Planning Board Amended Meeting To Discuss Master Plan Tonight
Schedule – December 16th at BFMS
Master Plan recommended changes in zone district classifications and boundaries within the Central Business District and surrounding area
PLANNING BOARD
AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE
Special Public Meeting: Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Change of Location
In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board has scheduled a special public meeting and work session for TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014, in the Benjamin Franklin Middle School Auditorium, 335 North Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ – 7:30 P.M
The Board may take official action during this Special Public Meeting at which time the Board will continue the public hearing concerning a proposed amendment to the Land Use Plan Element of the Master Plan which would recommend changes in zone district classifications and boundaries within the Central Business District and surrounding area, creating the AH-2, B-3-R, and C-R Zone Districts and amending the existing C Zone District.
All meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work session meetings, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings which are always open to members of the general public.
This is a thoughtful letter but I have to disagree. Multi-unit housing is preferable to deteriorating empty lots, and environmentally makes better use of land and resources.
Today there are fewer drivers, smaller families and a huge baby boomer population who will find this an attractive lifestyle option. Presumably any expanded services needed to accommodate this growth will be absorbed by the additional tax base.
I’ve lived in a Ridgewood single family house 20+ years, kids done with college; would welcome some options to stay in town without the responsibility of home ownership/maintenance.
Excellent letter — most folks living here don’t want another 400 or 500 apartments downtown — or the other buildings that will follow these initial proposals.
To the person who commented “I’ve lived in a Ridgewood single family house 20+ years, kids done with college;” — you are in luck — i saw rental signs on the apartments in town today. Call a realtor and they will help you find a rental. Or, you can move ten minutes down the road to Hackensack where you will find abundant rentals.
December 12, 2014 Last updated: Friday, December 12, 2014, 1:51 PM
The Ridgewood News
To the editor:
Thank you to all who planned and worked, mentally and physically, to ring in the Christmas season, attract and please all the faiths in town, make everyone feel welcome, and spread friendliness and joy.
The music, speeches, tree decorated, Santa on his way, shops waiting a busy time … and then it rains.
My family and I moved to Ridgewood in 1950. I have led a very active volunteer life and was often involved with outdoor events, so I well know that awful feeling about the weather, so my heart goes out to all who were in charge for the lovely Christmas tree lighting event. Again, thank you to all.
After having raised a family in a house here in town, I moved to a then-brand new apartment near the railroad station and for years have enjoyed a view of the tree from my living room, so I have shared with so many the beauty of our village at Christmas.
Every week, I read your paper regarding the plans and dreams of the brave people who volunteer to tackle the past, present and not tested problems of the future. I would like to warn that going the way of a lot more apartments is going to change the feeling of the town, not only in appearance but the people whom would be interested in occupying them.
I do not know whether the apartments will be rentals or condos. They would draw different people. Really, neither would be particularly interested in the life of the town particularly if they commute to work. In many cases, if the tenants or owners are retired, there is a good chance they would have a second home some place other than New Jersey.
Enclave to Host On-Site Open House at 257 East Ridgewood Avenue
Enclave to Host On-Site Open House December 9th
RIDGEWOOD, NJ, December 9, 2014 – The developers of Enclave, a proposed 52-unit luxury apartment building on Maple Avenue between East Ridgewood and Franklin, will host an open house to present new data that answers lingering questions about prospective resident populations and other issues that have arisen during recent Planning Board hearings.
The meeting will be held at 257 East Ridgewood Avenue – the property that has applied to be considered to a Master Plan Amendment that would allow upscale apartments in Downtown Ridgewood – at 7:30 p.m. on Tues., Dec. 9th.
“Ridgewood’s planner has done a thorough job in modeling impacts and assessing benefits from prospective luxury apartment development in Downtown Ridgewood, but the legally required format to convey information has frustrated the public,” says John Saraceno, developer of the Enclave and himself a Ridgewood resident.
“Ridgewood residents have asserted a nearly unprecedented challenge to their planning professionals and planning board members to assure rents and household sizes,” says Mr. Saraceno. “Some cynics believe those demands are a ploy to confound the process; but we took our neighbors at their word and we have developed data that supports the previous submissions of professionals – including those employed by the Village. The numbers are undeniably persuasive and to sincerely interested people, the resulting data set that should allay their concerns.”
Of the four properties that have applied for consideration as luxury apartment locations, two are on the sites of former car dealerships; one is the site of the former DMV inspection location; and the final is the Enclave. Each of the sites is zoned for office and/or other commercial uses whose traffic and quality of life impacts will be greater than the proposed residential development, but whose property tax contributions will be lower. Each site essentially allows the same scope of development for other uses and each allows residential development. The proposed amendment increases allowable heights modestly (by less than 4 feet) and would allow the developers to use their current buildable area (square footage) for residential rather than the currently permitted commercial or residential-above-retail.
