Gee whiz.
Ridgewood NJ, A fuel guzzling, AWD, crew cab pickup truck instead of an economical, environmentally friendly Cushman type vehicle?
The staff of The Ridgewood Blog wonders why?
New Ridgewood Parking Utility vehicle
Tag: Parking meters
So let me get this straight the Village of Ridgewood is paying for a County Built Commuter Parking Garage ?
Chamber of Commerce/Paul Vagianos begged the council to cooperate with each other and “do this in house”…see video of Council meeting Jan 27th…
Roberta dodging his questions of “will this be open to all Bergen County residents?”— the answer is YES, Roberta
Yes, Paul Aronsohn has been “working with the BCIA for 3 years” on this scheme-WHY?
Yes, this will cost more than funding within the Village of Ridgewood
Yes, parking meters in CBD will be extended until 9pm and increase to a triple the rate it is now
Yes, Ridgewood residents will pay the same as out of town commuters
Yes, this garage is for Bergen County, not for the people of Ridgewood who will pay dearly for it
Yes, the 3 amigos are shoving this thru as an end run around our municipal government. It is disgraceful and Ridgewood deserves so much better.
To sign the petition, go to https://www.no2bcia.com to find locations and people to sign with. Thank you!
The petition is to repeal ordinance No 3519, which allows the village to enter into a 25 year lease purchasing agreement with the Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA)
Village of Ridgewood Plans Parking Ticket Blitz to Fund Parking Garage on Hudson Street
Walker study update
https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/
• Construction to start in May 2016, with the garage opening in February of 2017.
• Non-resident permit rates adjusted to be the same as resident permit rates.
• The first set of rate increases going into effect in July of 2016. These include extension of the
meter hours to 9 p.m. as well as increasing on-street meter rates in the core area to 75¢ per
hour.
• The second set of increases – core meters to $1 and all other on- and off-street parking to
75¢ per hour – is projected to begin in February of 2017 when the garage opens.
• It will be imperative that enforcement schedules are extended for the new meter hours and that enforcement is active. Weak enforcement will have a significant negative impact on the revenue stream from the extended meter hours; once people note that they never see people writing tickets in the evening and/or they “get away with it” once or twice, word will get out and the extended meter hours will not produce the level of revenue they should.
Unlike Ridgewood This Meter Thief got Jail Time
Former NJ Parking Facility Manager Gets Prison Term For Theft
February 6, 2016 12:42 PM
TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — The former manager of southern New Jersey park-and-ride facility is headed to prison for stealing nearly $150,000 over three years.
Ocean County prosecutors say Robert Pentz received a four-year sentence on Friday. The 41-year-old Toms River man had pleaded guilty to official misconduct last July.
Prosecutors say Pentz stole money from automatic teller machines he was supposed to be filling as part of his duties at the Toms River Parking Authority’s park-and-ride facility. The thefts were discovered during an audit in 2013, and investigators determined that Pentz took more than $146,640 overall.
Reader say Ridgewood Parking Meter Financial incentives can work to improve things when they are planned carefully
When parking was made half price in lots, I made an effort to park in the lots. When street parking cost the same, I began to park on the street again. And there it is. Financial incentives can work to improve things when they are planned carefully. Doubling and tripling parking fees will cause many people to run away. The town cannot survive by catering only to those who don’t think twice about what they spend on items large or small. What we are facing is endless disincentives, like the prospect of having to pay 35 cents for the privilege of paying to park. For me this will never happen and if the meters stop accepting coins the CBD will never have my business again. Add to that the horrors of the single-lane underpass and now the blinding and stupid sign telling me to shop and dine in my town, and I basically avoid downtown to the greatest possible extent.
Ridgewood Parking Rates and the Hudson Parking Garage
January 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, Are increased meter rates killing down town Ridgewood more than the precised lack of parking ? Both Glen Rock ,Westwood both have lower parking rates Ridgewood and similar down town shopping districts or Central Business districts ( CBD’s ) .
The funny thing was given all the metered parking in the USA there is very little written on the effect of parking fees on shopping behaviors . We did find a pretty in depth study done in Massachusetts by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) which we will refer to in this article.
First it obvious to us that parking fees are only one of many variables in attracting shoppers to a CBD and creating a successful climate for merchants.
