20220810 - Village Council Regular Public Meeting Minutes
A REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING 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 AUGUST 10, 2022 AT 8:00 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL – FLAG SALUTE
Mayor Knudsen called the meeting to order at 8:01 P.M. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call the following were present: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos; and Mayor Knudsen. Also present were Heather Mailander, Village Manager/Village Clerk, and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.
Mayor Knudsen led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and asked for a moment of silence in recognition of the service of all first responders.
2. ACCEPTANCE OF FINANCIAL REPORTS
Mayor Knudsen moved that the Bills, Claims, and Vouchers, and Statement of Funds on Hand as of July 31, 2022 be accepted as submitted. Councilwoman Perron seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: Councilwoman Reynolds
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mayor Knudsen moved that the Village Council minutes of May 4, May 25, June 1, June 22, and July 13, 2022 having been reviewed by the Village Council and now available in the Village Clerk’s Office, be approved as submitted. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
4. PROCLAMATIONS
A. DECLARE SEPTEMBER OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
Councilman Vagianos read the following proclamation:
B. DECLARE SEPTEMBER NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH
Deputy Mayor Sedon read the following proclamation:
5. SWEARING-IN OF POLICE OFFICERS WILLIAM MALONE AND CHRISTOPHER SCHUMANN
Mayor Knudsen asked William Malone to come forward to be sworn in as Police Officer for the Ridgewood Police Department. She asked all Councilmembers to join her at the podium. Mayor Knudsen then swore in Police Officer William Malone, as his mother held the Bible. There was a resounding round of applause.
Mayor Knudsen asked Christopher Schumann to come forward to be sworn in as Police Officer for the Ridgewood Police Department. With all Councilmembers at the podium, Mayor Knudsen swore in Police Officer Christopher Schumann, as his son held the Bible and his wife and other children looked on. There was a resounding round of applause.
6. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Mayor Knudsen asked if there were any comments from the public at this time.
Gerry Maurer, 137 Hope Street, stated that he was attending this evening’s meeting with several of his neighbors who have been affected by flooding issues over the past year or so, due to stormwater drainage problems in the areas of Hope Street, Spring Avenue and Dayton Street. Mr. Maurer thanked Mayor Knudsen, the Village Councilmembers, Ms. Mailander, and Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, for developing and implementing the ordinance tonight regarding drainage remediation. This ordinance will allocate monies towards alleviating some of the flooding issues being experienced repeatedly by Mr. Maurer and his neighbors. However, since the ordinance does not specifically set forth the exact areas where the drainage improvements will take place or the nature of the work, Mr. Maurer asked that he and his neighbors be furnished information by Mr. Rutishauser which sets forth greater detail on the locations where the work will take place and what type of work will be performed. He feels that he and his neighbors can give Mr. Rutishauser and his staff some valuable input into the flooding situation.
Anne Burton Walsh, 112 South Irving Street, thanked the Village Councilmembers for looking into the issue of trees being removed in the Village due to sidewalk construction, and the fact that these trees can be saved with the use of sidewalk round-outs and ramp-ups. She is hopeful that the Village Councilmembers’ decisions will not place undue financial burden on homeowners. Ms. Walsh mentioned that she heard from a neighbor that some homeowners are not even waiting for the Village Arborist or Village approval before undertaking tree removals, although she has not been able to personally verify this. Ms. Walsh fears that if the Village requires homeowners to construct sidewalk adjustments such as round-outs or ramp-ups in order to save a tree, homeowners will just go ahead and raze a tree rather than pay the additional costs. She mentioned that healthy mature trees are a vital part of the Village infrastructure, as acknowledged by the draft of the proposed Master Plan. She feels that solutions, such as round-outs and ramp-ups, to save these Village assets should be paid for through the Village’s tree-related budgets. This is because saving trees will save money for the Village, since it will probably cost more to remove a tree and plant a new one, than to create a round-out or ramp-up.
Denise Lima, 319 East Glen Avenue, stated that the Fourth of July celebration was wonderful, including the parade and fireworks. She mentioned that many people have been enjoying the outdoor sidewalk dining in the Central Business District (CBD) and swimming at Graydon Pool. Ms. Lima mentioned that she was happy to hear the Proclamation read this evening declaring September as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. She stated that she is a nine-year survivor of ovarian cancer, a disease which has very little forewarning symptoms. She encourages all women to get checked constantly for this insidious disease, because early detection leads to survival from ovarian cancer.
