Mark Krulish , Staff Writer, @Mark_KrulishPublished 7:46 p.m. ET April 5, 2017 | Updated 19 hours ago
RIDGEWOOD — Barring any unforeseen developments, the village will soon be home to a new residential complex on Chestnut Street.
Chestnut Village, a 43-unit apartment complex, will include seven units set aside for affordable housing. It will be built at the site of the old state inspection station, near the village’s central garage.
April 6th, 2017
Dear Great Friends on the Ridgewood blog ,
Information about Ridgewood Water safety has been discussed on major news channels, as well as in social media. Please read the following notice, in its entirety, so that you may understand the facts surrounding what has occurred. The safety of consumers is paramount to Ridgewood Water, which is the reason behind actions which were taken.
Yesterday, April 5th, Ridgewood Water learned that a sample testing of raw, untreated groundwater resulted in a detection of fecal microbes. This sampling of raw water occurred prior to standard treatment and regular disinfection, before entering into the distribution system. As a precautionary measure, the affected well was immediately shutdown. Further, a DEP technical requirement was implemented, requiring notification to consumers within the distribution area. Those registered for Ridgewood Water messaging, were notified via the Ridgewood Water reverse 911 list.
The timing of the consumer notification was based on the date of sample collection and subsequent results, which were reported to Ridgewood Water less than 24 hours later, on April 5th. Ridgewood Water consulted with the New Jersey DEP and EPA on notice requirements.
The distribution areas covered by this notification include:
all of Glen Rock
Ridgewood south of Monte Vista and east of the rail line,
Wyckoff in the areas of Goffle Road, Hopper Ave, Ravine Court and Ravine Avenue
Midland Park in the vicinity of the Godwin Avenue shopping center, including the ACME Supermarket on Lake Street.
In order to be compliant with the DEP regulations, and in an abundance of caution, Ridgewood Water has advised that those consumers living in the distribution areas covered by this notification should use bottled water or boil water before using it. The boil water advisory will be lifted once RidgewoodWater receives favorable lab results from subsequent testing. You can learn more about whether your area is affected by calling Ridgewood Water at 201-670-5520.
Kindly share this information with your friends and neighbors.
Heather A. Mailander
Village Manager
201/670-5500 x202
file photo by Boyd Loving
By Dino Flammia April 6, 2017 3:00 AM
Nationally in 2016, the average property tax bill on a single family home was $3,296.
In New Jersey, it was $8,477, reinforcing the state’s reputation as being the least tax-friendly to its residents.
According to a report released Thursday by real estate database ATTOM Data Solutions, New Jersey easily takes the top spot for highest property taxes, beating out second-place New York by more than $1,400.
Relative to the average market value of single family homes in the state, New Jersey also posted the highest tax rate in the nation — 2.31 percent, the California-based company said. The rate topped 2 percent in only four other states – Illinois, New Hampshire, Texas and Vermont.
“New Jersey homeowners in 2016 paid a cumulative total of over $20 billion in property taxes just on single family homes,” said ATTOM senior vice president Daren Blomquist.
That represents nearly 10 percent of the $277 billion levied on single family homes nationwide, according to the report.
Read More: New report shows how much more NJ pays in property taxes vs. rest of U.S. | https://nj1015.com/new-report-shows-how-much-more-nj-pays-in-property-taxes-vs-rest-of-u-s/?trackback=tsmclip
Full Weekday Service Set To Resume Friday A.M.; Cross-Honoring Continues For Customer Convenience
April 7,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, be prepared for a few snafu’s but NJ TRANSIT will resume full weekday service into and out of Penn Station New York (PSNY) for Friday morning, pending completion of track repairs by Amtrak. Amtrak has committed to reopening the closed section of track near PSNY by 4 a.m.
At approximately 9 a.m. Monday morning, NJ TRANSIT’s Northeast Corridor line train #3926 experienced a slow-speed derailment while pulling in to Track 9 at New York’s Penn Station. Three cars in the middle of the ten car train derailed. These were cars 5, 6, and 7.
Amtrak, which owns and maintains the tracks near Penn Station New York, has determined that a track problem was the cause of the derailment
Northeast Corridor (NEC) and North Jersey Coast Line (NJCL) schedules will return to full regular weekday service. MidTOWN Direct trains will resume service to and from PSNY. Raritan Valley Line (RVL) mid-day trains will resume direct service to and from PSNY.
“We now know that deficiencies in Amtrak’s infrastructure at Penn Station New York caused an extremely difficult and challenging week for our customers,” said Executive Director Steven H. Santoro. “We appreciate and value all of our customers and thank them for their patience. I want to assure our riders that NJ TRANSIT is doing everything possible to ensure Amtrak sets the bar higher on maintaining their infrastructure to prevent these types of incidents..”
