Ridgewood’s future not being decided by its residents
Friday, September 20, 2013
The Ridgewood News
Ridgewood’s future not being decided by its residents
by Amy Bourque
Citizens for a Better Ridgewood
To the editor:
What is it exactly that drives a community to change its Master Plan? Are changes made because a community is overwhelmingly in favor of change? Or are changes made due to overwhelming pressure from outside entities?
After sitting through dozens of meeting over the last seven months and listening in on the workings of our Planning Board, I have come to a sad conclusion: Change in our town is being driven by incredibly motivated applicants, not by the citizens who live here.
At the Sept. 17 Planning Board meeting, our village planner, Mr. Blais Brancheau, gave guidance as to how new zones should look that will accommodate high density housing in Ridgewood. Despite a major deficit in open space, a severe lack of parking, traffic and accidents that are out of control, and school populations that have reached critical mass with capped budget spending, why are we still allowing high density zones to be created at all? Why? Why? Why? This is a question all of us should be asking.
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And that will be the primary reason for people to not only move out, but also be the main reason why people will not look at Ridgewood as a town to move into (duh, housing prices fall).
I really hope the folks on the PB get this part because Valley’s supporters sure as hell don’t.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again. This thing will make Valley’s plan look like someone just wanted to add a small screened porch to their house. If this thing goes thru it will forever change Ridgewood. There will be no going back. People think it is hyperbole but just take a look at Hackensack. Once you start with hi-rises you can’t go back. Hopefully people will start to focus on this and spread the word what this will mean to everyone who lives in town.
no shit. bend over and take it in the horn.
The Master Plan and the H Zones are here to protect Ridgewood.
If a few elected people on the PB and Council now decide that they, and not the majority, want to change these existing protection policies then we are doomed.
It’s now about both Valley and the CBD. If either are approved then the other will be allowed. They are one in the same.
Why now? Why after years of no are these projects even being entertained? They should not be. There are lesser alternatives for all of these locations. We are getting hammered by all the people with the money. This country is suffering so a little town suffering at a few open spaces is miner. Let’s not sell our souls and our town for projects that will do such long term harm.
Logic today, will protect us all tomorrow.