Tag: high density housing

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October 4th the Ridgewood Planning Board will be reviewing resident complaint alleging serious conflicts of interest in prior vote for high density housing

3 amigos

September 26,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, once again a group of residents is gathering signatures , “Please add my name to the Motion of Complaint against the Planning Board”. October 4th the Planning Board will be reviewing the resident complaint that could challenge the prior vote for high density regarding several serious conflicts of interest.

We need your help once again with protecting our Village from high density developers.

On Tuesday, October 4th the Planning Board will be reviewing the resident complaint that could challenge the prior vote for high density regarding several serious conflicts of interest and we need to keep the pressure on.

If you haven’t already, it is important to take the time to read the complaint and add your name to the petition. You can do so by:

1) Using the below dropbox link to open up the complaint.
2) Print out the signing page of the attached petition letter and sign it.
3) Either scan or take a jpeg snapshot of the autographed signing page with your phone and email it to: myself, Mayor Knudsen, Planning Board Secretary Cafarelli and Planning Board Attorney Christopher Martin:

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

4) In the subject heading write “Please add my name to the Motion of Complaint against the Planning Board”
5) Forward this email/attachments to everyone you know in town.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4aqjdr4jc06gx44/Motion%20to%20Planning%20Board%20Under%20By%20Law%20Sections%202.13%20%26%207.27.pdf?dl=0

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Reader says Ridgewood Planning Board lawsuit indicates that Pucciarelli should have recused earlier

Ridgewood 3 amigos

Well this is off subject but I do not know where else to post it. The Ridgewood News today has a great article about the high density housing fight. A lawsuit indicates that Pucciarelli should have recused way earlier than he did. When asked by the reporter to comment Mr. Pucciarelli declined. Love it. Mr. Big talker who could not shut up ever when he was on the dais now has his mouth shut. Have a crappy weekend Big Al the Developers Pal.

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Reader Explains , “its not a petition but a formal motion asking the planning board to take action and correct the problems caused by the prior planning board”

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Reader explains,  “Actually, its not a petition but a formal motion asking the planning board to take action and correct the problems caused by the prior planning board. Those problems included conflicts of interest by board members and dramatic mistakes in the planning board hearings. In short, it is apparent that the residents of Ridgewood were denied due process because of transgressions. The new planning board has the opportunity to make amends.

The motion is not “in support” of the RCRD’s lawsuit. That lawsuit is independent and it seeks to undo the Aronson ordinance allowing multi-family housing.

In any event, while the motion is not a petition, any interested party can join in the request to the Board by signing on to a copy of the motion paper.”

 

https://theridgewoodblog.net/last-minute-petition-circulating-to-stop-the-ridgewood-planning-boards-high-density-housing-review-process/

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High Density Housing : Max Height from the Lowest Grade

Dayton_theridgewoodblog

September 21,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Resident Saurabh Dani gave us his take on the Planning board meeting last night , “This new Dayton building they are discussing at the planning board has 34.8 units per acre. We were told by ex deputy mayor in council meetings multiple times that because of the set backs and floor plan ratios, they will never go beyond 28-29, even if the ordinance allows 35. That was a big lie.

Also max height at some places (four units to go that height) is 58 feet from AVERAGe grade.
I asked what is the max height from the lowest grade level, not averaged grade, and they would not answer it. How difficult is it to ‘grade’ a slope by adding a few truck loads of dirt?”

Since there was not a vote last night on the petition nor high density housing, there is still more time to collect names.

see ;https://theridgewoodblog.net/last-minute-petition-circulating-to-stop-the-ridgewood-planning-boards-high-density-housing-review-process/

 

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UPDATE : Last Minute Petition Circulating to Stop the Ridgewood Planning Board’s high density housing review process

Dayton_122311_rn_tif_-300x148
September 20,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
There wasn’t a vote last night re the petition nor high density, so we have more time to collect names!
Ridgewood NJ, a last minute petition is making the rounds looking to forestall any decision on development in the Central Business District . The petition in support of a law suit brought against the planning board  in May by Ridgewood Citizens for Reasonable Development claiming that “mistakes” were  made which corrupted the entire planning process.

Dear Friends,

Please review the attached petition/testimony and consider adding your name to it. Supporting this petition is our best chance at stopping the Planning Board’s high density housing review process which COULD GO TO A VOTE TONIGHT!!

In order to add your name to the petition:

1) Print out the signing page of the attached petition letter and sign it.

2) Either scan or take a jpeg snapshot of the autographed signing page with your phone and email it to: myself, Mayor Knudsen, Planning Board Secretary Cafarelli and Planning Board Attorney Christopher Martin:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]
[email protected]

3) In the subject heading write “Please add my name to the Motion of Complaint against the Planning Board”
4) Forward this email/attachments to everyone you know in town.

