the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Westwood NJ, New Jersey lawmakers are set to vote on two controversial bills—S2974 and S1408—that could dramatically change suburban communities across Bergen County and Pascack Valley. These bills, expected to go before the NJ State Senate on March 24, 2025, would:
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Eliminate all parking requirements near public transit hubs
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Allow mixed-use residential development in formerly commercial-only zones, with no local Planning Board oversight
These changes could increase congestion, strain infrastructure, and diminish local control over zoning decisions.
How Will These Bills Impact Your Community?
1. Parking Requirements Eliminated (S2974)
If passed, S2974 would amend the Residential Site Improvement Standards (RSIS), eliminating all mandatory parking for residential developments within ½ mile of any NJ Transit rail station. It would also:
✔ Reduce parking requirements by 50% for residential developments within ½ mile of public transit stops
✔ Mandate a 30% reduction for residential buildings within ½ to 1 mile of transit hubs
✔ Allow developers to decide whether to allocate space for parking or maximize residential units
🔴 Impact on Bergen County & Pascack Valley: This could affect up to 75% of streets in Westwood and many neighborhoods in River Edge, Oradell, Emerson, Hillsdale, Woodcliff Lake, Park Ridge, Montvale, and Paramus.
2. Mixed-Use Development Without Local Oversight (S1408)
This bill would allow residential construction in commercial zones “by right”, meaning:
✔ No local Planning Board approval required
✔ Developments could be built without adequate parking
✔ Towns lose control over zoning decisions affecting their residents
🔴 Potential Consequences: Westwood’s Shopping Center Zone (K-Mart Plaza) could see hundreds of residential units built in a flood zone, without parking and no local recourse to mitigate the impact on traffic, infrastructure, and emergency services.
A Major Concern: The Reality of Public Transportation
📉 Less than 3.6% of Westwood residents use the train
🚆 Pascack Valley train line ridership is 75% lower than its peak in 2015
🚗 Car ownership remains steady, even for residents living near train stations
NJ Transit simply does not provide sufficient service for residents to rely on public transportation alone. Many communities would see increased street congestion, as residents who still need cars would be forced to park on already crowded streets.
What You Can Do
These bills would have immediate and lasting consequences for communities across Bergen County and Pascack Valley. If you are concerned about:
✔ Overdevelopment without local control
✔ Increased congestion & loss of parking
✔ The strain on local infrastructure
Take action today! Contact your local representatives and urge them to vote NO on these bills:
District 39
Senator Holly Schepisi – SenSchepisi@njleg.org
Assemblyman Robert Auth – AsmAuth@njleg.org
Assemblyman John Azzariti – AsmAzzariti@njleg.org
District 40
Join the new Saddle River Valley, Ramapo and Pascack Valley Communities Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1931704860512551/
#news #follow #media #trending #viral #newsupdate #currentaffairs #BergenCountyNews #NJBreakingNews #NJHeadlines #NJTopStories
You know what this means. We will all have cars parking overnight in front of our houses, like Hoboken.
Longer Miles commuters will drive down to Ridgewood Street parking in front of residences parking spots and walk up to 10 blocks .5 miles to get a commuter seat (some express) to NY city or Secaucus connections TO EVERYWHERE
Can you do it, in another five years all these towns are going to look like New York City
Just keep voting for Dems to keep ruining NJ.
Voting has consequences. NJ, vote Republican. Making a difference in taxes, utility rates, suburban overdevelopment, and dozens of other issues.
In a short while there will be a little mexico area to almost every town along the tracks. The towns that will preserve the most, will be the ones with the most priviledge influence and money …ofcourse to keep the outsiders out. Who can blame them tho? We should all be in favor of less change and preserving what we have instead of tearing it away to people for people we dont know. Oh and never vote for these democrats. They have had way to much control in this state for far too long. We need a change.