Ms. Lima said that she has not yet noted anything in the Master Plan regarding historic preservation. She sees different colors on buildings in the CBD and ornamental flowers hanging from buildings, so she is eagerly awaiting to see the proposed Master Plan on the Village website. Ms. Lima stated that she would like to see more “bridging” in conversations between the Planning Board and the Village Council. Variances that are approved through the Planning Board should be enforced by the Code Enforcement Official or engineers. However, Ms. Lima stated that there isn’t a “solid” policy in the Village Code regarding guidelines for inspection or enforcement, once variances are granted. She expressed dismay that she has not received answers to her numerous emails regarding this issue.
There were no further comments from the public.
Regarding Ms. Walsh’s comments, Mayor Knudsen indicated that she has requested Ms. Mailander to add the tree/sidewalk issue to an upcoming Work Session agenda for discussion.
Mayor Knudsen asked Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney, to address Ms. Lima’s concerns that once a variance is approved, there doesn’t seem to be any follow-up inspection to make sure that the property owner is abiding by the requirements/criteria set forth in the approved variance. Mr. Rogers said that according to the Municipal Land Use Law, the enforcement of Planning Board or Zoning Board application approvals and conditions is the responsibility of the Zoning Officer in a municipality. In Ridgewood, Mr. Rogers said that the Village’s Code Enforcement Official needs to make sure that a property owner adheres to the conditions upon which a variance is granted, especially if there are some “worrisome or troublesome” conditions contingent upon that approval. He said that the Planning Board could give the official a “heads-up” if such a variance is granted. Mayor Knudsen added that the specific matter of concern to Ms. Lima is going back to the Planning Board in September for discussion.
7. VILLAGE MANAGER’S REPORT
Ms. Mailander stated that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has issued a statewide “drought watch” as of August 9, 2022. All residents and businesses are urged to voluntarily conserve water, as persistent hot and dry conditions impact available water supplies. If conditions do not improve, the NJDEP will be forced to escalate from the current “drought watch” to “drought warning” or “drought emergency” classifications, which would implement mandatory water use restrictions statewide.
Ms. Mailander stated that while Ridgewood Water is currently at Stage II water restrictions of its water regulations, ongoing dry conditions with very little precipitation will continue to burden the system. To avoid going into further restrictions, all customers are asked to limit irrigation and comply with existing water regulations. Water conservation resources are available via the NJDEP’s website at https://dep.nj.gov/conserve-water or on Ridgewood Water’s website at https://water.ridgewoodnj.net/water-conservation.
Ms. Mailander thanked all Village departments who participated in the “Touch a Truck” event which was held concurrently during the Sidewalk Sale Days. She said that the event was enjoyed by all who attended.
Ms. Mailander confirmed that Graydon Pool will be open through Labor Day, including the last week of August, following the current hours of operation. This information is also posted on the Village website. She reminded everyone that Graydon Pool information is now included in the Recycle Coach app. Those residents who wish to receive Graydon Pool notifications should check the appropriate box to make sure that they receive real-time updates.
Ms. Mailander announced that tennis and pickleball memberships are available through Community Pass. Hours for both sports are from 8:00 A.M. to dusk.
Ms. Mailander announced that the nominating petition packets for the Ridgewood Village Council are now available in the Village Clerk’s Office between 8:30 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. The packet may be picked up by any registered voters who wish to run for the two open Village Council seats. The Village Council is nonpartisan and voting will occur during the Municipal Election at the November 8, 2022 General Election. The deadline for filing completed nominating petitions is September 6, 2022 at 4:00 P.M. The newly elected Councilmembers will be sworn in and take office in January, 2023. Anyone with questions should contact Eileen Young, Deputy Village Clerk, or Ms. Mailander in the Village Clerk’s Office.