Thanks for doing your part to protect Ridgewood.

Sincerely,

Dana

 

 

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Village of Ridgewood Planning Board September 20th Meeting

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PLANNING BOARD AGENDA – SEPTEMBER 20, 1016

PLANNING BOARD PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Village Hall Court Room– 7:30 P.M.

(all timeframes and the order of agenda items below are approximate and subject to change)

 

  1. 7:30 p.m. – Call to Order, Statement of Compliance, Flag Salute, Roll Call – In accordance with the provisions of Section 10:4-8d of the Open Public Meetings Act, the date, location, and time of the commencement of this meeting is reflected in a meeting notice, a copy of which schedule has been filed with the Village Manager and the Village Clerk, The Ridgewood News and The Record newspapers, and posted on the bulletin board in the entry lobby of the Village municipal offices at 131 North Maple Avenue, and on the Village website, all in accordance with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act.Roll call: Knudsen, Voigt, Altano, Joel, Reilly, Patire, Thurston, Scheibner, Torielli, McWilliams
  2. 7:35 p.m. – 7:40 p.m. – Public Comments on Topics not Pending Before the Board
  3. 7:40 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. – Committee/Commission/Professional Updates for Non Agenda Topics, Correspondence Received by the Board
  4. 7:45 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. – Ridgewood/Dayton, Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan, 100 & 152 South Broad Street, Blocks 3707/3905, Lots 5.01/1.01 – Public Hearing continued from September 6, 2016
  5. 10:15 p.m. – 10:20 p.m. – Adoption of Minutes: October 20, 2015
  6. 10:20 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. – Unfinished Business and New Business- Open Space Committee Liaison, Resolution re: Appointment of Alternate Planning Board Counsel, Scheduling of meetings and applications, Committee Appointments, and discussion of any other open items
  7. 10:30 p.m. – Executive Session (if necessary)
  8. AdjournmentIn accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, all meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work sessions, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings, which are always open to members of the general public.

    Members: Susan Knudsen, Jeff Voigt, Joel Torielli, Melanie McWilliams, David Scheibner, Richard Joel, Kevin Reilly, David Thurston, Isabella Altano, Debbie Patire

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Community Conversation September 21 – MAKING RIDGEWOOD MORE AGE FRIENDLY

CBD traffic ridgewood theridgewooodblog.net

Community Conversation September 21 – MAKING RIDGEWOOD MORE AGE FRIENDLY
WHAT: An Encore presentation of our 55 and Over Survey Data and Age-Friendly concepts. Then A GROUP THINK, a COMMUNITY BRAINSTORMING session- we need YOUR IDEAS about how to Ridgewood more Age Friendly
WHO: Anyone interested in life in Ridgewood after age 55. If you are 55 or over or you are planning for your future or you have parents in this age group or your customers are older please join us.
WHERE: Ridgewood Library Auditorium
WHEN: Wednesday September 21, 3:30-5:30 pm.
WHY: We have wonderful data about both the strengths and needs of the community from our Ridgewood 55 and Over

Survey. We are ready to take the next step and create an action plan. For that we need community input about specific improvements that we should consider implementing, especially in the following areas:
· housing options,
· flexible transportation
· pedestrian safety
· enhanced communication and marketing, directory of resources
· leveraging the expertise of the older population and
· assisting homeowners with difficult tasks.

We want Ridgewood to be as great a place to grow old as it is to grow up and we are interested in what age-friendly means to you and what your priorities are. What would make you remain in Ridgewood after your kids are grown and gone?
Any questions please email [email protected] or call 201-652-1614.
Beth Abbott and Sheila Brogan, of the Age-Friendly Ridgewood Initiative

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Ridgewood Planning Board Appoints New Attorney

Clock_Ridgewood_theridgewopodblog
September 14, 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  Ridgewood’s planning board has appointed Chris Martin, of Morrison Mahoney, as the new planning board attorney during the Sept. 6 meeting. Martin replaces Gail Price, who worked for the Village of Ridgewood for many years . Price had been criticized by residents for a perceived all to cozy relationship with Valley Hospital and was challenged when her husband Richard Brooks ran for council.

According to the Morrison Mahoney website , “Chris is the Liaison Partner for the Parsippany Office and has tried numerous cases to verdict involving products, professional and commercial liability matters. Chris has argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court pertaining to construction matters and before the Appellate Division on insurance coverage issues. He has had numerous trials as a Prosecutor and has also worked in the Office of the Attorney General for the State of New Jersey.”

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RIDGEWOOD PLANNING BOARD MEETING TONIGHT 7:30PM

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PLANNING BOARD AGENDA – SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

PLANNING BOARD PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Village Hall Court Room– 7:30 P.M.

