Tag: parking

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Freeholder chief checks Ridgewood parking shortage

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Freeholder chief checks Ridgewood parking shortage

OCTOBER 8, 2014    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2014, 1:21 AM
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — Residents, officials and business leaders all seem to agree on one thing when it comes to the village: parking is scarce.

On Tuesday afternoon, Freeholder Chairman David Ganz took a quick tour of the downtown area, to survey the village’s parking situation.

Village officials have spent the last year talking with representatives from the Bergen County Improvement Authority about the possibility of the county financing, building and operating a parking deck in Ridgewood.

First, the freeholders would need to authorize the expenditure of $100,000 on a comprehensive study of the village’s current parking situation.

“We recently included Chairman Ganz in that conversation,” said Mayor Paul Aronsohn, “because the freeholders would have to approve BCIA’s use of transit funding for such a study.”

The funding issue could be discussed at the freeholders’ next meeting on Oct. 22.

– See more at:  https://www.northjersey.com/news/freeholder-chief-checks-ridgewood-parking-shortage-1.1104416#sthash.K0CobFFL.dpuf

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Downtown Parking Initiative

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Downtown Parking Initiative
Draft – Ridgewood Downtown Parking Initiative Discussed at Village Council Meeting

For the Draft Parking Plan Fact Sheet that was discussed at the Village Council Meeting on Wednesday, October 1st please

Click Here https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/2014ParkingPlan.pdf

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PARKING: More action is needed, not meetings

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PARKING: More action is needed, not meetings

OCTOBER 3, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2014, 9:16 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

More action, not meetings, is needed
Angela Cautillo

To the Editor:In the Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, issue of The Ridgewood News, I was reading the article titled “Panel says parking is source of problems.” It was good to hear the comments from business owners and landlords alike, but is this really news to anyone? Ridgewood is not moving forward was the message.

The article also stated that the meeting attracted the smallest turnout in the series so far, only being attended by 30 people. That’s not surprising.

Yes, a low turnout is disappointing, but I would probably have to say it’s because so many Ridgewood business owners are thinking “been there, done that.” You can find in the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce archives that it was determined by Ridgewood business leaders that there was a parking problem back in 1924.

As a former board member of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce and later as its director, I tried to get the ball rolling for a parking garage in the business district. I urged the then council that it was for the future of Ridgewood’s business success, but all that happened was more money wasted on yet another parking study that said we needed more parking.

I was told by a former village manager that I would never see a parking garage in Ridgewood. It was very disheartening to hear and very sad to see the lack of vision of the Village Council at the time. Yet the buck keeps getting passed, since it’s been more than two decades after my push, 90 years after the first record of a parking problem in Ridgewood and there’s still non-solution.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-more-action-is-needed-not-meetings-1.1102020#sthash.uHa70zep.dpuf

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Ridgewood seeks feedback on proposed changes to meters

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Ridgewood seeks feedback on proposed changes to meters

OCTOBER 2, 2014    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2014, 4:36 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Ridgewood’s two-hour meters, 12-hour meters, and non-resident parking permits might soon be gone.

Village officials are discussing resident-only permit parking and putting a three-hour time limit on all downtown meters (except for the 15-minute spots).

These ideas are being lauded as the latest measures to help improve Ridgewood’s parking situation in the short term. Now, officials are looking for resident feedback, Mayor Paul Aronsohn announced at Wednesday’s council meeting.

The mayor noted that a compilation of the new short-term ideas, titled “Ridgewood Downtown Parking Initiative,” will be put on the village website (ridgewoodnj.net) for public review before any action is taken.

“Parking’s been on everyone’s mind,” Aronsohn said. “We’ve been kicking around a lot of ideas … We really need to take care of Ridgewood residents first.”

According to a preliminary version of the document provided to The Ridgewood News, the village would make parking “easier, simpler, better” by standardizing the rules.

The village would do this first by making all downtown meters run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., cost 25 cents per half hour, and provide three-hour parking. Current meters provide 12-hour and two-hour parking limits.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/feedback-on-latest-proposals-sought-1.1101314#sthash.pkdoMQSd.dpuf

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Panel says parking is source of problems in downtown Ridgewood

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Panel says parking is source of problems in downtown Ridgewood

SEPTEMBER 26, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014, 4:19 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

John Saraceno, owner of the former Bank of America building, gave some bad news during Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli’s most recent public forum on the Central Business District (CBD).