As customers return to regular weekday schedules, cross honoring will remain in effect with NJ TRANSIT bus, light rail, private carrier bus, NY Waterway ferry, and PATH at Newark, Hoboken and 33rd Street.
Note: The special New York Waterway ferry from Hoboken Terminal will not operate.
For the latest travel information, customers should visit njtransit.com, access NJ TRANSIT’s Twitter feed at @NJTRANSIT or listen to broadcast traffic reports. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system (www.njtransit.com/mytransit), which delivers travel advisories to your smartphone. Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555.
file photo by Boyd Loving
..HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING…
…FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING…
The Flood Watch is now in effect for
* Portions of southern Connecticut, northeast New Jersey, and
southeast New York, including the following areas, in southern
Connecticut, Northern Fairfield, Northern Middlesex, Northern
New Haven, Northern New London, Southern Fairfield, Southern
Middlesex, Southern New Haven, and Southern New London. In
northeast New Jersey, Eastern Bergen, Eastern Essex, Eastern
Passaic, Eastern Union, Hudson, Western Bergen, Western Essex,
Western Passaic, and Western Union. In southeast New York,
Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan), Northeastern
Suffolk, Northern Nassau, Northern Queens, Northern
Westchester, Northwestern Suffolk, Orange, Putnam, Richmond
(Staten Island), Rockland, Southeastern Suffolk, Southern
Nassau, Southern Queens, Southern Westchester, and
Southwestern Suffolk.
* Until 8 PM EDT this evening
* Rainfall, heavy at times, through this afternoon before
gradually decreasing from west to east late this afternoon into
early this evening. Thunderstorms with locally heavier rainfall
rates are also possible, especially during this afternoon. Any
new rainfall will exacerbate already swollen rivers and streams.
* Total rainfall of around one to two inches expected, with
locally higher amounts possible especially with any
thunderstorms. In addition to the potential for river
flooding, urban and small stream flooding remains likely.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on
current forecasts. You should monitor later forecasts and be
alert for possible flood warnings. Those living in areas prone to
flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding
develop.
no its not the town garage in Ridgewood
BY S.P. SULLIVAN | NJ ADVANCE MEDIA
New Jersey has more places under the federal Superfund program, which prioritizes cleanups of dangerous contaminated sites, than any other state.
Many have histories more colorful than an oil slick: A massive chemical fire at a mob-controlled waste storage facility. Agent Orange in the Passaic River. Local wildlife turned green. And the only site ever to be put on the Superfund list twice.
While many of those sites have been cleaned up, they require longterm treatment and monitoring. With the EPA’s budget on the chopping block under President Donald Trump’s administration, advocates worry things will backslide for the Superfund, which has already been near-broke for decades.
“Just think about it: We’ve got over a hundred Superfund sites in this state. We’ve got 21 counties,” former Gov. Jim Florio, who wrote the Superfund law when he was in Congress in the early 1980s, said recently. “Nobody lives very far from these sites.”
BERGEN COUNTY
Garfield Groundwater Contamination
The former E.C. Electroplating company’s activity at this Garfield site spilled and leaked cancer-causing chromium into the ground, creating a plume of groundwater contamination at least a half a mile wide. One of New Jersey’s orphan sites, the EPA hasn’t identified a funding source for a cleanup, and says there’s “insufficient data” to measure the risk it poses to the surrounding community.
The city’s mayor appeared in front of a U.S. Senate hearing to plead for federal dollars for the site in 2014, but the cleanup still lacks funds.
Curcio Scrap Metal, Inc.
This active scrap metal yard in Saddle Brook saw a spill of oil containing PCBs in the 1980s and a major cleanup project in the 90s. Because of the nature of the work done there, it was also contaminated with heavy metals and volatile organic compounds, according to the EPA. Soil cleanup was completed long ago but groundwater cleanup is ongoing.
Fair Lawn Well Field
This site includes three municipal drinking water wells in the Bergen County borough. Volatile organic compounds were detected in the water in the late 1970s and traced to a nearby industrial park. Monitoring is ongoing, but the EPA says it has “insufficient data” to determine the site’s threat to human health.
(EPA)
Maywood Chemical Co.
The Maywood Chemical Works processed radioactive thorium ore from 1916 to 1955. The work generated chemical and radioactive waste.
The site is being cleaned up by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the company deemed responsible for the contamination. Cleanup of radioactive soil is “underway” and the rest of the plan is “in development,” according to EPA.