(all timeframes and the order of agenda items below are approximate and subject to change)

7:30 p.m. – Call to Order, Statement of Compliance, Flag Salute, Roll Call – In accordance with the provisions of Section 10:4-8d of the Open Public Meetings Act, the date, location, and time of the commencement of this meeting is reflected in a meeting notice, a copy of which schedule has been filed with the Village Manager and the Village Clerk, The Ridgewood News and The Record newspapers, and posted on the bulletin board in the entry lobby of the Village municipal offices at 131 North Maple Avenue, and on the Village website, all in accordance with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act.

Roll call: Knudsen, Voigt, Altano, Joel, Reilly, Patire, Thurston, Scheibner, Torielli, McWilliams

7:35 p.m. – 7:40 p.m. – Public Comments on Topics not Pending Before the Board

7:40 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. – Committee/Commission/Professional Updates for Non Agenda Topics, Correspondence Received by the Board

7:45 p.m. – 7:55 p.m. – Resolutions re: Appointment of Planning Board Counsel

7:55 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Riverside Medical Group Minor Site Plan and Variances, 74 Oak Street, Block 2009, Lot 6

9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Ridgewood Dayton, LLC Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan, 100 & 152 South Broad Street, Block 3707, Lot 5.01 and Block 3905, Lot 1.01

11:00 p.m. – 11:05 p.m. – Adoption of Minutes: August 23, 2016

11:05 p.m. – Executive Session (if necessary)

Adjournment

In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, all meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work sessions, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings, which are always open to members of the general public.

Members: Susan Knudsen, Jeff Voigt, Joel Torielli, Melanie McWilliams, David Scheibner, Richard Joel, Kevin Reilly, David Thurston, Isabella Altano, Debbie Patire

Professional Staff: Blais L. Brancheau, Planner; Christopher J. Rutishauser, Village Engineer; Michael Cafarelli, Board Secretary

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Ridgewood Central Business District ,the good , the bad and the ugly

CBD Ridgewood by ArtChick

photo by ArtChick

August 27,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Several readers continue to claim the “Majority” of residents are against all development. Its nice to see that Ridgewood residents have now graduated to a “Majority” from gadfly, loud mouth ,minority status.

Reader says , “I think it is time to look around at all the empty stores in Ridgewood and realize there is a need to revamp the CBD. Soon all the shops will move to malls and replaced by housing; think…..is that what you want? Someone, most likely a shop keeper , is going to come up with ideas to improve the town, what is the problem. Make your own suggestions, welcome those of other residents, and have a discussion rather than complain. Get real people you are losing your central business district!”

Shops moved to malls in the 1970’s , and shopping has moved online since 1994 when Al Gore discovered the internet .

If you are worried about empty stores talk to the landlords not tax payers.  The simple fact is that tax payers are not responsible for a companies business plans. What I would suggest is that in this day and age stores need to make themselves destination businesses ie like Bookends and The Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood & Davidoff Lounge .  Retailers also need to build an online presence , websites, social media , press releases and they need to tell their story ; think why would I want to go here when I have to pay for parking? This is one of the reasons there are so many great restaurants in Ridgewood ,chefs have great stories to tell.

My biggest suggestion for Ridgewood merchants is to be open more hours. No one is home by 5pm. I can not tell you how many businesses have opened and closed that I have never seen open. The fact is most people who can afford to live in Ridgewood need to work a lot or hours , anywhere from 65 -80 hours per week and odd hours early am to late pm. So merchants need to develop strategies ,be it home or Train station delivery or open by appointment what ever it takes that is the new reality.

Destroying Van Nest Square will do nothing to help business and will most likely hurt business as much or more than the so called “traffic easing” ,that now backs traffic up into Midland Park. Making access to the almost CBD impossible from the West side of Town .

Another reader says, “James, you’re ignoring the facts. What is worth preserving of the old car dealers, old Town Garage and its toxic site, etc? What about all the empty shops and gold pawn shops? Why is this worth preserving? The majority rule wants to keep the status quo… which clearly isn’t working.”

First I was only posting comments and turning them into posts , so how exactly is destroying Van Nest square going to get rid of old car dealers,a toxic site, gold pawn shops and empty stores ? This maybe your problem you keep wanting to fix things that are not broken yet you ignore all the things that need fixing ? The solutions have to fit the problems. If the Village wants to clean up a toxic site it needs to take the steps to clean it up, not build a parking lot.

Now in New York City developers who wish to build non-conforming structures can often make a deal with the city by adding to public spaces, fixing subways or adding and maintaining new plantings.  In New Jersey we socialize the investment ie taxpayer funded yet we capitalize the profits. So taxpayers pay and developers make the money. Another words Ridgewood taxpayers build a parking garage so developers can reduce the amount of parking they offer and save money. and thus the continued rejection of a parking garage.

