September 28,2017
by Boyd A. Loving
During a Special Public Meeting of the Ridgewood Village Council held on Wednesday, September 27, Council members approved Resolution #17-291, “Central Valet Pilot Program in Central Business District” by a 4-0 vote (Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh was absent).
Key components/highlights of the centralized “pilot” valet parking program are:
The “pilot” program will be in operation beginning on Friday, October 6, and end on Saturday, December 30.
Establishments currently operating private valet parking services (e.g., Park West Tavern) may continue to do so during the “pilot” period.
Central valet parking service will be available every Friday and Saturday evening from 6:00 PM through 1:00 AM the following morning.
Two (2) drop off/pick up locations will be in operation – 1. Van Neste Square southbound opposite the bus terminal and 2. East Ridgewood Avenue just west of North Broad Street (the “hole”).
Service charge of $5.00 per vehicle (some establishments may choose to “validate” patrons’ central valet parking charges).
Central valet parking service provider has been contracted by the Village of Ridgewood; total costs for “pilot” program, being paid for by Village taxpayers, will not exceed $36K (taxpayers’ costs will be offset by valet parking fees collected). Unofficial reports are that the central valet provider must process a minimum of 250 vehicles per evening throughout the “pilot” program in order for Village taxpayers to “break even.
“Vehicles entrusted to the central valet provider will be parked at one of three Village owned properties – 1. Van Neste Square northbound (immediately adjacent to Van Neste Memoral Park), @. The “hole” (far west end of East Ridgewood Avenue immediately adjacent to the train station), and 3. North Walnut Street Municipal Parking Lot (portion of lot immediately adjacent to the former Town Garage).
NOTE: A total of approximately 90 metered parking spaces (currently providing free parking beginning at 6:00 PM, Monday through Saturday) will be removed from the “self parking” inventory” every Friday and Saturday evening to facilitate the central valet service (see locations above). Police will be instructed to prohibit self parking in the three (3) aforementioned central valet parking areas beginning at 4:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays during the “pilot” program period. Violators will be ticketed and towed.
Someone please explain to me how losing all those spots on VanNeste North is better for the church then building a garage next to it? Will the church be validating parking for Saturday evening mass?
The only possible explanation for a plan this dumb is that Uber has bribed the Village Council.
They need to put the valet cars elsewhere, not in the heart of the parking
FUBAB. I will not be voting for anyone currently sitting on the dais. Absolutely unbelievable. Almost 100 park-for-free spaces lost on the busiest nights of every week due to the sheer stupidity of this plan. The cops will be chasing illegal parkers for hours every Friday and Saturday night.
might be Ramon’s after school project..
Police will be instructed to prohibit self parking in the three (3) aforementioned central valet parking areas beginning at 4:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays during the “pilot” program period. Violators will be ticketed and towed.
people use those commuter lots on Friday work days so how is that going to work for those commuters arriving after 6 pm who by the way have been forking over $750 a year for commuter passes in the poor mans commuter pass lots?walnut adjacent to town garage slum
Here Fixed That Fer Ya…
Village Council Approves “Pilot”
Central Valet ParkingJustify Ginormous Garage ProgramComplete asshats the lot of them.
Start the recall on everyone of them.
2:03 gets the VOR Kupie doll
Its death by a thousand cuts and thousands of dollars parking pass
Attitudes. King George was run out of town by the colonials. ..taxation without representation is tyranny
PAULIE THE GREEK sound like he had a hand in this. Again taxpayers dollars was5ed again. I hope some good people run against these people next election.
Seize town garage pave it thats all any of us have stomach for this is completely rediculous now for whom the restaurants winters coming anyway
Miss Roberta likely has the popcorn out for this horror show…
You can always count on the Ridgewood Village Console to make yet another horrible decision. The leadership of this town is an embarrassment.
If I understand this process you drive your car to a valet across from the Bus Terminal (on southbound Walnut – how about being specific as to the street) and then valet drives it into the lot which is a total distance of less than 100 feet.
You can not make this stuff up.
Is the parking free if you have the Ridgewood Card?
Wow. Just Wow. Great idea guys and gals.