Students air plan for extra parking at Ridgewood High
JULY 15, 2014 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
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RIDGEWOOD — When someone claims to have an idea for more parking in the village, the council tends to listen.
Last week, Ridgewood’s governing body was all ears when three students proposed utilizing a PSE&G right of way next to the high school for the creation of 75 to 100 parking spots.
The students — two current Ridgewood High School students and one recent graduate — said the right of way could be accessed via North Irving Street near Stephens Field and that cars could exit onto East Ridgewood Avenue.
The spots would mostly be used during the school year by the students, but could also be used during sporting events at the high school and at Stephens Field.
At present, the students said most of the parking available at the high school is taken up all day by students, leaving no room for visitors to park.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/towns/students-air-plan-for-extra-parking-at-ridgewood-high-1.1051337#sthash.PizAn7ex.dpuf
Students add some helpful items on student parking. Thanks.
According to the longer article PSE&G seemed inclined not to give consent. I strongly believe that the time has come for the village to take back our right of way.
PSE&G chose not to use the right of way to run wires because it would have been a more expensive project (despite that obviously that was the place wires were supposed to be put). Now they prohibit its use by our community for parking. Is this a right of way for a utility or a green acres project? We do not have enough resources to allow PSE&G to take up that much land for such little rent.
The property in question is privately owned. It is NOT owned by PSE&G, nor is it owned by the Village, nor by the BOE.
Is the Village Council considering beginning condemnation proceedings for the purpose of creating a parking lot in a residential neighborhood?
Who does own the land? I personally do not care for the idea, this is a quiet area to go for a nice walk without having to deal with cars.
Brian – In addition to a lot of trunk wires running up the right of way, there are also gas mains buried below it. This would make paving problematic especially as this would represent yet another hardscape project in the flood plain. Without paving, that area is a mess after any flooding or even heavy rain
Who owns it? Each house backing onto it?
Isn’t it a major floodway?
#5–no one said pave it. They said park there. it could be a dirt/grass lot for parking, no? Maybe put down a ton of wood chips or something. It might not be unusable in snow and bad rain but the other days of the year it should be fine.
#3–who does own it? I presumed it was like the other right of way land which is owned by the village and leased to PSE&G for an amount so low that the village attorney didn’t even venture a guess besides to say it is a minimal amount of money.
Bring back the trolleys of yesteryear that all the way to Hoboken.
PSE&G sold the property to a group of residents from North Irving Street in 1997. The residents purchased it to prevent the BOE from buying it and turning it into, you guessed it, a parking lot.
The “North Irving Street Association” still owns the property, but there are several liens on it due to unpaid property taxes.
As far as the BOE is concerned, a perfect scenario would be for the Village to sieze the property for non payment of taxes, maintain the property, and let the BOE use it for whatever purpose they so desire.
The aforementioned scenario would enable the BOE to lay blame on any problems off to the Village.
It would make way too much sense to actually use that space for parking so it probably won’t happen. The property went for sale years ago and the neighbors “outbid” the BOE for the property. I believe the owner(s) are in severe tax arrears to the Village so the property could be “in play.” I see PSE&G has recently put up new gates on that section as well as the section between E. Ridgewood Ave and Spring so maybe PSE&G has regained “ownership.”
If all of that can be worked out, entrance only from N. Irving and exit and right turn only onto E. Ridgewood Ave with a cleaned up and heavily landscaped buffer between the neighbors would go along way to alleviating the parking issues that the students at RHS face and the parking issues the neighbors face anytime there is a sporting event at RHS or Stevens. But, as I said it makes way too much sense for it to happen. Most likely the Village Council will probably want to build a multi-use parking garage on the site and bog the whole thing down for another 20 years.
There is parking at vets and Graydon.
The students just don’t want to walk one inch more than they need to.
People who live on Northern Parkway and Graydon Terrace and the surrounding area walk to the high school without adverse affects. Why can’t the kids with cars manage the walk the same distance?
We could name it The Paul Aronsohn Way.
Lets spend more taxpayers money to beautify this dirt road so the little beauties can bring their parents BMW’s to school. More traffic but less danger. Sound like a page out of Valley Hospital play book. Oh let not forget more parking for all those sports people. Maybe the BOED should get together with our Council and build a parking garage at Ridgewood High School. The high school could fit a multi deck in their lot. Don’t forget its not just plating shrubs. Driveway aprons. guard rails for safety so no one drives into the brook or ditch, signs and what ever else has to be done for safety.
If there are unpaid taxes on the land, it should go up for tax sale.
I’d be willing to buy it. (and I’ll do what I choose with it)
Let the kids walk from Vets lot. No money needed, the parking is already there.
Or let them park on Brookside and Hankes like they use to. A little paint for striping spaces and were done. Oh thats right not in my backyard.
Remember student when our Mayor does this for you he will expect you to vote for him when you turn 18.
There is parking available. Just use it.
Time to work on a real problem.
If I recall correctly, the Village came up with a Mickey Mouse scheme of sorts that prevents this property from ever going up for tax sale.
The thought process being that the Village did not want anyone but themselves holding a lien on the property. It would be much easier to sieze that way.
East Ridgewood Avenue is a County Road. Not sure you could exit traffic onto East Ridgewood without first obtaining approval from the County.
Seriously, are the lots at Vets and Graydon full?
People are trying to solve a problem that does not exist.
If the Village does not enforce tax liens equally, it would be ‘selective enforcement’. If the Village chooses which liens to enforce, and which to ignore, it would create another problem for the town.
Any delinquent taxpayer should be treated the same, and this will be another ‘Pandora’s box’ if what your state is accurate.
Did you see them last week when questioned? No one on the council, not even Mr. Rogers, knew who actually owns the strip of land. Yet they were making plans for it. Lesson number one for the high school students and their teacher – get the facts, all the facts, before you make any plans. Lesson number one for PALBERT – quit now before you embarrass yourselves any further.