A REGULAR WORK SESSION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGEOF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR., COURTROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2014 AT 7:30 P.M.
1. CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL – FLAG SALUTE – MOMENT OF SILENCE
Mayor Aronsohn 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 Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn. Also present were Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.
Mayor Aronsohn led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and asked for a moment of silence in honor of the American men and women serving in our Armed Forces, as well as those serving as first responders.
2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Mayor Aronsohn asked if anyone from the public wished to speak regarding any of the agenda items.
Gary Cirillo, 260 South Pleasant Avenue, commented that everyone who volunteered to help clean out the tree wells in the CBD did a wonderful job, and he commended them. However, as a homeowner, he believes it does not send a very good message to the rest of the Village. To have to rely on volunteers to help clean up an area which should be covered by Village staff is "embarrassing," according to Mr. Cirillo.
Next, Mr. Cirillo addressed the island that is being installed down the middle of the road under the train trestle. On the Fourth of July, a lot of mulch was brought in, and a lot of mulch was removed from that area. Traffic was stopped in order for this to be accomplished. Several days later, there was some heavy rain, and no mulch was picked up. During the past three days, two men have done nothing but shovel mulch out of that area. Mr. Cirillo believes their time would have been better spent helping to clean the tree wells. He pointed out that it is now August 6th, and he hopes that whatever needs to be done for that project can get done before traffic increases when school starts. Mr. Cirillo believes the Village is missing an opportunity to get a lot of this work done now, when traffic is lighter. He also noted that there is a backhoe that is owned by the contractor, which has been parked against the blue spruce tree. Mr. Cirillo said he has made numerous telephone calls to the Village to have it removed, because the spruce is dying. The backhoe is damaging the north side of the tree, which has turned brown, due to the sun reflecting off the machine.
Mr. Cirillo also made some comments about pickle ball. He noted that the sport is gaining popularity throughout the country, and it is a combination of paddle ball and tennis. Everyone can play pickle ball, and Mr. Cirillo encouraged everyone to try it if they have not done so already. He suggested that it could be added as a winter sport in some of the gyms for the senior citizens and anyone else who would like to try it. The equipment is very inexpensive, consisting of a paddle and a wiffleball. Mr. Cirillo said he would bring more information to the next Village Council meeting. He also mentioned the possibility of getting a basketball court installed at the playground near Village Hall. Mr. Cirillo noted that Ridgewood is one of the few towns that does not have a central park area. The advantage to having a basketball court is that it does not require a fence, nor is it ruined if it floods. The basketball court could be used as a parking area when flooding occurs, as well as for Graydon camp. It could also be used as a staging area for the Memorial Day run. Installing a basketball court is one of the least expensive things that could be done in any town, and it requires zero maintenance. The only maintenance required is to change the nets once a year. Mr. Cirillo believes that would be a great addition to Ridgewood.
Finally, Mr. Cirillo noted that Ms. Sonenfeld has been meeting with some Village employees on an individual basis, and he commended her for doing so. He feels that gives employees a voice, and allows them to find out what is necessary to do their jobs. It also helps them to be able to talk to the Village Manager candidly about any impediments to their jobs, without fear of retribution. Mr. Cirillo has gotten very positive feedback on this practice from the employees who have spoken to him, who feel that someone is actually listening to them.
Ms. Sonenfeld responded to Mr. Cirillo’s comments about Garber Square, saying that work is scheduled to begin next week. The contractor has been notified about the blue spruce issue, and he has been asked to move the machine. Ms. Sonenfeld also noted that Mr. Cirillo’s comments were very helpful regarding pickle ball. She agreed that pickle ball has been increasing in popularity in the past several years. Councilwoman Hauck believes that pickle ball is one of the events in the New Jersey Senior Olympics. Ms. Sonenfeld agreed that a basketball court would be a great idea. However, she pointed out the one of the questions that arose was the possible increase in the amount of noise that homeowners in that area would have to endure. Mr. Cirillo pointed out that it is a public park area, and a certain level of noise is to be expected from such areas.
Leonard Eisen, 762 Upper Boulevard, said the Kasschau Band Shell hosted Rio Clementi Jazz. The performance was wonderful. Mr. Eisen thanked the Village for being one of the sponsors of the show.
