Reader says It is time to just say no to Urbanization
Mr. Wrubel is right — the new housing will be a great accommodation for those looking to live in a more urban environment.
But he’s wrong in suggesting Ridgewood should be the site of that migration. The thing is, those of us not looking to living a denser environment are being asked to foot the bill for developers hoping to increase their profit. Those of us who have worked and paid taxes to maintain the standards of our Village are being told we need to open up the downtown for others to come in and enjoy the benefits of what has been built.
Mr. Wrubel’s basic premise is entirely backwards looking. Its been said many times on this blog before and it is worth repeating: A downtown exists to serve the town and not the other way around. If the functionality of Ridgewood’s downtown has reached a historic end, because its been replaced say, by Route 17 shopping, then the downtown parcel should revert to open space or single family homes in keeping with Ridgewood’s community purpose. The death of the downtown should not be allowed to kill off Ridgewood altogether, and that is what a lot of well meaning people seem to overlook.
Let’s look to the future and beyond the self interest of the developers and the yarns they have spun: Young families continue to want to live in a safe, suburban environment in the long desirable Village of Ridgewood — why are folks in such a rush to take away that opportunity? Why is our Planning Board and Council even considering allowing that to happen?
It is time to just say no.
Ok #1 so no development in the CBD. What then is YOUR suggested use of the Ken Smith, Brogan and Town Garage properties ? Do you feel that empty shuttered buildings in our downtown are not a blight ? I suppose the sight of landscaper trucks fitted with snowplow blades looks just fine in an upscale suburban town. Frankly, it is not fair to just complain about something without proposing a solution. I think the readers would like to hear your solution.
how about a parking lot (not a garage) and some trees…that would work for me…
i don’t care about businesses being downtown…some nice restaurants…we’ve got that, the rest can go – then there would be no parking problem
Number 1 Sure — very simple. One option, the developer who purchased the property follows the existing code — which will include some apartments and some single family homes as well as some business. Another option, the Village condemns the property using eminent domain and turns it into a park.
No one is against development, just gross and stupid over-development. You have exactly made the point as to why the developers are all wrong. Your argument is in effect, we need to approve the hundreds of units the developers want to build or we will have urban blight. Just the opposite is true — say no to over-development and the master plan as written will allow more sensible building with no need for amendments to the master plan or zoning adjustments.
Why do you suppose the speculator who bought that property is happy to have junky trucks sitting there now? Its exactly to bait people into voting for change without realizing the problems change will bring.
Now that you have heard these alternative solutions, I suppose you will agree with one of them?
Amen #3. It’s time to call out the one or two posters on this blog (likely Council members or their apologists) that challenge anyone opposed to amending the Master Plan to solve the problem themselves.
There is plenty that we can do that conforms to the existing Master Plan. Let’s start there.
#3, I agree with you that some combination of apartments and businesses would work but I disagree that single family homes are appropriate for any of these parcels. Too much noise and traffic. Also, if you set aside the matter of single family homes what remains is “mixed-use” which is precisely what the developers are proposing. Where I think we share some commonality is the matter scale. Perhaps a somewhat less intense development might satisfy many who currently object.
The original poster makes a good point a downtown is there to support the town not the other way around. We shouldn’t have to put up with a master plan change so the downtown can survive.
No, the residents are here to support The Chamber of Commerce , The Developers and most of all the EGOS of some of the Council.
Reader says It is time to just say no to Urbanization
…but where’s the money in that ???