Sarceno, a Ridgewood resident, said he wanted to attract anything other than a restaurant into the historic building, but he couldn’t.

“It was amazing to see the lack of interest from anyone other than a restaurant,” he said. “In three years, I never received a proposal or request from a non-restaurant, and all I wanted was a non-restaurant.”

Now, the new high-end seafood restaurant FISH is on its way into the long-vacant space.

The issue, Saraceno said, is two-fold: Ridgewood’s parking “stigma,” and the stigma “that Ridgewood is asleep.”

“In the retail marketplace, there is a tremendous view,” he noted, “that Ridgewood has lost its edge.”

Some similarly jarring points were made by other attendees during the forum Monday evening in the richly furnished back room of Chestnut Street’s new Roots Steakhouse, which features luxe leather seating and lantern lighting.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/panel-says-parking-is-source-of-problems-1.1097287#sthash.IxBzgt3T.dpuf

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Reader says anyone who defends the status quo Parking Meters here can only be a part of the problem. We’re not falling for it.

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Reader says anyone who defends the status quo  Parking Meters here can only be a part of the problem. 

…and how amy millions will the new parking meters cost? with the added bonus of tracking residents shopping and parking habits via credit card use. Way to go.
— How about:
1) get all of the stolen money back
2) implement REAL security for the quarters – not just toss them in a open buckets in an unguarded closet.
New security measures have already been put into place which make future thefts much more difficult – so why do we need to spend millions on new parking meters?

So your argument is “let’s not install smart meters that will avoid any slippage for villagers” ? What kind of a Luddite are you ? New meters might threaten the long standing tradition of municipal employees stealing quarters to pay for personal entertainment or help with the mortgage or money launder it through AC, so let’s protest against them? Sorry , anyone who defends the status quo here can only be a part of the problem. We’re not falling for it.

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Parking should be first priority

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Parking should be first priority

SEPTEMBER 19, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2014, 9:55 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Parking should be first priority
Felicia Angus

To the Editor:

The Planning Board meeting on Tuesday night was a firm confirmation as to why the board has to take back control of the future of this town. Sitting there, you might have thought we had all stepped into a Perry Mason special instead of a village meeting. The former Sealfons building developer’s lawyer came out like a bulldog in his “cross examination” of CBR’s [Citizens for a Better Ridgewood] hired planning advisor and was at times condescending, mean-spirited and outright bad-mannered. If he is the representation of the developers that hired him then we can only infer how they would be once they were to get any sort of go ahead to develop in this town. Kudos to Ms. Brigette Bogart, CBR’s planning advisor, for keeping her calm and not being coerced into answering the deliberately leading questions.

What this town needs to thrive is a good parking option to let those who already live here, as well as those from other towns, make use of all that the village has to offer. Walk into any shop and ask the owners. This should be priority number one in helping boost the Central Business District. After that, the Planning Board should decide how it wants to change the town plan and proceed with housing for the empty nesters. Let the village put out the requests for proposals and not be pushed into anything that is not appropriate for the nature of this town.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-parking-should-be-first-priority-1.1091964#sthash.HyNeepem.dpuf

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Reader asks Why would someone leave a Manhattan 1 bedroom for a Ridgewood 1 bedroom?

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Reader asks Why would someone leave a Manhattan 1 bedroom for a Ridgewood 1 bedroom?

Why would someone leave a Manhattan 1 bedroom for a Ridgewood 1 bedroom? It would add an hour commute, Manhattan is just as safe, and the public schools in Manhattan are, in many cases, better. The reality is different from your view.

https://downtownridgewood.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/RidgewodRumorVsReality.pdf
The enclave:
2 Bedrooms / 2 Baths
1000 sq. ft.
Monthly rent: Monthly rent: $3000

It costs me less than that to own a 4br home in the Ridge school area with a 15 yr 5% mortage.
You’d have to be a moron to pay 3k for rent.