Current employment and volunteer opportunities are posted on the Village website at www.ridgewoodnj.net. Ms. Mailander indicated that the Village Council is seeking volunteers to serve on the Green Ridgewood Committee, the Ridgewood Green Team Advisory Committee and Project Pride. The deadline to apply is Friday, August 12, 2022. The Village is also seeking laborers to pick up yard waste and leaves, as well as for sanitation and recycling. The pay is $20.00 an hour, which increases to $22.00 an hour if the person hired has a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
Ms. Mailander gave an update regarding the Zabriskie-Schedler house. There was a meeting this morning. Construction materials are scheduled to arrive this week and construction is tentatively scheduled to begin next week. There is currently no update regarding the Schedler property. The Village is waiting for a response from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) regarding their approval of the Village’s modifications to the plans for the property, which were sent to SHPO approximately 10 to 14 days ago.
Regarding the repaving of County roads in the Village (Franklin Avenue, Godwin Avenue, Linwood Avenue and Goffle Road), Ms. Mailander announced that these roads are all in Bergen County’s “Contract 3,” which was awarded to Tilcon by the County. However, the County is waiting for information from Tilcon for the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) to review. A pre-construction meeting will then be held and approval must be obtained from the NJDOT in order for road resurfacing to commence. Ms. Mailander said that the County has indicated that they hope the paving can be done this year, but there is no guarantee. Ms. Mailander indicated that she will follow up with them in mid-September, at which time the County should have additional updates.
The Ridgewood Guild has been sponsoring free movies in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on Wednesday nights. The final movie of the season, “All About Eve” will be shown on August 24th at 9:00 P.M. Admission is free and everyone should bring a chair or blanket to sit on.
The Ridgewood Guild is also sponsoring “Music in the Night” for its 13th season. These events will be held in various locations in the Central Business District (CBD), on Friday nights through Labor Day.
All Village offices and departments will be closed on September 5, 2022 in observance of Labor Day. There will be no recycling or garbage pickup on that day, and the Recycling Center will also be closed.
The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring their Car Show on September 9, 2022 from 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. from East Ridgewood Avenue to Chestnut Street. Ms. Mailander stated that this is a great car show, and one of the major shows of this type in this area of New Jersey. She urged everyone to attend.
“Coffee with the Council” will be held on September 10, 2022 from 10:00 A.M. to 12 noon at The Lester Stable. This is a good time for new residents to meet with the Village Councilmembers in an informal setting.
The Ridgewood Guild “Music Fest” will be held on September 11, 2022 from 1:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. There will be several bands, a beer garden, and a variety of food for sale. Residents should bring a chair or blanket to sit on.
The Farmer’s Market is celebrating its 22nd anniversary. They will be open on Sundays from 8:30 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. on the west side of the Ridgewood Train Station parking lot, through late October or early November 2022.
Village Council meetings are broadcast live from the Village Hall Courtroom, on the Village website, and Channel 34 on Fios. Upcoming Work Sessions will be held on September 7, September 28, and October 3, 2022 at 7:30 P.M. The next Public Meeting will be held on September 14, 2022 at 8:00 P.M.
8. VILLAGE COUNCIL REPORTS
Councilwoman Perron indicated that the Chamber of Commerce held its Sidewalk Sale Days this weekend. There was a theme of “Stay-Cation” in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. There were performances by School of Rock, two dance demonstrations by Heart of Motion and the Arthur Murray Dance Studio, as well as “Chalk the Walk.” At this morning’s Chamber of Commerce Directors Meeting, it was mentioned that the Sidewalk Sale Days were successful, at least on the west side of town, although attendance was low due to the extremely hot weather. It was also mentioned that some people were dismayed at the weeds they noted in the CBD. It was felt that more enforcement should be done pursuant to Ordinances 249-24 and 249-2.
Councilwoman Perron said that plans are already underway for “Downtown for the Holidays.” The committee is seeking corporate sponsors. At the Chamber of Commerce meeting, there was a discussion about inflation and how it is affecting businesses in the Village. Shipping costs have doubled and merchants are desperately trying not to pass along the rising costs to their customers.
“Feed the Frontlines,” another Chamber of Commerce initiative, will be restarting on September 19, 2022. She encouraged Ridgewood residents to volunteer as drivers. Interested individuals may sign up on Facebook at “Feed the Frontlines.”
Councilman Vagianos and Councilwoman Reynolds both indicated that they had nothing to report this evening.
