Ridgewood Council newcomers have zoning on their minds
MAY 28, 2014 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2014, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — Two Planning Board issues took center stage during the recent campaigns for Village Council, which will soon include a pair of newcomers who were vocal opponents of overdevelopment.
And yet, how their sentiments shape their future decisions — and whether that will result in a fractured government — remains to be seen.
“It is striking and telling that this election was almost completely about two Planning Board issues and the process,” Mayor Paul Aronsohn said recently about the May 13 vote.
Both Mike Sedon and Susan Knudsen — who are to be sworn in on July 1 — were endorsed by a pair of citizens groups, one organized to fight The Valley Hospital’s planned expansion and the other forged to oppose the three high-density, multifamily housing projects currently being pitched for the village’s downtown.
Both projects — which have been on the board’s meeting agendas for the last year and a half — require master plan amendments before they can proceed. Members of the council are tasked with making decisions about the master plan.
However, whether the pair’s overwhelming win against another candidate — each got more than twice as many votes as James Albano — translates into an actual mandate regarding the projects is still unclear.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/council-newcomers-have-zoning-on-their-minds-1.1024431#sthash.hMYN18yU.dpuf
Hope The Mayor and his two running mates have enjoyed their time on the Council. With the still unfolding UnderPass debacle, the interminable Valley mess, and the prospect of Fort Lee springing up in downtown Ridgewood I would guess we are going to see three new faces on the Village Council after the next election. The results of the last election show just how fed up people are with all the talk of major develeopments.
Interesting that three people in a small town can be so out of touch with how people feel. You never know what issue is going to galvanize/rally people to a cause. This road work is really going to make people step back and ask what the hell is going on and who is in charge and what is this town going to look like if they stay in charge.
I wonder if the groups opposing Valley and the development downtown considered whether it was better to leave their candidates in place on the planning board. To the extent they considered this option, it is illustrative of just how broken the planning board is when any real decisions end up getting made by the village council.
Did our mayor say most of the time we agree except on the big issues? What other issues are there? Petty cash disbursements? The shade of institutional beige to use in village restrooms? Then the genius Gwen finds it insulting to suggest they are divided along political lines stating conflicts are “ideological and philosophical” and puc agrees! Haucks own words confirms the political divide. Dictionary time!
She’s insulted? The only people who should be insulted are the residents of Ridgewood.
Beats me how anyone was able to support James Albano after his voting record in municipal elections was exposed and his statement about having no time to attend official meetings.
For anyone with any doubts – this election was a mandate against Valley and overdevelopment of the CBD. This was also a wake up call for the Mayor, Mrs Hauck and Mr. Pucciarelli.
As for Mrs. Hauck’s outrage over a political divide, well, maybe you should look yourself in the mirror to see who created it. You’ve alienated everyone that does not see things the way you do and you only make things worse for yourself by commenting publicly. Remember the one about the Library being as important as the Police Department? Oh yes, and make sure to air all of your views in social media.
The Mayor and his team have had this “we know what’s best and we know better than you” attitude which has clearly put reasonable people off.
If anyone wasn’t sure about what most people feel are the most important issues in town, read the election results. Valley needs to be put in its place and there should be no Master Plan amendments to allow for over development of the CBD.
Valley, with it’s a home run or nothing approach, and arrogance, has managed to divide this town like never before. The election certainly is a step in the right direction, but if the PB does not get it, Ridgewood will pay both a short and long term price.
Well said #5