file photo Boyd Loving
UPDATE: Sidewalk Café “Encroachments”
September 30th 2014
Boyd A. Loving
Ridgewood NJ, It is rumored that Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld recently completed her first physical review of all sidewalk cafe layouts (with a tape measure at the ready). Reportedly, several cafes were found to have exceeded the permitted square footage and were advised to make adjustments/modifications accordingly. A copy of the memo/report detailing the Village Manager’s findings was requested via the Open Public Records Act (OPRA). However, a reply to the OPRA request was received indicating that no such written memo/report existed.
One prominent restaurateur revealed to me that as many as five (5) establishments were found by the Village Manager to have been operating sidewalk cafes without the required permits. Further investigation reportedly revealed that all of the establishments had all submitted applications to the Village, some dating back over 18 months ago, but none had received their permits (nor any rejections). No explanation was offered to those establishments as to the cause for such lengthy delays in the Village’s permitting process, nor for the absence of any feedback regarding the status of the applications themselves.
While some elected officials continue to cite the lack of parking as the main issue affecting those trying to establish businesses in the downtown Ridgewood, the inordinately long waits associated with necessary permits, accompanied by the seeming indifference of those responsible (surprise, surprise), may actually be what is keeping new businesses away.