Deputy Mayor Sedon announced that the Shade Tree Commission met on August 9, 2022. He said that residents will begin to see a flurry of activity in the Village, regarding trees. Some work which has been performed is relative to removal of ash trees which have been diseased by the emerald ash borer. There are 175 trees slated to be taken down this year, and most of this work has already been completed. Tree plantings will begin this fall. A total of 88 trees will be planted in the CBD, which has gone out for bid.
Deputy Mayor Sedon indicated that much research has been done over the years by the Shade Tree Commission to determine the best way to plant new trees. There will be a perforated tube that goes into the ground to allow additional water to reach the roots of the trees. The soil will be completely excavated, including stump grinding. All trees will be double-staked and will have 15-gallon “gator bags” on them to allow the trees to flourish with extra watering. All of these conditions will be included in the bid.
Deputy Mayor Sedon stated that he drives through the CBD every day and has noticed the staff watering the trees which are currently there. Root guards will also be placed on the trees planted in the CBD and throughout residential areas. The root guard is a plastic shield that will be angled away from the tree and towards the sidewalk in the hope that the tree roots will hit the shield and then grow downward, deeper into the soil, and hence deeper under the sidewalk, rather than shallowly growing along the surface. This will hopefully prevent fewer tree/sidewalk “confrontations.” Deputy Mayor Sedon also announced that there were 25 mature trees saved this year by constructing bump-outs, round-outs, or ramp-overs, or a combination thereof. He stated that the Village Council has allocated approximately $630,000.00 to the Shade Tree Department this year.
Deputy Mayor Sedon remarked that when he first sat on the Shade Tree Commission, there were no new tree plantings taking place in the Village. There had actually been a moratorium on tree planting at that time, because so many trees were destroyed by Hurricanes Sandy and Irene. However, the first year he was a member of the Shade Tree Commission, they successfully got 25 trees to plant. He said that in the eight years since, the Village has planted approximately 1,400 trees throughout the Village. He praised the dedicated efforts of the members of the Shade Tree Department, the Parks Department, the Village Manager, and especially the members of the Shade Tree Commission, led by its Chair, Andrew Lowry. He said that there was no doubt that people like trees, and he is honored to be able to serve on the Shade Tree Commission, which has “grown” tremendously since he first joined.
Mayor Knudsen mentioned that in 2014, when committees were being formed after the newly elected Village Council was seated, Deputy Mayor Sedon rose to the occasion by joining all of the “green” committees. She said that Deputy Mayor Sedon deserves a lot of credit for being the Village’s “tree advocate” and for all of his hard work in beautifying the Village. There was a round of applause from the audience.
Mayor Knudson said that the Master Plan Subcommittee, comprised of Mayor Knudsen, Richard Joel (Chairman of the Planning Board), Melanie Hooban (Class IV member of Planning Board), and Diane O’Brien (member of Planning Board and Historic Preservation Commission) is finalizing last-minute edits to the Master Plan, which is a huge document. An email went out this morning asking for any last-minute changes or corrections before it is posted on the Village website.
Regarding the Schedler property, Mayor Knudsen indicated that she was excited about the progress being made. She reminded everyone that the Schedler application is subject to the jurisdiction of the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), which has to review and approve the plans for the property. Mayor Knudsen said that the Village has avoided any encroachments, which she stated was a huge feat. Last year it was decided to trifurcate the application to make it more manageable for SHPO. It is anticipated that the field and the rest of the plans will be approved shortly. Funds have already been allocated.
Mayor Knudsen said that the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) meets tomorrow night in the Garden Room, with two applications on the agenda: a sign application for Montana Barber Shop, which will open at 136 East Ridgewood Avenue, and an application for Kenya Flower Shop regarding a proposed color change to a previously approved sign, as well as a proposed blade sign. Mayor Knudsen mentioned that the Village has a Blade Sign Ordinance and stated that such signs add an historic ambience to the CBD. She mentioned that she will not be attending the meeting (due to her mother’s 86th birthday celebration), so Joe Suplicki will be handling the taking of the meeting minutes.
Mayor Knudsen reminded everyone to mark October 7th, 8th and 9th on their calendars, which is when Access Ridgewood Disability Awareness Weekend will be held. The Access Committee is working tirelessly on the programs, including programs for seniors and a children’s concert. The fashion show is always a hit, which features several children with various abilities modeling their favorite outfits. The weekend will also include a brief video presentation. The Community Fair will be held, and the weekend will be wrapped up with a beautiful, inclusive religious service led by Paster Joanne Van Zant at Friends to Friends Community Church at 303 Prospect Street. This weekend celebrates all Village residents who are differently-abled.