Quanta Resources Corporation
This site saw nearly a century of coal tar, paving and roofing material production along what was once an industrial wasteland along the Hudson River. Now surrounded by booming waterfront development, the EPA is overseeing cleanup of PCBs and other contaminants, but says it has “insufficient data” to determine the site’s threat to human health.
Berry’s Creek Study Area
A small chunk of the Meadowlands in Bergen County is home to three distinct Superfund sites along Berry’s Creek, a six-mile tributary of the Hackensack River. The area includes the Scientific Chemical site in Carlstadt, Universal Oil Products site in East Rutherford and the Ventron/Velsicol site, which spans Wood-Ridge and Carlstadt.
All three sites are laden with PCBs and Berry’s Creek is considered among the most mercury-laden locations in the country. Only the Scientific Chemical site is listed as “under control.”
Map of low zone affected by Ridgewood Water Boil water alert
UPDATE ON BOIL WATER ADVISORY 4/6/17 8:30am
From Ridgewood water
Ridgewood NJ, On Wednesday, April 5th, Ridgewood released a public notification and boil water advisory to customers in Glen Rock and portions of the Ridgewood and Wyckoff. Copy of the full notice is available on the Ridgewood Water and Village of Ridgewood websites. The groundwater source where the detection was made is in Ridgewood and was disinfected before distribution into the system. As a precaution, the NJDEP requires public notification to the entire low pressure zone of our system. This zone includes all of Glen Rock, the portion of Ridgewood south of Monte Vista Avenue and east of the rail line, and the portion of Wyckoff in the area of Goffle Road, Hopper Avenue, Ravine Court and Ravine Avenue.
Ridgewood apologizes for this inconvenience. Fortunately the detection was in the raw water, prior to treatment and release into the system. The drinking water warning and boil advisory is an excess of caution. There is no E-coli outbreak. We hope to lift the advisory by Friday of this week.
Many customers are asking why we notified them a day after the sample was collected. The lab collected the sample on Tuesday and reported the results to us on Wednesday. Upon receiving their notification, Ridgewood proceeded with initiating the public notice. This included consulting with the NJDEP and EPA on the form of the notice.
Please share this information with neighbors, friends and anyone that doesn’t have access to the internet.
file photo by Boyd Loving
April 5,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Wednesday nights Village Council Work Session offered 10 takeaways :
1. Pomander walk is going to have parking on one side of the street once again. Ordinance today, new ordinance tomorrow.
2. Cambridge-Bogert is going to have limited times with no parking, based on school drop-offs and pick-ups. That ordinance lasted maybe a month, and now is being changed again.
3. The Schedler home is going to be saved.
4. Cynthia Halaby’s “Conservancy” is going to be celebrating daffodils while advocating for the clear-cutting of all trees on the Schedler property and while clinging emotionally to a couple of crappy trees at the train station parking lot. Isabella Altano did an amazing job of completely discrediting the so-called conservancy.
5. The water department talked about their efforts to reduce lead in the drinking water and the fact that the E. coli was found in water that had not been treated and thus had not made it out to anyone’s homes. They made it clear this is NOT AN OUTBREAK of E. coli, the boiling alert is just a precaution.
6. The bus station may be moved to the train station to create a single transit hub. This would free up many parking spots in the core of the village by Van Neste. It would also get buses off of Ridgewood Avenue and onto Franklin Avenue. Of course with high density housing slated for the Ken Smith property, there is going to be a lot more traffic on Franklin anyway. And the bus station on the other side of the tracks would take away some spots there. But overall there would be a net gain of 38 (?) spots.
7. The garage was discussed with next steps being tossed around. There is still talk of having some stores on the ground floor which would necessarily reduce the number of parking spots in the structure. Some pointed out that there is an abundance of empty stores in town, so why build more?
8. Herr Halaby felt he needed to state that Mayor Knudsen has sons on the police force so anything she says or does is tainted.
9. Central Valet might not happen because potential bidders were unwilling to bid if there is not a place for them to valet the cars TO.
10. Village Manager Mailander is doing an amazing job, so clear and organized and professional. She is the breath of fresh air that this office needed after the former stink bomb.
This included live discussions on parking on Pomander Walk, parking Cambridge Road and Bogert Avenue and Repeat Zone Parking.
Unlike the previous council ,the current council tried to look at the local parking issues in a more holistic approach reminded residents that its going to take compromise . Keeping in mind the unintended consequences of parking regulations on neighboring streets , local businesses and pedestrian safety.
