OCTOBER 26, 2015 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015, 10:25 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
A lawsuit filed by a grassroots citizen organization in response to master plan amendments passed by the village’s Planning Board has been withdrawn.
At the Oct. 14 Village Council meeting, a letter was read by a member of the public on behalf of Citizens for a Better Ridgewood (CBR) stating the lawsuit would be voluntarily pulled.
Planning Board Attorney Gail Price confirmed last Monday she had received an Order of Dismissal with Prejudice that had been filed by CBR counsel.
The complaint stemmed from a June 2 decision by the Planning Board to approve the creation of new residential and mixed-use zones in Ridgewood’s Central Business District (CBD) with a housing density of up to 35 units per acre. The lawsuit was filed in August, but as of mid-September, neither the Village of Ridgewood nor the Planning Board, both of which were named defendants in the litigation, had been officially served.
Matt Gertler, a Glenwood Road resident, came to the podium during the first round of public comment on Oct. 14 to outline the reasons the organization has decided to withdraw the lawsuit.
Gertler said CBR is “cautiously optimistic” that the Village Council has heard their voices and is now acting in the best interest of the town. Gertler noted the “unprecedented” number of citizens who filled the fourth floor court room as well as the first-floor overflow rooms in Village Hall and the sheer number of residents who spoke out against the changes.
“To the surprise and delight of the masses, rather than vote to approve the ordinances, the council resolved to commission an independent comprehensive study to understand the impact of the proposed developments on traffic, financials, infrastructure, schools and more,” Gertler said. “We commend the council on this course of action.”
Gertler said the lawsuit had been withdrawn with the expectation that residents will have a “voice at the table” after the various financial and personal sacrifices that have been made by residents.
Gertler said CBR had incurred more than $100,000 in costs related to the public hearings, along with evenings spent at lengthy meetings instead of with family.
That’s too bad.
It all falls on you, James. Keep up the good work.
Remember that cockroaches run from the light….!
They should have allowed the suit to continue these snakes cannot be trusted.
They will be watching vigilantly, any monkey business from the trio and the lawsuit will be right back.
“Order of Dismissal with Prejudice” means that it is over and done permanently, and can’t be brought back to court.
Now if only the builders would stop threatening lawsuits every time they fear they won’t get their way…
Notice that John Saraceno took a full page ad in last Friday’s Ridgewood News essentially threatening to sue us if he doesn’t get his way. This is going to end up in court one way or another. What a failure of leadership by our Council majority. The only reason that they “did the right thing” was that they were getting shouted down by hundreds of people vowing to vote them out of office if they didn’t listen.
CBR SOLD OUT TO THE THREE AMIGOS.
In the formal legal world a court case that is dismissed with prejudice means that it is dismissed permanently. A case dismissed with prejudice is over and done with, once and for all, and can’t be brought back to court. A case dismissed without prejudice means the opposite. It’s not dismissed forever.
What’s the Difference Between Dismissed With Prejudice
http://www.illinoislegalaid.org/index.cfm?…Illinois Legal Aid Organizations
Wonder what positions were promised the some of these members (CBR) in the Village of Ridgewood Hierarchy ?
@ 6:23 you are really misinformed. It was never formally filed so never formally dismissed. They maintain the option to file in the future. And I can promise you there was no selling out involved.
I hope so 6:54. I am for the cause and even have donated and I would do it again but don’r sell out the town.
to 6:54 PM The article states “Planning Board Attorney Gail Price confirmed last Monday she had received an Order of Dismissal with Prejudice that had been filed by CBR counsel.”
Are you saying the Ridgewood News reported incorrectly, or are you saying that Gail Price was not accurate?
Not looking for innuendo against either, you claim to know better, so I’d like to know what you claim the discrepancy is.
I thought that the full page threat from “The Enclave” was over the top.
Coward who paid for it did not ise his name. Threat came from a yet-to-be-built complex.
Warning the town that if they don’t get their way there will be hell to pay. Yea, this is going to court.