20171101 - Village Council Work Session

A REGULAR WORK SESSION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY ON NOVEMBER 1, 2017 AT 7:30 P.M.

 

1. 1. CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL – FLAG SALUTE

Mayor Knudsen called the meeting to order at 7:31 P.M. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Hache, Sedon, Voigt, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen. Also present were Heather Mailander, Village Manager/Village Clerk; Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney; and Donna M. Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk.  

Mayor Knudsen led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and held a Moment of Silence for all the men and women serving our nation, all first responders, and all those who have suffered as a result of acts of terrorism.

2. 2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Mayor Knudsen opened the public comment portion of the meeting.

Pamela Perron, 123 Kenilworth Road, introduced herself as the coordinator for the League of Women Voters Observer Corps. Ms. Perron stated that her group has been reporting on Village Council meetings for the past 7 months, and the hardest part of their job is hearing the speakers. She urged the Village Council to try moving the podium to the side of the room.

Ms. Perron referred to a comment made at a recent Village Council meeting by a resident, which indicated that the League of Women Voters Observer Corps was also reporting on the Community Relations Advisory Board (CRAB). Ms. Perron stated that the League of Women Voters Observer Corp does not report on CRAB meetings.

Ms. Perron reported that the New Jersey Foundation for Open Government will be having a presentation on the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) and Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) on November 8, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. in the Anne Zusy Youth Center at Village Hall. This presentation is being co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters. Walter Leeward, Esq. and State Senator Loretta Weinberg will be the speakers.

Dave Shaw, 33 North Hillside Place, expressed his appreciation for the services of the Village Councilmembers.

Mr. Shaw expressed concerns about plans to reconfigure the Train Station parking lot, which currently has a 32-foot-wide grass plaza. He described the grass plaza as a restful parklike refuge, replete with a serpentine sidewalk, trees, and a large, decorative fern. It is a tribute to the community. It was Mr. Shaw’s understanding that the 32-foot-wide grass plaza is proposed to be reduced to 8 feet wide, with 24 feet of green area being replaced with concrete or asphalt to provide for 35 compact car parking spaces. Mr. Shaw referred to a written statement, that indicated that this proposal will improve the visual appearance of the Ridgewood Train Station, which he described as shear folly. He felt this proposal will transform an area that is peaceful to one that is harsh and more congested. He urged the Village Council to reconsider this proposal. Mr. Shaw suggested that the Village Council intensify their focus on constructing a downtown parking garage in an effort to alleviate the Village’s parking problems.

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, noted that it was not the League of Women Voters Observer Corps that reported on CRAB, and she thanked the Ms. Perron for clarifying that.

3. 3. PRESENTATION
4. 1. Zoning Business District - Brigette Bogart, Village Planner

Village Planner, Brigette Bogart, explained that she was before the Village Council this evening to discuss modifications that may be necessary to the Zoning Ordinance to encourage redevelopment in the Central Business District (CBD).

As a matter of background, Mayor Knudsen explained that she received a letter regarding some vacant store fronts. She was also made aware of a problem an owner was having in relocating his active Ridgewood business. Mayor Knudsen noted that Ridgewood’s Master Plan is designed to encourage a retail environment, and support more pedestrian foot traffic. Since retail-type businesses are less insulated from competitors like Amazon.com, the internet and the shopping malls, Mayor Knudsen felt it was time to consider modifying the requirements of the B-1 and B-2 Zones to allow more internet-proof businesses to open up.  

Ms. Bogart suggested the following steps:

1. 1. Modify Zoning Ordinance and Reduce Prohibitions - The first step is to modify the B-1 and B-2 Zones, because they list specific uses that are permitted. Ms. Bogart felt that these specific uses should be changed to “retail and personal service” uses. The second step would be to modify the B-1 and B-2 Zones to allow for additional uses that are not necessarily pedestrian oriented, such as permitting an office or a residential use on the first floor. Modifying the B-1 and B-2 Zones to allow for flexibility will help businesses and private property owners make their property more viable, and will greatly reduce the need for variance relief.
2. 2. Modify SPEC Application Process - The Village Code permits certain applications to go through the Site Plan Exemption Committee (SPEC), if they are not building a new principle building; if they are not changing the outside; if they are not modifying pedestrian or vehicle circulation; and if they do not require a variance, instead of going through the entire site plan process. The SPEC members include architects, representatives of the Building Department, the Village Engineer and the Village Planner, so all applications are fully vetted. The SPEC application process needs to be modified and expanded to allow for more CBD tenants to come in without having to go through the public hearing process. Ms. Bogart felt that SPEC was an important committee, since allowing more businesses to go through the SPEC application process versus the Planning Board application process encourages businesses to occupy buildings in the CBD.

Councilman Voigt suggested adding an “intensity of use” stipulation in the zoning requirements to ensure that there are enough parking spaces for that business.

Under questioning by Mayor Knudsen, Ms. Bogart explained that it is illegal to allow only a certain percentage of each type of use in a zone.

Councilwoman Walsh questioned if the Village would be able to access landlord data, which would report possible, viable rentals that were turned down by the landlord in favor of something that, with a zoning change, may be a better fit for the landlord, but not necessarily for the CBD. Ms. Bogart felt that, from a zoning perspective, the only option would be to make the requirements as general as possible to accept all applicants. The Village Council does not have the opportunity to know what is going on in private negotiations. Ms. Bogart suggested creating a Business Improvement District (BID), which would encourage tenants to come to Village Hall, where there could be conversations about different opportunities to locate their business. Councilwoman Walsh suggested getting data on commercial properties, possibly through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) System, and work with the Tax Assessor to formulate a data chart showing guidelines for where the business falls within the zone. Ms. Bogart said this would work as part of the BID.

Mayor Knudsen suggested looking at all the tenant applications over the last five years that were before the Board of Adjustment, and isolate all the businesses that may have been interested in applying, and either were granted variance relief, were denied variance relief, or withdrew their application. Councilwoman Walsh suggested that this data may already be out-of-date, considering the fast pace of the internet. Ms. Bogart agreed, noting her suggestion to keep the requirements as general, as possible, within limits.

Mayor Knudsen questioned if it is possible to require a business owner to have a specific number of parking spaces that they produce on their own. Ms. Bogart suggested permitting shared parking, and to allow for business owners to suggest having off-site parking for employees. This will be key to encouraging businesses to locate in the CBD.

It was the consensus of the Village Council to direct Ms. Bogart to prepare a report containing an assessment of permitted uses, that are outdated from a retail perspective, and her recommendations for internet-proof businesses.