Tom Kossoff, 46 Heermance Place, said it was a pleasure to be present at what he hoped would be the end of Ordinance 3066, and the beginning of something he thinks will be very good, which is the new Master Plan. Ordinance 3066, adopted in 2007, should now be retired, according to Mr. Kossoff. The ordinance lays out a much too simplistic process for changing the Master Plan. It should be repealed immediately, before any new applications are made. Mr. Kossoff explained the reasons why it should now be repealed. The first has to do with the current housing proposals, in which a seemingly simple project can have over-reaching effects on countless Village concerns, including traffic, parking, aesthetics, school population, and overall quality of life. A Master Plan like the one that was recently done in Englewood is developed after a comprehensive examination of all of those factors, and more. To open up a Master Plan to amending snippets of it, as is presently done in Ridgewood according to Ordinance 3066, is directly contrary to the whole point of a Master Plan. Mr. Kossoff is aware that, as has been pointed out by Gail Price, Planning Board Attorney, and others, the ordinance does not provide a right by developers that does not otherwise exist. However, Mr. Kossoff believes the ordinance is an open invitation to too many piecemeal Master Plan amendments that, instead, should be replaced by a new Master Plan. That is why no other town in New Jersey has such an ordinance, as has been pointed out by a recent Ridgewood News article. If it is not repealed, the ordinance does have the power to eviscerate the current Master Plan piece by piece. However, Mr. Kossoff does not believe that current applicants should be penalized, who in good faith and great expense have applied under Ordinance 3066 for their projects. They have already endured enough for too many years, and there have been many projects that help to demonstrate the absurdity of the ordinance. One or two such proposals at a time might have flown under the radar, as Mr. Kossoff stated, but having four of these types of proposals made it more obvious that Ordinance 3066 is unworkable. This should not be done to a Master Plan. Therefore, Mr. Kossoff urged the Councilmembers to repeal the ordinance immediately, because it is not the right way to change a Master Plan; instead, a new Master Plan should be developed. Mayor Aronsohn thanked Mr. Kossoff for his comments, and pointed out that later on, there would be a discussion about the ordinance.
Isabella Altano, 656 Kingsbridge Lane, wanted to discuss recent developments at the Zabriskie/Schedler property. Ms. Altano stated that the house was recently granted a Certificate of Eligibility, which means that it is now eligible to be placed on the list of historic houses in New Jersey and the United States. That is a first step toward getting grants available for structures and by municipalities, and the second step is to present a Declaration of Intent to Apply, which is sent to the County. The Declaration states the Village’s intent to ask for grants, which the Village would be required to match. Ms. Altano said that her group has been working with the Village Council, Village Manager, and other Village staff to refine the application. The deadline for the application is Friday, August 8, at 4:30 P.M., and Ms. Altano said her group urges the Village to complete the application. In this way, it will ensure that one of the last remaining Dutch-frame structures, which is a home dating back to the 1820s, can be stabilized. The roof has failed, and water has penetrated the structure. Ms. Altano strongly urged the Councilmembers to consider moving forward with this process. She also urged the Councilmembers to consider a possible use for the Schedler house, because she is confident that a use can be found for it. Mayor Aronsohn thanked Ms. Altano and her group for all of their efforts, and added that a decision will be made about whether to go forward with the paperwork. One of the issues is that the Councilmembers have not decided what, if anything, to do with the Schedler house, so they cannot commit any funds to it at this time. It is hoped that it will be possible to submit the paperwork without committing the Village to any funding.
Lorraine Reynolds, 550 Wyndemere Avenue, said she did not know anything about the Zabriskie/Schedler house until a short while ago, but she wanted to comment on it. It sounds like an opportunity that might not be repeated, and she urged the Councilmembers to take advantage of it. She recalled that the change in the curbing at Garber Square cost approximately $40,000, and it seems that the work needed on the Schedler house would cost approximately the same. Ms. Reynolds believes it would be horrible to allow the house to be destroyed.
Ms. Reynolds also added to Mr. Cirillo’s comments about pickle ball, noting that a relative of hers moved to Colorado some time ago, and is now a devoted pickle ball enthusiast. Councilwoman Knudsen noted that pickle ball is a class that has been taught it Ridgewood High School for a number of years, and she is not sure if it is still offered, but it is also very popular with children.
There were no other comments from the public at this time, and Mayor Aronsohn closed the time for public comment.
