Tag: Urbanization

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Ridgewood planning board hears engineer on Valley Hospital expansion

Valley_Hospital_theridgewoodblog.net_1

Ridgewood planning board hears engineer on Valley Hospital expansion
Thursday January 30, 2014, 8:01 AM
BY  BARBARA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
The Record

RIDGEWOOD – There were no surprises Wednesday night at a hearing for The Valley Hospital’s plan to expand to nearly 1 million square feet. An engineer hired by the Planning Board told residents that “there are no impediments” to allowing the project to go forward.

Several of the audience members said they had been expecting M. Golam Kabir, from Converse Consultants in Whippany, to agree with testimony already presented by Valley’s experts. They’ve been told for nearly a year that excavating 170,000 cubic yards of soil and rock and pulling out up to 300,000 gallons of water per day won’t cause lasting damage to the neighborhood surrounding the hospital.

“Based on the review of the documents, it did not disclose any geotechnical impediments that could preclude the proposed construction,” Kabir said in his report to the board.

His testimony concurred with information presented by Valley’s engineer, Moustafa Gouda, director of Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering Services at Maser Consulting in Red Bank.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/Ridgewood_planning_board_hears_engineer_on_Valley_Hospital_expansion.html#sthash.ZYzAYzi8.dpuf

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Reader worries about Valley Over Expansion

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Reader worries about Valley Over Expansion

Valley has their existing building in Ridgewood where they are planning their “Renewel.” They own the 128,000 sq ft building in Paramus mentioned in the article. They just payed $28ish Million for the “Duck Pond” building on E. Ridgewood Ave, they own the entire strip on Maple Ave which consists of the old Ford dealership down to the Corset Shop. They have also allegedly purchased the Ken Smith site in downtown Ridgewood which is why the developer pulled the development plans.

Ever wonder why your health care costs continue to rise? Nice to be a non-profit with no competition huh? Can just raise prices and raise prices and raise prices. Tough to negotiate prices when your life is on the line. Not much leverage when you are gasping for air.

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Planning Board Special Public Meeting – January 29 & 30, 2014 – GW Middle School

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Planning Board Special Public Meeting – January 29 & 30, 2014 – GW Middle School

PLANNING BOARD

AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE

Special Public Meetings: January 29, 2014 and January 30, 2014

In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board has scheduled special public meetings for WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2014 and THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2014 in the GEORGE WASHINGTON MIDDLE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM, 155 WASHINGTON PLACE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The Board may take official action during this Work and Public Meeting at which time the Board will continue the Public Hearing on the Proposed H-Hospital Zone Amendment to the Master Plan.

All meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work session meetings, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings which are always open to members of the general public.

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Reader: The notion that the 500-1,000 new residents would live in their little downtown ghetto and never venture out in a car is ridiculous

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Reader : The notion that the 500-1,000 new residents would live in their little downtown ghetto and never venture out in a car is ridiculous

The notion that the 500-1,000 new residents would live in their little downtown ghetto and never venture out in a car is ridiculous. The notion that we need to cram more people into less breathing space is beyond stupid.

And the underlying notion that you need to change zoning laws to save the downtown is completely misplaced. A downtown exists to serve the surrounding community — not the other way around. Why are people espousing this idea that to “save” the downtown we need to put the rest of the town at risk?? Let market forces work and the downtown will stabilize. But, that’s not going to happen as long as people buy into the propaganda that we need to cram more people into town in order to help the downtown property owners. Let them lower their rents. Let them improve their properties. Let them change uses within the existing master plan to meet changing needs. Why should the rest of the town bailout the downtown property owners at our expense? Why should we fund or guarantee their profits??

Developers bought downtown properties hoping to make a profit. And now they are trying to convince the uninformed and the ignorant that somehow world peace will be achieved if only they are able to change existing laws and cram more people into the downtown.

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Resistance to change harming village

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Resistance to change harming village

Friday, January 24, 2014
The Ridgewood News

Resistance to change harming village
Tracey Highfill

To the editor:

In my entire life I have never sided with developers, going so far as having a one-person painting exhibit deploring the loss of open space. However, the housing proposals on the table are different. They are not cutting down shady, wooded lots or digging up beautiful hay fields; the apartments replace uninspired, underutilized parcels of ugliness with much needed alternative living options.

When you live in town, you walk around. Increased foot traffic is good for business. Decreased car traffic is good for pedestrians.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/241770341_Letter__Resistance_to_change_harming_village.html#sthash.vlJ4NT9P.dpuf

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Concern with overdevelopment a cause in common

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Concern with overdevelopment a cause in common

Friday, January 24, 2014
The Ridgewood News

Residents have common concerns
Marla Sherman

To the editor:

On Jan. 7, hundreds of Ridgewood residents came to the Planning Board meeting to make personal statements against the proposed change to the Master Plan that would allow for high density housing developments in our downtown Central Business District.