Councilwoman Walsh suggested that Councilman Hache talk to the Chamber of Commerce, since this zoning change will impact a majority of the members. Councilman Hache stated that members of the Chamber of Commerce have discussed how restrictive the code is today. He felt that the business owners would be open to having a lot more flexibility in the uses. He spoke of the importance of establishing the proper restrictions.

Mayor Knudsen pointed out that the code can require a service use to contain a certain percentage of retail within that location, making it more consistent with the Master Plan. Mr. Rogers pointed out that this is a restriction, which may make it conditional in terms of its approval, depending upon how that works out. Ms. Bogart noted that, from a planning perspective, the CBD contains a lot of restaurants, and this is what causes the parking problems. Allowing other uses, such as yoga and dance studios that are used in the daytime, will not add a burden to the evening parking problems, and will make the CBD more vibrant.

Councilwoman Walsh asked Ms. Bogart to include data detailing how many employee parking permits have been issued, and how many empty spaces exist. A discussion followed on how some employees are still parking on the street instead of utilizing the employee parking spaces.

Councilman Hache will solicit comments from the Chamber of Commerce and forward these to Ms. Bogart, who will prepare a draft ordinance and present it to the Village Council at the December 6, 2017 Village Council Work Session. After that, the draft ordinance will be presented to the Planning Board, and then back to the Village Council for a second meeting.

2. 2. Valley Hospital Litigation Settlement

Mr. Rogers explained that it has been approximately 10 years that Valley Hospital has been working towards an expansion, and along the way there have been two or three separate litigations that have been involved with that proposed expansion. The most recent litigation was started in 2015, after the Village Planning Board denied a new application for a Master Plan amendment. That litigation was tried in 2016, and a decision came from the Superior Court of Bergen County in June, 2016. There had been several efforts along the way to try and resolve the issue; however, it needed a trial. The respective Village Councils, that were in office during that time period, were appraised of the litigation and the matters involved in the litigation. Over the past year, the present Village Council has held settlement discussions, and made every effort to ensure that the public was both aware of and understood the settlement discussions. The Village appealed the Supreme Court’s June, 2016 decision on an interlocutory basis, which means the appeal was made before a final judgement was given. This appeal was made in July, 2016. The Appellate Division granted the Village’s Interlocutory Appeal. In November/December, 2016, the Civil Appeal Settlement Program channeled the Village to settlement negotiations to see if the matter could be resolved. These settlement negotiations began in January, 2017 and continued until September/October, 2017. In January, 2017, the Village was advised by Valley Hospital representatives that they were filing a Certificate of Need, which is an application to the State Department of Health, to move the hospital, which included their acute care in-patient services, the emergency room and a number of other related services, over to Paramus, because they had become the owners of about 28 acres of contiguous property in Paramus. The issue remained as to what to do with the Valley Hospital campus in Ridgewood. In discussions with Valley Hospital, as part of the Appeal Settlement Program, the representative stated that Valley Hospital wanted to maintain the same facilities they have at the Ridgewood campus, even if the Certificate of Need is granted and they move the hospital to Paramus. With that, discussions began on how to resolve the litigation and decide what was to happen. Terms for a proposed Settlement Agreement have been worked out, based upon the following two basic principles:

1. 1. The Certificate of Need was filed on February 1, 2017, and the decision process takes about one year. A public hearing on this Certificate of Need is scheduled to be held at Ridgewood High School on November 13, 2017. If the Certificate of Need is not granted by the State Department of Health, the appeal that is currently on-hold will proceed.
2. 2. If the Certificate of Need is granted, it is Valley Hospital’s intent to move the acute care, in-patient services, emergency room and related health services over to Paramus. This will take five to six years; there will be an extensive buildout in Paramus, and then a period of time that the facilities and services will be moved over there. There will still be a need for a hospital and acute care, in-patient facility, and other aspects of the present operation that will continue, but it may change other aspects of the operation. In terms of the Settlement Proposal, Valley Hospital wants to make sure that the campus remains at the same size and same footprint. The Ridgewood residents, who are part of the litigation, have agreed with that aspect, as well. The Village Council is also in agreement with allowing the Valley Hospital campus to remain at the same size and the same footprint. Mr. Rogers described the two aspects of this principle as follows:

The Village Council and the Planning Board, who are both parties to the lawsuit, have been asked to adopt a Master Plan that makes this particular facility, as it is right now, conforming in terms of size and use. The Village Council would then adopt an ordinance that would memorialize that amendment to the Master Plan. This must be done within a certain time period. This action will give consistency to the existing facility in the eyes of the zoning of the Village.

The term “health care related services” must be clearly defined. If Valley Hospital is moving over to Paramus, what is going to be the use of the facility that remains in Ridgewood? It is Valley Hospital’s intent to use the Ridgewood facility for health care related services. The settlement agreement approves and defines the following permitted uses for the Ridgewood facility: urgent care; behavioral health; nutrition; ambulatory surgery; diagnostic imaging; laboratory services; subacute care; nursing home facilities; day care services; and senior citizens programs. Valley Hospital wants acute care hospital services to remain at the Ridgewood facility, with the State Department of Health’s permission. The Village finds this acceptable. The Village did have concerns with the use of the facilities and the beds that remain there, particularly with the proximity of the Ben Franklin Middle School. Concerns included using the site for inpatient psychiatric services or inpatient substance abuse services. The Settlement Agreement states that it is not Valley Hospital’s intent to utilize the facility for either of these uses. The Phillips Wing, which is the oldest wing at Valley Hospital, may be either rehabilitated or torn down. The Settlement Agreement states that Valley Hospital intends to work out some type of relationship, so that if the Phillips Wing is torn down, it will be rebuilt as senior residential and senior assisted living facilities. The Village feels this would be a positive step for the community. The Settlement Agreement states that there will be no further increase in the footprint of the size of the facility. The square footage that is there now is what is going to stay. If the Phillips Wing is torn down, the facility that goes up in its place can be the same size. There will be no further encroachment into any of the areas that are not encroached now, with two exceptions related to future requirements from a power plant standpoint. The power plant is currently located underground, underneath Valley Hospital. In five or six years, after moving the acute care inpatient services to Paramus, there may be a need for a new power plant. A power plant, of the size that Valley Hospital needs, has requirements from NJDEP that have changed over the years in terms of the size and what is used as an exhaust stack. NJDEP determines the height of the exhaust stack. Currently, these requirements are unknown. It is anticipated and agreed to by the parties that this will be the subject of a site plan application, if and when that happens. If the power plant is changed to an above ground power plant, the existing underground power plant will be demolished and removed. Valley Hospital agreed that this area will not be used for beds; it will be used for storage and other things related to the health care services that will be provided there in the future, once the hospital services move out.

