May 24,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, at Wednesday nights council meeting several residents strenuously objected to work on the green pathway or grassy knoll at the Village train station . Since early 2017 the Village council has explored the idea of shrinking the green way at the train station in order to add more parking spaces to the train station parking lot. This was an idea that was put forward the Village engineer some would suggest as far back as 2 years ago. The Village engineer Christopher Rutishauser submitted the application for the changes to the DEP in July of 2017.
It appears a group led by Cynthia Halaby, the president of the Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands in Ridgewood made various statements declaring the need for preserving the green space or “grassy knoll” at the train station , yes the same Cynthia Halaby that supported laying a turf field at Schedler Park and clear cutting the trees there.
While Ms Halaby , did seem to have some clue about the green strip , other speakers appeared to have missed the last year and a half discussions about the train station parking lot and for that matter didn’t seem to even know what the grassy median or “grassy knoll “at the train station was.
Once again it’s amazing how when a pota-potty sat in the train station median grassy knoll for months in 2015 no one uttered a peep about its visibility at the Ridgewood Train Station Historic district.
https://theridgewoodblog.net/porta-potty-was-ok-but-parking-challenged-at-the-ridgewood-train-station-historic-district/
We need more parking at the station for commuters. I live 1/4 mile from the station and have people parking on my street from 7am-7pm. I am just beyond the streets with the signs indicating 2-3 hour parking. Let’s help these people in ways other than building a giant garage. Fix our current parking area, leverage what we have.
Islands at train must remain. When train station was renovated great care was taken that they remain. They make the area SAFER plus they are necessary for aesthetic reasons. Council should put up parking decks ,not a big parking garage.
It is a crime to take away islands for more concrete reducing green permeable surfaces even more. Area would be flood prone.
And dangerous for everyone without those islands. Imagine dodging vehicles without those islands. Impossible. The council wants to reduce by 80 percent. If that happens forget about the farmer’s market.
And the expense of taking away islands. No tax loopholes allowed for property taxes. It was written online in New York Times last night.
While I disagree with about everything the Halaby’s are for and against, I don’t feel good about. 20 spaces for compact cars at the train station. As someone said last night. That will never be enough and how much are they getting for the spots? If it is 1000 dollars a year then that is 20 thousand to offset the garage cost. I would rather keep the green and the trees.
Oh please don’t take away my favorite family picnic spot. I just love going over to that grassy strip in the parking lot and sitting among the cars and breathing the fumes, eating a picnic lunch, sunbathing. It is just the most magnificent green space imaginable.
Um, no, it was not several strenuous objectors. It was two.
Cynthia Halaby wants to preserve the grassy knoll and clear cut Schedler. What a disingenuous piece of work she is.
most people up in arms about the “grassy knoll” have never been there
20 spots is a pinhole plug to a larger issue. People will still be unhappy. VC is looking at this miopically and not as a broader vision
The issue for me is getting rid of trees and green space. It all adds up. 20 spaces for compact cars only sounds too restrictive. We’re putting in a garage on the other side of the tracks.When they get off the train, they are on the right side of the station. Cross the street and get your car, any size car you choose to own!
Well we gave Susan and Mike our unconditional support and they are using it. It is idiotic to destroy green spaces for minimal parking benefits at a time when the garage is a done deal. Meanwhile our streets are a disaster, Ridgewood Rd in Paramus is freshly paved while in RW it resembles a WWII area. We have a very mediocre VC. Halaby makes me puke in general but I side with him on the station dispute.
Ryan is right ..condition of all of our streets is beyond criminal neglect
pounding the hell out of our cars and tires..that’s real money folks
town looks like crap…no leadership at all..
Garazilla lite
a complete boondoggle to the back room developers
shame
Beating the same drum. Real Leadership is required here. Why not start by limiting parking at the train station to Village residents.only with proven village residents stickers. Stop selling out the residents by selling spots to other towns. This overall costs us money when we need to expand the lots regardless of how much we are charging for non residents. Myopic view
Also take out the bike lane and build a simple parking lot exit for east bound traffic. Traffic issue addressed
This is not rocket science, simple pragmatic solutions that any competent leadership team would implement.
Council please do something anything, please take a leadership and/or critical thinking class and drive solutions. .
The town is putting up a garage one block from the station,so i say keep the green space.
imagine walking your children or other visitors or elders to the RIDGEWOOD Train Station approach with no median pedestrian area..its a speedway today ..Uber flies in there like its the blue line AT JFK.
THEN ADD Snow Rain and the dark winters ..plan for a disaster..for what ? more fat cat cars ? this is insane,.Forget the Farmers Market..would be very dangerous even on Sunday’s .
The roads are awful – and please paint over that dopey unused bike lane
Yes, eliminating the bike lane would cost the Village very little but would be perceived as a key good faith gesture that could potentially yield great benefits during future negotiations. Sort of like little rocket man coughing up three American hostages at the request of POTUS DJT.