3. PRESENTATIONS
a. Bergen County Improvement Authority – Parking Decks
Mayor Aronsohn stated that Rob Garrison, Executive Director of the Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA), was scheduled to make a presentation this evening. However, it will have to be postponed again, due to some health challenges Mr. Garrison is currently undergoing. Mayor Aronsohn wanted to update everyone about the issue. The Village Council started meeting with representatives from the BCIA approximately a year ago to explore the possibility of developing a public/private interlocal agreement, or some type of partnership, to build a parking garage in Ridgewood. The BCIA was very interested in the idea, and subsequent meetings have been held. In addition, Kathleen Donovan, Bergen County Executive, has also discussed the matter with Mayor Aronson and Ms. Sonenfeld. They visit was made to a local parking garage to visualize what it might look like in Ridgewood. Mayor Aronsohn stated that it is hoped that the process can move forward. The current idea is for the BCIA to fund a comprehensive study about parking in Ridgewood, which would look at the current parking meters; parking lots; parking needs; the optimal location of the garage; how many spaces it should have; how much should be charged per space; and other areas of consideration. After that, the BCIA would work with the Village to design the garage, and they would build, finance, and operate it for a specified period of time. This project is still moving forward, and Mayor Aronsohn said the next step in the process, aside from a presentation made by the BCIA, is for the Bergen County Freeholders to approve funds for the study. Mayor Aronsohn believes a draft resolution has been presented to the Freeholders, and a meeting is scheduled next week with the Chairman of the Freeholders, Mr. Garrison, and others to keep the process moving. Mayor Aronsohn said this is not the end of this issue, because fixing the current parking situation in Ridgewood is a primary concern of all the Councilmembers and other Village staff. The possibility of a partnership with BCIA is full of potential, and Mayor Aronsohn said he looks forward to their presentation.
b. Don Liebreich from Community Center Advisory Board – Donations toward Patrick A. Mancuso Senior Center Improvements
Mayor Aronsohn introduced Don Liebreich, Chairman of the Community Center Advisory Board, who will talk about some exciting plans that the Community Center Advisory Board has made.
Don Liebreich, 219 Hope Street, said he is Chairman of the Community Center Foundation, which started as the Community Center Advisory Board, in which a number of people have shown interest. After much discussion, it was realized that there are basically two things that needed to be worked on: one is the Patrick A. Mancuso Senior Center, and the other is the Annie Zusy youth center. They also realized that in order to do any of the things they wanted to do, the members would have to adopt a different approach toward getting the funds to have the work done. The Executive Committee of the Advisory Board met with Mr. Rogers, as well as other people who are part of foundations in Ridgewood, and it was decided that the Advisory Board should become a Foundation. That would allow them to solicit contributions from people in Ridgewood to proceed with the work that they wanted to do. The Community Center Foundation is now incorporated by the State of New Jersey. They have also made application to become a non-profit, tax-deductible organization.
The mission of the Foundation is to provide facilities for Ridgewood residents to engage in recreational, social, educational, cultural, and government activities for community service. That also includes maintaining facilities for senior citizens, which was part of the reason why the Advisory Board was started. The Foundation is scheduled to have its first meeting in September, with 13 members from the Advisory Board who have signed on to become members of a decision-making Board for the Foundation.
Some members of the Executive Committee looked at community centers in surrounding towns and found that the Ridgewood Community Center is one of the smallest among any of those in the surrounding areas. The Board has come up with a list of approximately 20 different organizations that utilize the Community Center, ranging from HILT, which uses it for meetings, to the Ridgewood middle schools, which use it for Friday night dances for students, and any number of things in between. One of the things that surprised Mr. Liebreich was finding out that the Community Center is used as a triage center for the Fourth of July parade when it is extremely hot outside. It is also used as a room for the Ridgewood summer camp participants to use during inclement weather. Mr. Liebreich said the focus is to do something constructive with the rooms that are currently available. It was noted that the original Community Center was destroyed in a flood. This means that consideration must be given to the fact that anything that is purchased for or used in the Community Center rooms must be movable, because there is no flood protection on the ground floor of Village Hall. Mr. Liebreich mentioned that they hope to begin painting the Senior Center and Youth Center in September to get rid of what he called the "institutional look" in both of those areas. In addition, Mr. Liebreich stated that he has been trying for several years to get a handrail installed along the corridor from the Village Hall lobby to the meeting room. This would assist the seniors with mobility problems when they negotiate that corridor. The work was approved by Dr. Gabbert, former Village Manager, but the work was never performed.
Another issue mentioned by Mr. Liebreich, which he calls a "major problem," is that the Youth Center, where most of the activities are held, was originally designed to be a storage area, and the HVAC system for the area is not conducive to people sitting in meetings for long periods of time. People are forced to keep their coats on because the heat is not properly dispersed in the room. The HVAC system is designed only to input air into the room, not to allow air to exit, so there is no proper air circulation. The solution has been to leave the doors open to allow the air to circulate out, but it does not help with the heating problem. Mr. Liebreich discussed this with Mr. Rutishauser, Village Engineer, who told him that a consultant would be needed to study the problem and come up with a solution, and it was postponed.
Mr. Liebreich thanked the Councilmembers for the opportunity to present the progress made by the Community Center Foundation, and he said he was prepared to answer any questions they might have.