Not a single person spoke up in favor of the change, including at least three residents who earn their living as real estate developers.

There were two common fears brought up by almost every person that spoke — the potential effect on the quality of our schools and the fear that Ridgewood would lose its small town charm and become more urban. Not a single person was anti-development or anti-improvement. They simply want improvements made to these properties within the density and height allowances of our current master plan, in order to maintain the desirability of our village.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/241770731_Letter__Concern_with_overdevelopment_a_cause_in_common.html#sthash.4oNPgkSM.dpuf

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The Valley Hospital Announces Two New Trustees

Bike_Valley_theridgewoodblog.net_7

The Valley Hospital Announces Two New Trustees

Ridgewood NJ, The Valley Hospital is pleased to announce the election of Ann Limberg, of Mahwah, and Debra Taylor, of Franklin Lakes, to its Board of Trustees.

LIMBERG-ANN

Ms. Limberg is managing director and Northeast division executive for U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management. In this role, Limberg oversees the wealth management business for the Northeast division, serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families and non-profit institutions.

Previously, Limberg served as New Jersey state president for Bank of America. She joined Bank of America in April 2004. Previously, Limberg held senior leadership positions in retail banking and private banking at NatWest and Citibank. Limberg has been recognized by NJBIZ as one of the 50 Most Powerful Nonprofit Board Members in New Jersey, the Executive Women of New Jersey’s Salute to the Policy Makers, and NJBIZ’s New Jersey’s Best 50 Women in Business and Top 25 Women of Influence.

TAYLOR-DEBRA

Ms. Taylor is the principal of Taylor Financial Group, LLC, a full service wealth management firm located in Franklin Lakes, NJ. She focuses exclusively on wealth management for high-net-worth individuals, corporations and servicing the needs of tax exempt organizations. Debra takes a holistic approach to these areas, incorporating her legal expertise and tax background to provide integrated solutions to clients.

Debra graduated from Drew University in three years with a B.A. in Political Science, magna cum laude. She received several honors while there, most notably, election to Phi Beta Kappa. Three years later, Debra graduated from Cornell Law School, where she was elected Book Review Editor of the Cornell Law Review and served as a teaching assistant. While at Cornell, Debra also served as Symposium Editor of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy and received American Jurisprudence Awards for excellence in corporate law and trial advocacy. After graduation, Debra served as a law clerk to The Honorable John F. Gerry, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Chemistry.com

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Reader says time to end Mayor’s Monthly Column in the Ridgewood News

paronsohn

Reader says time to end Mayor’s Monthly Column in the Ridgewood News

Seriously, whether you like our mayor or don’t, Boyd has a very good point. Why should the newspaper provide a forum for Mayor Aronsohn to highlight the accomplishments while ignoring the major problems? This is a non-partisan government, so there cannot be an official reply from those opposed to the leader’s views on things. But we do know that at least one letter in which Mayor Aronsohn was not being portrayed favorably was squelched by the newspaper…….and this was due to the mayor himself interfering.

I wish the Mayor would man-up and address all the issues that have been controversial and have not been resolved. For example……what ever happened to the Graydon Ramp? For example…….what is the resolution on the Christie fundraiser (even The Record wrote an editorial blasting the council’s attendance at this event). For example…..why was a personnel matter (Mr. Riche) discussed in open session when there is a strict policy that individuals are to be discussed in closed session? Lines of people jumped up to protest his actions on this, yet no apology or explanation ever came from him. I am betting that the Hope Street poles will be the same thing, never any official follow-up from him because the outcome is not good.

He sweeps controversy under the carpet and we never get a final report on these matters. The Mayor’s Column in the newspaper enables him to continue to do this, by painting a rosy picture with absolutely no space allocated to controversies and problems.

END THE MAYOR’s MONTHLY COLUMN.

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Downtown Development guidelines the “big picture”

CBD_theridgewoodblog

Downtown Development guidelines the “big picture”
January 13, 2013
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ  Looks like the Ridgewood News has brought their A game to Village Central Business District development debate by proposing the planning board consider the big picture ,not only the impact to the CBD but the impact to the whole town , the schools,services ,infrastructure and commuting  in their latest Ridgewood News editorial: Developing guidelines ( https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/186420401_Ridgewood_News_editorial__Developing_guidelines.html )

According to the News , “Ridgewood officials are considering the potential impact on the village. A draft ordinance is being drawn up that contains specifications each developer must follow, such as floor area ratio, setbacks, sign usage and minimum parking. That’s an important first step, but we believe much more must be considered.