Mr. Rogers explained that the proposed senior assisted living/senior residence facility will be incorporated into Ridgewood’s Zoning Code as a permitted use for the facility. There will be issues left over for consideration during the site plan process, if and when the power plant needs to be reconstructed. The Village Council’s main interest has always been what is in the best interest of the community, particularly how the facility impacts the residents that live in the area. The concerns of Ridgewood residents have been a part of the entire settlement process, and have been a part of the Civil Appeal Settlement Program with the Appellate Division, that the Village has attended to over the last year. They and Valley Health System’s Board have agreed to accept this proposal.

Mr. Rogers explained that there is always the potential for the Village, as well as any other party, for a Court go in a different direction. With any settlement, all parties need to consider all the long-term benefits. If all parties concede certain things they originally wanted, it shows a commitment in trying to make things work properly, and a desire to adhere to a settlement and to work toward upholding its terms.   Mr. Rogers felt that all parties have come together in the spirit of trying to resolve issues that have haunted the Village for many years, and have put an end to a very divisive time in the Village’s past. The Village and Valley Hospital can now return to the cooperative relationship that existed before litigation began.

Under questioning by Councilman Voigt, Mr. Rogers explained that the Certificate of Need application did not specifically ask for any specific, acute care type of services. However, if there are, it may be subject to some discussion. Mr. Rogers noted that the Settlement Agreement does define what health care related services are and what they will include. He didn’t feel any of the uses would create a negative impact to the area. Councilman Voigt expressed a concern with services that may create additional traffic. Mr. Rogers stated that Valley Hospital is open to discussion with any of these services. He noted that the biggest traffic grinder at the hospital was the Emergency Room, which will be moving with the hospital to Paramus.

Under questioning by Councilman Sedon, Mr. Rogers stated that the Settlement Agreement requires that within 90 days after the Certificate of Need is granted, assuming there are no challenges from any other hospital or third party in the area, the Planning Board must consider a Master Plan amendment. Within 180 days after that, the Village Council would adopt an ordinance consistent with that Master Plan.

Councilman Sedon noted that the Valley Hospital litigation has really divided the community. He spoke of the importance of moving beyond the past to a better future working together. He thanked Mr. Rogers and everyone who worked so hard to bring both parties to this point.

Councilman Hache felt that the senior residence/assisted living facility would be a very welcome change of use and he felt the Village should do everything possible to facilitate that use. Councilman Hache questioned how this will affect the taxes paid by Valley Hospital. Mr. Rogers stated that this depends how it is set up. It could be leased out to an entity that would set it up and build it, which would create a triple-net type situation where that entity would then have to pay the taxes. Any change from nonprofit to profit would warrant a taxable event.

Mayor Knudsen thanked Mr. Rogers for all his hard work, noting that a great deal of time, energy and effort has been spent on this Settlement Agreement. She stated how much everyone appreciates the importance of having good counsel. Mr. Rogers thanked the Village Council for their rational and realistic approach to settling this litigation.

Village Manager/Village Clerk Heather Mailander stated that a resolution approving the Settlement Agreement will be placed on next week’s Village Council’s Regular Public Meeting

4. 4. DISCUSSION
5. a. Ridgewood Water
6. 1. Award Contract for Professional Design Services - Ames Tank Rehabilitation

Ms. Mailander explained that the Ames Tank is located in Wyckoff, New Jersey. The lowest submitted cost proposal was from D.J. Egarian, out of Fairfield, New Jersey at $47,300. It is critical that the improvements to the tank be completed prior to January 15, 2019, as per an Administrative Order of Consent that was executed by the Village and USEPA in May, 2016. The funding for this project is in the Ridgewood Water Capital Budget.

           

1. b. Parking
2. 1. Draft RFP for Hudson Street Parking Garage

Ms. Mailander thanked Village Engineer, Christopher Rutishauser, for quickly putting together a Draft Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Hudson Street Parking Garage, for the Village Council to discuss this evening.

Under questioning by Councilman Voigt, Mr. Rutishauser stated that Mr. Rooney recommended a bid receive date of Thursday, December 7, 2017. If approved by the Village Council, it should be advertised as soon as possible in the Village’s official publication, either the Ridgewood News or The Record, and the trade magazines. The RFP should also be sent to bid services that the Village normally deals with, so that the bid gets nationwide circulation.

Councilman Voigt asked if the design criteria could be prioritized, especially regarding aesthetics and the size of the garage. Mr. Rutishauser noted that the design criteria indicate that the aesthetics are absolutely critical. The design criteria contain language that states that the garage needs to blend in with the surrounding neighborhood.

Councilman Sedon thanked Mr. Rutishauser for the fine job he did encapsulating all the information obtained throughout the years, regarding the garage, into the RFP in such a short time.

Councilman Sedon suggested removing the name “ParkMobile” from the Proposed Scope of Work Section of the RFP, which called for a recommendation of a payment system for the structure, and using a more generic term, such as “mobile phone application”. Mr. Rutishauser suggested the term “cellular telephone internet supported mobile payment device”.

Councilwoman Walsh suggested extending the bid receive date, since the holidays are approaching and the work weeks are shorter.   She felt the more people that are involved in the process, the better. A discussion followed, and a decision was made to extend the date until December 14, 2017.

At the suggestion of Councilman Hache, Mr. Rutishauser will include adding a “space available indicator” at the entrance to the facility to the Proposed Scope of Work.

At the suggestion of Mayor Knudsen, Mr. Rutishauser will add “kiosk” as an option for the payment system for the structure.

Under questioning by Mayor Knudsen, Mr. Rutishauser explained that the RFP has been amended to include a breakdown chart, detailing the options available for developer financing.

Under questioning by Mayor Knudsen, Mr. Rutishauser explained that an open structure would require a dry fire suppression system, not a wet fire suppression system.  

At the suggestion of Mayor Knudsen, Mr. Rutishauser will include the following sentence in the design criteria that prohibits encroachments into adjacent parcels: “No encroachment is to be considered onto the public sidewalk”.

At the suggestion of Mayor Knudsen, Mr. Rutishauser will amend the design criteria concerning existing parking spaces on Hudson Street, as follows: “Existing parking spaces on Hudson Street shall be maintained and increased where possible.”

Under questioning by Mayor Knudsen, Mr. Rutishauser understood that closed circuit television cameras covering all public areas of the building were a consideration in the original garage design.

At the suggestion of Mayor Knudsen, the design criteria will include providing an area dedicated to motorcycle parking.

Mr. Rutishauser stated that he will forward a copy of the amended RFP package to the Village Councilmembers.

