Ridgewood Planning Board members weigh in on housing proposals
MARCH 19, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015, 3:13 PM
BY BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
With the completion of public comment and attorney summations, members of the Ridgewood Planning Board were given the chance to weigh in on the proposed master plan amendment at a deliberation meeting on Tuesday night.
Many of the board members stated their belief that some form of multifamily housing downtown would benefit the village, while opinions diverged on subtopics such as density, building height, traffic and impact on the school system.
Planning Board Chairman Charles Nalbantian began with his observation that higher-density, multifamily housing in and around the Central Business District (CBD) would be good for Ridgewood and that an amendment of some kind to the housing element of the master plan is timely due to the under-utilization of the chosen sites.
However, he noted that “the devil is always in the details,” and while he believes the amendment reflects appropriate use, there are reasonable questions regarding many of the smaller issues – height, affordable housing and density chief among them – that form the larger picture.
SPECTRUM FOR LIVING PARTNERING UP WITH ALEX AND ANI FOR CHARITY BY DESIGN EVENT IN RIDGEWOOD, NJ
RIVER VALE, NJ (April 2015) – On Tuesday, April 14th will be hosting a Charity by Design event that will benefit Spectrum for Living. 15% of all sales between the hours of 6P.M. and 8P.M. will go directly to Spectrum for Living to help continue to provide services and care for adults with developmental disabilities.
“CEO, Founder and Creative Director of Alex and Ani, Carolyn Rafaelian, created Charity by Design, which serves as a unique division focused solely on giving and making the dreams of charitable organizations come true. Charity by Design empowers non-profit organizations both on a national and local scale to reach their goals by sharing their mission through the power of positive energy and creative design.” (www.alexandani.com)
If you are interested in shopping and cannot join us on April 14th on Wednesday, April 1st [email protected]. Orders may also be placed by phone at 201-857-0911. All orders placed prior to April 14th in store or by email, do not forget to mention you wish to take part in the Spectrum for Living fundraising event. Orders benefitting Spectrum cannot be placed online.
Currently, Spectrum for Living facilities and services touch the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities in over 100 New Jersey communities. Spectrum for Living is one of New Jersey’s most respected and recognized not-for-profit organizations assisting adults with developmental disabilities in Bergen, Passaic, Middlesex and Monmouth counties. Spectrum provides a wide array of housing, medical, clinical, habilitative, social and educational services to more than 200 residential consumers and hundreds of community clients.
For more information, please contact Spectrum for Living at (201) 358-8000 or at [email protected]. in the Ridgewood store or by placing an email order to will be held until the day of the event. *Whether shopping
Novo in Ridgewood bringing new tastes and flavors to North Jersey
MARCH 18, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015, 4:01 PM
BY ESTHER DAVIDOWITZ
FOOD EDITOR |
THE RECORD
Executive chef Elie Kahlon is sitting in the elegantly subdued 74-seat dining room of Novo in Ridgewood, arguably North Jersey’s best new restaurant. In front of him is a big, plastic bag stuffed with smaller plastic bags that hold spices he had brought back from his last trip to his native country, Israel.
“I don’t like to use local spice,” said the dark-haired, olive-skinned Kahlon in heavy-accented English.
The 6-foot, 4-inch Ridgewood resident quickly opens bag after bag, sniffing and tasting what’s inside: Moroccan coriander, Middle Eastern curry, dried Persian lime, dried sumac flowers, a Mideast cinnamon-like clove, Tunisian paprika … “You see how red the paprika is,” he says, holding up its see-through bag. “It’s so much better than the paprika you can get from anywhere else.”
Many food lovers would argue that Kahlon’s food is not only better than the fare found in most North Jersey restaurants — The Record gave the five-month-old restaurant a 3 1/2-out-of-4 star review in January — but it is unlike much, if not all, food found in the area. His is a refined modern Mediterranean cuisine; think foods of the Middle East and North Africa, elevated by the use of sophisticated, most often, French cooking techniques.
He uses a Middle East open-flame oven, called a taboon, to sear and roast meats, vegetables and flatbreads; a couscoussier, an Arabic double-chambered food steamer, to make his own couscous; a dehydrating machine to produce dried-out fruits popular in Mideast dishes, including lemons, oranges and olives, which he uses to make crusts for fish or garnishes for salads.
Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli has scheduled a CBD Panel Discussion for March 18, 2015 from 7:30PM to 9:00PM; with an “open mike” from 7:30 to 8:00PM. It will be held at Christ Episcopal Church located at the corner of Franklin venue and Cottage Place. The discussion will focus on Parking with a panel comprised of Paul Vagianos, Charles Di Marco, Janet Fricke and Paul Aronsohn.
I personally think this issue is a Fait accompli; Kensington is likely to get the nod. Here’s what The African Queen (Councilwoman Hauck) said following the Kensington presentation. Seems to me that her mind is made up, which means that Paul & Albert have likely decided as well.
“So I’ve been sitting in the meetings and I don’t have any questions. But, I thought one thing that would have been great for the presentation is a little more of a demonstration of what your ground floor retail looks like because I think that’s one of the nicer things you have to offer to the Village. So, I guess there are four different public spaces that everyone can visit. There’s the cafe, the art gallery, the hair salon, and the physical therapy. Also, can people sign up for physical therapy classes? And the lobby area and the front door is a welcoming space. It’s really a comfortable scenario. I think when people see the schematics I think they will see that it is very inviting to the public. When I look at all of these plans, when I look at the redevelopment zone parameters the goal was to increase parking for the Village of Ridgewood, which was our main objective, and to reinforce pedestrian and retail activity, and to improve the appearance of the Village. I think that you have hit everything there. We can only address certain issues in the meeting today. We will be dealing with other issues such as remediation and financial impact to the Village taxpayers, but for now I see this as an excellent presentation.”
For now, no more redevelopment zone proposals will be heard
March 14,2015
Boyd Loving
Ridgewood NJ, In response to a taxpayer’s direct question, Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld responded on Wednesday evening that Village Council members have no plans at this time to hear any further proposals from developers in connection with the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Plan.
Only two (2) proposals have been publicly presented. One from the Kensington Senior Development, LLC for an assisted living facility/parking garage/retail complex, and the other from Langan Development Corporation, for a large parking garage/luxury apartment/retail complex.
According the Sonenfeld, both proposals are now undergoing an extensive review of “the finances.”
Taxpayers on hook to fund portion of signs for CBD businesses
March 14,2015
Boyd Loving
Ridgewood NJ, As a result of Village Council approval of Resolution 15-90, Village taxpayers are now on the hook to pay a portion of the expenses associated with installing new “Wayfinding” signs in the Village’s Central Business District (CBD). The “Wayfinding signs are intended to direct pedestrians to businesses located on side streets off of East Ridgewood Avenue in the CBD.
Estimated construction expenses to be paid by taxpayers for additional poles to hold the signs are between $6K – $9K.
Village of Ridgewood employees will also be responsible for the installation of each new sign. Taxpayers will be reimbursed $25 per installed sign by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce (including reimbursement for previously installed signs). The Chamber collects an annual “maintenance fee” from each sign owner, as well as a fee for the signs themselves. 36 signs have been sold to date, this according to the Chamber’s president, Paul Vagianos.
No explanation was offered to the public as to why taxpayers needed to provide funding if installation and annual maintenance fees are being collected by the Chamber. Nor was any explanation offered as to why a private contractor could not be hired to install the signs (as is done in Montclair).
Additionally, no review of the sign project was undertaken by the Historic Preservation Commission nor the Planning Board, and questions regarding ownership of the signs as it pertains to liability insurance coverage in the event of an injury caused by a sign defect were left unanswered (during the Council meeting at which the resolution was passed).
Here’s the full text of Resolution 15-90:
Res. No. 15-90
RESOLUTION NO. 15-90
WHEREAS, the Village of Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce continues to strive to enhance the public’s knowledge of the various stores on the side streets in the Central Business District by means of the installation of”wayfinding” signs at various intersections; and
WHEREAS, each proposed wayfinding sign, identifing the various businesses, would be a plaque no larger than approximately 6 to 8 inches tall and no more than 24 inches in length affixed to a pole at the approved intersection locations, with no more than 8 plaques per designated pole or no more than 4 plaques per PSE&G decorative streetlight pole location, while maintaining a vertical clearance of 84 inches from the sidewalk; and
WHEREAS, the Chamber is seeking approval for additional locations for designated poles for wayfinding signs, in accordance with the location sketch presented to the Village Council.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Village Council of the Village of Ridgewood that it approves the installation of wayfinding signs at the various locations along East Ridgewood Avenue, in the Central Business District, to direct patrons to the various businesses on the listed side streets; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Village Council agrees to install the concrete bases for the new designated poles for no more than 4 locations, have the Village Traffic and Signal Division install the designated poles on the new bases for no more than 4 locations; have the Traffic and Signal Division install new sign plates for a $25.00 per plaque fee paid by the Chamber of Commerce; have the Traffic and Signal Division perform an annual sign plaque maintenance which would remove any invalid sign plaques for a $25.00 per plaque fee to be paid for by the Chamber of Commerce; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce agrees that they will purchase the designated poles in the color black, without a globe, matching the existing PSE&G decorative streetlight poles for the wayfinding signs; agrees to have installed no more than 8 sign plaques on designated poles, and no more than 4 sign plaques on PSE&G decorative streetlight poles; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the Village Council of the Village of Ridgewood agrees to authorize the Village Manager to approve any subsequent locations for wayfinding signs in the Central Business District, upon review and approval by the Village’s Engineering Division and Public Safety Departments.
Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli will lead a CBD Panel Discussion on Parking on March 18th
Forum No. 5 – CBD Panel Discussions – March 18, 2015 at 7:30PM
Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli has scheduled a CBD Panel Discussion for March 18, 2015 from 7:30PM to 9:00PM; with an “open mike” from 7:30 to 8:00PM. It will be held at Christ Episcopal Church located at the corner of Franklin venue and Cottage Place. The discussion will focus on Parking with a panel comprised of Paul Vagianos, Charles Demarco, Janet Fricke and Paul Aronsohn.
Village Council and Village Board Meetings
03/17/157:30PMPlanning Board Public Meeting
03/24/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Work Session
03/25/157:30PMVillage Council Public Work Session
03/31/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Public Meeting
Village Council formally approved the use of Smartphones as a means of paying for parking
Ridgewood allows use of phones to pay for parking
MARCH 13, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — Depending on your technological prowess, paying for parking in the village is about to get either a whole lot easier or much more complicated.
The council formally approved this week an amendment to Ridgewood’s code to include smartphones as a means for paying for time at parking meters downtown.
Ridgewood officials have been mulling a possible contract with Atlanta’s Parkmobile for weeks. Users of the company’s app can pay for spaces with their phones.
Village officials are still in negotiations with Parkmobile, but say that if all goes well, the system could be in place by May.
Officials said stickers with Parkmobile’s information would be affixed to each meter. They will still accept quarters.
The app is already in use in Glen Rock, Fair Lawn and Newark, and links directly to a credit card, debit card or PayPal account.
Proposals call for senior apartments, luxury duplexes in downtown Ridgewood.
March 9, 2015 Last updated: Monday, March 9, 2015, 1:21 AM
By CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
The Record
RIDGEWOOD — More than two acres of land downtown could soon be transformed into luxury duplex apartments or assisted-living housing for seniors.
Ridgewood issued a request in September seeking proposals from developers for the 10 properties — including the former gas station site at 132 Franklin Ave. — that make up the village’s redevelopment zone.
The plan from Kensington Senior Development, based in White Plains, N.Y., calls for two structures: a 60-foot-tall residential building — with 98 assisted-living units and 5,000 square feet of retail space — and a parking garage the village would own and operate.
The garage, which will be accessible from Walnut Street, would add more than 130 much-need parking spots to Ridgewood’s downtown, said Harley Cook, one of Kensington’s founding partners.
Cook said Ridgewood could expect an additional 18,000 visitors each year to the village, should his plan gain the appropriate approvals.
Assisted living facility, luxury condos pitched for Ridgewood lot
March 6, 2015 Last updated: Friday, March 6, 2015, 4:12 PM
By Mark Krulish
Staff Writer |
The Ridgewood News
Two developers were invited to the Ridgewood Village Council meeting on Wednesday night to present proposals for the redevelopment of the North Walnut Street zone.
A committee of village officials had been meeting with potential developers over the past several weeks to give feedback on ideas for the redevelopment zone. From those meetings, the committee selected candidates for a public presentation, described as the “first step” in a process to determine the best use for the site. It has been noted that one of the conditions for any redevelopment on the site was that it would have to provide a net gain of 100 parking spaces in the Central Business District (CBD).
Harley Cook of Kensington Senior Development presented a proposal for an assisted-living facility in Ridgewood so that local seniors can continue to stay in the village even when their health requires full-time care.