Rents, resident demographics , types of retail, destination locations and infrastructure all play a part.
The MAPC makes to interesting points about parking fees :
If free on-street parking means there are never any spaces available, charging for parking can improve business. The inability to find a parking space can be at least as much of a deterrent as the need to pay for one, so if charging a nominal fee for parking means that there are usually a few spaces available rather than there rarely being any spaces available, this may make the area more attractive to customers.( https://www.mapc.org/resources/parking-toolkit/strategies-topic/charging-parking )
In order for charging for parking to be effective, it must free up some parking spaces, which means it must impact travel behavior and reduce demand for parking. The question is whether discouraging people from parking discourages them from visiting the area, or simply encourages them to get there another way. Some possible impacts of charging for parking are given below. Whether potential shoppers who might be deterred by the price of parking are driven away or whether they simply find other ways to get there will depend in part on the availability and appeal of alternate ways to get to the area. ( https://www.mapc.org/resources/parking-toolkit/strategies-topic/charging-parking )
Again the key finding :
A large part of whether charging for parking will negatively impact businesses depends on how attractive the district is relative to other options. If there is a popular mall a short drive away providing many of the same goods and services with free parking, that can increase the likelihood that people will go elsewhere. On the other hand, if the downtown provides enough amenities and attractions – such as restaurants, bars, and appealing outdoor spaces – that cannot be replaced by a mall or isolated shopping center, the downtown is more likely to succeed.( https://www.mapc.org/resources/parking-toolkit/strategies-topic/charging-parking )
But an even more interesting conclusion about garage vs street parking :
Many people prefer to park in on-street parking rather than an off-street lot or garage because of the convenience. If off-street parking is limited or is primarily available as pay lots or garages while on-street parking is free, drivers will tend to circle blocks repeatedly looking for an open space on the street rather than paying to park. This congests streets with unnecessary traffic and pollutes the air with unnecessary emissions. It also means that expensive garages in which the municipality may have invested a significant amount of money may be underutilized and generate less revenue than expected. In this type of situation, implementing charges for on-street parking is critical to free up on-street spaces, encourage drivers to use pay lots or garages, and reduce “cruising” for parking. If off-street parking is priced, on-street parking should be priced as well, and should ideally be priced higher than structured parking. If off-street parking is mostly free surface lots and there is rarely a shortage of spaces available, low prices may be effective in encouraging people to use off-street options where available if convenience is not a top priority. ( https://www.mapc.org/resources/parking-toolkit/strategies-topic/charging-parking )
Ridgewood Parking Utility Revenue
Parking Utility Revenue – 01/01/15 – 11/30/15
January 5,2015
Boyd A. Loving
Ridgewood NJ, This data was obtained via a formal Open Public Records Act request.
As you can see, discounting the insurance company settlement received in connection with the theft of funds by Thomas Rica, the largest source of line item revenue for the Parking Utility during the noted time period is cash from on street parking meters.
Other significant revenue sources include: Fees for annual parking permits, rental fees for dedicated parking at the Route 17 Park & Ride, CBD employee parking at the former Ken Smith Motors facility, metered parking at lots on Cottage Place, North Walnut Street, Prospect Street, Station Plaza, Hudson Street, and the Route 17 Park & Ride, and revenue generated from the Park Mobile smart phone application.
This data should enable you to understand why a proposed increase in metered parking rates, coupled with a extension of the time metered parking is in effect, could significantly boost overall Parking Utility revenues.
Ridgewood Central Business District : Has Higher Parking Fees or Use of the Park Mobil App Impacted Business?
December 14,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, parking is the issue in the Village ,but one issue that no seems to be talking about is if the increase in parking fees has been driving away business from Ridgewood’s Central Business District (CBD)?
In January of 2015 the Village increase parking fees across the board . While lack of parking has been often cited as an issue by local merchants ,what about the parking fees themselves ?
For added convenience the Park Mobil App was introduced but as of this date there have been little or no updates as to the overall numbers of people using the app and the amount of revenue it has been generating ?
Perhaps we should analyze out current parking situation to see how either Park Mobil increased parking fees have impacted or not impacted down town shopping, before we assume increased parking fees will finance the Hudson Garage Project .
