Tag: toxic dump

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Update on Orchard School Remediation

Orchard School

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, We have now received all the state, county, and local permits required to move forward with the soil remediation project at the Orchard School. The only reason for not moving forward earlier was the failed budget. The project was included in the 2020-2021 budget, but we were not permitted to send the purchase order for the project to the contractor until the budget was approved. We now have a budget and can move forward. I anticipate seeing progress on the project no later than July 1, 2020. The Orchard Remediation website has been updated to include all permits and pertinent documentation.

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Reader says The Franklin Street “Village Garage” lot was publicly targeted by the Village Council for condemnation as “blighted” as part of a redevelopment plan

town_garage_theridgewoodblog

The Franklin Street “Village Garage” lot was publicly targeted by the Village Council for condemnation as “blighted” as part of a redevelopment plan. The Village would rely on the decision in Kelo v. City of New London, 545 U.S. 469 (2005), a case decided by the U. S. Supreme Court involving the use of eminent domain to transfer land from one private owner to another private owner to further economic development. Construction of a municipal parking garage would then follow. $15 million in bond money was raised for that purpose, but when Village residents objected to the heavy-handed use of the eminent domain power, the plan was dropped and the money spent on other priorities. The current owners bought the property at that time at a relatively low price expecting to make a tidy profit in the near future. Obviously that didn’t exactly pan out for them.