan for new PNC Bank

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SEPTEMBER 11, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The village Planning Board heard and approved a minor site plan application last week to convert the former Pompanoosuc Mills site into a PNC express branch and add a handicap accessible ramp.

The plan calls for a 4- by 6-foot Americans with Disabilities Act compliant ramp to be constructed at the front of the building facing East Ridgewood Avenue and the tenancy of a wealth management office occupying the second floor and a portion of the first floor of the building along with an automated teller machine (ATM) lobby.

Currently, there is no handicap accessibility at all. The only way a handicapped individual can access the bank is to use the rear door of the building and take the elevator to the ATM or wealth management offices. The first floor will contain an ATM and three conference rooms and employees will work out of cubicles on the second floor facing North Maple Avenue.

At the bank’s main entrance, the express branch and the wealth management office will share a common vestibule, allowing customers to access either area of the building.

In front of the building, a ramp on the western side of the entrance with decorative aluminum railings that carries customers up 21 inches will be built next to the set of stairs already in place.

The compact design of the ramp created the need for a variance to be granted by the Planning Board. The building is compliant with the 12-yard setback from the sidewalk required, but the ramp will encroach 7 feet into the setback where only a 5-foot encroachment is allowed.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/pnc-s-plans-for-new-branch-ok-d-1.1407664

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Ridgewood Multifamily Housing : the Fate of the Village Hangs in the Balance

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Ridgewood Council to hold hearing on multifamily housing

SEPTEMBER 10, 2015    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015, 9:35 PM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The subject of multifamily housing will take center stage at the Village Council’s public meeting on Sept. 16 as the governing body prepares to take action on the related zoning ordinances and hear a last round of comments from the public.

After years of public work sessions and hearings to allow testimony by attorneys and experts for three developers and comments from residents who expressed either satisfaction or concern, the Ridgewood Planning Board ultimately voted to pass the new amendments. They were then sent to the council in the form of an ordinance.

If the ordinances are approved next week, several parcels of land in the village’s Central Business District will be rezoned for housing with densities as high as 35 units per acre and building heights of 50 feet. The original amendments allowed for developments of up to 50 units per acre, but were scaled back due to the concerns of board members and residents.

Four parcels of land are currently slated for re-zoning: The old Brogan Cadillac site on South Broad Street, which would be designated as an AH-2 zone for purely residential development; the old Sealfons building on North Maple Avenue between East Ridgewood Avenue and Franklin Avenue and the Ken Smith property on Franklin Avenue, which would be put in the B-3-R zone for residential or mixed-use development; the C-R zone, a small lot on Chestnut Street for residential or mixed-used development; and the C-zone, which wraps around the C-R zone and is intended only for commercial uses.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-council-to-hold-hearing-on-multifamily-housing-1.1407448

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Our Favorite Downtowns: Ridgewood

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With elegant architecture and high-end restaurants all within walking distance, Ridgewood is both urbane and sophisticated.

By Mary Ann Castronovo Fusco | September 1, 2015

Young parents pushing strollers share the broad sidewalks with friends schmoozing at an outdoor café. Teens hunt for bargains, while grandparents treat their charges to a matinee at the Bow Tie Cinemas Warner Quad or a fresh-made waffle cone at Kilwins. Nearby, Memorial Park at Van Neste Square is an oasis of calm. Welcome to downtown Ridgewood.

“I love how walkable it is, and that everything is in one small area,” says children’s book author Ann Malaspina. “I can go to the post office and mail a package, get a coffee at Ridgewood Coffee Company, meet a friend for lunch—all while having my car serviced.” And the town is “family friendly,” adds Malaspina, who raised her two sons in Ridgewood.

East Ridgewood Avenue is the main artery, ending at the sprawling California Mission Revival-style train station, which dates to 1916 and is listed on the national and state Register of Historic Places. Over the past year, elegant way-finding signs—a joint effort by the Village and the local Chamber of Commerce—have sprouted on downtown corners, pointing visitors toward the many shops and restaurants on the side streets. More will come.

“I look at downtown as a destination,” says Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld, a 19-year resident. “We have lots of people coming from different directions. It’s a small town feel that is also urbane and sophisticated.”

https://njmonthly.com/articles/jersey-living/ridgewood/