The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
Ridgewood NJ, local film maker and sometimes activist resident Dana Glazer endorsed James Van Goor and Susan Knudsen in a thoughtful Facebook post :
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Ridgewood NJ, two multi-housing rental projects will be opening early next year. The NoMa to open in February ,billed as “a visionary collection of one and two bedroom rental residences coming soon to North Maple Avenue in downtown Ridgewood. The unique charm of Ridgewood Village shows its colors with an eclectic collection of shops, restaurants, and activities that create a cherished sense of community just moments from the train – and miles from ordinary.”
Continue reading Two New High Density Housing Projects Slated for Early 2022 Openings in Ridgewood
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Ridgewood NJ, Village resident Steve Kim posted a summary of how the Central Business District lost much of its character and how Ridgewood taxpayers will get stuck with the bill . The poorly planned high density housing will lead to large increases in property taxes to cover water, sewage , public safety, storm water , roads, and schools.
Ordinance 3066, was passed purposely in July 2007 when many residents were down the shore, previously applications to amend the Master Plan would never have even been considered. Ordinance 3066 made it easy for developers to challenge the Village Master plan and force changes init to accommodate development.
“Ordinance No. 3066, which sets forth the fees and processes involved in applying for an amendment to the master plan or development regulations, was originally passed in July 2007. The ordinance has become the subject of controversy as many believe it enabled the multiple master plan amendment applications that have dominated the agenda at Planning Board meetings.”https://theridgewoodblog.net/ridgewood-making-changes-to-controversial-ordinance-no-3066-known-by-many-as-pfunds-folly/
Ordinance No. 3066 allows these incongruous projects. No other town in New Jersey has this ordinance which was initially passed to aid the Valley Hospital development.
The ordinance has played a huge role in the litigation regarding Valley Hospital’s expansion, which many feel makes it difficult for objectors to have a say in the process.
The new Village council has decided to move forward with the process to repeal the ordinance during next week’s council meeting. As of now, the new version will be officially introduced at the Aug. 10 meeting.
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It was introduced by the Village Council under Mayor Pfund in 2007 (https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/minutes/07RPMJUN13.pdf ). Chapter § 190-143 of the amended Village Code is the kicker; it established procedures for interested persions (i.e. developers) to request amendments to the Village Master Plan or development regulations. Council members Mancuso, Ringler Shagin, Wiest, and Pfund all voted in favor of the ordinance. Chapter § 190-143 is here https://ecode360.com/6694062 and many residents argue that this should be repealed to ensure that we don’t see overdevelopment at Valley and in the CBD in terms of densities and building scale. It’s felt this will better protect our property values.
the text can be see at https://stopvalley.com/Minutes/2007-08-07%20Ordinance%203066.pdf if you cut and paste that into your browser you can see it all.
It is long, setting out the fees involved and procedures – the key part is
§ 190-143. Application to Village Council or Planning Board.
Any interested party may request that an amendment or amendments be made to the Village Master Plan or development regulations. The request(s) shall be made to the Village Council and/or the Village Planning Board https://theridgewoodblog.net/so-what-is-ordinance-3066/
Readers say time Repeal “Pfunds Folly” ordinance 3066!
We have former Mayor and now appointed local judge Pfund to thank. Without Ordinance 3066, passed purposely in July 2007 when many residents were down the shore, applications to amend the Master Plan would never have even been considered. Then the developers used an old anchoring by applying for 50 units, only to say they’d “comprised” down to 35. The anchor number used should have been the 12 in the Master Plan, and they should have comprised at 18-24, reflecting current Village densities. Development is surely need in the CBD – it’s an eyesore with too much dead space and decaying remnants of the past – but Ordinance 3066 and the 50 number should have never happened in the first place. That’s Pfund’s folly…. These wheels have been in motion since 2007
I had little hope going into last night’s meeting. I am so proud of everyone who came and stood up for our village. Bottom line, we have to repeal ordinance 3066. Also, say no to ordinances requesting our Master Planner. Our Master Plan should be treated with the respect it deserves. It has been in place for decades, protecting our village from the potential high density developments that are on the table now. Should development occur, yes, but within the safeguards of the master plan. Developers: get a variance and if appropriate for Ridgewood it will pass. If the densities are to low for your project and potential profits, to bad, come to the table with something else. But don’t threaten residents with statements “if you don’t give us this, we’ll do something you really won’t like”. That is not neighborly or nice.
