Tag: Impact Studies

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Impact studies for Ridgewood multi-family high density housing a round up of the Usual Suspects

council meeting
file photo by Boyd Loving
March 10 ,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, to say last nights meeting was a disappointment is an under statement .

1. During the discussion about Ordinance 3523 to Establish Guidelines for Audio/Video Recording of Public Meetings – which was penned by Albert Pucciarelli – the subject of body cameras came up.  Councilwoman Hauck described these cameras as “surreptitious,” which for her information means “kept secret.”  Having stated this, she then went on to say that she has seen what a “body camera looks like and it looked like actually a terrorist with an explosive chest.”  Ummmm….. Councilwoman Hauck, how can something be at the same time secretive and also look like a bomb strapped on the chest?    Her ridiculous characterization elicited laughter from the audience, so much so that Mayor Aronsohn had to reprimand the public to quiet down.  Seems that laughter is not considered civil.

2. Real Estate developer John Saraceno who stands to make a major bundle on all the development in the CBD, went to the microphone and stated that he is a father of school children and yadayada and that he is “a resident first and a developer second.”  Yep, that rings really true.

3.  Rurik Halaby once again went on about how the Village of Ridgewood is in a steady decline, same tired and untrue song.  Ummm….Rurik….how can the village be in such a terrible decline if there are supposedly no parking places due to all the consumers who pour into town to shop and dine?  Really?  We need parking so desperately because there is so much traffic in town, but the town is in decline.  Hmmm, doesn’t really add up Mr. H.

4. The impact studies were described with power points and charts.  The take away is that none of these developments will have any impact on the schools, the water usage, the sewers, the fire department, the police department, the ambulance corps, etc.  Just amazing, isn’t it?!  Plop these great big buildings down all over town, fill them with people, and no one will even notice.  Wow.  What reality is this we are living in?

5. Residents were not allowed to ask any questions of the developers, but reportedly will be able to do so on March 23.

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Ridgewood Council selects firms to conduct impact studies

council meeting

file photo by Boyd Loving

JANUARY 14, 2016    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016, 3:17 PM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The Village Council decided this week to go forward with multifamily housing impact studies on education, municipal planning, fiscal impact and traffic, hiring three firms to complete the work.

Ross Haber Associates (education), RBA Group (traffic) and BFJ Planning/Urbanomics (fiscal and municipal planning) were selected for the studies.

A special public meeting was held in the Benjamin Franklin Middle School auditorium on Tuesday, and featured interviews with five consulting firms.

Presentations

Ross Haber Associates recently conducted a study for the Ridgewood Board of Education on the feasibility of full-day kindergarten.

Haber explained that his studies for the village would be focused on what financial impact the new additions would have on Ridgewood schools.

“Would these new students in any way, shape or form impact the budget?” he asked. “Would it require the hiring of new staff? Might the expansion include construction in the schools if needed? Would you need additional crossing guards?

“This is not to say that any of these things are going to happen,” Haber said, “this is to say these things could happen.”

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/town-government/ridgewood-council-selects-firms-to-conduct-impact-studies-1.1491900

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Village of Ridgewood Council Reaffirms its Agreement to 4 comprehensive, independent impact studies on the high density housing

Village Council
file photo by Boyd Loving
December 10,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Last night was a huge success for residents in that village , the Village council committed to doing the four studies on the high density issue. Without the pressure from residents, this would not have happened. The meeting went late and there were no big outbursts or excitement.

Village council agreed to 4 comprehensive, independent impact studies regarding the high density housing .The 4 comprehensive independent impact studies are financial, school, traffic, infrastructure.

Mayor Aronsohn made it clear from the git-go that all four studies would happen.  Deputy Mayor Pucciarelli switched sides like a Gemini – while he was completely opposed to the four studies in September 30, now he is in full support.  This is all good, and will delay the high density housing for awhile longer.  The hearings on the housing ordinances are continued until February 10.  In spite of Aronsohn’s early declaration that the four studies would happen, public comments went on for about 2.5 hours, with 20 people speaking against the housing and often tying it in with not wanting the garage.  Seven others had spoken against the housing in the first 1/2 hour comments session.

