The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Ridgewood NJ, after being a cornerstone in Ridgewood’s Central Business District for numerous years, Town & Country Apothecary & Fine Cosmetics will regrettably shut its doors on December 23.
Continue reading Town & Country in Ridgewood to Closing for Good on December 23rd
photo courtesy of DDMT
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, it finally feels like fall Councilwomen Lorraine Reynolds and her volunteers were out early planting Fall flowers around Ridgewood’s Central Business district .
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, you heard of the “Adapt a Sapling ” now the Village is promoting “Adopt A Palm” You can foster one of the Ridgewood’s Central Business District palm trees for the winter month’s helping to keep the Village Central Business District beautiful .
Continue reading Warm Homes Needed: Adopt A Village of Ridgewood Palm Tree
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Ridgewood NJ, in an effort to insure pedestrian safety in Ridgewood’s Central Business District the Ridgewood Citizens Safety Advisory Committee proposed putting up 12 banners on light poles that are equipped with banner sleeves in the central business district as part of the Be Street Smart NJ.
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Ridgewood NJ, Rumor has it that Village Council candidate Paul Vagianos–by his own description the past, present, and future savior of Ridgewood’s Central Business District, who lined his pockets with a goodly chunk of the $3 million in tax dollars intended to be used solely to feed the hungry–now seeks to price out his downtown tenants by raising their rent by about 50%.
Continue reading Is Ridgewood Downtown’s Self-Proclaimed Savior Gouging His Tenants?
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Ridgewood NJ, just in time for outdoor dining , for over a week a homeless man has been terrorizing Ridgewood’s Central Business district , eating out of the garbage cans during the day and also harassing women . Witnesses say he has been using the street as a bathroom and often sleeps with metal pipe .
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook Page
May 14,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, For the second time in less than 48 hours, a motor vehicle accident resulted in a passenger car mounting a busy sidewalk in Ridgewood’s Central Business District. The most recent incident occurred in front of 32 South Broad Street, Ridgewood, on Sunday evening, 05/13. Miraculously, no injuries were reported in the mishap despite the sidewalk having been crowded with dozens of restaurant patrons celebrating Mothers Day out. Both damaged vehicles were removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. Ridgewood PD is investigating the crash.
October 28,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood
Ridgewood NJ according to Village Chief Finance Officer Bob Rooney the Walker Report will suggest Ridgewood needs an increase in parking fees and extend parking hours to cover the cost of a down payment for a parking garage on Hudson Street .
The Ridgewood parking utility , if you are a real old timer you may remember the meters were originally installed to provide funding for a garage back in the late 1960’s .
At Wednesdays Village Council meeting the council heard Village Chief Finance Officer Bob Rooney offer some cold hard facts regarding alternative revenue sources to offset the expected $11 million bond, including a $550,000 down payment, needed to cover garage construction costs.
Increased parking rates come as no surprise for most residents , because since 2007 the Village has conceded that in order to build a garage. The Village last raise rates in 2015 at the urging of the defunct FAC or Financial Advisory Committee . The previous administration led by Mayor Aronsohn had parking rate increases as one of the cardinal feature of building their, “Garagezilla”.
According to Rooney ,the parking utility will only break even this year do to the excessive use of the parkmobile app with takes a 30 percent transaction fee on all transactions , fortunately the contract is up early next year in February and the Village will be bidding out looking for a far more satisfactory deal. The current deal was negotiated by the previous Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld . Since May 2015 the village has paid parkmobile $143,000 in fees.
Assuming a cost of 11,000,000 for the garage ,the Village would need $550,000 as a down payment .
Rooney also suggested that a financial feasibility study being done by Walker Parking Consultants is expected to advise higher meter rates and longer hours. Without that, Rooney warned, an increase in the utility budget ie a tax increase would be needed to finance the garage downpayment.
The new new Walker study is expected to advise meter rates of $1 per hour between Broad and Walnut streets downtown, and 75 cents elsewhere. Parking is now free after 6 p.m., but the study is expected to suggests pushing that 8 or 9 p.m.
Rooney also added that a new parking Kiosk will be in operation shortly before thanksgiving witch can except credit cards and while there are trans action fees they are far less than parkmobile .
The law of diminishing returns suggest that the Village maybe quickly nearing a tipping point with parking fees , where higher parking fees will cut into demand for parking in the Central Business District . The Village maybe betting that increased space for commuters and spill over parking from the four new high density projects in the Village will fill the parking spaces , but that once again leaves the merchants with no net gain .
Ridgewood NJ , the over looked issue for the central business district is not parking , but congestion . There are just to many choke points in the CBD. Be they caused by ill planned “traffic easing” with suicide bike lanes or PSE&G upgrades it has become increasingly difficult to get in or out of the Central Business District.
