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Reader says I see the sign every day as I drive up Franklin and it says ” Town Garage”! can the message be any clearer?

town_garage_theridgewoodblog

The old town garage site which is in the process of being remediated due to gasoline and dry cleaning contaminants is the perfect place for a new garage if it is deemed needed. It is in the center of town baking it useful to employees, shoppers, diners and commuters. Franklin Avenue is in desperate need of a makeover. It is a wide much used street and could fit in quite nicely. In 2008 aproposal was made to put in apartments over some shops and a garage with a small park ( trees and a bench or two) on the Franklin Avenue side. At the time the developer would have done the cleanup.

Tanks have been removed already There is 900,000 dollars in the budget for cleanup and the DEP is coming in March to test soils in the area

It is now 2017, we are doing the remaining cleanup and could own the entire area with minimum difficulty. Now we have an asset and would be in control of how we develop it. An enviable position to be in and a much better spot than the Hudson Street location which is a narrow street, across from a church and could have a negative impact on small businesses in the area. I see the sign every day as I drive up Franklin and it says ” Town Garage”! can the message be any clearer?

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Reader says Ridgewood CBD parking instructions are “convoluted”

Ridgewood Parking signs

Just rec’d an email with convoluted parking instructions for various locations throughout town; spaces marked by special symbols for various uses – shoppers, commuters, employees…. Do they really expect us to remember all of these rules and symbols? I’m sure it looks like a perfect solution for the bureaucrat that designed it but to us regular folks it’s ridiculous and too complicated to be effective. We should have built the garage and voters only have themselves to blame. I went into town the other night at 4:30 for the first time probably all year, had to drive around half a dozen times to find a parking space, traffic was backed up, cars double parked, it was a mess. It will be another year before I return.

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Parking changes coming to downtown Ridgewood

Chestnut_street_parking_theridgewoodblog

Mark Krulish , Staff Writer, @Mark_Krulish5:37 p.m. EST December 21, 2016

RIDGEWOOD – To free up parking spaces for downtown shoppers, the Village council has made changes to employee and commuter parking.

Cottage Place, the village’s largest municipal lot, will have meters priced at 50 cents per hour.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/ridgewood/2016/12/21/parking-changes-coming-downtown-ridgewood/95696582/

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Turnover, trials and triumph at Ridgewood parking spot

parking_enforcement_theridgewoodblog

file photo

Christopher Maag , Staff Writer, @Chris_Maag4:19 a.m. EST November 27, 2016

Parking spot No. 24 in Ridgewood is an excellent spot for parking. It sits across Walnut Street from Memorial Park, smack in the middle of the downtown shopping district, next to the Alex & Ani jewelry shop and close to popular places like Starbucks, the Warner movie theater and the Country Pancake House.

Spot No. 24 is so good, in fact, that it’s nearly impossible to park there.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/business/2016/11/26/thanksgiving-holiday-parking/94427842/

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Ridgewood Meter Money Still Missing

pile us quarters 190605695

October 18,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, According to Activist Bill Brennan , when $860,000 in parking meter change was stolen from the Village of Ridgewood no one expected that Thomas Rica’s confession would allow him to pay back a mere $250,000 and avoid spending any time in jail whatsoever….When Brennan wrote this in August of 2015, Rica has paid back less than $100,000 of the $860,000 that went missing and he will never serve a day in jail for his crime.

Readers find it hard to believe Ridgewood meter thief acted alone and went unnoticed for so long
https://theridgewoodblog.net/readers-find-it-hard-to-believe-meter-thief-acted-alone-and-went-unnoticed-for-so-long/

10 Year Old Ryan Leo Kamm asks ,How did coin thief get away?
https://theridgewoodblog.net/10-year-old-ryan-leo-kamm-asks-how-did-coin-thief-get-away/

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October 5th Village of Ridgewood Work Session Recap

Village Council work session

photo by Boyd Loving

October 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  Ellie Gruber and Jeanne Epiphan gave a presentation on the state of Gypsy and Kings Pond. Invasive species is a huge problem as well as a dilapidated dam.  Wildscape felt at the very least a fence should be put in place that would help to mitigate the encroachment of damaging species of plants such as Japanese Knotweed.  Tim Cronin said that permits from the DEP would be necessary but the preliminary work could begin if the council agreed.  Jeff Voigt suggested including the Eagle Scouts in the project.  A scout leader was present and said that it could be done.  The council agreed to move forward on the project beginning with the fence.

