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More Commuter Parking for Down Town Ridgewood ?

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More Commuter Parking for Down Town Ridgewood ?

Establishing commuter parking at Ken Smith (with some kind of bridge to the train) is a rare opportunity–a no-brainer that if not taken advantage of now, will haunt the village forever. There is no reason the owner couldn’t make money on it.

Whats the up side for Ridgewood for more commuter parking ?

Who are these extra parking spots for, residents or out of towner s?

Some folks believe more commuters using the train station equates to more people patronizing shops and restaurants in the CBD, the theory being when they get off the train, they will not go directly to their cars and leave town. I’m not sure I buy into that theory though.

But most believe that commuters will get in their cars and drive home. After a long work day most are not looking for retail therapy.

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Reader says “Save Ridgewood” group should focus on solutions

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Reader says “Save Ridgewood” group should focus on solutions

Has anyone in the “Save Ridgewood” group thought about the impact of doing nothing. Three of the four proposed residential development sites are currently vacant. At the recent Planning Board meeting in which the Brogan site was discussed one genius suggested that the site be developed for Retail use. This would produce far more traffic, noise and clutter than any residential use. It is time for the Save Ridgewood group to stop complaining and come forth with some well reasoned suggestions for the long term use of what are becoming increasingly blighted properties.

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COAH Meeting Canceled After State Supreme Court Issues Temporary Stay

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COAH Meeting Canceled After State Supreme Court Issues Temporary Stay

Appellate panel had ordered fair-share housing agency to hold its first meeting in 10 months.

Just 18 hours before the NJ Council on Affordable Housing was to hold a court-ordered meeting, which would have been its first in 10 months, the agency cancelled that meeting after the state Supreme Court issued a temporary stay of the order late yesterday afternoon.

The stay issued by the state’s highest court’s one-page order put a hold on last Friday’s extraordinary Appellate Division ruling that COAH meet by 9:30 a.m. today to begin working on rules for municipalities to provide their “fair share” of housing for low- and moderate-income residents as required under the state Supreme Court’s so-called Mount Laurel rulings.

Soon after the Supreme Court issued its temporary stay, the state Department of Community Affairs posted a that it had cancelled the meeting. Spokesmen for DCA and the state Attorney General’s office both declined comment. The meeting cancellation notice stated that the meeting “has been cancelled because the Supreme Court’s Order stayed the Appellate Division’s Order of March 7, 2014, which constituted the legal basis for holding the emergency meeting.”

Prior to early 2011, COAH used to hold monthly meetings. The council is supposed to have 12 members, but currently only half the seats are filled. (O’Dea/NJSpotlight)

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/14/03/11/coah-meeting-canceled-after-state-supreme-court-issues-temporary-stay/

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Planning Board Amended Meeting Schedule – March 10, 18, 31

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Planning Board Amended Meeting Schedule – March 10, 18, 31

PLANNING BOARD

AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE

Special Public Meetings: March 10, March 18, March 31

In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board has scheduled special public meetings for:

• Monday, March 10, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 North Van Dien Ave., Ridgewood, NJ, at which time the Board will continue the public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment to the Master Plan.

• Tuesday, March 18, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 North Van Dien Ave., Ridgewood, NJ, at which time the Board will continue the public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment to the Master Plan and have discussion regarding the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Plan.

• Monday, March 31, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 North Van Dien Ave., Ridgewood, NJ, at which time the Board will continue the public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment to the Master Plan.

The Board may take official action during these Work and Public Meetings.

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Planner for Citizens for a Better Ridgewood testifies before planning board

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Planner for Citizens for a Better Ridgewood testifies before planning board

THURSDAY MARCH 6, 2014, 4:57 PM
BY  LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The planner for the grassroots group Citizens for a Better Ridgewood (CBR) said at Tuesday’s packed Planning Board hearing that three high-density multifamily housing developments proposed for the downtown area are “out of scale” with their surroundings.

CBR planner Brigette Bogart also said the proposed rezoning requests “appear to be akin to spot zoning,” the application of zoning to a specific parcel of land in a larger zoned area. She advised the board to engage in a cautious process, asking it to think about a “vision” for Ridgewood’s future as it moves forward. She also urged board members to consider the reasons for current master plan restrictions, as well as how the developments fit in with village concerns about parking, traffic safety, open space and increased student enrollment.

“The boundaries of a district should be based on the existing conditions of the neighborhood. From a planning perspective, there should be a clear delineation of the zone boundary lines proposed, and how these lines relate to the adjacent land uses,” she noted in her presentation, which CBR provided to The Ridgewood News.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/248894861_Planner_for_Citizens_for_a_Better_Ridgewood_testifies_before_planning_board.html#sthash.SC6wotWe.dpuf

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Lets Stay Aquainted Senior Luncheon – Thursday, March 6th

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Lets Stay Aquainted Senior Luncheon – Thursday, March 6th

LET’S STAY ACQUAINTED

Village residents are invited to join Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck each month for an opportunity to meet, share a provided light lunch, and participate in an activity. It is Mrs. Hauck’s desire to become familiar with residents, learn of their experiences living in the community, and increase awareness and use of the Village Community Center.