9. ORDINANCES – RIDGEWOOD WATER
Ms. Mailander stated that there are no introductions of, or public hearings on, ordinances for Ridgewood Water this evening.
10. RESOLUTIONS – RIDGEWOOD WATER
Ms. Mailander stated that there were no resolutions for Ridgewood Water to be adopted this evening.
11. ORDINANCES
A. INTRODUCTION #3916 – AMEND CHAPTER 265 – VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC – PARKING RESTRICTIONS – MORNINGSIDE ROAD
Mayor Knudsen moved the first reading of Ordinance #3916 by title only. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3916 by title:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-66, SCHEDULE XVI, “NO STOPPING OR STANDING”
Deputy Mayor Sedon moved that Ordinance #3916 be adopted on first reading and that September 7, 2022 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
B. INTRODUCTION #3917 – AMEND CHAPTER 265 – VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC – PARKING REGULATIONS IN MUNICIPAL COMPLEX PARKING LOT
Mayor Knudsen moved the first reading of Ordinance #3917 by title only. Councilwoman Perron seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3917 by title:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-36, “PARKING PROHIBITED CERTAIN HOURS”
Councilman Vagianos moved that Ordinance #3917 be adopted on first reading and that September 7, 2022 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilwoman Perron seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
C. INTRODUCTION #3918 – AMEND CHAPTER 265 – VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC – PARKING AT 111 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE – RIDGEWOOD WATER HEADQUARTERS
Mayor Knudsen moved the first reading of Ordinance #3918 by title only. Deputy Mayor Sedon seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3918 by title:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-42, “RESERVED PARKING SPACES” AND SECTION 265-54, “SCHEDULE IV: ONE WAY STREETS” AND SECTION 265-69, “TIME LIMIT PARKING”
Councilwoman Reynolds moved that Ordinance #3918 be adopted on first reading and that September 7, 2022 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Deputy Mayor Sedon seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
D. INTRODUCTION #3919 – AMEND CHAPTER 265 – VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC – ESTABLISH STOP SIGNS – EASTSIDE AVENUE AT ALANON ROAD
Mayor Knudsen moved the first reading of Ordinance #3919 by title only. Councilman Vagianos seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3919 by title:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-59, SCHEDULE IX: “STOP INTERSECTIONS”
Councilwoman Perron moved that Ordinance #3919 be adopted on first reading and that September 14, 2022 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilman Vagianos seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
E. INTRODUCTION #3920 – AMEND CHAPTER 265 – VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC – ESTABLISH STOP SIGNS – HIGHLAND AVENUE AT GREENWAY ROAD AND GREENWAY ROAD AT KNOLLWOOD ROAD
Mayor Knudsen moved the first reading of Ordinance #3920 by title only. Councilwoman Perron seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3920 by title:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-59, SCHEDULE IX: “STOP INTERSECTIONS”
Deputy Mayor Sedon moved that Ordinance #3920 be adopted on first reading and that September 14, 2022 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilwoman Perron seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
F. PUBLIC HEARING - #3914 – AMEND CHAPTER 190 – LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT – WINDOW DISPLAYS FOR VACANT STOREFRONTS
Councilman Vagianos recused himself from this public hearing and vote. Mayor Knudsen moved that the Village Clerk read Ordinance #3914 by title on second reading and that the public hearing thereon be opened. Deputy Mayor Sedon seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
RECUSE: Councilman Vagianos
The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3914 by title only:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 190 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT, AT ARTICLE X “ZONING”
Mayor Knudsen indicated that the Planning Board has not yet reviewed this Land Use Ordinance, as required by law, so the Public Hearing on Ordinance #3914 will be continued to the Public Meeting of September 14, 2022. The Public Hearing on Ordinance #3914 has been advertised for this evening, so Mayor Knudsen indicated that anyone wishing to comment on this ordinance may do so this evening or wait until September 14, 2022 to make comments, or may comment at both Public Hearings. Mayor Knudsen opened the Public Hearing on Ordinance #3914. There were no comments from the public and the Public Hearing was closed. Mayor Knudsen moved that the Public Hearing on Ordinance #3914 be continued to September 14, 2022. Deputy Mayor Sedon seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
RECUSE: Councilman Vagianos
G. PUBLIC HEARING - #3915 – RENAME BOND ORDINANCE FROM CIRCLE AVENUE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS TO DRAINAGE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS – VARIOUS LOCATIONS
Mayor Knudsen moved the second reading by title of Ordinance #3915 and that the public hearing thereon be opened. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3915 by title:
BOND ORDINANCE AMENDING THE TITLE AND SECTION 3(a) OF BOND ORDINANCE NUMBERED 3813 OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, IN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, FINALLY ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 9, 2020, IN ORDER TO AMEND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT
Mayor Knudsen opened the public hearing on Ordinance #3915. There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Knudsen moved that the public hearing be closed. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Councilwoman Perron moved that Ordinance #3915 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.