“We have held five previous sessions in discussion formats where we can explore the data and explain things in a friendlier environment, and it is very helpful for people who are truly interested in obtaining information. We also think that actually having people on the site will bring the project to life and demonstrate the advantageous of allowing retail rather than currently permitted uses.
“With the testimony of the Planner behind us and the final public comment period in front of us – plus now knowing the prospective resident profile – we felt it was a good time to have one last session to clear up any remaining doubts about the appeal of adding luxury residences downtown to sites where they are clearly the most beneficial, least impactful future use.”
www.downtownridgewood.com hosts a variety of documents related to the submissions to the Planning Board from the four developers applying for status under the proposed amendment.
Couple drops downtown lifestyle for Glen Rock suburbia
DECEMBER 7, 2014 LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2014, 1:21 AM
BY DONNA ROLANDO
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD |
THE RECORD
New Glen Rock residents Nidhi Verma and Anant Aditya have the suburban home they wanted only because of the strategy they employed to break free from a life of convenience in Jersey City that had a powerful hold on them.
The first-time home buyers, in their early 30s, saw that their real estate search was getting nowhere, so they used a stopgap measure — a Secaucus rental — to toughen their resolve to buy in suburbia. It was what they needed at the time, the couple said, to leave their comfort zone at their Newport development in Jersey City with its 24-hour stores and easy commute.
“Newport is like 24/7 activity,” raved Aditya as his wife recalled the Rite Aid that was open all night right below their rental and the gym with a swimming pool right across the street, as well as the nearby parks.
“There was a lot we were leaving behind,” she said.
That’s when they decided on a short-term rental in Secaucus, knowing it would keep them focused on where they really wanted to raise their 3-year-old son — Bergen County suburbia — and that it could be a good first step in making the transition from, as Aditya described it, “downtown to suburban life.”
Their comfortable lifestyle included a dream commute to their jobs as software professionals. In fact, while Verma had to travel just 30 minutes to get to work, her husband could walk to the office.
The developers proposing high-density developments have said traffic shouldn’t be an issue and schools would experience minimal increases in enrollment. It appears that they might have succeeded in convincing some of the Planning Board members.
Before accepting developers’ conclusions, we need to decide on a proper analytical framework. To do so, we can employ the elementary concepts of statistics. The developers are showing us the average cases. Traffic should be fine most of the time. Schools should not be incrementally crowded for many of the grades. However, we know this is not the way to look at the problem. Instead of the average, we need to focus on the bottlenecks and the possible extremes the proposed plans could generate.
What the developers are telling us is analogous to a stranger telling us that it’s safe to walk across a lake because the average depth of the lake is five feet. Clearly, this piece of information is insufficient. What we should find out is the maximum depth of the lake, the worst-case scenario.
Using the worst-case framework, we can reach the following conclusions:
High-density development will exacerbate traffic when it counts the most — the commuting hours. These are compact few hours of the day, but the number of people affected and the amount of pain experienced will be exponentially higher.
High-density development will also create overcrowding at certain (not all) grade levels. Moreover, the volatility of student enrollment is likely to rise with ongoing tendency for spikes. Therefore, for students, being impacted by class overcrowding will be based on the luck of the draw.
Given these negative scenarios, why would we want high-density development? How could certain members of the Planning Board possibly think this is a good idea? Why are we playing a treacherous game of three-card Monte with the future of this town?
Central Business District Panel Discussions – January 21, 2015 at 7:30PM
Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli has scheduled another CBD Panel Discussion for January 21, 2015 from 7:30PM to 9PM. It will be held in the Village Hall Court Room. The two topics for discussion will be – CBD Parking and Blue Laws.
DECEMBER 5, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Enclave developer to hold open house
The development team proposing the Enclave upscale apartment building on Maple Avenue between East Ridgewood and Franklin avenues will host an open house beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 257 E. Ridgewood Ave.
The meeting is open to all village residents.
Developers for the 52-unit Enclave complex, as well as those proposing the Chestnut Village and the Dayton luxury housing projects, are seeking an amendment to the Ridgewood master plan that would permit high-density, multifamily housing in and around the Central Business District.
The master plan application is currently in the public hearing process before the Planning Board.
Yet according to Ridgewood Waters recent FAQ posted on the Village website , we are told the vast majority of unexpectedly high consumption is due to lawn sprinklers and toilets .
So the new multi housing plan for the Central Business district will not involve flushing toilets ?
As for handling waste water no mention here.
Ridgewood Water – Quarterly Billing FAQ
Quarterly Billing FAQ
The following facts may be useful:
Each meter removed is tested for accuracy. If over-registering were to be discovered, we would follow the refund procedure New Jersey Board of Public Utilities requires.
New meters are similarly high in accuracy. They also have features that can be used to help determine the causes of unusually high consumption.