1. c. Budget
2. 1. 2017 Budget Transfers

Ms. Mailander explained that this discussion item involves an annual resolution transferring money into the budgets of those departments that have inadequate funding, from the budgets of departments that have available funds, for reasons such as a reduction in staffing. November is the first month these transfers can be made. These transfers will continue until January/February, 2018.

There were no questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

2. 2. Cancellation of Public Assistance Trust Funds

Ms. Mailander explained that these resolutions will allow for the cancellation of Grant Fund and Public Assistance Trust Fund reserve balances for the Local Bikeway grant and Public Assistance Trust Fund. Ridgewood no longer offers public assistance services, as this is now administered by the County of Bergen, so the grant has fulfilled its purpose.

There were no questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

3. 3. Cancellation of Current Fund Budget Appropriation
4. 4. Washington Township Inter-Local Fleet Services

 

Ms. Mailander explained that as a direct result of the interlocal services agreement for Shared Fleet Services being cancelled by Washington Township, the Village needs to cancel its budget appropriation to offset the anticipated revenue shortfall, and reduce the negative impact on surplus at year end.

Under questioning by Mayor Knudsen, Ms. Mailander anticipated that the Village will be pursuing another shared services agreement next year with Washington Township.

There were no other questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

5. 5. Purchase of Emergency Generator

Ms. Mailander explained that the Village received a grant in the amount of $75,000 to purchase a portable emergency generator to power both the sanitary sewage pump stations that do not have emergency power onsite and Ridgewood Water Company Facilities, as conditions warrant. A unit has been selected off of the New Jersey State Bid Purchase Program. The selected unit will need minor modifications to suit the Village’s purposes. The purchase of the equipment will be through United Rentals, out of Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $86,000. Funds for the work are available from the grant. Any remaining funds necessary will be from Ridgewood Water.

There were no questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

6. 6. Award Contract - Graydon Pool Repair of Chlorination System

Ms. Mailander explained that last summer, Graydon Pool’s chlorination system needed emergency repairs. Thomas English, out of Jersey City, New Jersey, was hired to do the repairs because he was the vendor who originally installed the pumping system. The amount owed to the vendor is $4,952.50.

There were no questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

7. 7. Removal of Portion of Bike Path - Garber Square

Ms. Mailander explained that a traffic study conducted by the Police Department in June, 2017, recommended that a portion of the green bike path at Garber Square be removed. Ms. Mailander described the location of the removal as beginning at the front of Pease Library and extending to the traffic light.

The portion of the green path recommend to be removed is 856 square feet in size. It will be coated with a black street bond coating at a cost of $7,490.00. There is an alternative bid, which includes milling and grinding, at a cost of $19,103.23. Ms. Mailander stated that the recommendation is to go with the $7,490.00 cost.

Councilman Sedon suggested removing the entire bike lane and installing a “share all” for both bicyclists and vehicles. Mr. Rutishauser explained that the proposal is basically a color eradication. There will still be the shared lane (the sharrow) and cyclists will still come across. The green removal may make the motorist feel more comfortable moving over, but they must be careful not to interfere with the bicyclists.

Mayor Knudsen felt it would be safer if the entire bike lane was removed and replaced by sharrows. She has witnessed two cars going around the curve at the same time. Mayor Knudsen recalled that the money that was spent in 2014 reducing the island, was spent with the condition that if the Village wanted to put the whole thing back, they could. Mr. Rutishauser noted that two cars may be able to go around the curve at the same time, but once a truck or bus is involved, there will be a pinch action in the corner.

Councilwoman Walsh noted that this issue was brought before the Citizens Safety Committee several months ago, and it is not the opinion of the Citizens Safety Committee that the removal of the bike lane will make the street any safer. It will only serve to guide motorists to understand that they can come into the right lane when they get around the turn. Councilwoman Walsh reported that she saw two people walking in the bike lane under the trestle on a recent rainy evening, and she felt any changes made should address improving safety in the area.

Mayor Knudsen stated that she has also seen pedestrians walking on the bike path. She was aware of incidents with vehicles cutting into the traffic flow, vehicles sideswiping vehicles, and vehicles that straddle both lanes. Since right-on-red is permitted, the flow is stopped from maneuvering around. Mayor Knudsen recommended removing the entire bike lane.

Councilman Hache stated that he could envision a bike path running east to west toward Pease Library, because it is a straightway going uphill. He expressed safety concerns with shortening the bike path running west to east, because it leads into a turn.

Mayor Knudsen felt the first option to coat 856 square feet of the existing green bike lane with black street bond coating at a cost of $7,490 was the best option, so that its effectiveness could be determined without spending a lot of money.

Under questioning by Councilwoman Walsh, Mr. Rutishauser explained that the sharrow lane markings will still exist, so that motorists are cognizant of the bicyclists on their right side.

Mayor Knudsen recalled that the Police Department recommended the removal of the 856-square foot of bike lane to alleviate traffic backing up and vehicle sideswipes.

The majority of the Village Council members agreed to follow the Police Department recommendation to remove 856 square feet of the existing bike lane on the Pease Library side of the street, beginning from the front of Pease Library going toward West Ridgewood Avenue.   Councilwoman Walsh was against removing the bike lane.

1. d. Policy
2. 1. Approve Stop Sign at Cliff Street at First Street

Ms. Mailander explained that this discussion item is for a resolution to approve a stop sign at Cliff Street and First Street. A Ridgewood Parking Enforcement Officer observed a traffic condition with the existing yield sign on Cliff Street at its approach to First Street. Mr. Rutishauser conducted a field examination, and noted that the sight lines were not optimal with the existing yield sign. Additionally, First Street eastbound is downhill, carrying the exiting traffic from the Ho-Ho-Kus Train Station. This is part of a continuing program in the Village to replace intersections controlled by yield signs with stop signs to eliminate any ambiguity for drivers when they enter the intersection, making the intersections safer.  