Mayor Aronsohn thanked Mr. Liebreich for the presentation, as well as for his efforts and leadership, which have helped to increase awareness throughout the Village. Mayor Aronsohn noted that since Councilwoman Hauck joined the Village Council, the Community Center Advisory Board has made great progress, largely due to the help of Mr. Liebreich and others.
Councilwoman Hauck commented that after Superstorm Sandy occurred in 2012, the Community Center Advisory Board was able to bring life back to Village Hall. Over the past two years, she has noticed many improvements around Village Hall, including the sound of laughter; seeing flowers through the halls; bulletin boards and other pictures of activities that have occurred around the Village; and rooms full of people taking the various classes that are now available. However, she noted that the rooms are very uncomfortable, and the goal of the Community Center Advisory Board is to upgrade the facilities that are available. The rooms have minimal facilities available in them, because the furniture that was put in those rooms in 2006, when they were first built, have been damaged or lost over the years, and need to be replaced. The Community Center Advisory Board maintains a wish list of items that they would like to purchase for those rooms, and it will be included with any solicitation letters that are sent to potential donors in the fall. It is hoped that the burden for these upgrades will not follow the general population, but on those who care the most about the Community Center and who use it the most. Mr. Liebreich pointed out that there are many Ridgewood residents, and very often, the only contact they have with Village Hall is through use of the Community Center. He also noted that Councilwoman Hauck’s "Let’s Get Acquainted" luncheons have become so successful and attendance has grown so large that they have been moved from the Patrick Mancuso Senior Center to the Annie Zusy Youth Center.
Councilman Pucciarelli noted that the Ridgewood Arts Council has committed to providing art for the Community Center, as well as for the rest of Village Hall. The artworks will be rotated so that they do not become "stale". Second, the use of the New Jersey Not-for-Profit Corporation application for 501(c)3 status, which causes the Advisory Board to become a Foundation, has been very successful for the Ridgewood Public Library. The Public Library Foundation has raised more than $2.5 million over the years, and it allows private citizens to donate to the library, which is commonly thought of as a government facility, which is also the case for the Community Center. The Ridgewood Arts Council is also filing their application for the same status. Councilman Pucciarelli commended Mr. Liebreich for his efforts and ideas, which Councilman Pucciarelli is sure will be very successful.
Councilman Sedon agreed it is great that so much effort is being put into the Community Center, which he says is rather bare and uninviting. However, he believes that if enough donations can be received, along with community involvement, it will grow and become perhaps the largest Community Center in the area.
4. DISCUSSION
a. Budget:
1.) Award Contract – Sidewalk Snow Removal Services
Ms. Sonenfeld stated that this is a recommendation to award a contract for sidewalk snow removal, and it is an option to extend an existing contract for an additional year. The work performed last year was satisfactory, and the rates will remain the same as last year.
Councilman Pucciarelli commented that service rates generally range from $125-$210 per hour, depending upon the service requested. However, he pointed out that this contract is specifically for snow removal, for which the Village gets a crew of workers and a truck, and the Village is not responsible for repairing the truck. Moreover, the members of the crew are not Village employees. He suggested that perhaps the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) might be able to find out if the rate being charged is a competitive rate, and if the Village could do this work in-house more cheaply. Councilman Pucciarelli said he understands that when Village trucks are used with snowplow attachments to do this type of work, it does cause a lot of wear and tear to those vehicles, and the work is very labor-intensive, especially when considering the fact that the plows must be attached and detached from the trucks every time they are used. In addition, Village employees must be paid for the extra time that they put in to do such work. Therefore, Councilman Pucciarelli believes that the rate charged by this company, while appearing to be rather high, does include the truck and the crew, and the true cost would probably be much higher if the Village undertook this job. Ms. Sonenfeld said that the rates were investigated, and they do seem to be competitive. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
2.) Award Contract – Ridgewood Water – Pipe, Appurtenances, and Service Materials
Ms. Sonenfeld explained that this will award a contract to buy pipes, materials, and other supplies for Ridgewood Water. Three bids packets were picked up, and two bids were received. The lowest bidder was selected. Funding for this contract is provided in the 2014 Water Utility budget, and only items that need to be ordered will actually be ordered. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
3.) Award Contract – Resurfacing of North Van Dien Avenue
Ms. Sonenfeld noted that this will award the contract for the resurfacing of North Van Dien Avenue. Six plan holders were eligible to bid, and five bids were received. The lowest bidder was selected, who also did the resurfacing work on South Van Dien Avenue. Part of the funding for the resurfacing of North Van Dien Avenue is through a New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) grant. Ms. Sonenfeld also noted that this is part of the on-going efforts to get all 2014 paving completed in 2014. Mayor Aronsohn asked if the paving list for 2014 has been posted on the Village website. Ms. Sonenfeld said she believes that some streets have been listed, which Mr. Rutishauser confirmed. Other streets are still being evaluated, and several are to be added to the list.