We should have been signing petitions to repeal Ordinance 3066 five years ago or more. I agree that 35 units is too high, but that’s because developers are allowed to submit proposals to amend the Master Plan under Ordinance 3066 (passed by then Mayor Pfund under cover of July summer vacations in 2007 to help out his pals at Valley), and its easy to anchor the debate initially at 50 units and then say you’ve “compromised down to 35 units even though the initial anchoring of the discussion should have been at 12 units as per the existing Master Plan. https://theridgewoodblog.net/readers-say-time-repeal-pfunds-folly-ordinance-3066/
March 23,2016
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Ridgewood Nj, Candidate Jeff Voigt offered his view of tonight’s events, “While we may not be able to stop the vote for the high density housing – we need people to attend to demonstrate via a large turnout that the few should not benefit to the detriment of the many.
Unfortunately our process was hi-jacked by self-interests who used Ordinance 3066 to turn what should have been zoning issues into a planning issue. The planning board could have denied any of these applications but chose not to – resulting in a deviation from the original Master plan and a change in it. Each of these high density housing developments should have been decided individually and separately by the zoning board. Initially they were (i.e. the Enclave). However when the Enclave developers realized that there were too many variances that they were seeking and; that they were going to have major issues with the zoning board, they did an end around the zoning board and went to the planning board. The makeup of the planning board needs to be closely scrutinized by the new council to ensure it is non-partisan and holds Village interests of highest importance.
There is a case, decided by the 2008 NJ State Supreme Ct. – Riya v Township South Brunswick 2008 which ruled that if areas of a township/municipality are rezoned, they need to be consistent with the surrounding zones. It is my concern that what has occurred in Ridgewood goes against this ruling – as an example: commercial zones between the train tracks/Chestnut/Franklin Ave have been rezoned for residential use – which is inconsistent with these existing zones. Why the Council would expose us to potential lawsuits I believe is reckless on their part and smacks of favoritism for the few (e.g. developers) to the detriment of the Village.”
May 2015, the Village Council tinkered with it and sent it to the Planning Board for comment, the Planning Board liked the tinkering. I don’t know whether the Village Council adopted the changes yet or not.
“Board member David Thurston asked if the new language opened up the board to a charge of making an arbitrary decision if it decides not to move forward with an application.
Village Planner Blais Brancheau said it should not be a problem in obvious cases,…..”
I am sure anyone who makes an application, particularly a big developer, will not regard their application as one that should obviously be turned down. We need to do what other towns do, not have such an ordinance.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/plannerson-board-with-new-changes-1.1340532
Agree, so much of the division in town now is due to Pfund’s folly and the desperate attempt to let Valley quickly get its expansion in.
Step by step, building by building, we can re-make our downtown without Pfund’s folly. Contrary to the ravings of a few at this week’s hearing, Ridgewood’s finest hour will not pass simply because we proceed in a logical, organized fashion to constructing a downtown that lasts into the next century without dragging down the rest of the Village.
Mr. Kotch is right, we may be looking at a new council in May and I believe it will be a golden opportunity to repeal ordinance 3066. How anyone thought it was a good idea to allow ” interested parties” to request changes to the Master Plan is a mystery. Who can be seen as more interested than the village residents? We are now forced to be viligent and ready to assemble in order to protect Ridgewood from misguided development.
From the Patch May 2,2012
Conflict with ‘H-Zone’ ordinance and planning board amendment
Although the , the saga continues. The planning board’s amendment to the Master Plan remains on the books and a future council could simply overturn the November vote.