January 2015 : New Hours and Fees
In response to concerns of the business community and residents, the Cottage Place lot now allows parking for 8 hours, Monday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm. The hourly rate for the meters is 75 cents/hour.
Hourly rates in all Village lots and in streets are now $.50 per hour for a maximum of 3 hours. Street and Lot meters are regulated from 10AM to 6PM, Monday through Saturday. Vehicles parking for more than 3 hours will be in violation and subject to a ticket. Repeat parking is also prohibited
Will the Ridgewood parking deck pay for itself?
Ridgewood News Letter: Will parking deck pay for itself?
DECEMBER 11, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Will parking deck pay for itself?
To the Editor:
The results of the recent election have indicated that there is a need for a parking garage. The village website provided inadequate information. Of the three designs only one was shown.
The consultants have stated that the bond can be retired from the projected revenues. However, there is no evidence of the reliability of these projections.
The design that is favored by many is one that has brick panels. It is pleasing aesthetically. The design is more expensive to build and more expensive to maintain in this climate. No financial considerations appear to have figured in this design. In addition, there is only a small building in the vicinity that has some brick exterior. If the construction bids come too high, will the architect redesign the project at no additional fee?
The revenue projections are based on increased meter fees. When fees are raised, occupancy tends to go down. The financial report cites one case where this happened. If sufficient revenues are not generated, the town residents will be left holding the bag. The consultants and the council members will be long gone.
There is no urgency to build a large deck given the uncertainty of revenue projections. I therefore suggest that the project be built in two phases.
Phil Almeida
Ridgewood
Parking Garage : What does “we have confirmed the economics . . . ” (from PDF attachment) truly mean?
November 23,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, in the PDF on the Village website called “Hudson Street Parking Deck – Message from the Village Manager” . The Village manager makes the bold pronouncement that the “We have already confirmed the economics by commissioning an independent consulting firm whose work was studied and endorsed by the Financial Advisory Committee. ” . Sounds a bit bold given that the final garage decisions have not been made . The three garage options listed would involve different economic assumptions .
The three designs presented included the original structure, as depicted on VOR site, with 405 spaces (130,000sq ft), a modified version with 355 stalls (120,000sq ft) and the lowest profile version with 305 stalls (109,000 sq ft). The cost per stall decreases for each added level:
405 stalls @ $28,000 = 11.5 mil
355 stalls @ $29,300 = 10.4 mil
305 stalls @ $31,000 = 9.5 mil
You can see the higher you go the more efficient the project becomes IF, of course, those spaces are utilized.
While we have gotten many assurances that the garage will pay for it self ,Several funding options had been presented to the Council. Have decisions been reached on increasing parking rates, increasing hours of meter operation, adjusting rates for non-resident parking passes, and increasing enforcement times? Until such decisions have been made and trialed, how could we possibly have “confirmed the economics?” As they stand now, these are just assumptions made on paper by the consultant. Lets face it does anyone really know how much money the parking authority really takes in ? And what happens to all the money being currently used from the parking authority to subsidize other Village activities ?
Before we commit to spending millions of dollars based payback from projected revenue streams, let’s check some of the assumptions out in the field.
Hudson Street Parking Deck – Message from the Village Manager
Click Here
Click Here
Montclair’s parking study puts optimization before construction ,could Ridgewood do the same ?
NOVEMBER 16, 2015 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015, 2:35 PM
BY NICHOLAS KATZBAN
STAFF WRITER |
THE MONTCLAIR TIMES
Thomas Brown of Nelson Nygaard, a New York City-based transportation consulting firm, has been making rounds and fielding questions at Montclair’s ward meetings.
His firm has been consulting the Township Council and other municipal offices on a parking survey, hoping to answer the many questions and complaints from townsfolk regarding what some view as a dearth of available and appropriately timed parking spaces.
During this past Thursday’s 1st Ward community meeting, Brown said, “Every town I go to, whether it’s New York City, Washington, D.C., or small towns like Davenport, Iowa, everyone is convinced they have inadequate parking supplies.”
Brown explained it is common to see “congestion of demand” in certain areas, and the possibility to shift demand to other areas that are underutilized.