Councilman Sedon asked for clarification that a grant was received to cover some or all of the paving of North Van Dien Avenue. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that a grant of approximately $145,000 was received for the resurfacing work on North Van Dien Avenue. She added that Mr. Rutishauser will usually search for a street in the Village for which grant funds can be obtained, and the Village adds its own funds to whatever grant money is received. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that every road is not eligible for grants, and in order to be eligible, it must have a certain amount of traffic; be a certain size; as well as other requirements that must be met. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
4.) Award Contract – Police Interceptor Sedan
Ms. Sonenfeld reminded everyone that during the 2014 budget meetings, one of the positions taken was that an overhaul is needed of Police Department vehicles. This contract is for the purchase of a police vehicle, and the funds will come from the 2014 budget that was approved. She added that two more vehicles have been lost since the budget was approved. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
5.) Award Contract – Leasing of Unmarked Police Vehicles
Ms. Sonenfeld explained that this project was presented as part of the overhaul of police vehicles to be done in 2014. It is recommended that the Village move forward with the leasing proposal received from Enterprise. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that a vehicle was added to the original list, so there are five vehicles included in the contract, due to the loss of two additional vehicles. This contract also includes a maintenance program, which will take some of the responsibility away from the Fleet Division. At the end of the contract, the Village will receive credit for the leased vehicles, which can be applied toward leasing another set of vehicles. Councilman Pucciarelli asked why the interceptor sedan has been purchased, while these other vehicles are being leased. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that it is because sedans cannot be capitalized, while SUVs can be.
Councilwoman Hauck asked about the credit the Village will receive when the vehicles are returned at the end of the lease term, and she asked when that will be. Ms. Sonenfeld said she believes it is three years. Councilwoman Hauck noted that the credit received will depend on the condition of the vehicles when they are returned, and she wanted to know who is in charge of ensuring that the vehicles are maintained. Ms. Sonenfeld responded by recalling a discussion that included Councilman Pucciarelli in which the idea of moving toward leasing all police vehicles was presented, with the idea that the vehicles would be turned over on a regular basis, such as every three years. This lowers maintenance costs, and allows the Village to have a fleet of better vehicles. Councilwoman Hauck pointed out that the maintenance program would act as a system of checks and balances for maintaining the vehicles with the least amount of wear and tear.
Councilman Pucciarelli noted that funds for leasing the vehicles do not come from the capital budget, but from the operating budget, which is better for the taxpayers, because they can see exactly how much it costs to have these vehicles on the road. Funds for SUVs that are purchased come out of the capital budget, and the vehicles are depreciated over five years, which makes it more difficult for taxpayers to see the actual operating costs associated with the vehicles. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
6.) Award Contract – Hydraulic Model of Ridgewood Water System
Ms. Sonenfeld explained that this was a late addition to the agenda for this meeting, and it is related to a compliance issue with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). It requires the purchase of a hydraulic model for the Water Utility, which is a computerized program of the distribution system. Three firms picked up packets, and two bids were received. Based on cost calibration and training time, a firm was selected. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that the last time a hydraulic model was prepared was in 1993. After doing a financial analysis, Ms. Sonenfeld found that one of the benefits in this hydraulic model is that scenarios can be run, and instead of treating at every well, which is currently necessary, the Water Utility could treat only selected wells. David Scheibner, Business Manager of Ridgewood Water, discovered that when treating with tripolyphosphate, it would cost $266,000 to treat 32 points of entry, or the whole system. Using a hydraulic model means that treatment would not have to be done system-wide, which would mean a significant cost savings. Therefore, in addition to being a requirement, the hydraulic model is cost-effective. Mr. Scheibner added that cost-effectiveness is the first goal of having a hydraulic model, but it is also very useful in the operation of any water utility in other ways, and will be used for many other purposes. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
7.) Award Extraordinary Unspecifiable Contract – Remediation of Maple Park Turf Field
Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this was another item that was added to the agenda at the last minute, and it is a declaration for an extraordinary unspecifiable service dealing with the repair of the turf field that flooded at Maple Park. She pointed out that this field is owned by the Village, not the Ridgewood Board of Education. This work must be performed due to environmental and safety hazards, as well as due to scheduling issues that will be encountered once the Ridgewood High School teams start using the fields. Two certified turf field installers were contacted, and a quote was obtained that did not exceed $48,000. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that the Board of Education is using the same vendor to service their fields. This type of damage has occurred twice before on these fields, and the repair costs were comparable. Councilwoman Hauck asked about purchasing a cleaning and maintenance system, which could be shared with the Board of Education. Ms. Sonenfeld explained that this quote represents a discount of $5,000 due to the fact that the Village shares the Board of Education’s machinery that applies the disinfectant at the end of the process. The Board of Education does not have the equipment necessary to clean and repair their fields, but they do use the same vendor for those services, under a maintenance agreement.
