Letter:to the Editor Ridgewood’s changeable master plan
Friday, July 19, 2013
The Ridgewood News
Ridgewood’s changeable master plan
To the editor:
At the July 2 meeting our town planner, Blaise Brancheau, outlined four reasons for going ahead with multi-family housing in areas not currently zoned that way. Reason number one was that more people would necessarily support the downtown district. Can we see the study that says any of the folks from the Oak Street Apartments, or the other apartments on E. Ridgewood Avenue, truly support the downtown district? If it’s not happening yet with renters in such close proximity, why will it magically happen with new apartments? Please elaborate.
Reason two: We can address the state mandated affordable housing issue. Okay. But what about Mayor Aronsohn saying this should be luxury housing? Is that really compatible? And to this point, doesn’t anyone question “luxury housing” backing up to the noisy commuter train tracks, adjacent to the YMCA with its constant traffic and with the non-luxury Oak Street Apartments as neighbors? Who will buy such luxury accommodations when we all know Location location location is the real estate mantra?
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The fact is that our Council and Planning Board are considering changes in the Master Plan to accommodate special interests. Valley Hospital = Special Interest. Real Estate Developers = Special Interest. When will our Village Planner, our Council and our Planning Board step up and show some vision and leadership at such a critical time? There is no way that every special interest group with a plan before the town can get their way without overwhelming the Village’s infrastructure. I’m not suggesting that we build nothing in the CBD or that Valley not modernize at all – just build and expand within what’s outlined the existing (pre 2010) Master Plan.
THEY ALREADY CHANGED THE MASTER PLAN TO ACCOMODATE VALLEY
THE MASTER PLAN MUST BE CHANGED BACK…
Other wise it’s just a matter of time until they allow the expansion to proceed.
The location is actually pretty good if you are going to commute to the city, assuming the developer would get NJ Transit to provide some access to the platform north of Franklin (which is where most of the platform is)
Ridgewood commands pretty high rent. Not NYC or even Hoboken rent, but compared to say, Midland Park or Bergenfield, it’s up there. Oak Street apts are actually pretty expensive, from what I understand. And the landscaping is nice. I’ve seen garden apartments look way more east-bloc.
And the author is wrong – I see people from the apts carrying S&S bags all the time. It’s a little out of hand when they “borrow” the carts and leave them on the sidewalk, though. I haven’t seen that in a while.
Although I have certainly heard that the MP must be changed back, I have not heard what steps are to be taken to do so. What exactly has to be done ?
No one would move to Ridgewood because they commute to NYC. The only thing that we have in common with Hoboken is Carlo’s. This is not a place for young professionals. This is where they move once they have children and Hoboken/NYC are no longer fun. After graduating from college my children looked forward to moving to Hoboken/NYC. Ridgewood is for kids who still live at home or those of us who have not yet sold our homes to young professionals with children from Hoboken/NYC. Why would anyone want an apartment bordering the train tracks in Ridgewood?
Here’s a couple of reasons (I’m sure there are more):
1. To make money for the developer( s )
2. To advance a liberal agenda
A lot of folks are asking that question.
WTF kind of liberal agenda would benefit from apartments by the tracks? Looks more like the local government throwing a bone to the “job creators” if you ask me.
You contradict yourself, #7. Any more of your claptrap and I’M GOING GALT!