Before voting, Mayor Knudsen thanked all of the residents in attendance at the meeting this evening regarding the flooding issues they are dealing with and said she was grateful for the opportunity to reallocate these monies to try to solve these issues. She thanked everyone for their patience.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
12. RESOLUTIONS
Ms. Mailander stated that the following resolutions, numbered 22-275 through 22-293, would be adopted by a consent agenda, with one vote by the Village Council, and would be read by title only. Prior to the vote, Mayor Knudsen remarked that the Power Load (to ease use of stretcher) in Ambulance 11 was bought a few years ago (2018) and they had considered using it in the new ambulance which is being purchased. However, Fire Chief John Judge sent her an explanation, to her satisfaction, why a new Power Load should be purchased for the new ambulance.
13. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Mayor Knudsen asked if there were any additional comments or questions from the public.
Boyd A. Loving, 342 South Irving Street, indicated that the Village Manager’s comments about water conservation prompted him to speak this evening. He said that this is the third time he has told the Village Council that there is an exemption in the Water Conservation Ordinance which allows homeowners with Smart Controllers to water up to 10 hours a day, seven days a week. In his opinion, this does not promote water conservation.
Mr. Loving said that the intent of the Smart Controllers was to water only when water was necessary. However, as a result of the heat wave and the lack of rain, the Smart Controller systems are activated more often, and those without Smart Controllers are restricted to watering only two days per week during certain times. Mr. Loving insisted that the Village Manager has the authority to direct Ridgewood Water to stop allowing exemptions for Smart Controllers and to notify those with Smart Controllers that they are limited to the same watering restrictions as the rest of the residents in Ridgewood. Mr. Loving indicated that he felt many of the Village Councilmembers were not even aware that that exemption existed in the ordinance. He stated that even Mr. Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, could not offer any evidence that Smart Controllers saved water.
Referring to Ms. Walsh’s prior comments this evening about homeowners employing private contractors to take down trees if they interfered with sidewalk construction, Mr. Loving stated that the Parks and Recreation Department hired a private contractor due to the amount of tree work that was necessary in the Village. He said that if someone is seeing a private contractor taking down a municipal tree, that contractor may be working on behalf of the Village and not necessarily hired privately by a homeowner.
Steve Garbatow, Beauty Club Salon and Boutique, 46 East Ridgewood Avenue, said that last week’s Sidewalk Sale Days were held during 100-degree weather. If the weather had been nicer, he is sure that more people would have attended. He stated that restaurants are doing less business than they had when the dining corrals were permitted and that his business is affected by how well the restaurants are doing. He wondered how retail store business was faring this year as opposed to last year, when dining corrals existed. It is his feeling that they are not doing as well.
There were no further public comments and Mayor Knudsen closed the public comments portion of the meeting.
Regarding the Smart Controller issue, Mr. Rogers stated that they are waiting for more information from Mr. Calbi regarding which residences have Smart Controller systems. Mayor Knudsen said that the exemption is part of the permit.
14. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION
Ms. Mailander read Resolution #22-294 to go into Closed Session as follows:
15. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Deputy Mayor Sedon, seconded by Councilwoman Reynolds, and carried by majority voice vote, the Village Council’s Regular Public Meeting was adjourned at 9:02 P.M.
____________________________________
Susan Knudsen
Mayor
________________________________________
Heather A. Mailander
Village Manager/Village Clerk
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