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Ten Reasons to Welcome The Master Plan Amendment (With questions and rebuttals)

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Ten Reasons to Welcome The Master Plan Amendment (With questions and rebuttals)

•Additional housing choices will retain residents who outgrow their homes (But your study says that owning a $550,000 house costs about the same. Is this place for families that are downsizing or upsizing?)

•The proposed developments create lesser traffic than any other development option (Please cite specific references and back your claim up with actual data)

•Minimal additional school children (Really? I believe that this comes from yet another less-than-believable “study” funded by the applicant. Please we all just sat through 7 years of Valley “studies” and we’ve kind of had it)

•Height and mass would be the same if commercial use (But commercial buildings don’t house as many people with cars and school children as your proposed building does.)

•Parking self-sufficient (Based upon how many cars per unit and how many cars per resident? If there are no kids in your building there will be more grownups with cars. Pick one.)

•No requirement of town services (Great – then you’ll agree put down a sizable deposit against which the town can draw if you’re wrong?)

•Contributions to traffic improvement (Isn’t this from that other less-than-believable study that said that traffic will improve if we allow this building to be built?)

•$1.5 million annual net fiscal benefits to school budget and general budget (Seems light. I’d like to see the math here)

•Planned parking structure will ease clog (How does parking ease whatever “clog” is?)

•Resolves affordable housing threat (Sorry, you don’t get this one both ways either. Affordable housing will draw families with school age kids.)

•Solidifies land use in the town with minimal yield (Really? How?)

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Technology solutions to parking problems in Fort Lee

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Fort Lee overhauling parking permits

Technology solutions to parking problems in Fort Lee

September 15, 2014    Last updated: Monday, September 15, 2014, 7:23 AM
By SVETLANA SHKOLNIKOVA
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Print

FORT LEE — To prepare for increased traffic in the downtown area, the Fort Lee Parking Authority will roll out a license plate recognition system this fall that will revamp the process for parking meter collection and parking permit registration.

The system uses technology to read license plate numbers with cameras mounted atop borough vehicles, eliminating the need for physical permits and significantly cutting down on time spent on enforcement.

Fort Lee will start with one camera-equipped vehicle and probably add a second next spring, when the program expands from parking lots to residential parking areas, said Gloria Gallo, the authority administrator.

“Because of the new development, this district is going to become very busy,” she said, referring to Redevelopment Area 5 and downtown. “We want to stay up-to-date with the latest technology, and this will just be more efficient.”

Gallo hopes to open parking permit registration on Nov. 1, though delays are possible.

The technology will move the entire registration process online, allowing drivers to pay for their permits and register their license plate numbers all at once. They will no longer need to print out permits.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/fort-lee-overhauling-parking-permits-1.1088106#sthash.5xLquS23.dpuf

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Ridgewood in talks to allow parking at closed car dealership

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Ridgewood in talks to allow parking at closed car dealership

SEPTEMBER 13, 2014    LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2014, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — Village officials announced a potential partnership with the owner of a former car dealership to provide more than 100 new parking spaces downtown — an attempt to alleviate the parking problem in town.

Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld cautioned that no deal had been signed, but said at a recent meeting she was excited about the potential arrangement, which Ridgewood officials continue to negotiate.

As proposed, the deal would see the dismantling of the building on the Ken Smith Motors site on Franklin Avenue. Under the plan, the village would handle selling parking passes for the lot to employees working in the Central Business District.

That would leave more parking for visitors to downtown Ridgewood.

In addition, Sonenfeld told the council she has been exploring ways for the village to fund its own parking garage.

An $8 million loan, she said, would cost taxpayers $600,000 annually for $20 years.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/lot-could-ease-parking-woes-1.1087300#sthash.uTQbxDeo.dpuf

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Finally – A parking solution that makes sense

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Finally – A parking solution that makes sense
September 11,2014
Boyd A. Loving
2:18 PM

Our prayers have been answered – Hallelujah!

Village Manager Roberta Sonnenfeld announced on Wednesday, 09/10/2014 the Village’s intent to lease a portion of the former Ken Smith Motors property, on Franklin Avenue near North Broad Street, for purposes of providing parking for the employees of businesses operating in Ridgewood’s Central Business District (CBD).  It is believed that the proposed private/public partnership endeavor will free up many parking spaces on streets in the CBD for shoppers and restaurant goers.