Councilman Sedon asked if any kind of costs comparison had been done to see how this type of work compares to maintaining a grass field. He pointed out that the fields are in a flood plain, and it seems that more often, floods have occurred that deposited silt on the fields, at a cost of almost $50,000 per incident to repair the fields. Ms. Sonenfeld said that was an interesting question, and that while she had received some data from Village residents, she did not have a cost comparison available. Mr. Rogers interjected that a cost analysis was done prior to the installation of the turf field, although the numbers may have changed since that time. Councilwoman Hauck suggested that Timothy Cronin, Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, might have the relevant information. Mayor Aronsohn suggested that this work should move forward, and the possibility of doing another cost analysis could be discussed at another time. Councilman Sedon thought that was a good idea, because as he noted, the lifespan of turf fields are generally approximately 10-15 years, and the Maple Park field is eight years old.
Councilwoman Knudsen asked for clarification that this has occurred three times over the past eight years. Ms. Sonenfeld said it is her understanding that it has happened 2-3 times before this latest incident. Councilwoman Knudsen suggested it might be helpful to have information pertaining to the prior incidents, with the associated costs, for future discussion. She also asked if there is any issue involved with delaying the remediation of the fields, other than negatively impacting the Ridgewood High School fall sports schedule. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that there could be environmental and safety issues associated with allowing the silt to remain, because the debris that is currently on the fields is material that has overflowed onto the fields. Although it is known that no sewage or effluence is there, there are other things on the field that could presumably be environmental or safety hazards.
Mayor Aronsohn asked Mr. Rutishauser if he had any idea of what the costs were for the prior repairs. Mr. Rutishauser answered that the previous repairs were necessary after Hurricane Irene, and there was some damage caused by the storm prior to that one. The repairs for those two storms were submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), because they were declared disasters. The event that occurred this past Friday has not been declared a disaster, because it was considered to be a microburst. Mr. Rutishauser added that the costs were comparable to the current estimate, and the costs associated with Hurricane Irene were higher, because more of the turf and the stone underneath shifted, requiring the turf to be lifted to clean and re-grade the stone underneath, and reset the turf cover. Councilwoman Knudsen asked Mr. Rutishauser if he could provide information about the actual costs associated with the previous repairs, whether the costs were borne by FEMA or by the Village. Ms. Sonenfeld said that information would be obtained from Mr. Cronin. Councilwoman Knudsen also asked if LandTek is the only company used by the Village. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that two companies are certified to do this type of work, and LandTek is the one used by the Board of Education. The other company did not submit a bid.
Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that the Village has a substantial capital investment in the turf fields, and now is not the time to decide to rip them out and put in grass fields. The sports season will be starting soon, and Councilman Pucciarelli thinks it is important to protect the capital investment that has already been made. Councilwoman Knudsen noted that no one is suggesting that the turf field should be ripped out immediately, but it is necessary to have a discussion about the status of the fields going forward, because $48,000 is a substantial amount of money, and Councilwoman Knudsen was rather surprised by that amount. As Councilman Sedon pointed out, the fields do have a certain lifespan, and the amount of money invested in the fields should be a concern of the Councilmembers. Councilman Pucciarelli asked in the current situation, if the Councilmembers will approve the funds necessary to repair the field, or should such approval be postponed to study the matter further, as suggested by Councilman Sedon? Councilman Sedon said he was not suggesting any such thing, but he was saying that a discussion will be necessary about the status of the fields going forward. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that the estimate was $10,000 more several days ago and the contractor reduced the price.
Mayor Aronsohn stated that it seems that the Councilmembers are in agreement to move forward with the remediation of the fields, and Councilman Sedon has asked for information on the costs of the prior repairs to the fields. He also suggested that the Board of Education should be included in any future discussions about the fields, because they also have experience with turf fields.