Then the good stuff ,”In addition, the impact on traffic downtown – already a concern for many, especially regarding pedestrian safety – must be an important factor for Ridgewood’s planning board. The draft ordinance will guide officials in decisions such as units per acre and appropriate maximum building height. But we hope Ridgewood officials will consider the “big picture” and the impact of so much potential housing in one small geographic area.( https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/186420401_Ridgewood_News_editorial__Developing_guidelines.html )

What is the “big picture”, the “big picture” is the is the overall impact on the community as a whole , the schools, Village services, ,parking, infrastructure, commuting , medical , traffic, EMS , fire, safety and of course the over all  viability.of  Ridgewood’s downtown  .With Urbanization comes added costs to the whole Village as well as quality of life issues that are very hard to put a price tag on .

If the Ridgewood Station project , the Dayton, Chestnut Village and the Enclave it will add over 300 new housing units within five blocks of each other forever changing the Village and the nature of the Village itself.

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Urbanization: Ridgewood Planning Board mulls land use ordinance

town garage theridgewoodblog.net

Urbanization: Ridgewood Planning Board mulls land use ordinance
Thursday November 15, 2012, 4:24 PM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

On the recommendation of the Village Council, the Ridgewood Planning Board has reviewed and will consider changes to an ordinance that, once approved by both bodies, will better manage the way institutions, including houses of worship and schools, use their property.

Village Planner Blais Brancheau will attempt to file the revised ordinance to board members by next Tuesday’s Planning Board meeting, though his crunched schedule might create a delay, he said.

In the meantime, council members are expected to continue a public hearing later this month on a previously introduced ordinance on the same matter, but action on that draft ultimately depends on the pending changes. If Brancheau’s revision is significant, the planner said the council will likely defeat the original ordinance and re-introduce the revised version.

Changes to the Village Code’s Land Use and Development chapter are needed, Brancheau said last month’, to conform to the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. Congress passed the legislation in 2000.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/179550801_Ridgewood_Planning_Board_mulls_land_use_ordinance.html

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Long-vacant “Town Garage” back on in the news again

town_garage_theridgewoodblog

town garage theridgewoodblog.net 1

As previously reported in reader commentary  : Urbanization of Downtown Ridgewood is coming

Massive development set to take place in the Central Business District

https://theridgewoodblog.net/reader-urbanization-of-downtown-ridgewood-is-coming/

 

Long-vacant “Town Garage” back on in the news again

THURSDAY JULY 26, 2012, 1:49 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Village Council members are expected next month to resurrect a discussion initiated by the Ridgewood Planning Board, which has asked the governing body to review the stipulations and intentions of the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Area and Redevelopment Plan.

The Village Council will reopen discussions next month on what to do with the Town Garage property.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/163887616_Long-vacant_lot_in_Ridgewood_is_back_on_table_for_discussion.html

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Urban homogeneity

Clock Ridgewood theridgewopodblog.net

Urban homogeneity 
July 21,2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Springing up all over town, a clock, brick work at the crosswalks , vintage street lights and turf fields, some of the things that make the Village unique?

Not so fast towns all across the state from Hoboken to Woodridge all share some of the same features of Village ,why Hoboken even has two clocks .

Pavers CBD therisdgewoodblog.net

So why all the sameness ,what happen to home rule and the unique experience that was the Village of Ridgewood ? Is the uniformity mandated from the state ?What about town character and who is making all the money ? We are not fans of urban homogeneity .

RHS Stadium turffield theridgewoodblog.net

Other things spreading like turf fields are down town parking garages , didn’t get a picture of that yet in Ridgewood .

Chemistry.com

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and the Ghetto-ization of the Village continues

>The Village Council will forever change the aesthetics of the Village of Ridgewood. Within the past year the following decisions have been made and approved by VC:

Change in the Zoning Laws to increase the heights of buildings to accomodate “McMansions” (Spring 2008)Just look around the town and see all of the oversize houses including the one across from Willard School.

Allowing several variance in order to construction a storage facility within the Village (Spring 2008)

Plans to construct a garage, housing units and retail facility during the worst economic crisis to hit USA since World War II.

Plans to construct an 80 unit housing facility on leased property on South Broad Street.

Purchase of the Habernickal farm for $7million and failing to convert the property into something useful to the Village

Proposed change to the Village Master Plan in order to accomodate the over height construction at Valley Hospital

The Village of Ridgewood has a terribly tract record in constructing building within a budget and with a building and engineering department who are not up to the task. The Village Hall cost overruns to construct an excessive structure were in the range of 7 million dollars.

It’s time to vote out the remaining Board Members who have allowed this to occur. They are David Pfund and Pat Mancuso.

All of this activity has the Village Manager saying he is not up to the job and needs to have an assistant in order to get the work done.

Maybe we need to get rid of the Village Manager and hire one who can oversee the Village affairs in a competent manner. We need to have the street plowed, the roads paved, the current zoning laws enforced.

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