Also the Village Council Public Meeting was the introduction of the Bond Ordinance supports the largest garage as depicted in the images and  as decided on by council majority (3-2). The garage details include parking for  405 cars (net gain of 305) totaling  136,550 square feet, height of  49’2” to the parapet and  the tower height at 68’4”. The garage requires the elimination of all on-street parking along Hudson Street, elimination of some on- street parking along South Broad Street and the rerouting of Hudson and Passaic Street traffic.

The introduction of the bond for the garage was 5-0 in favor.  This, mind you, is just the introduction. There is a pretty good indication that Susan and Mike will vote it down then, forcing Atilla the Aronsohn to head straight to the county to float the bond.  We shall see.

The public hearing and vote on the Bond Ordinance is scheduled to occur in January 2016.  In the meantime,  Council Woman Knudsen is seeking public input regarding the proposed Hudson Street garage as shown in the simulations sknudsen@ridgewoodnj.net .

At the bitter end, From 12:02 until almost 1AM, the Schedler people spoke, 9 of them.  They asked for studies to be done around Schedler as they are being done in the CBD.  They want traffic studies, air quality, noise, etc.  one guy had an audio tape that he played of the deafening noise there from 17.  A cardiologist explained the serious health risks to children who exercise in polluted air.  There was a funny exchange where Gwenn attempted to undermine the doctor’s assertions of respiratory risks when running around in bad air, and she even suggested that maybe no one should even live over there.

Other Highlights for Last night:

ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION
3515 – Bond Ordinance – Construction of Hudson Street Parking Deck ($12,300,000) – Appropriates this money for the construction of the Hudson Street parking deck

ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING
3509 – Amend Various Salary Ordinances
3512 – Amend Valet Parking Ordinance
3513 – Non-Union Salary Ordinance
3514 – Management Salary Ordinance

ORDINANCES – CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING
3489 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish AH-2 Zone District
3490 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish B-3-R Zone District
3491 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish C-R Zone
3492 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish C Zone District
3493 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Amend Various Sections – Multiple Zone Districts and General Affordable Housing Regulation

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Residents Dismayed over Village Council Attempt to Renege on High Density Housing Impact Studies

3 amigos

November 10,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, “We’ll see…” was Mayor Paul Aronsohn’s answer when asked about the the September 30th agreed to studies . The Mayor did at lest confirm his commitment to the Financial Impact Study.Residents felt betrayed and reminded the council that you cannot renege on any of the approved studies and maintain our trust.  Residents deserve and demand the comprehensive overlook you voted for before you consider any sweeping  changes to the Central Business District.

At the Monday night meeting several of the Council Members indicated that they could not recall exactly what they voted on, and “committed” to, on September 30th before an audience of hundreds of residents.  The video and Heather Mailander’s clarification of the motion immediately before the vote from the September 30th meeting set the record straight :

It is clear that ALL Councilmembers were fully aware of the motion put to the vote and  all parties were given the opportunity for further clarification, prior to the vote.

The Vote then occurred as follows:

Heather Mailander:  “So this is the amended version which we just read which is multiple studies.  Traffic and infrastructure study, financial study and the school impact study.  And it’s a comprehensive traffic study as outlined by Councilwoman Knudsen: CBD, surrounding neighborhoods, entire Village.  Correct?  Okay.  So that’s the motion on the floor.  Any more discussion?

Susan Knudsen:   “And that would be to table everything until this?”
Heather Mailander:  “Correct, correct.”

The vote, was then taken with the following result:

Hauck:  Yes
Knudson:  Yes
Pucciarelli:  No
Sedon:  Yes
Aronsohn:  Yes

It could not be clearer as to what the Council voted on. The council committed to multiple studies.  a comprehensive traffic study and infrastructure study, financial study and the school impact study. That’s now what residents require .

Residents clearly indicated that they need a better answer than,  “We’ll see.”  The High Density development issue is simply too big of an issue ,fundamentally changing the nature of the Village of Ridgewood forever.