Our quiet, serene, beautiful and peaceful neighborhood on Van Emburgh Avenue stretching from Washington Township into Ridgewood and made up of 100 percent single family homes is about to be shattered by a court-ordered imposition of a 44-unit apartment complex. This mandate is to satisfy some nebulous rules about complying with Affordable Housing politically-correct social engineering forced on our town by the state.
I spoke against this mandate at a recent Township of Washington Planning Board for the following reasons: Many of the Township and Village residents moved here specifically to get away from densely-packed areas which have multi-family complexes.
The construction mud and noise pollution will disrupt our peaceful lives and enshroud us in a cloud of dust and dirt probably for something like two years. The now-empty land parcel they are plopping this monstrosity in is practically across the street from Immaculate Heart Academy High School. This will mean that the dozens and dozens of parents who drop their daughters off at school each morning will now be competing in traffic with arriving construction workers — excavators, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, roofers, painters, sheetrockers and landscapers, etc.
Since most people nowadays have two cars, and are two-worker households, that will mean that 88 more cars belonging to potential residents will join the traffic during the early mornings; and that number of cars doesn’t even include arriving faculty.
The loud sounds of earth movers, bulldozers, backhoes, bucket loaders, cement trucks and dump trucks as well as huge rigs delivering lumber, massive sanitary and storm pipes, roofing supplies, siding and landscaping materials will disrupt our peaceful existence.
Even if 12 of the residents of the 44-unit apartment complex have children, that means 100 brand new instant neighbors on our street.
The trouble with politically-correct mandated solutions to social concerns is that they don’t take into consideration the impact on the existing local governments. The prime example being the local school system population, police, fire, street sweeping and snow removal.
I want to urge the Township of Washington and The Village of Ridgewood to join Park Ridge and Hillsdale to put the question of “Affordable Housing” rules on the November ballot and put pressure on our state Legislature to straighten out the rules and regulations of these mandated nightmares.
Edward Galorenzo
Washington Township
Oh well get used to it Bergen County building building building, our small towns are going away. That’s why people are moving away time to get out now don’t look back don’t walk don’t jog run run run.
Edward, I feel for you. It must be very stressful to be under the stress of the impact this will have in your life but we live in troubled times. This is what socialism feels like. I know this because I lived under such regime for a good part of my life. Sorry.
We need to amend the NJ State Constitution to eliminate the so-called right our illustrious Supreme Court justices magically found therein for people-to-be-named-later to purchase suburban housing at less than market prices.
That is a large plot of land. Had no idea it was there until just saw on google earth. shocking it wasnt developed before now. just goes to show that the prior council might have been right to allow some of these projects that got started before the court ruling because otherwise instead of luxury condos we would be building low income housing in town.
I would like to see a big high-rise there
102 – – you are a fool The prior council approved slums in the middle of our village. Remember as you walk past the Arohson Arms Apartments what devastation that buffoon wrought.
Development in proportion and I am all for senior housing for residents of Ridgewood that grew up here and cannot afford to move away from their network and support as they get older
You forgot to mention historic area as well.
A two year could of dust. The Horror.
Is that the land that was full of wood and logs did that Land. Just cell
There is a big town meeting on sept 26th 2018 730 in municipal building at 350 Hudson in Washington township. Please show up to voice concern!! They are trying to quietly put this through!!
any info???links???