Ridgewood residents line up to comment on proposed multi-family housing
Thursday January 9, 2014, 4:10 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
Ridgewood residents claim that developers will gamble with the quality of education in the public school system if they are permitted to build high-density housing in the Central Business District (CBD).
That concern was paramount though not the lone issue raised during Tuesday’s Planning Board meeting, which marked the first opportunity for the public to freely comment on three applicants’ request for a master plan amendment that would allow such developments.
The number of applicants seeking the amendment was trimmed to three following the recent withdrawal of the Ridgewood Station plan, which had been offered by the Dinallo Construction Corp. of Wood-Ridge. That project was the largest by unit count, with 114 luxury apartments pitched for the former Ken Smith Motors site .
That announcement, made public during the opening moments of Tuesday’s hearing, and the reduction of the total amount of housing units sought did not alter residents’ arguments against the suggested master plan changes – and there were more than a handful of voices heard. The Planning Board dedicated more than two hours of meeting time to listen to 34 speakers.
Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli, a propenent of increased development in the CBD, was not at the meeting. Why?
#1, didn’t you hear? He recused himself. Another Ridgewood farce and sham.