Ridgewood planners start debating new housing rules
MARCH 19, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — A majority of the village’s Planning Board voiced support Tuesday night for a proposed master plan amendment that, if approved, would clear the way for high-density multifamily housing complexes downtown.
Public deliberations on the long-sought change to Ridgewood’s master plan began during the Planning Board’s meeting on Tuesday, with most members agreeing such developments would enhance the village while filling various housing needs.
However, those same Planning Board members said the amendment needed some minor tweaking before it could be considered for a final board vote.
Specifically, several of the board’s members said the amendment’s height and density limitations are an issue.
The master plan amendment would increase the amount of units allowed per acre to between 40 and 50 from 12, and raise restrictions on building heights to 55 feet from 50.
Mayor Paul Aronsohn, who sits on Ridgewood’s Planning Board, endorsed the housing complexes that have been pitched by the three developers that first applied for the master plan change little more than five years ago.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/planners-start-debating-new-housing-rules-1.1292069
“Mayor Paul Aronsohn, who sits on Ridgewood’s Planning Board, endorsed the housing complexes that have been pitched by the three developers that first applied for the master plan change little more than five years ago.” Did any of the readers think that Mr Aronsohn, was going to be anything but supportive of this. The three amigos and the Chamber of Commerce under the leadership of Paul Vigianos are hell bent in changing the look of this town. We Mr. Mayor I will remember this come election. Maybe some of the charm of this Village can still be salvaged.
How much influence is anticipated potential liability under NJ “Mt. Laurel” affordable housing decisional law having on this planning board activity? Why are we careening toward approving these huge increases in housing density? Is the planning board trying to use the presently-pending high-density housing project proposals as a means for meeting Ridgewood’s anticipated Mt. Laurel affordable housing obligations in one fell swoop? (State trial courts were recently awarded jurisdiction empowering them to make such local affordable housing determinations.) If so, will the Planning Board immediately amend the Master Plan again to reduce the housing unit density limit back down to 12 per acre? On the other hand, shouldn’t the developers with their plans for housing densities of 40+ per acre be forced to undergo the normal application process to obtain appropriate variances to the applicable zoning laws? This business of seeking permanent changes to the Master Plan (a la Valley Hospital) to ensure planning board approval for large-scale building plans that would do real violence to applicable zoning laws has to stop!
UGh, not surprised but disgusted. Susan Knudson had the wise approach of at least surveying residents to quantify whether this is a plan that has broad support or not. As someone opposed to this dramatic increase I would love to be counted and am confident the majority are against. What is the mayor afraid of? He should support this because the only thing that would change my mind that this isn’t rigged is to see an actual number of people in support. Not only is everything we love about our village at stake here, but we shouldn’t minimize the damage to home values should all this supply enter the market,
Should they proceed, do we have any recourse at all?
If history is any guide the members if the Planning Board are being handed legal advice indicating that they must recommend approval of the proposed changes if there is no information on the public record indicating why they shouldn’t.
big meeting at village hall sunday ,
Meeting on Sunday? what is this about?
You have no recourse…it’s a done deal.
And as this approval moves along so will the Valley expansion…..