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Exploring the Advantages of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs): A Modern Housing Solution

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, coming to a town near you, in recent years, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), often referred to as “granny flats” or “in-law apartments,” have gained popularity as a flexible housing option with numerous benefits. Many states including California have similar proposals, see accessory dwelling units in California .These secondary housing units, typically located on the same property as a primary residence, offer a range of advantages that make them an attractive choice for homeowners and renters alike.

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VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AGENDA Tuesday, September 26, 2023 Village Hall Court Room – 7:30 P.M

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file photo by Boyd Loving

VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

AGENDA

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Village Hall Court Room – 7:30 P.M.

  Continue reading VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AGENDA Tuesday, September 26, 2023 Village Hall Court Room – 7:30 P.M

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VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AGENDA Tuesday, April 25, 2023 Village Hall Court Room – 7:00 P.M.

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VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

AGENDA

Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Village Hall Court Room – 7:00 P.M.

  Continue reading VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AGENDA Tuesday, April 25, 2023 Village Hall Court Room – 7:00 P.M.

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Proposed Auto Body Shop Expansion on Broad Street in Ridgewood

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Major Commercial Development Project proposed for Broad Street 

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Mountain View Auto now owns three adjoining properties on Broad Street (246-264 S. Broad St. —just north of Highwood Ave.). It is asking the Village to approve major zoning changes to allow it to triple the size of its auto body repair shop and to build a large, 2-story office building

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Village of Ridgewood Adopts Comprehensive Master Plan!

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the Village Planning Board successfully adopted the 2022 Master Plan. This has been an incredibly involved process that could not have happened without the dedicated residents and stakeholders of the Village of Ridgewood. Beginning with the visioning process, which involved extensive public outreach initiatives and culminated in Our Village Our Future, and working our way through the multifaceted master plan process, the Village has demonstrated its commitment to investing in the future of its citizens and business owners.

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Do High Fences Make Good Neighbors in Ridgewood ?

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by Boyd Loving

Ridgewood NJ, on Wednesday night, 04/07, members of the Ridgewood Village Council will discuss the possibility of changing existing zoning ordinances to permit six (6) foot high fencing along the SIDE and REAR yards of any single-family or multi-family residential dwelling. Line of sight height restrictions would still be placed on the erection of fencing adjacent to street corners. Existing residential property zoning ordinances in Ridgewood limit fencing height to four (4) feet unless a regulated pool is being enclosed, or if the residential property abuts a property developed primarily for non-residential use.
Continue reading Do High Fences Make Good Neighbors in Ridgewood ?

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Garfield Studies Allowing Marijuana Sales

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Garfield NJ, with the passing of marijuana legalization in New Jersey many municipalities are not sure what the best possible course of action is.  Should New Jersey towns  embrace legalization or shun it ?

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Judge rules against Howell over affordable housing

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Kala Kachmar , @NewsQuipPublished 3:03 p.m. ET Jan. 17, 2017 | Updated 14 hours ago

A Monmouth County judge has ruled in favor of a Howell resident who challenged the zoning for a controversial affordable housing complex, but the setback doesn’t necessarily spell the end of the venture.

Judge Jamie S. Perri ruled that the town didn’t give sufficient public notice for two key project ordinances, one creating the required affordable housing zone and the other applying that zone to the parcel where Howell Family Apartments would be built, at the intersection of West Farms and Fort Plans roads off Route 9.

The $21 million project would help the town fulfill its state-mandated affordable housing obligation.

https://www.app.com/story/news/local/communitychange/2017/01/17/west-farms-decision/96668484/?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New+Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New+Jersey+Politics

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Ramapoughs accused of putting up teepees without permits

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Tom Nobile , Staff Writer, @TomNobile5:16 p.m. EST December 23, 2016

The tribe has also been charged with moving soil without permission.

MAHWAH — The Ramapough Lenape Nation must go to court to fight summonses issued by the township alleging that the Native American tribe erected teepees and tents on a property off Halifax Road without permission.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/mahwah/2016/12/23/ramapoughs-accused-putting-up-teepees-without-permits/95806566/

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Village of Ridgewood Zoning Board of Adjustment Meeting Tonight

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VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

AGENDA

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Village Hall Court Room – 7:30 P.M.

            Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance

Statement required by the Open Public Meeting Act “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin board in the Village Hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including date and time of this meeting”.

Please note: A curfew of 11:00 PM is strictly adhered to by the Zoning Board of Adjustment of the Village of Ridgewood. No new matter involving an Applicant will be started after 10:30 PM. At 10:00 PM the Chairman will make a determination and advise Applicants as to whether they will be heard. If an Applicant cannot be heard because of the lateness of the hour, the matter will be carried over to a future meeting to be determined by the Board at 10:00 PM.

Roll call

Approval of minutes:

Non-agenda items:

Board member comments

Members of the public comments

Discussion:   Capital One Bank, 10 Godwin Avenue – material for base

Public hearings

Old Business:

121 FRANKLIN AVENUE ASSOCIATES – An application to permit use of the property located at 121 Franklin Avenue, Block 2010, Lot 16, as a drive-through Starbucks Coffee Shop, and to permit construction of an addition to the existing one story building. The applicant requests use variance approval to sell products outside the confines of the building. Additional variances being requested include a side yard setback for parking spaces of 3.5 feet where 5 feet is the minimum required, and sign variances. The property is located in an R-2 zone. (Continued from September 13, 2016)

PANICO – A request that the approval of variances for the property located at 152 Valley View Avenue be extended for a period of one year, through September 22, 2017.

