Sunday, January 27, 2013
"Chasing away reinvestment" is not a solution, according to one reader.
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Sunday, January 27
It is very common in NJ towns to hear public outcry when significant redevelopment is proposed. More kids to teach, more cars to park, and a new streetscape. These are all valid concerns. Ridgewood is not an island. It shares these issues with most NJ towns. Many of these communities have moved ahead with projects and the worse-case fears never materialize. Once built, redevelopment projects quickly become part of the fabric of the community. The new vitality encourages more reinvestment especially in the smaller properties nearby. Ridgewood’s population/household density is not remarkable in the county or the state. I’m not sure, but since the 80’s Ridgewood like many NJ towns has seen a decline in population. Almost every town does a …
Monday, January 21, 2013
Developer's expert witness projects six school-age kids, says the revised design is less "drastic."
Developers have scaled back a proposal to remake the Sealfons tract with 52 upscale apartment units and 28,000 square feet of retail, stretching along three fronts of the Ridgewood downtown. Appearing before the planning board on Jan. 7, John Saraceno's project is included as part of the board's decision to amend the Master Plan, likely creating an overlay zone(s) in the downtown. The board's study also incorporates three other developments – Ridgewood Station, Chestnut Village and The Dayton. Like the other new development proposals, primary issues include the possible impact of children on the school system, increases in traffic, questions of density and the amount of parking offered. Running along Maple Avenue from Franklin to East …
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Testifying on behalf of the developer, experts said they believe the 114-unit development at Ken Smith Motors will generate fewer than 10 school kids. Concerns also remain over parking and traffic.
A newly-proposed transit-oriented development at the Ken Smith Ford site would likely generate few school children while accommodating for parking demand, expert witnesses testified Tuesday night at the planning board meeting. But Ridgewood planning board members maintained some skepticism and also expressed worry about traffic impacts on the dangerous Franklin Avenue. Dubbed "Ridgewood Station," the plans envision a St. Mark's-inspired 137,000 square foot mixed use development on Franklin and Chestnut avenues, comprised of 114 luxury housing units and just over 7,000 square feet of retail space. The developer has appealed to the planning board to create an overlay zone allowing for higher densities around the Ridgewood train line, with …
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Ken Smith Motors
15 Franklin Ave, Ridgewood, NJ
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Robert Steelman
11:57 am on Monday, February 25, 2013
My opinion is that COAH or Mt Laurel is an example of land use regulation gone wrong. Despite a noble intention it missed the mark from the start. COAH most likely built nice second homes for many lawyers, capital bureaucrats and planners. It buried municipalities in a mountain of paperwork that needed to be trucked to Trenton. It also opened the door to a form of housing development most … more ›