Next on the agenda was a presentation by the village engineer and resident Jeanne Johnson on the availability of a grant for the purpose of pedestrian safety and alternate transit opportunities ( bikes) for municipalities.  Better stop lights, bike lanes, refuge islands etc.  Mayor Knudsen felt that she would need more information as there had been many  complaints regarding the Garber Square do to the so called improvements ie “traffic easing” and  “suicide bike lane”. The council will read the plans and come to a decision.  The grant application is due November 10th.

Parking was next on the agenda and the council continued its discussion on how best to increase parking options in the CBD for shoppers, employees and commuters.  One idea was to try a pilot program at the Chestnut Street Lot which would use a kiosk which accepts coins, credit cards and Park Mobile.  This seemed doable and the council authorized going forward with this program. Much talk over fees throughout the town at the meters and the lots . Heather will be working on the several ordinances needed to address the changes.

It was  obvious how hard the council is working to improve parking and to mindful of the cost to the village.

Deputy Mayor Mike Sedon explained changes in our tree replacement program which includes allowing the village to examine trees on private property and if a tree had a diameter larger than 6 inches, it could not be taken down unless it was deemed diseased, dead or a hazard.  Trees that are taken down would need to be replaced by the property owner or 150 dollars paid to the village for a tree planting in another location. The hope is to replenish or depleting shade tree stock with municipal funds, grants and stricter guidelines for property owners.

A thin blue line is to be painted between two yellow lines on Linwood Avenue to show support for our police force.

Village Engineer Christopher Rutishauser seemed to contract “foot in mouth disease”,when talking about the Village tree stock he used the term Ghetto Palms to describe a tree that grows in Patterson ,saying “The Paterson Palm.  A tree that grows best in ghettos.” he would like to eradicate in Ridgewood.  It was said in a somewhat derogatory manner and both Anne and Boyd spoke about this during public comment.  They were highly offended. Other felt it was a dumb and insensitive comment.

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TONIGHTS RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL’S PUBLIC WORKSHOP AGENDA

village Council

October 5,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, tonights Village Council agenda features ; parking,Kings pond, lighting in public parks ,Airbnb,tree preservation and updates to the “Open Space Master plan”.

THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL’S PUBLIC WORKSHOP AGENDA

OCTOBER 5, 2016

1.         7:30 pm – Call to Order – Mayor

2.         Statement of Compliance with Open Public Meeting Act

Mayor: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin      board in Village Hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission      to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and             time of this meeting.”

3.         Roll Call – Village Clerk

4.         Flag Salute/Moment of Silence

5.         Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person – 30 Minutes in Total)

6.         Public Hearing – Bergen County Open Space Grant – Kings/Gypsy Pond

7.         Presentation

  1. TAP Grant Opportunity8.         Discussion
  1. Ridgewood Water
  1. Award Contract – Ridgewood Press
  2. Award Contract – Professional Engineering Services – Various Improvements to Booster/Transfer Stations
  3. Award Contract – Professional Services for the Feasibility Study for Removing PFCs at the Carr Treatment Facility
  4. Award Contract – Control Valves at Various Locations
  5. Award Contract – EUS – SCADA Software, Hardware & Support b.         Parking
  1. Tiered Parking Meter Prices and Parking Permit Pricing
  2. Parking Reallocation at Parking Lots
  3. NJ Transit Parking Garagec.         Budget
  1. Update of Open Space Master Plan – Survey
  2. Kings/Gypsy Pond Grant
  3. Award Contract – Rebid of Furnishing and Delivering of Polymer – Water Pollution Control Facility
  4. Award Partial Contract – Street Paving
  5. Renew Lease on Chestnut Street Lot Garbage Pad
  6. Update of Health Department Retail License Fees 