AGENDA – CONTINUATION                                                                September 27, 2016

McHUGH – An application to permit the construction of a second floor addition which will result in Gross Building Area within 140 feet of the front lot line of 36.4%/3,823 square feet where 32%/4,060 square feet is the maximum permitted at 624 Shelton Road, Block 3308, Lot 4, in an R-2 zone. (Continued from August 9, 2016)

VERIZON WIRELESS, 6 S. MONROE – Whispering Woods settlement hearing – Proposed wireless communications facility amended to provide that antennas be placed inside of the existing steeple behind RF friendly material. The proposed settlement would also provide that the condition that “no part of the premises shall be rented to outside entities” shall be interpreted to mean that the uses currently being conducted at the Church shall be permitted to continue. (Continued from August 23, 2016)(Carry to October 25, 2016)

New Business:

TZOULAFIS – An application to permit the construction of a covered porch, two-story and second story addition which will result in coverage by above-grade structures of 22.5%/2,500 square feet, where 20%/2,250 square feet is the maximum permitted and coverage by above-grade structures within 140 feet of the front lot line of 23.4%/2,428 square feet, where 20%/2,100 square feet is the maximum permitted at the Property located at 426 Colonial Road, Block 3609, Lot 5, in an R-2 Zone.

ANGIOLINO – An application to permit the construction of a second floor addition and front portico which will result in front yard setbacks of 32 feet to the front steps, and 39 feet to the portico, where 40 feet is the minimum required and a distance of 9.83 feet to an accessory structure from the principal structure, where 12 feet is the minimum required for the Property located at 706 Ellington Road, Block 4606, Lot 24, in an R-2 Zone.

HALLOWELL – An application to permit the construction of a one-story addition and to relocate the rear steps which will result in a side yard setback of 17.5 feet, where 20 feet is the minimum required; coverage by above-grade structures within 140 feet of the front lot line of 20.8%, where 20% is the maximum permitted, and coverage by improvements of 50%/4,898 square feet, where 45%/ 4,410 square feet is the maximum permitted for the Property located at 126 Avondale Road, Block 1402, Lot 5 in an R-1 Zone.

Resolution memorialization:

Discussion

Adjournment

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NJTPC General Meeting -Special Guest Speaker – Dr. Al Frech : The dangers of HUD grants

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September 20, 2016
7PM

“Do you know how HUD (US Dept of Housings and Urban Development) entices towns to take money and then …………..HUD takes over your rights with the Mayor and Council – you nor your Council have say in the decisions of the town in which you live and pay taxes.”

Teaneck NJ, Dr. Al Frech has been following HUD for the last eight years and is making a difference in Ringwood and Wayne by alerting citizens and town councils on the dangers of HUD grants.

Perhaps your town has taken CDBG grants in the past.  Everything changed in July 2015 with the affirmative fair housing. They added 377 new pages. In one section they say they won’t change your zoning, but if your zoning happens to conflict with the Fair Housing Act, then that is of concern. They never really spell out for you what the Fair Housing Act now happens to control. Once you sign on the line, you sign a contract that you will do whatever the plan turns out to be for that Fair Housing Assessment.

The wording in the AFFH ruling is accurate, but somewhat deceptive. Actually, HUD wants nothing to do with a community’s zoning laws.  However, to affirmatively further fair housing, grantees may be required to ignore or change them themselves. In other words, HUD will CONTROL.

The rule does not impose any land use decisions or zoning laws on any local government. However a paragraph later says, but we will assist recipients to adjust their land use and zoning laws to meet their legal obligation to Affirmative Fair Housing.

You can’t afford to be in the dark – your town, your property value and your community could be in the hands of others – not you nor your town council!

American Legion Hall, 650 American Legion Drive, Teaneck, NJ

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Ultimately CBR was holding our council responsible and paying a fortune out of pocket for what our elected officials should do as standard operating procedure

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Clearly you are not aware of the backstory. If you were, I am sure you would understand that CBR had to pay a lawyer for almost 3 years to attend every meeting for every hour to represent their and ultimately our interests as residents. I am sure you understand how much lawyers charge per hour and the amount they bill when they are doing research aside from meetings. I am sure you realize they did fundraise but ultimately there is a big gap that they filled personally for years. How much did you contribute?

Ultimately CBR was holding our council responsible and paying a fortune out of pocket for what our elected officials should do as standard operating procedure. We are at the point now with the clock running out on this council. Hopefully residents are now paying attention and will be putting pressure on so the right studies are done and responsible decisions are made.

I assure you there is nothing beyond that. No promises of anything else.

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Ridgewood planner proposes zoning, density changes to master plan amendment

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APRIL 27, 2015    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2015, 9:24 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Proposed changes to the master plan amendment were presented to the Planning Board by Village Planner Blais Brancheau in an attempt to address some concerns discussed by board members at a previous meeting.

Ridgewood Planner Blais Brancheau discusses proposed changes to a master plan amendment that would allow multifamily housing in the Central Business District.

The new amendment features zoning changes as well as a reduction in density, lowering the total number of possible units to less than 300 if the zones contained in the master plan amendment were built out to maximum capacity.

Changes in the maximum height, floor area ratios and additional language to require recreation and social amenities as part of any housing project were also presented.

The board voted unanimously to formally prepare the changes for a public hearing at its next meeting on May 5, where both the public and board members will be able to comment and ask additional questions.

Key zoning changes include three properties in the area of West Bergen Mental Healthcare building being excluded from the C-R zone, moving the Ken Smith property and the area at the corner of Franklin Avenue and Chestnut Street into the B-3-R zone.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-planner-proposes-density-decrease-1.1319562