Now what you should be asking yourself is how could a bureaucratic organization like NJT fix the train trestle, raise the tracks , and renovate the train station while preserving and improving its historic nature in a relatively short amount of time. How could New Jersey Transit do all that yet Valley Hospital , a handful of developers, and a cadre of council members could not get anything done at all what so ever. NJT was willing to work with the town ,meet objections compromise and get the job done.

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Readers debate future of Ridgewood

Times Square

First of all, it’s not your town, and if you think Van Neste is an oasis of calm, you’re living in a time warp. Ridgewood has become a small city and don’t even think about blaming past councils, boards or the chamber. The residents of the village have collectively allowed this to happen as its median set of values is now drastically different than it was 30 years ago.

“median set of values” what is that? Translate: Do you mean, crowded , noisey, Hobokeny, Times Square, For me , I have lived here about 40 years, it still has that oh so wonderful small village feel and charm quality, and listen when I sit my old ass in Van Neste which I do often, it is quiet, an oasis of peace and charm coupled with natural beauty, trees, plants, grass and past citizen nostalgia (bricks, monuments) amidst the hustle and bustle of the downtown. Let’s keep the downtown no more developed than what it is. It is a really small space, so villagey and quaint. Don’t stuff it.

This is what I experience at Van Neste Park. Peace, calm , tranquility, beauty. I want to keep it that way.

And when I say it is MY TOWN, I am speaking POETICALLY, Of course it is OUR TOWN. I am trying to express my love and appreciation for what Ridgewood has and what I want to preserve. I am sorry you don’t understand. Take literature 101.

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Reader says Get rid of Roberta and her cronies already. Let those who love Ridgewood RULE

Van Neste Ridgewood

I was just at Van Neste,12:30 on Friday, a veritable slice of heaven, with people on benches quietly eating what looked like bagged lunches., some people just sitting and looking, walkers along the path, some dressed as workers, others as exercisers. Super peaceful and beautiful and calm, with even a working bubbler, water fountain, that is all that is needed in the way of water. Ni big fountain, please. And please, no fences on Walnut. Why make it ugly. Does Vanianos and company envision alcohol fueled parties with loud metallica noise-muzac, going late into night, Does the village manager and company envision alcohol fueled events at Van Neste and drunken people falling off the edge. That makes me very angry. The field stone wall around the park on Walnut is all that is needed. Get rid of Roberta and her cronies already. Let those who love Ridgewood RULE.

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Reader says We should memorialize Hudson Garage caper with a village plaque to hubris and for the future generations

Village of Ridgewood : Van Neste Memorial Park "Revival" project

We should memorialize this caper with a village plaque to hubris and for the future generations to Trust but first Verify.Could have turned out quite differently without the hard and determined efforts to overcome those developers and some whom they called to dance to their opportunistic tune.

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Reader says A garage at the Hudson Street in Ridgewood would only benefit building owners and the would-be developers of apartments who could legally use the existence of such a garage to reduce even further the paltry number of parking spaces they intend to provide

hudson street Ridgewood

No garage at Hudson and S. Broad, please. That parking lot could be rejiggered for whole lot less than $11.5 million and counting to provide more spots. But restore the lane at the north end of the rows in the middle that previously enabled people to go all around the lot seeking a space. Blocking it off to insert a couple of more spaces was wrong. Parking garage contingent: please read all the information and rethink. A garage at that location would be of benefit only to local building owners and the would-be developers of apartments who could legally use the existence of such a garage to reduce even further the paltry number of parking spaces they intend to provide, merely worsening the situation and putting us back to Square One or worse. Unfortunately, careful manipulation of the populace replaced honesty for too long. Look deeper, for the real motivation, and shake yourself awake–do not believe the hype of the departed council members or the yaps of their hangers-on or those with a personal stake in this (Vagianos, etc.).

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Former Ridgewood Council Attempts to Advance Failed Agenda

Ridgewood 3 amigos

August 12,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Why would the former council members, who were defeated resoundingly, come to the meetings to attempt to advance their failed agendas? Are they just spiteful? Do they need to grow up?

Clearly, this was an attempt on Ms. Winograd’s part to generate a newspaper headline that the current Council was seeking to limit public comment.

According to the Ridgewood News which slept through the entire election Winograd was “compelled” to speak looking “to relieve the contentious energy that has been brewing for months”. The “contentious” energy was voted out of office and their agenda was resoundingly rejected . Perhaps if the Ridgewood News would have posted a few per election letters to the editor they would know that.

Once again Paul Aronsohn and the “3 amigos” show a limited understanding of Ridgewood and how things work. Hint : its considered very low class and disrespectful for failed council members to attempt to undermine the new far better ,more open , independent thinking council.