There were no questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

2. 2. Approve Stop Signs at Cantrell Road and West End Avenue; Bellair Road and West End Avenue; West End Avenue and Cantrell Road; and Melrose Place and West End Avenue

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this discussion item is for a resolution to approve stop signs. A Village resident recently contacted the Village expressing concern about traffic along the West End Avenue corridor from Godwin Avenue, southward. Mr. Rutishauser conducted a field examination of the area and observed yield signs being used for traffic control at the intersection of Cantrell Road and West End Avenue. The “T” intersections of Melrose Place/West End Avenue and Bellair Road/West End Avenue, were observed to not have any traffic control devices. A review of the Village Code did not show a memorialization of the yield signs for Cantrell Road at West End Avenue. Mr. Rutishauser is recommending the installation of stop signs at the locations where there are no traffic control devices, and to replace the unofficial yield signs with stop signs, properly memorialized in the Village Code. A summary of these locations is as follows:

            Stop Sign Location                 Direction of Travel                 At Intersection of

            Melrose Place                                     West                            West End Avenue

            Bellair Road                                       West                            West End Avenue

            Cantrell Road                                     East                             West End Avenue

            West End Avenue                               South                           Cantrell Road

There were no questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

3. 3. Decorations and Other Items Outside of Businesses in the Central Business District

Ms. Mailander explained that the Village Code states, in both the B-1 and B-2 Retail Business Districts, that, except for parking lots, outdoor cafes, and sidewalk sales, any use permitted by this section shall only be conducted within the confines of a building. Many businesses in the Central Business District (CBD) have placed seasonal decorations and other items outside of their businesses. These items include a sheep outside of a mattress store; a bicycle outside of a bath and cream store; a mannequin-type display with a gift bag outside of a clothing store; racks of clothing outside of clothing stores; a tarot card reader; pool noodles; and “artwork” type paintings. There have also been seasonal decorations, flower pots, and benches placed outside of businesses.

It is possible for the Village Council to revise the Village Code, through an ordinance amendment, to allow businesses to place decorations or items of merchandise in the public right-of-way. If the Village Council wishes to do this, specific definitions and guidelines should be established so that it is very clear what will and will not be allowed on the sidewalks in front of the businesses. Ms. Mailander recommended restrictions that are similar to the restrictions found in the Village’s sidewalk sale ordinance, which include: four feet of unobstructed sidewalk; a signed, hold harmless agreement, agreeing to indemnify the Village from any and all claims or judgments due to personal injury or death; a certificate of insurance naming the Village of Ridgewood as an additional insured; and obtaining a permit.

Ms. Mailander stated that she discussed this matter with Mayor Knudsen, the Village Zoning Officer and the Village Code Enforcement Officer.

Mayor Knudsen spoke of the importance of establishing guidelines on what is considered appropriate for display outside a business. She noted that the sidewalk passage way is becoming smaller and smaller, and the decorations are growing. Definitions have to be determined on what is a decoration, what is a product, and what is a utility, such as an outside heater.

Councilman Hache noted that enforcement is an issue, as it is spotty at times. Councilman Hache also spoke of the importance of maintaining a safe, pedestrian passage way. He also expressed a concern about aesthetics.

Councilman Hache felt that deciding which items can be placed in front of businesses should be determined by the business owners themselves, before any action is taken by the Village Council. Councilman Voigt agreed.

Councilman Sedon did not feel he was in favor of allowing decorations in front of businesses, noting that it would be difficult to determine the allowable size and quantity of every decoration.  

Councilwoman Walsh summarized that the Village Council is looking for consistency. She felt that it seems like she is walking an obstacle course when she is walking through the CBD, because of items like heaters, brick walls, brick planters, and café seats. Councilwoman Walsh felt that clear cut rules, as to what can be placed outside a business, must be established.

Mr. Rogers stated that, even though there are clear cut rules regarding outdoor dining, history has shown that there have been a number of restaurants that offered outdoor dining without obtaining a permit. Enforcement of the outdoor café rules is very difficult. Ms. Mailander noted that, over the last few years, enforcement of outdoor cafés has improved and is under control.

Mayor Knudsen questioned who will decide whether one decoration is more appropriate over another. She agreed that items on a sidewalk create obstacle-course conditions.

It was decided that Councilman Hache will speak to the Chamber of Commerce to get recommendations for guidelines, and then a draft ordinance would be prepared for the Village Council, Chamber of Commerce, and Zoning and Code Enforcement to review and to give their input.

Ms. Mailander pointed out that the sheep decoration in front of the mattress store was actually determined to be a sign under Ridgewood’s sign ordinance, requiring a sign permit, because it is a symbol of the mattress company. Ms. Mailander felt this was a little peculiar, and she suggested that the sign ordinance also needs to be reviewed. Ms. Mailander agreed with the Village Councilmembers comments, that any changes must be consistent, fair, and easy to enforce.

Under questioning by Councilman Hache, Ms. Mailander stated that the Code Enforcement Officer works part-time, at varying hours, totaling 24-25 hours per week. She does not work in the evenings; however, she has worked a few hours during the weekends. Councilman Hache stated that he observed an outdoor café that had ice buckets for wine bottles and a flambé cart. Ms. Mailander noted that the use of flambé carts has been stopped because it is a Health Code violation. Councilman Hache felt it was unfair to the businesses that operate during the day to restrict them from putting items outside their stores, when cafés are not under similar restrictions. Councilman felt there must be uniformity in the application and consistent in the times of observance.

4. 4. Ordinance for Certain Illuminated Signs

Ms. Mailander recalled that a pilot program began in May, 2017, which regulated interior, illuminated signs. Several businesses have monitors in their windows, as advertising to attract customers. This pilot program expires on December 31, 2017, and she asked the Village Council whether or not they wished to enact an ordinance to allow it to go forward.

Mayor Knudsen stated that she considered the monitors to be display pieces, not illuminated signs. She spoke of the importance of not placing excessive restrictions on business owners, but rather giving them the tools they need to succeed.

Councilman Hache felt the Village Code, at the time it was written, was dealing with a different kind of sign. The Village Code currently considers the monitor a sign because it is within 6 feet of the window.

Under questioning by Councilman Voigt, Ms. Mailander stated that if an ordinance is approved to allow these monitors, there could be restrictions on size. Mayor Knudsen pointed out that the monitor in the window of Little Skye Children’s Boutique is approximately 42” large and is turned portrait, with framing that makes it look more like a display. Mr. Rogers pointed out that any size restrictions in a new ordinance must be consistent with the size restrictions in the sign ordinance. Language could be considered as to what this type of sign would do, and that it is not a principle sign, but a display.

It was the consensus of the Village Council that a monitor should not be considered a principle sign, that no more than one monitor is permitted, and that it should be restricted in its size. Mr. Rogers noted that if it is found that there is a need for more restrictions, the ordinance could be amended in the future.

Mr. Rogers will draft an ordinance for introduction at the November 8, 2017 Village Council Regular Public Hearing.

1. e. Operations
2. 1. Proposed Encroachment Agreement - 115 Monte Vista

Ms. Mailander explained that this discussion item is for a resolution to approve a minor encroachment into the Village right-of-way. The property owner at 115 Monte Vista is seeking to make improvements to their property. Part of that work would entail rebuilding two stone pillars that presently have a minor encroachment into the Village’s right-of-way. The resident would like to be able to maintain the encroachments, which are minimal. A certificate of insurance is required.

Under questioning by Mayor Knudsen, Ms. Mailander stated that the property owner did not have an encroachment agreement originally.