The consultant used the word “management” to explain the study’s overall purpose, but he did not take the construction of new parking facilities off the table. He highlighted the importance of seeking alternative solutions that do not require the construction of new spaces. “That’s where we start. If we feel, at the end of the day, it’s not enough, then we start talking about supply.”
After the meeting, Brown spoke with The Montclair Times, and broke down his company’s strategy into three stages.
First, he said, the firm will look at how many available parking spaces are in a municipality – in this case, Montclair. Next, it would look at the busiest time for a shopping district, or other area with congested parking. Third, it would count how many spaces in that area are being used during the district’s peak hours, and more importantly, other nearby parking areas that are not being used.
“To give you an example,” said Brown, “in Vineland, NJ, on their main street the on-street meters would be totally full, but the lots behind the businesses were half empty.
Village Ridgewood :Only thing worse than a sore loser is a sore winner
file photo Boyd Loving
November 6th 2015
Written by Anne LaGrange Loving
I had to shake my head when I read Mayor Paul Aronsohn’s commentary in today’s Ridgewood News Mayor’s Corner about what he referred to as “a disinformation campaign that sought to confuse and undermine” the conversation about the parking deck. How pitiful it is that our Mayor felt it necessary to fire off such harsh criticism against a document that did not support this project.
He characterized the flyer as “distorted;” it had a drawing that was not to exact scale, but unlike the official drawing being put forth from Village Hall, the flyer’s at least included surrounding buildings, thus making it in many ways a more realistic depiction of what is to come.
“Anonymous mailer?” The signs that proclaimed VOTE YES on parking had absolutely no identification as to who had produced and distributed them. What made these less anonymous than the flyer? And what is the Mayor’s great opposition to anonymity? – when we go into the voting booth, we are always anonymous.
The Mayor actually analyzed the language in the flyer and sought to identify the post office from which it was sent? Really? What is the threat that inspired such intense detective work on his part? Of course the flyer was created and sent from a person or persons who opposed the plan; who else would send it? It is dismaying that the mayor is putting so much effort into determining the source of the flyer; this level of investigation suggests that the sender/s, if identified, could be subjected to some kind of retribution. I am hopeful that the Mayor would tread very carefully here, as freedom of speech is a right and a privilege.
Amazingly, when an anonymous email was sent to Councilman Sedon’s employer minutes after his campaign became official in 2014, Mr. Aronsohn took no action. When members of the public implored him to press forward with identifying who tainted our election process by trying to derail a candidate’s campaign, Mr. Aronsohn still did not take any kind of stand. Only when publicly pressed him to DO SOMETHING did he finally, 17 months later, send a very benign request for information, with no outrage about what had happened to Councilman Sedon, and no description of how urgently the citizens of Ridgewood wanted to identify the culprit. I would have to ask the mayor why his indignation about this anonymous parking garage flyer so overshadows his disinterest in the anonymous email during the 2014 elections.
It is a sad state of affairs when our own Mayor does not encourage those who disagree with him to share their opinions with their fellow citizens, and accuses them of undermining an initiative that he supports. I did not write, pay for, or distribute the flyer, and did not even get one in the mail. But, I was very happy to see it and more than willing to share it once I saw it. The flyer provided another part of the conversation about the Parking Garage project. The last time I checked, here in America we are entitled to express ourselves. Speaking up is our right, and the person/s who sent the flyer should be applauded.
Ridgewood voters back parking garage proposal
NOVEMBER 3, 2015, 10:35 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2015, 10:42 PM
BY STEVE JANOSKI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — Village residents voted to support a referendum proposal Tuesday that would bond for up to $15 million to construct a parking garage downtown.
The non-binding referendum, which was meant only to assess public sentiment on the plan, passed by a nearly 2-to-1 margin — 3,236 voted in favor, while 1,777 opposed. Village officials said voter turnout was around 30 percent.
The proposed garage, which officials hope to break ground on next spring, will be built on the corner of Hudson and South Broad streets, the referendum stated, and paid for “principally” with parking revenues. It would add about 300 parking spots to the dense commercial zone.
It is expected to benefit local commuters and residents, as well as customers of downtown shops and restaurants.
Village Mayor Paul Aronsohn said he felt “very good” about the results.