Councilman Paul Aronsohn said it’s time for the planning board to rescind . “We need a blank piece of paper,” Aronsohn said. “It’s time to move on, it’s time to move forward…the mayor and council needs to step up.”
This whole nightmare can be reversed. Elections for three council seats, Hauk, Aronshon, and Pucciarelli, are on May 10th, 2016. That’s in 220 days. It’s time for a slate of candidates, whose platform is to repeal ordinance 3066 which among other things added Chapter 190, Article XIV, Section 143 allowing “interested parties” to amend the master plan.
https://stopvalley.com/Minutes/2007-08-07%20Ordinance%203066.pdf
We have former Mayor and now appointed local judge Pfund to thank. Without Ordinance 3066, passed purposely in July 2007 when many residents were down the shore, applications to amend the Master Plan would never have even been considered. Then the developers used an old anchoring by applying for 50 units, only to say they’d “comprised” down to 35. The anchor number used should have been the 12 in the Master Plan, and they should have comprised at 18-24, reflecting current Village densities. Development is surely need in the CBD – it’s an eyesore with too much dead space and decaying remnants of the past – but Ordinance 3066 and the 50 number should have never happened in the first place. That’s Pfund’s folly…. These wheels have been in motion since 2007
I had little hope going into last night’s meeting. I am so proud of everyone who came and stood up for our village. Bottom line, we have to repeal ordinance 3066. Also, say no to ordinances requesting our Master Planner. Our Master Plan should be treated with the respect it deserves. It has been in place for decades, protecting our village from the potential high density developments that are on the table now. Should development occur, yes, but within the safeguards of the master plan. Developers: get a variance and if appropriate for Ridgewood it will pass. If the densities are to low for your project and potential profits, to bad, come to the table with something else. But don’t threaten residents with statements “if you don’t give us this, we’ll do something you really won’t like”. That is not neighborly or nice.
We should have been signing petitions to repeal Ordinance 3066 five years ago or more. I agree that 35 units is too high, but that’s because developers are allowed to submit proposals to amend the Master Plan under Ordinance 3066 (passed by then Mayor Pfund under cover of July summer vacations in 2007 to help out his pals at Valley), and its easy to anchor the debate initially at 50 units and then say you’ve “compromised down to 35 units even though the initial anchoring of the discussion should have been at 12 units as per the existing Master Plan.
MAY 22, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The revised version of Ordinance No. 3066 was presented to the Planning Board on Tuesday to give members a chance to comment before it is sent back to the Village Council.
The amendments were prepared by a subcommittee of village officials and presented to the council on May 6. The governing body decided it would be best for the Planning Board to weigh in before introducing the ordinance.
The purpose of the ordinance is to strengthen certain provisions that already exist and to revise the process by which an applicant seeks a master plan amendment. The revisions clearly define the Planning Board’s flexibility in deciding how and when to proceed with an application.
Officials began considering revisions due to a community debate that took place last year over the ordinance’s perceived role in the master plan amendment applications received by the board, with some saying it allowed Valley Hospital and outside developers to take over the Planning Board process, said Mayor Paul Aronsohn.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/plannerson-board-with-new-changes-1.1340532
Repeal Pfund’s Folly, i.e. Ordinance 3066 !!! In the very least repeal the Chapter § 190-143 ( here https://ecode360.com/6694062 ) that allow for applications to amend the Master Plan. Application to Village Council or Planning Board.Any interested party may request that an amendment or amendments be made to the Village Master Plan or development regulations. The request(s) shall be made to the Village Council and/or the Village Planning Board.
So what is ordinance 3066?
the text can be see at https://stopvalley.com/Minutes/2007-08-07%20Ordinance%203066.pdf if you cut and paste that into your browser you can see it all.
It is long, setting out the fees involved and procedures – the key part is
§ 190-143. Application to Village Council or Planning Board.
Any interested party may request that an amendment or amendments be made to the Village Master Plan or development regulations. The request(s) shall be made to the Village Council and/or the Village Planning Board