    d.         Policy

  1. Stigma-Free Task Force Advisory Committee
  2. Tree Preservation Ordinance
  3. Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use – Zoning Regulations for Religious Land Use and Zoning Regulations for Houses of Worship and Public Utilities Different in Nature with Different Standards
  4. Encroachment Agreement for Titos Burritos
  5. Lighting Policy in Parks
  6. Regulations for Airbnb
  7. Best Practices Inventory and Resolutions to Affirm Current Procedures
  8. Human Resources Manual 

    e.         Operations

  1. Traffic Calming Proposal – Bogert Avenue and Cambridge Road
  2. Sherman Road and Stanley Place Safety Improvements
  3. County Shared Services Road Resurfacing 

    9.         Review of October 12, 2016 Regular Public Meeting Agenda

    10.       Manager’s Report

    11.       Council Reports

    12.       Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person)

    13.       Resolution to go into Closed Session

    14.       Closed Session

    a.         Personnel – Police Department

    b.         Contractual – Shared Services Agreement – Washington Township

    c.         Legal – Legal Bills

    15.       Adjournment

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Sign of the Times in Ridgewood

Ridgewood Parking signs

September 19,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, No sign in the central business district seems to raise more consternation that the “parkmobile App” only sign at the Chestnut street parking lot. The lot it seems is only accessible for smart phone users with credit cards.

As reported on this blog it all started in May of 2015  , “Starting May 11th the Multi-space meter in the Chestnut Street Parking Lot will be deactivated. The new method of payment for up to 3 hours of parking at .50 cents per hour will be by phone using the Parkmobile App” https://theridgewoodblog.net/chestnut-street-parking-lot-goes-parkmobile-app/

While some find it hard to believe that people actually function in this day and age without a smart phone or a debit/credit card . Others are not fond of giving out credit card information or being tracked by the latest app. Parkmobile has gone to great lengths to assure uses that you personal information is encrypted and safe . Non stop stories of the latest hacking give one pause to think.

So is the latest parking technology a convenience or a nuisance ? Or survival of the fittest and just one more step in the battle for parking in Ridgewood’s central business district ?

And the sign said “Long-haired freaky people need not apply”
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said “You look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you’ll do”
So I took off my hat, I said “Imagine that. Huh! Me workin’ for you!”
Whoa-oh-oh

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?

And the sign said anybody caught trespassin’ would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and-a yelled at the house
“Hey! What gives you the right?”
“To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in”
“If God was here he’d tell you to your face, man, you’re some kinda sinner”

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?

Now, hey you, mister, can’t you read?
You’ve got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
You can’t even watch, no you can’t eat
You ain’t supposed to be here
The sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside
Ugh!

And the sign said, “Everybody welcome. Come in, kneel down and pray”
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all
I didn’t have a penny to pay
So I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said, “Thank you, Lord, for thinkin’ ’bout me. I’m alive and doin’ fine”
Wooo!

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Sign
Sign, sign

Written by Les Emmerson

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Some Readers Still Believe a super majority of your neighbors and out of town shoppers/diners would say Parking is the biggest problem in the Ridgewood

Ridegwood parking Town  garage 12:10 5 24 2016

We should probably all accept that our form of government allows a small minority to rule the day. Whether you’re for or against parking that’s what essentially happened twice with four years in between events. Lost in these small minorities exerting their will is the fact that we cannot make progress on parking; an issue that, like it or not, a super majority of your neighbors and out of town shoppers/diners would say is the biggest problem in the CBD. So we fight over specific solutions.

Anyone that’s been here more than a week and a half laughed out loud when someone recently had the genius idea to build parking at the Town Garage site. Why? Because 10 or so years ago, we went through this same process with a design, bonding, etc. for a garage there. What happened? A small group of people objected and the project was killed. Fortunately our spasm this year happened before we bonded so we don’t need to service debt that won’t be used. Anyone care to go back into the meeting minutes to see if someone suggested Hudson Street as a better alternative then? Round and round we go.