Currently West Ridgewood Ave and Godwin are almost impassable .The proposed Hudson street garage ,because of its very location will make matters even worse by limiting access via Broad Street.
Over development will only make things worse ,contrary to assurances high density housing on Franklin will further restrict traffic at the Franklin and Broad intersection , virtually cutting off the Westside from the East side of town .
Maple is difficult at best , leaving only Prospect and Oak street as possible alternatives . Currently large events in the Village take a minimum of 45 minutes to and hour to arrive and park .
It is well know that retail is a fast changing environment with most shopping now done on line . In order for stores to survive they must become “destination shops” holding events to attract customers , so traffic is only going to get worse .
The answer given by the powers that be is always ,”we need garage” and residents at the new developments will not , have kids,drive, park ,have visitors or shower.The lack of credibility makes Comedy Central look like a serious news network.
Our point is instead of pushing hidden agenda’s with ulterior motives primary pursued by developers and their friends we need a comprehensive plan that factors in moderate development, infrastructure , retail, restaurants , mass transit , pedestrians,cycles and parking .
file photo
February 12,2017
Reader recounts his shopping experience to the staff of the Ridgewood blog
(Walnut lot aside town garage employee spaces less than 33 percent used 330 pm weds feb 8 2017)
Reader says , The commuters are generally the largest class of taxpayers with little voice as proven by the rushed misinformed December hail mary screw job just in time for the January to march slow season store wise.There needs to be accountability here to the homeowners commuters.we got screwed and the merchants did not deliver any actual volume employee pass wise.just parked this morning aside the town garage one employee parked car vs commuters slammed into the bank customers only aisle closer in Theres no accountability as usual. The $1000 vip pass should resign.cover up studies underway rope a dope..what a disgrace to taxpayers…
file photo by ArtChick
July 26,2016
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Ridgewood NJ, Many readers have voiced concern and suspicions over Village committees, sighting the fact that several namely the Historic Preservation Commission and the Financial Advisory Committees have acted more like promoters of former Mayor Aronsohn’s special interest agenda than looking out for whats best for Ridgewood .
“I don’t like it and believe we already have too many advisory groups. They have too much clout and are not necessarily to be trusted. REAC’s first pronouncement was that turf is great. FAC said we need the biggest parking garage–and the chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission concurred, no doubt helping the first garage referendum to pass last November. I’d rather see them all disbanded and let the council do its own research. Appropriate people could still help.”
“A real concern is that the new council falls prey to this nonsense. Aronson was a disaster for Ridgewood. Continuing his policies is a mistake. Yes, there is a lot on their plate, but this council really needs to get moving fast to undo the damage he did. Fidgeting isn’t going to carry the day. And if they are not up to the task they said they were capable of performing, then they need to take a good hard look at themselves. Now is the time to appeal the Valley Hospital debacle and undo the Village massive family housing ordinances.”
Councilman Ramon Hache told the Ridgewood blog yesterday that the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce will fill three positions on the Central Business District Advisory Committee . Ramon went on to say the point of the committee is to create a more inclusive dialogue unlike the previous administration that ignored residents wishes ,and only listened to a small group of people or packed committees with developers and or friends of developers creating a situation where Central Business Development plans were “out of whack” with what residents wanted giving Ridgewood residents no voice in the decision making process.
At the end of the day its a leadership issue ,although the new council is green they do appear to have all the necessary ingredients ;an open-mindedness,willing to listen ,independent thinking and a concern for the Village to lead Ridgewood into the future.
Reader says This looks like something out of a town In a Horror MOVIE.happy Holloween Ridgewood ..your Hollywood Set is Permanently BAD..
I studied one of the signs this evening. Nowhere does it indicate who paid for it or who is sponsoring this. So can I put anonymous signs all over the place promoting whatever plan I have for the betterment (or detriment) of Ridgewood? Well Paulie Boy, can I????????
The Paul & Christine show are littering the area with signs. It’s no secret that Paul’s business would be helped with more parking but the $13 mil price tag is a little steep. If this is any indication how he’ll vote when it comes to raising taxes, we’re in for a bumpy ride.
Home come all of the schools and public parks and spaces are covered with YES signs? Are they formally sanctioned by the Village of Ridgewood?
So what is the deal here? Can I put signs all over the place for my own agenda? Supposing I want to open a chapter of the KKK here in Ridgewood like they are doing elsewhere in Bergen County – can I put these signs up and down Ridgewood Avenue, on the school grounds, in the parks? No, I can’t? Well why not? Aronsohn and his idiot brigade have opened a HUGE can of worms with this. Anyone now will be able to post signs just because this precedent has been set.
This is going to be a HUGE disaster, mark my word
