A garage is needed. I’m willing to accept that the size of such a facility is up to debate but in my opinion, as unpopular as it may be in this echo chamber, it is needed. It’s presence will not destroy the character of the town but will improve the quality our visits to downtown and the health of our businesses.There are plenty of other wealthier towns that have such a facility and their characters and/or home values have not be eviscerated.
As to the size of the proposed housing developments. I think there is room for good debate there as to whether the scope of the developments is appropriate for the downtown or whether they should have been allowed in the first place. I will say however that the empty lots that exist now are eyesores.
NO GARAGE IS NEEDED.
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You know it.
I know it.
EVERYONE knows it.
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The only people who are “pro-garage” are those who will profit and those who have not fully researched the issue..
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I agree with you 100%. Well said.
Empty lots are never eyesores. Buildings usually are eyesores because they are ugly. Greenery can be planted in empty lots. NJ has enough stores ,; too many. Too bad empty lots will be developed with apts ; downtown will be crowded; will be place to avoid like hell when the apts get built.
I know store owners will be happy. The planning board had store owners in mind when they voted for developments.
Time to leave Ridgewood.
100% correct. and apartments without parking garage is going to be a real disaster. Since we cant stop the developments now, lets at least mitigate the harm and build the garage.
SOME may want a garage but WE don’t need a garage and WE CAN’T AFFORD a garage. That’s why one has never been built and should not be built now.
11:49 Do you seriously think that Ridgewood homeowners should be taxed to build a garage that only the builders want? If the builder’s plan to not supply adequate parking and expect our taxpayers to pay for their cheap actions, you can’t be encouraging it? I fully expect that you are writing as a citizen but in reality you are a developer. You’ve got the money so don’t expect the citizens of Ridgewood to feel sorry for you and to build you a garage only needed by the developers because they want to save money in their construction by dumping their responsibilities onto the taxpayers.
11:49 and the poster of this thread, yeah it is the natural outcome. We are in a situation now where we can choose the least worst alternative. If this can gets kicked down the road yet again, the next steps would be the BIG main street proposals that are now taking place in towns like Bogota and Closter… that result would be more mixed use, fewer stores, more restaurants, banks, Gyms and apartments, putting more pressure on parking and schools which would require a bigger parking solution. While the choices now are not great, the building of a garage soon makes sense to curtail further expansion of mixed use stock a la other communities..
Those that are going to build the apartments in town should also build the garage at no cost to the village. I f they choose not to then NO to the garage. Having lived in the village for many years i still have no problem parking in town.
Sorry to report that I’m so convinced that the garage is a miserable and obvious boondoggle that I no longer trust the sincerity of anyone who argues in favor of it.
@1:55. You are 100%. Not the article
100% correct. and apartments without parking garage is going to be a real disaster. Since we cant stop the developments now, lets at least mitigate the harm and build the garage.
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Here Fixed that fer ya
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100% correct. and apartments without parking garage is going to be a real disaster. Since we cant stop the developments now, lets throw gasoline on the fire and exacerbate the harm by building the garage.
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NO ONE has showed up at any council meeting in last 2 years ti ask for a garage.
Who is the council catering to, by building it?
1:21
NAILED IT
VOR First Nobel prize candidate
Stop the Uneeded Garage Boondoggle…not on our backs .
We are paying out the family jewels already here NO WAY.
Call it what it is An Uber Boondoggle
Wait, so the argument now is… because a previous council approved the building of condos, in order to “save” the Village we need to appease the developers and build a garage for them given that they will obviously not have the needed parking spaces for their new tenants….and if we don’t build this thing, this town will become a glorified Rt 17 strip filled with gyms, banks and more condos? Come on people…..let’s all assume they build this thing, how does that change anything in terms of the parking landscape in this town? Yes, commuters will use it, yes shoppers will use it, but lets be realistic, probably only those looking to shop on Broad St or very close to it. We all know that everyone in this town or those that come here want to park right across the street from where they’re going, as stated in many of the posts before, if you look for parking you will find it, but you may have to walk a bit. So the taxpayers of this town should spend millions of dollars to alleviate a problem that may or may not exist for two to three hours on Friday and Saturday nights?? Do the math, it doesn’t add up and with Uber that problem is going away. Let’s spend money on updating the current run down parking lots we have or reconfigure current parking lanes and see how that goes….what’s the downside? We need to stop looking backward and look forward….Uber and Amazon to name a few are changing how we live our lives….less brick and mortar, less cars being driven for nights out….that’s the future, not building a garage that maybe in 1990 there was a solid argument for.
Arohnson and Pucc must really chortle when they see these postings and bask in the damage they did the Village.
Would all the residents who really feel we need to put a huge garage there instead of 2 parking decks at 2 different places please come to the next council meeting and express themselves? The council seems to be ignoring the negative comments because they still think a majority of residents want it. The few who are now showing up on the blog are probably supporting the developers. Other than these recent individuals, no one has shown support for THAT garage at that place. 6:53 made an very good presentation.
OMG will you people lighten up on the developer crap already?
NATTER NATTER DEVELOPER DEVELOPER DEVELOPER Lets see why is the council ignoring the negative comments?
BECAUSE THERE ARE 4 OF YOU
AND WERE IGNORING YOU
Do us all a favor and get back on the bus and go back to the Coupola.
Sheesh.
and there is only one of you
6:02 You obviously did not have a good English teacher when you were a child. If you did you would have been taught how to properly express yourself and how to check for spelling and grammar mistakes.