Mr. Rutishauser added that one other thing that the Councilmembers might want to consider is that the turf fields were funded by the sports groups, who paid $700,000 to install them in 2006, with the understanding that the fields be maintained by the Village. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
b. Policy:
1.) Valet Parking in Central Business District
Ms. Sonenfeld noted that this is the third time the Councilmembers will be discussing this issue, and that valet parking has become an important issue in the Village. Mayor Aronsohn reminded everyone that an ordinance regarding valet parking has been introduced, and it is hoped that it will be adopted at next week’s Public Meeting. The ordinance will allow valet parking in the CBD, while establishing rules and guidelines for that parking plan. Mayor Aronsohn called it a "work in progress," and the Councilmembers can rectify any problems or issues that arise as the plan progresses. Last night, the Planning Board unanimously approved a recommendation to move forward with this project in the C-zone. It is not clear whether surface parking is allowed as a primary use in the commercial zone, and the ordinance will allow that. The site that is under principal consideration for use as a valet parking site is the Ken Smith site, which is in two zones. Surface parking is allowed in one of those zones, while that use is not allowed as a primary use in the other zone. It has also been discussed as a possible site for employee parking. Ms. Sonenfeld commented that Whole Foods is currently using the Ken Smith site for employee parking, due to customer complaints that there was not enough parking in the parking lot adjacent to the Whole Foods store. She also estimated that it would be possible to take approximately 200-250 cars off the streets of Ridgewood if the site could be used for valet parking. This would have a positive impact on anyone trying to find parking spots in the Village.
Councilwoman Knudsen noted that she had requested that this be placed on the agenda for further discussion, and she pointed out Section 263-4, "Operating Requirements," which states in item (B) that "A properly permitted valet parking operator may utilize the streets and public parking lots of the Village of Ridgewood as thoroughfares only for the performance of their services". Councilwoman Knudsen said she is concerned about the volume of vehicles that could be parked, and she wondered if there is some type of language that could be inserted, or action that could be taken, to ensure that public parking lots are not used in such a manner. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that one of the restaurants that is currently offering valet parking services does use a public parking lot as a thoroughfare, and that concern was expressed to them. Cars pull in and out of public parking lots, and pedestrians walk through them. Therefore, Ms. Sonenfeld said she shares that concern, although valet parking is currently occurring in that manner. She reminded everyone that any applicant for a valet parking permit must indicate the proposed route from the restaurant to the off-site parking facility. Mr. Rutishauser, the Village Engineer, will examine the route, and if he determines that it is not safe, he will not allow that route to be used. That means that the restaurant mentioned earlier will not be allowed to continue using the route that goes through a public parking lot. Councilwoman Knudsen responded that she sees this issue as an unenforceable one, because once a car is picked up by a valet from the restaurant, there is no way to identify that vehicle as one that is being moved via a specific route by a valet service to an off-site parking lot. She believes that the idea of valet parking is a terrific one, but she is concerned that there is language in the ordinance that essentially gives permission to use public parking lots, where there is an expectation of slower-moving vehicles, as thoroughfares and shortcuts. Councilwoman Knudsen asked how such enforcement could be accomplished. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that if an audit was conducted of the valet parking services, someone would be charged with observing the practices of the employees of the valet parking service in question. She also noted that Mr. Rogers mentioned that people use the public parking lot in question as a thoroughfare shortcut, whether they are part of a valet parking service or not. Councilwoman Knudsen said she is not sure that is something which the Village should allow. Mr. Rogers said it is not a matter of whether he or Councilwoman Knudsen thinks it is the right thing to do, but it is a matter of past policy in allowing that to happen.
As far as enforcement is concerned, Mr. Rogers pointed out that any driver, including one who is not affiliated with any valet parking service, could use the Chestnut Street parking lot as a thoroughfare shortcut. He added that if a valet parking service wanted to deviate from the proposed routes as presented to Mr. Rutishauser, there is no way to police that. That is certainly one aspect to be considered in deciding whether to adopt the ordinance. However, Mr. Rogers said it is anticipated that the valet parking operators will use the streets and lots of the Village just as any other person would. He is not sure that it presents any potential increase in the number of accidents, but time will tell. Mr. Rogers pointed out that the Village is requiring that the valet parking operators carry a significant amount of insurance, above and beyond the general liability requirements. Therefore, he believes that the Village is adequately protected if something were to happen. Mr. Rogers suggested that the Police Department could be consulted regarding their opinion about whether this could be an issue or a potential problem. Ms. Sonenfeld commented that currently, all valet parking services in the Village are unregulated, and she reminded everyone that this is a work in progress. The goal is to implement the program so that the parking situation can be somewhat alleviated, but it is necessary to stay on top of this to make any necessary changes in language or policy. Mr. Rogers suggested that before the second reading of the proposed ordinance next week, perhaps someone could contact the Police Department to get input about this matter. Councilwoman Knudsen said she is concerned that the people who use public parking lots are moving in and out of those lots at a slower speed, while the valet parking operators might simply be using them as thoroughfares or shortcuts, and might not follow the same speed restrictions, which could lead to accidents. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that currently, there is one valet parking service who is using the Chestnut Street lot as a thoroughfare, but the other two restaurants that would potentially be setting up valet parking services would not be using that same parking lot at all. Mayor Aronsohn suggested that when Mr. Rutishauser gives approval to a proposed route, that approval could be revisited so that if there is a problem, it can be rectified sooner rather than later.