So we may seem to be left with glacial progress on big issues. But maybe not. Let’s have the argument once and be done with it: let’s form a Charter Commission to review the town charter. Maybe we need a ward system, allowable under the terms of our charter, to ensure single issue (again, for or against, no difference here) council-people from one section of the village don’t rule the day. Perhaps a different charter altogether is in order. But something needs to change or we’ll find ourselves with a different kind of village leadership: leadership that wears black robes and doesn’t ever need a single vote for re-election. It’s already begun.

 

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Reader says Bye Bye Ridgewood Garage

Hudson Street Parking Garage

We ALL know that there is ample parking. Even Sonenfeld says so. The problem is that PROMISES WERE MADE to certain key people that a garage would be built near their properties and businesses in the business district. What Aronsohn, Saraceno, Pucciarelli, Vaggianos, Sonenfeld, Hauck and company failed to consider is that the town if full of very smart people. And the people rose up and ran a petition drive and stopped the insanity. Bye Bye Garage.

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Readers say Plenty of Parking even with People Waiting for seats at Raymonds

clock_cbd_theridgewoodblog

Well I went to Raymonds for lunch yesterday and had a choice of four, yes four parking spaces within direct line of sight of the restaurant. The restaurant was packed, people waiting for seats. Now I know all you garage supporters will say that this was mid August so of course there was plenty of parking. But town was jumping, people were in Van Neste, Raymonds was crazy busy, and yet there was tons of parking. Like 8:11 said, some kids will do anything to get their parents to buy them a car, including write letters about how there has been a parking problem for 20 years and the author is only 18. So ridiculous.

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This is the Hudson Street lot at 9:20 Friday morning in Ridgewood

hudson street Ridgewood
June 10,2016
by Anne LaGrange Loving

Ridgewood NJ, This is the Hudson Street lot at 9:20 Friday morning. I do not know how many Village Council meetings I have attended at which members of the Chamber of Commerce stated that this lot is filled to capacity first thing in the morning every morning with commuters and restaurant workers. My crummy little camera does not show the scope of how empty the lot was. Please vote NO on June 21. We might (operative word is “might”) need a small increase in parking, but we certainly do not need the gigantic garage that Aronsohn, Roberta, Hauck and Pucciarelli are continuing to promote in the waning days of their time in “power.”

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Monday 530 pm street parking aside the Ridgewood coffee shop across from NJT BUS DEPOT

NJT BUS DEPOT

I wish people would take photos of parking spaces all over town on different days of the week, ordinary and holiday, and at different times to show in aggregate that parking IS AVAILABLE. A large number of photos documented at various times and days of the week would tell the story. Walking a couple of blocks is good for your health! And unless you’re going to a Hudson St. or S. Broad Street venue, you’ll walk a couple of blocks (or much more) from the garage anyway. Please VOTE NO on June 21 and get an absentee ballot if you can’t.

send them in : onlyonesmallvoice@gmail.com   do not forget date, time

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Reader asks Bergen County Prosecutor Molinelli left with $14,000, were are our Quarters?

pile us quarters 190605695

Past practices are what got us in to the mess we’re in now in the state. Nothing about the status quo is acceptable. NJ and Bergen need clearer thinking and smarter decision making, not payments based on “past practices” without written policy or contractual obligation.

When taxpayer funds are involved, the process should be transparent. Let’s remember this man let Tommy Boy Rica walk free after the theft of at least $500,000 in quarters (and most likely much more) from the Village of Ridgewwod, and now his friend Mordaga, who resigned from Hackensack PD, has an unsealed case to deal with.

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Village manager Roberta Sonefield claims the garage can be vacant, and we can still pay for it with the street parking revenue

parking_enforcement_theridgewoodblog

April 16,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, From “Take Back Ridgewood” Facebook page the  Village manager Roberta Sonefield claims the garage can be vacant, and we can still pay for it with the street parking revenue. Lets build a 4 level garage instead of 5 levels. The Village Manager herself is confirming it this short video.

Which begs the question to anyone who will ever pay it, why increase the meter rates…? If she’s so sure. Why put a further burden on the CBD and potential shoppers. Video courtesy Gail McLaughlin McCarthy  https://www.tubechop.com/watch/7885900