Schedler and Valley people are tired of fighting and people are confused/think it is over anyway.
I am not one of those three but I will tell you this, the worst way to reduce taxes is to have high density housing that is not age restricted. The absolute worst. Actually no, the worst is that they are tricking seniors/empty nesters into believing that this is for them, if it were they would be age restricted. Fact is one of the developers admitted there is not enough market for empty nesters to even get a loan for that purpose so they are well aware that the demand is not there. The apartments will be filled with the people who always move to towns with good schools, young families who use services at a rate much higher than seniors.
So our beautiful town will not only be more congested but you will pay more for it.
None of that is important.
What is important is developing the downtown area, and in order to get that done we need to change the zoning to make it profitable for the developers. Additionally, if the landowners get paid based on units per acre approved, they will get to put a big fat check in their pockets also. Who the hell cares what happens to other Ridgewood taxpayers.
Sometimes you people just don’t understand how it works.
That is the way the council is acting, absolutely. But if enough of us are there, screaming, writing , embarrassing them, demanding they live up to their fiduciary responsibility it may help.
Questions are being asked and suspicion are being raised. The more eyes open to this ugly process the better.
Yes, indeed, we must ALL come on Wednesday night and knock them out of their seats. Please, clear your calendars and come and speak up
As an empty nester who has been thinking about moving I have not seen anything that makes this development enticing. I will downsize when it makes economic sense.
How much will a two bedroom be?
What will the taxes and maintenance be?
How many parking spots will I get?
Where will my family park when they come to visit?
Any amenities with these units?
If I want an apt or condo I can move to other places in Ridgewood or in sourrounding towns. Why would I want one of these units? I am not sold on them.
Empty nesters in town like the privacy of their home.
They do not want to hear their neighbor in an apartment
They can afford landscapers and snow removal so since the mortgage is paid for they can afford to make repairs as necessary.
The Former NYC residents who moved here 10-20 years ago “for the schools” will move BACK to NYC to an apartment , since NYC has the museums etc that ridgewood does Not.
As a resident since 1969 I know plenty of old timers, their families, etc….not a single one h as considered moving to those proposed apartments. It’s either back to NYC, or to NYC or fla.
After living in Ridgewood 23 years, here’s my take on the issues in town:
1. I used to live in the apartments on Oak Street. My husband and I were the only ones without children. There would be families with three or more kids in the two bedroom apartments. So don’t tell me that there won’t be children in the new developments. And as for us being young and childless in the apartments, that was a fluke of where we needed to be for our jobs.
2.I have NEVER had trouble finding a parking spot. Not during the day, the evening or weekends. Not even for the tree lighting. I don’t see the need to spend my tax money on a parking garage we don’t need.
3. Don’t forget the Valley issue is lurking out there and they are most certainly cutting deals and waiting to make a move while nobody is paying attention. You think the developments in town would change Ridgewood? Try putting eight-story buildings in the middle of that neighborhood.
Ridgewood’s senior population is 12%, 4 % is under the poverty level and could never afford one of these apartments. Majority of the rest of the senior population are living in houses where their mortgage is paid off so their expenses are taxes and maintenance. Average tax burden is around $15,000 per year. Apartments renting at $3,000-$4,000 per month (they’ll be “luxury apartments”), will costs seniors $36,000-$48,000 TO RENT. The argument that Ridgewood has to do this for the seniors is BS. It’s just a BS political sound bite HE glommed onto to justify his supporting the developers. ‘Doing it for the seniors’ who could argue with that, right. He would have used children as a sound bite but you know, that would be ridiculous. This is all about using Ridgewood to make the developers a ton of money and the paybacks for supporting it will be beneficial to their personal pursuits. Shame on all 3 of them.
Well said, 8:50 and 11:35 !!! Right on the money.
How have the developers been pushing this as beneficial to Ridgewood (and I mean this seriously, can someone answer what they’ve said).
11:08…they say 1. ‘it’s to provide high end apartments to seniors looking to downsize, 2. To re energize our town which is apparently viewed as deteriorating and 3. If you don’t let us do this we will put something on the properties which will be way worse than apartments. People say aren’t apartments better than what is there now? NO. Why do you think they have been barren properties for so long? Because they have been told they have the support of politicians to get this done for them. High density apartments is the most profitable option for developers. For decades developers have wanted to crack our Master Plan which has always been in tact to prevent such overdevelopment. The Village has been lucky to have politicians who were serving the citizens not developers….until now.
8:50 You’ve never had trouble finding a parking spot?!! Please share your secret. On numerous occasions I’ve circled the blocks over and over only to give up and take my business to one of the surrounding towns. I’ve never met anybody who thought parking wasn’t an issue!
1:48, my assumption is that you are only willing to park within one block of your destination. Don’t be so lazy. You can always park,at the cottage street lot,and then walk to your restaurant. The few blocks walk might do you some good.