There were no other questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

2. 2. Dedicated Tree Resolution

Ms. Mailander explained that this discussion item is for a resolution approving the gift of a decorative tree to the Village in honor of Andy Antista, from his family and friends. The decorative tree will be planted at Lester Stable. Ms. Mailander stated that none of Mr. Antista’s family or friends have an application before any Village Board, which is required under the gift ordinance.

There were no questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

3. 3. Major Soil Permit - Dayton - South Broad Street

Ms. Mailander explained that this discussion item is for a resolution to approve a major soil moving permit for 100-152 South Broad Street. The Engineering Division has placed conditions on this permit, including: a performance bond; money in an escrow account; detailed truck route, including the days and hours of the truck traffic; no trucks within the school zones; no trucks on specific streets such as Hudson Street, Passaic Street, or East Ridgewood Avenue between Broad Street and Maple Avenue; all trucks must exit the site by heading south on South Broad Street; and no soil movement trucking will be permitted whenever events are occurring at any of the churches or religious institutions along the truck route, and the coordination of this by the contractor with the churches and religious institutions.

The applicant intends to move approximately 5,983 cubic yards of material, with an export of 5,293 cubic yards.

Under questioning by Councilman Voigt, Mr. Rutishauser stated that approximately 400 truckloads of soil will be involved in the soil movement.

Under questioning by Mayor Knudsen, Mr. Rutishauser explained that the Village’s roads should be able to support the trucks, if they are loaded legally. If the truck is too heavy, the roads could suffer some damage. That is why inspection fees are requested from an applicant, so the Engineering Staff can monitor any road damage and have it addressed as soon as possible.

Under questioning by Councilman Voigt, Mr. Rutishauser explained that South Broad Street will be paved after the soil movement is completed.

There were no questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

4. 4. Approve Community Development Block Grant Application for Housing Specialist - West Bergen Mental Healthcare

Ms. Mailander explained that West Bergen Mental Healthcare is requesting the Village Council’s endorsement of a Community Development Block Grant annual application for a Housing Specialist in the amount of $55,992. The necessary resolution does not obligate Village funds, and merely provides endorsement of the project by the Governing Body.

There were no questions or comments from the Village Councilmembers.

5. 5. REVIEW OF NOVEMBER 8, 2017 PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA

Ms. Mailander stated that next week there are no proclamations.

There are no ordinances for introduction or public hearing for Ridgewood Water.

Resolutions for Ridgewood Water include: Establish Interest Rates for Delinquent Payments to the Water Utility for 2017 and Set Grace Period for Payment of Water Utility Bills; Accept Ridgewood Water Annual Maintenance Fee; Award Additional Contract - Infrared Asphalt Surface and Miscellaneous Repairs; Award Professional Services Contract - Design Services - Ames Tank Rehabilitation; and Award Change Order - Lafayette Reservoir Improvements.

The following ordinances are scheduled for introduction: Amend Chapter 265 - Vehicles and Traffic - Establish Stop Signs at Cliff Street and First Street; and Amend Chapter 265 - Vehicles and Traffic - Establish Stop Signs at Cantrell Road and West End Avenue, Melrose Place and West End Avenue, Bellair Road and West End Avenue, and West End Avenue and Cantrell Road.

The scheduled public hearings include: Supervisors Salary Ordinance; Non-Union Salary Ordinance; Management Salary Ordinance; Amend Chapter 265 - Vehicles and Traffic - South Hillside Place; and Amend Chapter 265 - Vehicles and Traffic - Establish Stop Signs at Hope Street and Gilbert Street.

Resolutions include: Approve 2017 Budget Transfers; Authorize Tax Title Lien Premium to be Deposited into General Fund; Establish Interest Rate for Non-Payment of Taxes and Assessments for 2018 and Set Grace Period; Establish Interest Rates for Non-Payment of Other Municipal Liens for 2018 and Set Due Date; Establish Interest Rates for Delinquent Payments for Significant Sewer Discharge; Award Contract - Refurbish Leach Body for Sanitation Vehicle; Award Contract - Recycling of Vegetative Waste; Award Contract - Emergency Repair of Graydon Pool Chlorination System; Award Contract - Emergency Generator - Hazard Mitigation Grant Program; Award Contract under National Cooperative Contract - F650 Cab Chassis, Dump Body, Salt Spreader and Snow Plow; Award Contract under National Cooperative Contract - Two Front End Snowplows and Two Sanitation Truck Snowplows; Award Contract under National Cooperative Contract - Bobcat Skid-Steer Loader; Award Professional Services Contract - Pediatrician for Monthly Child Health Conference; Award Professional Services Contract - Valley Hospital, Department of Community Health - Public Health and Nursing Services; Award Professional Services Contract - Software Support for Finance Department; Approve Shared Services Agreement - Child Health Conference (Fair Lawn and Glen Rock); Authorize RFP for Hudson Street Parking Garage; Authorize Cancellation of Public Assistance Trust Fund Reserve Balance; Authorize Cancellation of Grant Reserve Balance - Local Bikeway Grant; Authorize Cancellation of General Budget Appropriation - Shared Services Agreement - Fleet Services (Washington Township); Authorize Shared Services Agreement - TV Inspection of Sanitary Sewer Mains (Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority); Award Contract - Removal of Portion of Bike Path - Garber Square; Authorize Encroachment Agreement - 115 Monte Vista Avenue; Approve Major Soil Movement Permit - The Dayton - South Broad Street; Endorse Application for Community Development Block Grant - West Bergen Mental Healthcare - Housing Specialist; Appoint Members to Local Emergency Planning Committee; and Accept Donation of Tree - Lester Stable.

Mayor Knudsen asked that the resolution entitled, “Award Contract - Removal of Portion of Bike Path - Garber Square” be taken off of the consent agenda.

6. 6. MANAGER’S REPORT

General Election - Ms. Mailander reminded everyone that the General Election is on

November 8, 2017. Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Governor’s Office, as well as Local, General Assembly, and Senate representatives, will be decided in this election.

Leaf Placement Schedule - Ms. Mailander reminded everyone that the yellow postcards with the 2017 leaf placement schedule have been mailed to every household. If you did not receive the yellow postcards, please contact the Village Manager’s Office or go onto the Village website and click on the falling leaf icon. Please put leaves out on the street only on the leaf placement dates for your area.

Central Valet Service - Ms. Mailander stated that the Central Valet Service began on Friday, October 27, 2017, and will continue every Friday and Saturday night from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. through December 30, 2017, with the exception of December 1^st, which is “Downtown for the Holidays”. It will cost $5.00 per vehicle. Merchants will be given the choice to validate the cost to their patrons.