In certain circumstances where a customer had been receiving estimated bills, over/underestimation may have occurred which could result in an unusually high bill or credit.
Any customer receiving an unusually high bill after a period of estimated bills is eligible for a deferred payment arrangement with no interest charges. Any account that was improperly charged interest will be credited for those charges.
The new meters will provide actual readings remotely with no hindrance to the customer.
If you would like to obtain a reading yourself on the new meter, simply shine a flashlight on the display and it will activate. Two screens will then cycle. The first will be the current read and the second is a rate screen which shows the current gallons per minute passing through the meter.
The vast majority of unexpectedly high consumption is due to lawn sprinklers and toilets.
Many people do not realize or notice that water may be trickling from the toilet tank into the bowl and down the drain. This can really add up when it’s happening 24/7. Ridgewood Water has free dye tablets that can be used to determine if this is happening.
Verizon announced in May 2014 that they would be discontinuing the access to their system for meter reading by the end of the month. That deadline was extended to the end of December.
If you have any further question please contact our Customer Service Department at 201-670-5500 ext. 269 or 275 M-F 8:30 – 4:30. You can also contact us by email at [email protected]
Ridgewood an increasingly significant restaurant town; Cafe 37 a reason
By Teresa Politano | The Star-Ledger
Of all the salads, the kale salad is most virtuous. You choose it with a certain smugness; it’s a healthier-than-thou selection.And then a chef sneaks in a bit of hazelnut and almond in the vinaigrette dressing, and your kale salad is suddenly perky and flirty and coy, sparking unexpected interest from the manly man meat-eater at the table. Then, boom, before you know it, the kale salad is gone, consumed like so many crisp, fresh French fries. Kale. Who knew?
The kale salad ($12), with avocado, blood orange slices and feta, is just one of the unexpected surprises at Café 37. It’s also, not surprisingly, the most popular salad on the menu.
Ridgewood has long been a town with good dining options, but in recent years, the scene has become even more competitive and dynamic. Café 37, which opened in 2012, remains one of the reasons.
December 6, 2014 , 9am to 1pm Santa at Columbia Bank, 60 S. Broad Street – gifts and pictures for children 10:30 Am Free Movie at Bowtie Warner Cinema – ‘Nightmare before Christmas’ Breakfast with Santa – Call for Reservation 201/652-1070
Breakfast with Santa
Chamber of commerce
December 13, 2014 , Breakfast with Santa – Call for reservation 201/652-1070 Visit Santa in the Park – 12Noon to 3PM
Breakfast With Santa – Visit Santa House
Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce
December 20, 2014 , Breakfast with Santa – reservations at 201/652-1070 Visit Santa in his house in the park Noon to 3PM www.experienceridgewoodnj.com
Saturday, NOVEMBER 29TH, 2014
Small Business Saturday is a national day to encourage people to shop at small businesses.
Saturday, November 29, 2014 is Small Business Saturday® – a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do in your community.
Please join the Ridgewood blog and organizations across the country in supporting your local small business by shopping at a small business.
Small Business Saturday is an American shopping holiday held on the Saturday after U.S. Thanksgivingduring one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. First observed on November 27, 2010, it is a counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which feature big box retail and e-commerce stores respectively. By contrast, Small Business Saturday encourages holiday shoppers to patronize brick and mortar businesses that are small and local. Small Business Saturday is a registered trademark of American Express corporation.
Free Parking available Friday and Saturday at the Park West Tavern
Free Parking on Friday and Saturday
The Park West Tavern is proud to announce that we will be offering free parking in a secured lot on Friday and Saturday evenings.
5:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Starting November 28th, 2014
The lot is located next to the Wells Fargo Bank at 41 North Walnut St, Ridgewood NJ, approximately one block away from the entrance to the restaurant. There will be an attendant in place as well as a sign clearly visible from the street.
Sounds Familiar : More development pressures in Bergen
News and commentary from Bergen County’s many municipalities besieged by heavy-handed development proposals underscores boiling dissatisfaction with plans for gross changes in heretofore cherished communities.
Ordinary residents can’t accept claims that big development won’t bring negative impacts, and they can’t understand why their elected and appointed officials and “experts” paid with local property taxes buy into those claims.
Montvale’s Hoboken-based “master planner,” who touts experience developed in Johannesburg and elsewhere in Africa, has told locals that state planners encourage denser development than has prevailed in Bergen traditionally.
That requires zoning changes blessed by planners and local officials alike. The blessings can lead to snags. Montvale’s mayor has told residents he testified in court for four days in a lawsuit brought by The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.
In a case that has received virtually no public attention, A&P makes the thunderous charge that Montvale is guilty of “spot zoning” in favor of one family of local farmers and their development partners.
Whether or not the court agrees, proposals in Montvale and elsewhere in Bergen are pitting the few against the many.
