Hundreds upon hundreds of Ridgewood taxpayers demand voice on how to fund parking garage.
February 27, 2016
by NO2BCIA
RIDGEWOOD, NJ Friday afternoon, in a victory for the voice of the taxpayers and responsible public financing, the NO2BCIA [https://no2bcia.com/]citizen group delivered over 1300 signatures, more than enough, to force a binding referendum on a Village ordinance that would have the county rather than the Village bond the proposed Hudson Street parking garage.
The Committee of Petitioners was formed in the aftermath of a failure of the Ridgewood Village Council to achieve the 41 supermajority vote necessary for the Village to bond the project itself, due to lack of critical design renderings requested by Councilmember Susan Knudsen for the community and Council to review and assess, and the lack of a payment plan to present to taxpayers, as requested by Councilman Sedon.
Instead, a simple majority (32) of the Council immediately at the same meeting, introduced Ordinance 3519, an ordinance authorizing the execution and granting of a Lease Purchase Agreement with the Bergen County Improvement Authority.
The petition seeks to protest and repeal Ordinance 3519 until it can be voted on by registered voters of Ridgewood, as a binding referendum question. The Committee of Petitioners seeks to ensure that all aspects of the garage remain securely within the control of the Village.
“This is a huge victory for the residents of Ridgewood who want to have common sense solutions to parking and how it is funded. This petition is not antigarage. In fact, in talking to the many people who signed, many of them voted for a garage on the nonbinding referendum in November. They just want Ridgewood to have full control and flexibility of the pricing structure, especially when it comes to resident and nonresident commuters using the garage.” says Petitioner Lorraine Reynolds. “Now we hope to encourage full Council support for a garage design that meets the wishes of the surrounding community, including shopkeepers, restaurant owners, and most of all, the residents of Ridgewood.”
Petitioner Gail McCarthy adds, “I am very optimistic. ‘Compromise is the best and cheapest lawyer.’ I am pretty sure we would all much rather be spending our time and money shopping in downtown Ridgewood!”
In the words of Vicente Fox and Joe Biden, this is Big F****** Deal! Well done Miss McCarthy and all of the others who circulated the petition and worked so hard to bulletproof the signatures by checking them against the county database. You are all great people and faithful neighbors for putting yourselves out there like you did. There is no question that the ballot initiative will pass but we should take nothing for granted dealing with the inevitable opposition. They are incapable of embarrassment, impervious to humiliation, a group of implacable brain eating zombies that will not stop trying to advance their political agenda.
Power to the people, thank you so much, all of you!!!
Let’s get a garage design that fits within the scale of the rest of the village and then finance it ourselves.
Yes, please, maybe only two or three stories. Let’s not start with a skyscraper. Please.
Why are you still insisting on a garage when all you need is a deck across from the Post Office ?
Bill, because there was a vote and the majority of residents want it. I agree with you personally but I just think that fight is behind us and we lost. Need to focus on getting a right sized design that can fit into that location, and fit with the surroundings. Should not tower over the church so 2-3 levels, preferably maintain as much precious on street parking as possible. Even those who voted in favor of a garage on Hudson street, do not want a monstrosity, and I don’t think anyone favors BCIA bonding.
Tuscanina is absolutely on point, I agree! Whoever you are, come to the council meeting and speak up!!!
tuscanina the referendum was non-binding
Yes it was for a “parking garage on the Hudson street lot”, but the size and shape of the parking garage was not defined. It also was to be built and financed “by bonding up to $15 million in public funds, which will be paid for principally — if not entirely — with parking revenues.”
It was non-binding so it does not have to be built on the Hudson Street lot (or built at all), in the same way that it does not have to built for $15 million dollars or less nor be paid for principally (nor entirely) by parking revenues.
We all know that it will cost > $15 million dollars and will not be principally paid for by parking revenues so it also does not need to be built on the Hudson street lot – or at all.
Tuscanina – The residents agreed by voting on the non-binding referendum to move ahead with the continued planning and funding of a deck at Hudson St. Lots of people who voted for it are now strongly opposed to what is being proposed. The non-binding referendum was put forth without alot of thought and people were not thinking about alternatives. Well, they are now and they are saying “Heck NO”. This garage just does not make sense and does not address the average Ridgewooodians needs. More centralized parking would better suit MOST of the businesses in the CBD. This deck makes sense only a few at the western end of Ridgewood Ave. The shopkeepers west of the train tracks have indicated it will do NOTHING to improve their situation and do NOT want this garage (contrary to the ad the Chamber of Commerce ran . . . not all business support this).
Step 1 – Stop BCIA funding
Step 2 – Stop oversized garage on Hudson St.
Step 3 – Build appropriate sized parking decks on multiple lots within the business district… not a commuter parking garage on the outskirts of the business district
Once again Aronsohn wrote the article for today’s Record. The petition initiative got less than one sentence. Aronsohn takes full credit for introducing the ordinance to bond in Ridgewood. Who is worse – our liar Mayor or his puppy dog reporter Janoski. They both stink.
7:52am – Mayor was FORCED to introduce this new ordinance for local bonding. He has no other option to build the garage with the petition in place. The petition has essentially killed the BCIA option.
Tuscanina-Respectfully disagree. There may have been a vote, but now that people who voted for a “garage” figured out that that they really don’t need it, or the cost that comes with it, it’s time to move on. If(and I’m in the camp that says on most days and nights you don’t even need “additional parking,”) the town does anything it will benefit more retailers, restuarant owners, shoppers, diners, and even most commuters, if a deck is placed in the middle of the CBD, across from the Post Office.
Much thanks to the tireless volunteers who obtained all those signatures. Hopefully the mayor and his 2 minions will realize that the town doesn’t want a massive commuter garage controlled by the Bergen county hacks.