Chamber of Commerce Haunted Harvest - Ms. Mailander announced that the Chamber of Commerce held their Haunted Harvest on Saturday, October 28, 2017. It was very well attended. Stores participated in a CBD Trick-or-Treat for the children who attended. Many thanks to the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, because a “Spooktacular” time was had by all.

Several Projects - Ms. Mailander announced that there are several projects going on in the Village, including paving; PSE&G work being done as part of their Energy Strong Program; and new water mains being installed at stream crossings. Van Embergh Avenue will be closed from Hampshire Road to Washington Township at 8:00 a.m. daily from October 26, 2017 through December 1, 2017. There will be detours, and Police Officers will be available to assist motorists to and from their homes in this area. Residents in the area of Van Embergh Avenue and its side streets should continue to place their leaves in the street during the designated leaf placement dates, as there will be no disruption to the leaf pickup schedule.

A Community Thanksgiving Service - Ms. Mailander announced that a Community Thanksgiving Service, sponsored by the Ridgewood Interfaith Group, is scheduled for Tuesday, November 21, 2017 at Old Paramus Reformed Church at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome.

Estate Card - Ms. Mailander noted that the Estate Card is now available. The Estate Card offers property tax savings by purchasing locally, as well as on-line. The Estate Card will generate rewards, which will then reduce the holder’s Ridgewood property taxes. Tax rewards are applied annually to the third quarter tax bill. Additional information can be found at ridgewoodestatecard.com.

Farmer’s Market - Ms. Mailander announced that the Farmer’s Market will extend their operations through Sunday, November 19, 2017. The Farmer’s Market is held on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Ridgewood Train Station Parking Lot.

7. 7. COUNCIL REPORTS

General Election - Councilman Voigt pointed out that there are two referendums on the ballot. The first one is for a $125 Million bond for the upgrade of libraries. The second one is for using funds, received from businesses that contaminate within the State of New Jersey, specifically to fix the contamination, rather than putting that money into the General Fund. Councilman Voigt urged all citizens to get out and vote on these referendums.

Shade Tree Commission - Councilman Sedon reported that the Shade Tree Commission has put together a discussion scheduled for November 8, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. in the Ridgewood Library. The focus of this discussion will be on urban street trees and what people can do to provide a better living space for the trees, and having a more viable downtown tree that will survive.   The discussion will be given by Andrew Hillman, the Regional Business Developer for Davey Resource Group, a Division of Davey Tree Expert Company. Mr. Hillman will come to the discussion an hour early to take some Shade Tree Commission members downtown to look at some of the tree wells and offer suggestions.

Senior Center Advisory Board - Councilman Sedon reported that the Senior Citizen Advisory Board met on October 26, 2017. He reported that the members did a lot of good work in the Anne Zusy Youth Center, including: painting; installing sound absorbing material on some portions of the walls; and the purchase of chairs. The committee would like to give a presentation to the Village Council in the future on all the work that they have done to advance senior services.

Ridgewood Arts Council - Councilwoman Walsh reported that the Ridgewood Arts Council will hold their next Artist’s Series on Thursday, November 16, 2017, at the Little Theatre at the High School at 7:30 p.m. A Broadway director, Tom Sneeds, will be the presenter.

Walktoberfest Tour - Councilwoman Walsh reported that the tour she was supposed to lead at Habernickel Park was rained out and rescheduled for Sunday, November 5, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. The tour will include a history of Habernickel Farm and a tour of the vegetable garden.

Central Valet - Councilman Hache report that only one location will be used for the Central Valet Pilot Program. The only on-street spots that will be removed are the ones that are located immediately to either side of the concrete median. Depending on how fast the valets work, these spaces may be reinstated. In order to for there to be no confusion as to whether the valet parking is for a private event, the signs will be updated to say: “Public Valet Parking”, with the times and cost posted. Validations from the businesses will begin next week. The validation tickets were printed and hand delivered to the CBD businesses by LAZ Parking which he thought was very thoughtful.

Central Business District Advisory Committee (CBDAC) - Councilman Hache stated that the CBD banners are in and look great. Ms. Mailander added that the Signal Division has started hanging these banners and hope to have them done by November 3, 2017, weather permitting.

The CBDAC has been reaching out to business owners to determine a good time for most of them to attend Business Community Forums. These open forums will discuss challenges facing business owners and identify areas where help is need. These forums will be held on two dates/times to try to accommodate the different types of schedules.

Walktoberfest - Mayor Knudsen reported that she led her Walktoberfest tour, which was a walking tour of the Recycling Facility and the Ridgewood Fire Department. Everyone was fabulous. There were some very good children on the tour. Mayor Knudsen specifically thanked Lennox and Charles for being so inquisitive and having lots of really positive questions. Mayor Knudsen also thanked Councilwoman Walsh, who very generously donated recycled plastic suncatchers and coloring/activity books; Dan Kiely and Michael and Lewis from Ridgewood Recycling; and Captain Chris DuFlocq, Lieutenant John Young, and the Firefighters of the Ridgewood Fire Department. Attendees of the tour also expressed an interest in visiting the Lakeview Avenue Compost Facility.

8. 8. PUBLIC COMMENTS

Martin Walker, 114 Cottage Place, thanked the Village Council for posting the Village Council meeting agenda on Facebook and other social media sites. He also expressed appreciation for the way the CBDAC worked with the Citizens Safety Committee regarding pedestrian safety concerns with Central Valet.

Mr. Walker stated that, as a member of the Citizens Safety Committee for the last five years, he has been a part of many discussions regarding the bike lane at Garber Square. He questioned why the subject of removing a portion of this bike lane was never brought before the Citizens Safety Committee. Mr. Walker reminded the Village Council that the Citizens Safety Committee is composed of members who are very knowledgeable about traffic issues, and he encouraged all traffic issues to be brought before the Citizens Safety Committee before considering them on a budgetary basis. He expressed a concern that the Village Council was not carrying out the Complete Streets Initiative that previous Village Councils had committed Ridgewood to addressing. The Complete Streets Initiative was the reason the bike lane was established in the first place. Mr. Walker also expressed surprise with a strong focus being on moving vehicular traffic faster on Village Streets, which is not a concern he has heard expressed by residents. He urged the Village Council to bring the issue of street markings before the Citizens Safety Committee before making any decisions, particularly concerning parking grids.

Rurik Halaby, 374 Evergreen Place, questioned why business owners Tony Damiano and Joan Groome were not invited to attend the presentation by Village Planner, Brigette Bogart regarding designating Hudson Street, Block 3809, Lots 12 and 13, as an “Area in Need of Redevelopment”.

He urged the Village Council not to place restrictions on business owners concerning placing items outside their businesses, as he didn’t feel this was something that needed controlling.