Again the Village engineer with help of the Ridgewood Police put together a compromise plan the could hopes will me most of the local parking objections .
Repeat Zone Parking was more of an issues to get CBD employees to not park in customer parking . The issues has been raised that employees have not been parking in the designated spots in the CBD ,the main issue for “Repeat Zone Parking” is the amount of hands on effort needed by the parking utility to enforce the “Repeat Zone Parking”. The council and police clearly need a strict definition of “repeat parking”.
The council seemed to uniformly feel business owners the Chamber of Commerce and the Ridgewood Guild need to remind employees parking in the wrong spots cost them money and in the end they are the ones to suffer.
April 6,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, at the Wednesday Council meeting ,Village Engineer Christopher Rutishauser spoke at length on the addition spaces at the train station . Rutishauser suggested some compact car parking spaces to add more spaces . He also said the new plan would involve the planting of more trees at the train station then currently exist.
The Village engineer also suggested moving the Ridgewood Bus Station to the Train Station Property and claimed a net increase in parking spaces would amount to 38. (28 at Train Station and 10 more at Van Nest Square ).
The advantage would be more (10) spaces CBD parking near Van Neste Square, and buses would travel on Franklin ave instead of East Ridgewood Ave . The current bus station is in need of repair and has been a point of contention for the Ridgewood Police department.
According to New Jersey Transit over 900 people take the bus per weekday,300 on Saturday and 100 Sunday’s . There are 6 bus routs the 163,164, 175, 722 ,746, and 752 . On a typical weekday there are 301 bus movements through Van Neste. With peak movement being 7:30-8:30 am (38) and 6:00-7:00 pm (21).
Rutishauser assured the council the cost would be around $300,000 .
The council peppered the engineer with questions on traffic congestion and traffic flow at the Train station as well as Franklin Ave. They asked about the impact of new previously approved development coming to the Central Business District which will add to Franklin avenue traffic. The discussion also veered to returning the Gerber square streets back to their original two lanes .
April 6 2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Reader said last night , “All Bottled Water flying off the shelves by the case fulls at 2 supermarkets this evening in Glen Rock and Ridgewood/Paramus. Wondered why, the shoppers, said they got a phone call from their schools saying everyone was to have their child bring their own bottled water to school for tomorrow, also, to bring the bottled antibacterial hand soap. Shopping carts were to the brim with cases of bottled water and shelves going bare. Stock workers in both stores were bringing out more loads to put on shelves, as cases were given directly to people waiting for the bottled water.”
April 6,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ,first and foremost there is NO E.COLI OUT BREAK ! At Wednesday night council meeting Ridgewood Water assured the council that all the proper steps are being taken to have the well back on line by as early as Friday .
From the village website – wells monitoring and tests –“Ridgewood will perform weekly raw water monitoring at the two Group 1 wells for the presence of fecal coliform, e. coli and turbidity.”
https://water.ridgewoodnj.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=119&Itemid=108
https://water.ridgewoodnj.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=126&Itemid=75
List of wells locations –“One Group 3 raw water sample collected prior to disinfection from Wortendyke Well #6 indicated potential evidence of vulnerability to fecal contamination. However, water from this well is already being treated to achieve 4-log removal of viruses.”
“This well was removed from service pending further evaluation. All subsequent samples collected from this well have indicated negative for fecal contamination vulnerability indicators. No evidence of potential vulnerability to fecal contamination was observed at any other Group 3 wells”
Vagianos Assembly Campaign Launch 2017
FriendsTwo years ago I ran for election to the NJ State Assembly in New Jersey’s 40th Legislative District. With your help and support we came incredibly close to winning an election that many thought could not be won. Along with my running mate, Christine Ordway, we ran an issues-oriented, solution-based campaign. As you know, Chris and I are fiscally conservative and socially progressive–watch your money and stay out of people’s personal lives. As we’ve always said, we are not politicians, we are businesspeople who truly believe that New Jersey can do so much better. From fiscal reform in Trenton to working with people on both sides of the aisle, there is much work to be done.We are ready to finish what we started in 2015—This is the year we flip the 40th Legislative District. On Saturday April 15, 2017 at 10 am, Chris and I, along with our new running mate Tom Duch, will be launching our 2017 Assembly race from what is probably the finest eating establishment in northern New Jersey–It’s Greek to Me in Ridgewood. It would mean a lot to me if you could join us as we begin our journey.I hope to see you there.Paul
PUBLIC SCOPING HEARING NOTICE
TAKE NOTICE that the Village of Ridgewood has contacted the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Green Acres Program, proposing to legalize a past diversion of .38 acres of diverted parkland – specifically Block 3905 Lot 19; located at 308-316 South Broad Street and formerly referred to as the South Broad Street Playground. This scoping hearing is intended to alert the public to the Village of Ridgewood’s obligation to legalize the past diversion and provide replacement open space land.
Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:36-26.8(a) a scoping hearing to obtain public comment on this request will be held at:
Village Council Public Meeting
Village Hall Court Room, 4th Floor
131 N. Maple Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
May 10, 2017
8:00PM
All interested parties are invited to attend and participate in the scoping hearing. Written comments on the diversion legalization may be directed to Village Manager’s Office at (201)-670-5500 x204 or in writing to Village Manager, Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450..Please send a copy of any comments submitted on this request to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Green Acres Program, Bureau of Legal Services and Stewardship, Mail Code 501-01,
501 East State Street, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420.
Public Comment on this diversion legalization will be accepted during the scoping hearing or until May 24, 2017.
Cross-Honoring Continues, Enhanced Ferry Service to Midtown
April 6,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT is adding additional train service to the holiday schedule for the Wednesday morning and afternoon peak periods on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and North Jersey Coast Lines (NJCL) operating into Penn Station New York (PSNY). Additionally, enhanced cross-honoring ferry service into midtown Manhattan will be available every half-hour at Hoboken Terminal during morning and afternoon peak periods.
At approximately 9 a.m. Monday morning, NJ TRANSIT’s Northeast Corridor line train #3926 experienced a slow-speed derailment while pulling in to Track 9 at New York’s Penn Station. Three cars in the middle of the ten car train derailed. These were cars 5, 6, and 7.
Please Note: Customers are advised to expect this level of service through the close of the service day on Thursday, April 6, 2017 as Amtrak continues to make repairs in PSNY.
Highlights of the additional peak period train service include the following: two additional trains will operate on the North Jersey Coast Line (NJCL) providing one seat rides to/from Bay Head during morning and afternoon peak periods; two additional trains on the NEC will operate to/from New Brunswick; and one additional NEC train will operate to/from Trenton making local stops (except Jersey Ave. in a.m.).
The following additional trains will operate inbound to PSNY:
NJCL 5:45 a.m. from Bay Head
NJCL 6:59 a.m. from Bay Head
NEC 8:11 a.m. from New Brunswick
NEC 8:41 a.m. from New Brunswick
NEC 8:32 a.m. from Trenton (local stops except Jersey Ave.)
The following additional trains will operate outbound from PSNY:
• NEC 4:38 p.m. to Jersey Ave.
• NEC 5:28 p.m. to Jersey Ave.
• NJCL 5:38 p.m. to Bay Head
• NEC 6:31 p.m. local to Trenton (including Jersey Ave. stop)
• NJCL 6:38 p.m. to Bay Head
Enhanced ferry service
Beginning at 6:30 a.m. through 9:30 a.m. New York Waterway Ferry will operate service from Hoboken Terminal slip 5 to 39th St. in midtown Manhattan every half-hour. This service will operate in the afternoon peak hours between 3:30 p.m. (39th St Manhattan) and 7:00 p.m. All of these trips will accept and cross honor NJ TRANSIT tickets and passes to New York.
NJ TRANSIT is continuing the HOLIDAY schedule for the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and North Jersey Coast Line (NJCL). Customers should locate the SATURDAY/SUNDAY/HOLIDAY schedule on their timetables and note that all trains will be operating, including those listed in the color-shaded columns.
NJ TRANSIT and private bus carriers have increased bus service as much as possible on routes along the affected rail lines. Academy has enhanced their PNC park-and-ride service to accommodate North Jersey Coast Line customers. Suburban Transit has also added service to accommodate Northeast Corridor customers.
MidTOWN Direct trains continue to operate in and out of Hoboken Terminal where customers can access PATH, NJ TRANSIT bus service and New York Waterway ferry.
Raritan Valley Line service will operate on a regular weekday schedule and originate/terminate at Newark Penn Station.
Main/Bergen, Pascack Valley, Port Jervis and Atlantic City Rail Lines will operate on regular weekday schedules.
Customers are encouraged to check njtransit.com for complete details.
Cross honoring remains in effect with NJ TRANSIT bus, light rail, private carrier bus, NY Waterway ferry, and PATH at Newark, Hoboken and 33rdStreet. Path also has increased its level of service to accommodate the additional demand.
Hoboken services will be impacted due to the additional trains in the terminal. Because of track limitation in the terminal some Summit-bound trains will be impacted.
Due to the circumstances, impacted customers are advised to build in additional travel time as delays and overcrowding conditions are anticipated.