“Photography: A Door to New Worlds” – Naturalist , photographer Doug Godell will present a narrated slide show presenting images of travel in the United States, Central America and throughout the world.

If you need transportation assistance – call 201/670-5500 x203 to make a reservation for a ride on the Senior Bus.

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Planning Board Special Public Meeting – February 4 at RHS Student Center

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Planning Board Special Public Meeting – February 4 at RHS Student Center

Special Public Meeting: Tuesday, February 4, 2014

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, FEBRUARY 4, 2014, in the RIDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CENTER, 627 E. RIDGEWOOD AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ beginning at 8:00 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 including AH-2, B-3-R, C-R and C Zone Districts. The Board anticipates that the order of presentation to the extent known as of this date will consist of the following:

a) Commencement of expert testimony – professional planning (direct and cross examination of planners on behalf of any interested party – opportunity to ask questions after the conclusion of each witness’ testimony)

b) Announcement of next hearing date and other Planning Board business per the agenda.

The proposed master plan amendment and related exhibits are at the office of the Secretary of the Ridgewood Planning Board on the third floor of Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey and are available for public inspection Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The amendment and exhibits are also posted as a courtesy on the Village’s website at www.ridgewoodnj.net.

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.

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Ridgewood planning board hears engineer on Valley Hospital expansion

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Ridgewood planning board hears engineer on Valley Hospital expansion
Thursday January 30, 2014, 8:01 AM
BY  BARBARA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
The Record

RIDGEWOOD – There were no surprises Wednesday night at a hearing for The Valley Hospital’s plan to expand to nearly 1 million square feet. An engineer hired by the Planning Board told residents that “there are no impediments” to allowing the project to go forward.

Several of the audience members said they had been expecting M. Golam Kabir, from Converse Consultants in Whippany, to agree with testimony already presented by Valley’s experts. They’ve been told for nearly a year that excavating 170,000 cubic yards of soil and rock and pulling out up to 300,000 gallons of water per day won’t cause lasting damage to the neighborhood surrounding the hospital.

“Based on the review of the documents, it did not disclose any geotechnical impediments that could preclude the proposed construction,” Kabir said in his report to the board.

His testimony concurred with information presented by Valley’s engineer, Moustafa Gouda, director of Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering Services at Maser Consulting in Red Bank.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/Ridgewood_planning_board_hears_engineer_on_Valley_Hospital_expansion.html#sthash.ZYzAYzi8.dpuf

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Reader worries about Valley Over Expansion

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Reader worries about Valley Over Expansion

Valley has their existing building in Ridgewood where they are planning their “Renewel.” They own the 128,000 sq ft building in Paramus mentioned in the article. They just payed $28ish Million for the “Duck Pond” building on E. Ridgewood Ave, they own the entire strip on Maple Ave which consists of the old Ford dealership down to the Corset Shop. They have also allegedly purchased the Ken Smith site in downtown Ridgewood which is why the developer pulled the development plans.

Ever wonder why your health care costs continue to rise? Nice to be a non-profit with no competition huh? Can just raise prices and raise prices and raise prices. Tough to negotiate prices when your life is on the line. Not much leverage when you are gasping for air.

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Planning Board Special Public Meeting – January 29 & 30, 2014 – GW Middle School

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Planning Board Special Public Meeting – January 29 & 30, 2014 – GW Middle School

PLANNING BOARD

AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE

Special Public Meetings: January 29, 2014 and January 30, 2014

In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board has scheduled special public meetings for WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014 and THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2014 in the GEORGE WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM, 155 WASHINGTON PLACE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The Board may take official action during this Work and Public Meeting at which time the Board will continue the Public Hearing on the Proposed H-Hospital Zone Amendment to the Master Plan.

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.

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Reader: The notion that the 500-1,000 new residents would live in their little downtown ghetto and never venture out in a car is ridiculous

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Reader : The notion that the 500-1,000 new residents would live in their little downtown ghetto and never venture out in a car is ridiculous

The notion that the 500-1,000 new residents would live in their little downtown ghetto and never venture out in a car is ridiculous. The notion that we need to cram more people into less breathing space is beyond stupid.

And the underlying notion that you need to change zoning laws to save the downtown is completely misplaced. A downtown exists to serve the surrounding community — not the other way around. Why are people espousing this idea that to “save” the downtown we need to put the rest of the town at risk?? Let market forces work and the downtown will stabilize. But, that’s not going to happen as long as people buy into the propaganda that we need to cram more people into town in order to help the downtown property owners. Let them lower their rents. Let them improve their properties. Let them change uses within the existing master plan to meet changing needs. Why should the rest of the town bailout the downtown property owners at our expense? Why should we fund or guarantee their profits??

Developers bought downtown properties hoping to make a profit. And now they are trying to convince the uninformed and the ignorant that somehow world peace will be achieved if only they are able to change existing laws and cram more people into the downtown.

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