“This is something we’ve talked about in Ridgewood for decades, and it looks like we’re on the verge of making history,” he said. “A parking deck is something we really need. And the folks in Ridgewood came out in large numbers and they spoke with a very compelling voice today.”
Funding for the garage would come from Ridgewood’s parking utility, as well as county and state monies, the referendum said.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-voters-back-parking-garage-proposal-1.1447718
Walker Study : Key verbatim assumptions on Ridgewood Parking Garage
Key verbatim assumptions/findings taken from the Village Council commissioned parking study prepared by Walker Associates:
Easing crowding does not, in and of itself, create a new revenue stream; it transfers revenue
from other metered spaces in the Village. The garage will likely encourage people to come
downtown who have been avoiding it due to parking constraints, but this is not a quantifiable
revenue stream and is not included in our analysis. More conservatively, we project the
following net new revenue streams for the garage:
• The 72-space Brogan Cadillac lot on South Broad Street at Essex Street and at the 92-
space Ken Smith Motors lot just east of the train tracks and north of Franklin Avenue are
going to be demolished for development. Both of these dealerships have closed and
lease out their parking. The Ken Smith Lot is permit parking for downtown employees.
The Brogan Lot accommodates commuters during the day and is leased out for
restaurant valet parking at night. We anticipate these demand streams would transfer
to the garage.
• We understand from Village staff that there are other restaurants downtown that use
valet services in private lots that would use the garage instead (probably doing away
with valet service since self-park options would be easier).
• The Village used to have 120 non-resident commuter permits, but doubled non-resident
permit rates because there was not enough space for these commuters. Currently
there are very few non-resident commuters parking in the train station area. The Village
plans to reduce the non-resident commuter rate to $875/year to increase that demand
stream again.
It is typical in downtowns that the revenue stream in a given garage is not sufficient to cover its
operating costs and debt service. Downtown parking systems are just that – systems – that rely
on pooled revenue from all resources, and especially the on-street meters (which tend to
have the highest turnover), to cover the higher cost associated with building and operating a
garage. This is the case in Ridgewood, where the net new revenue projected for the garage
is not projected to offset its expenses. Therefore, our revenue projection includes all downtown revenue and all expenses associated with the parking system. To operate the
garage and have a revenue-positive parking utility (with funds available for other parking lot
maintenance projects), we project that the Village will increase meter rates as follows:
• In 2016, meters will be extended until 9 p.m. and meter rates on key downtown streets
will increase to 75¢.
• In 2017, 75¢ meters will be increased to $1 and the rest of the on-street and off-street
meters will increase to 75¢.
• If needed, rates would increase by 25¢ after five years.
• Commuter permit rates would increase by $25 in 2021 and 2025.
Why I’ll Just Say “No” to the Parking Garage
October 28,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, With the prospect of being out of State on Election day, I mailed my absentee ballot in so that my voice will be heard on the parking garage “referendum” question. My vote was a resounding NO for some very obvious reasons.
– The property is not suitable for such a large structure
– Cost overruns are inevitable
– On street parking rates will escalate to $1.00 per hour and enforcement will be until 9PM
– Cost of meter enforcement is drastically understated
– A single structure at the west end of the business district will not relieve the parking issues on lower Ridgewood Avenue. Those attending the movies will not scramble up to Hudson Street to park
– The restaurants will cut “deals” for valet parking in the garage thereby skewing the cost justification estimates presented
– We, the taxpayer, will subsidize any and all shortfalls in revenue to pay the multi decade debt service
So what is the real answer to the “parking issue”….. those of us who have been in the Village for many years and have seen the constant drone of ” Oh my God, I had to walk a least a block to get to my pedi/mani appointment and it started to rain on my freshly painted toes on the way back to my car…..OMG my day was ruined because of the parking situation in Ridgewood”
The answer… one level above grade open parking structures at Cottage Place, Walnut Street and Hudson Street. No fancy 4 story facades. Do the numbers…we can have 3 simple structures for the price of one 4 story behemoth on Hudson Street. And, parking will be readily available for the ENTIRE business district not just the few well connected restaurant owners. If this plan moves forward get ready to present your 8:49 PM parking tickets to the three amigos…. Maybe they can chip in to pay them for you…it’s a good thing at least some of them have a day job!