The proposal includes a parking garage to be built and donated to the village – with the existing Town Garage to be removed at the developer’s expense – in exchange for the right to build an assisted-living residence, with the first floor of the building dedicated to retail and other commercial uses.
Regarding “Pedestrian safety must start from ground up” (Page L-1, March 1):
My route home from work often takes me through Ridgewood, and it is a white-knuckle driving experience after the sun goes down. Pedestrians dart out from between parked cars, cross at unmarked crosswalks and give no indication of planning to cross until a car is practically on top of them.
Many also wear dark clothing that makes them difficult to see. Combine these dark-clad wraithlike figures with the blinding quality of today’s headlights, and it’s a wonder the number of pedestrian deaths isn’t higher.
I’m all for yielding to pedestrians, but one would think that when faced with a multiple-ton vehicle, hedging your bets is just not a great idea. I realize that “look both ways,” as I was taught as a child, no longer works on the congested roads of today. But I would ask that pedestrians please be sensible. Don’t jaywalk. Don’t assume cars will stop. Don’t use your baby in a stroller as a human shield. Verify that drivers can see you before crossing.
A little courtesy both ways could help pedestrians and drivers.
03/04/15 7:30PM Village Council Special Public Meeting
1. Call to Order – Mayor
2. Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meeting Act
MAYOR: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided
by a posting on the bulletin board in Village Hall,
by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and time of this meeting.”
3. Roll Call
4. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES
a. 3466 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Parking Meters, Time Limit Parking, One-day Resident Commuter ParkingPass and Additional Misc. Amendments for Cottage Place Parking Lot – Establishes all 3-hour parking meters in the Cottage Place parking lot as 8-hour parking meters; allows for use of cellular communication devices to pay for the parking meters in Cottage Place; establishes a one-day Ridgewood resident commuter parking permit; and other minor amendments, as required
b. 3467 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Parking Meter Fees for Cottage Place Parking Lot and Fee for One-day Resident Commuter Parking Permit – Establishes a parking meter fee in the Cottage Place parking lot at 75 cents/hour and the fee for a one-day Ridgewood resident commuter parking permit at $7 for the day
5. Adjournment
Forum No. 5 – CBD Panel Discussions – March 18, 2015 at 7:30PM
Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli has scheduled another CBD Panel Discussion for March 18, 2015 from 7:30PM to 9PM. It will be held at Christ Episcopal. The two topics for discussion will be – CBD Parking and Blue Laws.
Village Council and Village Board Meetings
03/10/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Public Meeting 03/11/158:00PMVillage Council Public Meeting 03/17/157:30PMPlanning Board Public Meeting 03/24/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Work Session 03/25/157:30PMVillage Council Public Work Session 03/31/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Public Meeting
MAYOR’S OFFICE HOURS FOR RESIDENTS -Saturday, March 7 from 9 AM to Noon
Mayor Paul Aronsohn holds office hours for Ridgewood residents the first Saturday of every month. Mayor Aronsohn will meet with residents on Saturday, March 7 from 9AM to Noon in the Council Chambers (Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room) on the fourth floor of Ridgewood Village Hall.
For an appointment to meet with the Mayor, please call the Village Clerk’s Office at 201-670-5500 ext. 206. You may come to the Mayor’s office hours without an appointment, but those with appointments will be given priority.
Internet Sensation Tuna will be at Bookends Wednesday, March 4th
Wednesday, March 4th@ 7:00pm
Internet Sensation Tuna, will paw print his new book:
Tuna Melts My Heart: The Underdog with the Overbite
The Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital will be here too! Raising awareness about adopting animals and more.
Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt
First In Line Certificate use is at the discretion of Bookends. Blackout dates may apply.
Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
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 the author and get their book 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 signings prematurely.
Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726
February 27, 2015, 12:17 PM Last updated: Friday, February 27, 2015, 12:20 PM
By Elisa Ung
Staff Writer |
The Record
Glaze Donuts, the New Milford shop that sells outrageously delicious “artisan” doughnuts, has opened a second location in Ridgewood where you can get all of its fresh creations, including two of its popular hybrid pastries: the cronangle and the doughnish.
The cronangle ($2.50) is, of course, a play off the Manhattan sensation called the cronut – Glaze’s version is essentially like a fried flaky croissant, served glazed or with flavored fillings (such as apple and cheese) or toppings (such as chocolate and caramel drizzle). It’s quite rich, though much less oily than other cronut imitators we’ve tried.
