Ridgewood may bar ‘ugly’ housing
JANUARY 8, 2015, 9:16 AM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2015, 9:19 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD – The village could impose restrictions on buildings within one of its proposed redevelopment areas to prevent the construction of “ugly” housing complexes downtown, an official said.
Village Planner Blais Brancheau’s comments came at Tuesday night’s Planning Board meeting, under cross-examination by Ira Weiner, an attorney representing Citizens For a Better Ridgewood.
For more than two years, the Planning Board has heard testimony on the master plan change, which, if approved and then adopted by the Village Council, would permit high-density housing complexes.
Three developers are seeking the master plan amendment, and each plans to build multifamily, high-density housing downtown if it is adopted.
Citizens For a Better Ridgewood is a grass-roots organization that says it endorses comprehensive planning, but opposes the village ordinance that allowed the three developers to request the master plan change.
Brancheau on Tuesday night responded to Weiner’s question, saying “standards could be drafted” into the master plan amendment “to avoid” certain design elements in future construction.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-may-bar-ugly-housing-1.1188596
Great idea. Aesthetic standards for ALL CBD construction projects are a good first step. Start with eliminating all overhead power/phone lines in the CBD. Buildings don’t have to be uniform in appearance. But, they should be required to use high quality products and conform to specific architectural styles that “fit’ with the historical vintage of the village. Plastic signage and signage lighting, other than modest white spot lights at night to provide minimum necessary illuminatuion, should be prohibited.
Any requirements should be retroactive for existing frontages, as well, with exemptions granted only in extreme cases and subject to increased tax for non-compliance. Perhaps temporary tax breaks could be granted to existing businesses that bring their frontages into compliance within a limited period.
Oh, sure. That will work. It should be noted that the project proposed for the old Cadillac property is very attractive.
I guess I should have said TASTEFUL & ATTRACTIVE AESTHETIC STANDARDS. Unfortunately, there is no accounting for bad taste.
I think the same level of design standards should also be applied for any new houses built in the Village and these requirements should also be applied to all existing residences in Ridgewood. We should up the standards and requirements across the board to keep our Village looking pristine.
Let’s post street address of all the dumps in town in violation of current ordinance on peeling paint etc
#5 That would be a good start. Then go after all those with uneven and crumbling sidewalks, sagging porches, rotting gutters, and poorly manicured lawns. Let’s up our game across the board.
Next the Village is going to burn books that don’t agree with councils philosophy . Whatever that is.
“Brancheau on Tuesday night responded to Weiner’s question, saying “standards could be drafted” into the master plan amendment “to avoid” certain design elements in future construction” Welcome to Little Russia Comrade .
blaise should leave.
What a buffoon he is — if we can moderate standards then let’s leave the massive projects for another town to build altogether.
Cadillac property attractive ?
Sure…..if you like TRAINS RUNNING THROUGH YOU LIVING ROOM…..actually rather convienvent when ones catching the 6:53 to Hoboken…..one of those hooks off the back and you snagged as she flys by…..that’s a reduced ticket price in m book!
Right up A. Wrubel’s alley. You should hear this guy when he gets his engine revving. Our Congressman’s ears are still ringing after a stall in progress in the 4th of July parade this year literally parked him 15 feet from the inimitable Mr. W. for about 5 minutes…time enough to be treated to a shameless soliloquy regarding his manifold deficiencies as a human being. Ridgewood’s Architect Laureate never met a private enterprise he did not want to hobble. With him and paleoliberal NYU prof. Emeritus M. Gruber, whose parental labors resulted last year in the minting of a fresh English language verb, we have as village neighbors two of the oldest and most dedicated apostles of Saul Alinsky. Someday the prayed-for intercession of the saints in heaven will free us from forced re-education by our intellectual betters. But for the time being, at least, we must continue our ceaseless labor in support of their fruitless political, economic, and cultural theories.