Mr. Halaby asked for a copy of the Request for Proposal (RFP) regarding the Hudson Street Parking Garage. Mayor Knudsen stated that once the RFP is no longer in draft form, Mr. Halaby may request a copy by filing an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request. Mr. Halaby objected to the RFP being made available to builders and engineers before he gets a chance to look at it.

Mr. Halaby asked that no changes be made to the bike lane at Garber Square.

Peter McKenna, 420 Meadowbrook Avenue, and the President of Concerned Residents of Ridgewood, thanked Mr. Rogers for his “steady hand” throughout the Valley Hospital litigation process, which has lasted almost 11 years. He also thanked Mayor Knudsen, the Village Council, and previous Mayors Paul Aronsohn, and Keith Killian.   Mr. McKenna noted that this has not been an issue only for the immediate neighbors of the hospital.

Mr. McKenna stated that, in his opinion, the high-density housing developments planned for Ridgewood are the result of “sympathetic zoning”, and a decision made by members of a former Village Council who could not see beyond what was immediately in from of them. Although he agreed that the Village Code needed some updating, he did not feel the high-density housing developments in the forms proposed were the answer.

Mr. McKenna thanked the Village Council for doing their due diligence to make sure the Village is protected. If Valley Hospital receives the approval to move their hospital to Paramus, it will be a totally appropriate use at a totally appropriate location, as will be the facility that remains in Ridgewood.

Saurabh Dani, 390 Bedford Road, thanked everyone involved in the Valley Hospital Settlement Agreement. Under questioning by Mr. Dani, Mr. Rogers confirmed that the Valley Hospital tax appeals and tax challenges were still open.

Mr. Dani suggested consulting other municipalities regarding how they handle items displayed in front of businesses in their downtowns.  

Mr. Dani recalled that he came before the Village Council to report that HealthBarn was occupying 3,800 square feet of space when the lease called for 3,000 square feet. He asked if the lease was redone.

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, expressed concerns with the route trucks will take during the soil movement operation that will be granted for the Dayton project on South Broad Street. If 400 trucks make a right turn onto South Broad Street after leaving the facility, they will be headed right into a residential neighborhood. Mr. Loving expressed a concern with pedestrian safety, particularly because students use this area as their primary walk to and from work and school. He also noted that these trucks will going into Glen Rock, which he did not consider neighborly. He suggested having the trucks make a left turn, travel down Broad Street, and then taking the same route that the trucks leaving the Ken Smith site are using.

Mr. Loving asked the Village Council to consider the possible impact of the Valley Hospital Settlement Agreement on the Ridgewood Ambulance Corps. Moving Valley Hospital to Paramus will require several more ambulance trips a day, taking patients suffering a serious health issue from the Valley Health Care Services facility in Ridgewood to the Valley Hospital in Paramus. Currently, residents are paying for paid ambulance services during the day in Ridgewood. Mr. Loving suggested that the Village Council might want to negotiate a deal with Valley Hospital for them to have their own ambulance service available to handle this traffic.

Michael Velicu, 250 Hope Street, and the owner of Mediterraneo Restaurant, agreed with Mayor Knudsen’s frustration with the unused, designated CBD parking for employees. Mr. Velicu explained that every restaurant has a number of employees that arrive by car. However, one of these cars is used for purchasing and deliveries, so it needs to remain on the street. Mr. Velicu spoke of the difficulty business owners have in legally enforcing their employees to park in these designated spaces. He stated that he was very pleased that business forums will be held so that there can be dialogue and a possible resolution of this issue.

Jacqueline Hone, 30 Carriage Lane, recalled that approximately 8 years ago, several hundred trees were removed from a mandated, required buffer around her condominium development. The buffer was removed, and it was never required to be put back. Ms. Hone has been working for years trying to get some kind of enforcement of this mandated buffer. Also, eight years ago, Ms. Hone reported that there was illegal dumping of hazardous materials occurring on an additional acre of land. Over the years, this illegal dumping has increased to approximately 8 feet on the site. Ms. Hone stated that she requested information from Ridgewood under OPRA, but was told that a lot of that information wasn’t on file. Some of her OPRA requests from Ridgewood have resulted in documents with redacted information or requests for extensions. Ms. Hone spoke about the procedure to make an OPRA request through the County of Bergen. OPRA requests made through the County are done on-line, and the documents are retrieved electronically, instead of manually. Ms. Hone urged the Village to consider improving the OPRA system within the Village to provide better access to records, and to relieve the Village staff of this cumbersome, time consuming, OPRA request effort.    

There being no more public comments, Mayor Knudsen closed the public portion of the meeting.

Ms. Mailander explained that OPRA requests are handled in a similar manner in most municipalities, because towns lack the advantage of having an entire IT department or people to input and scan documents into electronic form. This is also an expensive endeavor. While the municipal clerk, by statute, is the custodian of all records, these records still have to be requested from various departments. The statute for OPRA allows for extensions, which allows the requester to know when those records will be available. It is not always possible to get all records within 7 business days; however, the Ridgewood Village Clerk’s Office tries diligently to get the records to the requester within these 7 business days. Sometimes, requests are voluminous or the records may not be readily available, so it takes longer; however, it is very rare for the Village Clerk’s Office to ask for more than one extension. Ms. Mailander noted that some information is required to be redacted. Also, if a department does not have the information requested, the requester will be told that this document does not exist. The Village Hall has suffered through two major and one minor flood, and unfortunately records were lost.

Mayor Knudsen noted that the first time she went to a League of Municipalities Conference, she came back with a stack of papers from different software vendors, that promoted software which allowed all files to be made electronic. Paper files were then catalogued and stored off-site. However, this process was cost prohibitive and very labor intensive.

Mayor Knudsen explained that draft copies of records are not available to the public to avoid the possibility of wrong information being distributed to the public.

Mayor Knudsen stated that the issue of soil moving trucks going through Glen Rock will be investigated to see if there is a way to revise the truck route.

Mayor Knudsen explained that the removal of the bike lane at Garber Square was decided months ago. Tonight’s discussion item concerned deciding which procedure to follow to remove it.

Mayor Knudsen invited anyone with comments, questions, or concerns to e-mail her and/or any member of the Village Council instead of relying on corresponding through the social media site, Facebook.

9. 9. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

Deputy Village Clerk Donna Jackson read Resolution #17-330 to go into Closed Session as follows:

10. 10. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilman Sedon, seconded by Councilman Voigt, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Work Session was adjourned at 10:27 p.m.

_____________________________

                                                                                                                     Susan Knudsen      

                                                                                                                           Mayor

_____________________________

            Donna M. Jackson

          Deputy Village Clerk