No formal agreement had been reached as of Ms. Sonnenfeld’s announcement, but was revealed that Village parking enforcement agents will patrol the lot for violators, and that the Village will receive 10% of gross revenues.  More details are expected to be released once a formal contract is signed.  No word on the Village’s contribution, if any, to expenses such as building demolition, line striping, etc.

The announcement came with this advisory – the solution will not be long term in nature because the property owner wishes to develop it at a later date.

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Village Of Ridgewood 2013 parking meter & permit revenues vs. expenses

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Village Of Ridgewood  2013 parking meter & permit revenues vs. expenses
September 10,2014
Boyd A. Loving
11:01 PM

Ridgewood NJ, Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld released a report entitled:  “Village of Ridgewood Parking Utility – 2013 Revenue & Expense Summary” on 09/08/2014.

Here are the Cliff Notes:

Total revenues = $1,063,775.55

Total expenses = $902,243.45

Excess in operation (profit) = $161,532.10

The following line items were listed under “allocations/indirect expenses.”  That is, a predetermined percentage of total 2013 parking revenues was allocated to each line item:

Municipal Court
Village Attorney
Group Health Insurance
Workers Compensation Insurance
General Liability Auto Insurance
Management Information Systems
Village Clerk
Finance (Accounts & Treasury, Audit Services, Collections)
Engineering
Street Services
Street Lighting
Traffic & Signal
Central Garage
Parks
Police
Gasoline & Diesel
Electricity and Gas
Telephone
Public Employees Retirement System
Social Security
Police & Fire Retirement System
Unemployment Insurance

Indirect expense allocation in 2013 was:  $791,455.28

No information was provided regarding direct expenses other than they totaled $110,788.17 in 2013

All year end fund balances PRIOR to EOY 2013 were reduced to zero (yes, nothing left, zilch) because of theft/shortfalls in revenue.

The TOTAL BALANCE IN ACCRUED EXCESS PARKING REVENUES (profit) AS OF EOY 2013 is:  $162,070.

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Village’s plan to lease Gilsenan/Gap property falls flat

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Village’s plan to lease Gilsenan/Gap property falls flat
September 10 ,2014

Boyd A. Loving
11:17 PMRidgewood NJ, The following resolution was unanimously approved by Village Council members on 09/08:

#14-219: Reject Bids for Lot 12 – The Gap Parking Lot – Rejects the bids for this project due to the fact that revenues did not meet the Village’s financial expectations and there were too many zoning variances required for both bids that were received.

In a nutshell, there will be no building constructed on the Village owned property between Gilsenan Insurance/Realty and The Gap. Those who were interested in the lease proposed offering way too little in terms of annual rent, and wanted to build a structure(s) much larger than what the Village Council had envisioned.

Village Council members, and select Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce members, had hoped a real estate development firm would step forward and offer big bucks to construct a 2-story retail/office building on the property. The revenues would have been earmarked for the construction of a parking deck at the Hudson Street parking lot.

This is the second complete failure associated with this plan

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Ridgewood developers would add parking

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Ridgewood developers would add parking

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
Print

RIDGEWOOD — The village will be getting some much-needed parking along North Walnut Street under the terms outlined in a 42-page bid soliciting potential developers for the downtown’s redevelopment zone.

A new Request for Proposal and Qualifications, or RFP, has been issued by Ridgewood officials and seeks the redevelopment of 10 properties the heart of the Central Business District.

The 2.07 acres — some of it municipally owned — was designated a “redevelopment zone” by officials in 2007, which permits mostly retail and restaurant uses.

The redevelopment zone — currently the site of an ice cream shop, an 89-space parking lot, a mechanic’s shop, restaurants and retail stores — further allows for residential developments and is already being considered by at least one developer for a future assisted-living facility for seniors.

The RFP states that all proposals and plans from interested developers must be submitted by December and must include some manner of parking garage.

While an issue for decades, the village’s lack of parking has become an increasing concern for businesses and residents.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-developers-would-add-parking-1.1084530