Councilwoman Hauck noted that while she was on vacation, she discovered that many other towns have parking kiosks and valet parking services available, similar to what is being proposed in the Village. She suggested that Councilwoman Knudsen check the ordinances in some of the other towns that currently have valet parking services available to see how they handled such situations. Mr. Rogers stated that usually, such language is specific to the needs of the particular community, and Ridgewood is no different.
Councilman Pucciarelli suggested changing two words in section 263-4(H), which states that each parking attendant must meet the requirements of the regulations promulgated by the Village Manager, which Councilman Pucciarelli believes reflects the consensus of the Councilmembers that this project will be a learning experience. He suggested that, rather than limiting the regulations to the attendants, it should be broadened to apply to the operators, as well. Councilman Pucciarelli also suggested that perhaps a large card or placard could be placed in the windshield of a car that is being driven by a valet parking operator to indicate that it is currently being parked at a valet parking site. Mr. Rogers said he would take that under consideration.
Councilman Sedon believes this is a great idea, and will help to ease a lot of the parking burden in the CBD. He asked if the two parking spaces in front of the restaurant that is currently offering valet parking services would be designated as a loading/unloading zone, which Mayor Aronsohn confirmed. Therefore, Councilman Sedon said it would not be necessary for any of the attendants to use the Chestnut Street lot as a thoroughfare, since they could use the street instead. Ms. Sonenfeld said that is what was suggested. Councilman Sedon stated that, in that case, perhaps the language referenced by Councilwoman Knudsen could be removed. Ms. Sonenfeld said her only interest is in getting the ordinance adopted as soon as possible, and Mayor Aronsohn interjected that perhaps the ordinance could move forward, and it could be amended to address the concerns raised by Councilwoman Knudsen and Councilman Pucciarelli. Ms. Sonenfeld stated categorically that no parking route that goes through a public parking lot would be approved until this issue is resolved. The Councilmembers agreed to moving forward with the ordinance as currently written, and amending it at a later date. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
2.) Residency Requirements Ordinance
Ms. Sonenfeld explained that this matter was also previously discussed by the Councilmembers. She summarized the issue by saying that it proposes to keep the Ridgewood residency requirements in place for Public Safety titles within the Police and Fire Departments, and for all other positions, residence in Bergen County would be required. Selection of candidates to fill positions would be based on test results and other necessary attributes to get the best candidate for the job. This memorializes a practice that has been on-going for approximately 25 years, and the intent was to clarify a previous ordinance, as well as to bring Civil Service positions in sync with the actual hiring practices.
Councilwoman Knudsen said this was a learning experience for her regarding Civil Service positions, and which positions are considered Civil Service positions, and which ones are not. She supports the ordinance, but she said it would be helpful to have a list of all job titles delineating which ones are exempt; non-exempt; classified; unclassified; competitive; and non-competitive. Ms. Mailander asked if Councilwoman Knudsen wanted a list of all classified titles that are used, which could number in the thousands. Councilwoman Knudsen said she would like to have the list of titles that are used in the Village. Ms. Mailander responded that she would provide Councilwoman Knudsen the salary ordinances, which list all job titles.
Councilman Pucciarelli said he is in favor of eliminating the residency requirement altogether, except for the uniformed services. He believes that the best person for the job should be hired, whether that person lives in Ridgewood or not. Councilman Pucciarelli understands the rationale behind keeping the residency requirement for uniformed personnel, but as he understands the present practice, if a Police Officer or Firefighter is a resident and is hired, that individual could move out of Ridgewood the next day. However, as he understands the proposed ordinance, Public Safety personnel are assumed to be permanent residents of Ridgewood, and if they move out of Ridgewood, they will automatically lose their jobs. Councilman Pucciarelli asked what the intent is of that language. Ms. Mailander pointed out that the language is existing language in the ordinance, and it also states specifically that from the time of application through the time of hire, the candidate must be a Ridgewood resident. It does not prohibit the candidate from moving out of Ridgewood once s/he is hired. That is something that can be changed if the Councilmembers wish to do so, either by amendment, or by rewriting the ordinance. Ms. Mailander suggested that the ordinance be adopted as it is written, and amend it later with a stipulated time frame. Councilman Pucciarelli said it was his understanding that it was desirable that all Police and Fire Department personnel be Ridgewood residents. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
3.) Removed from Agenda
4.) Discussion of Ordinance 3066 – Amending Filing Fees for Development Applications and Establishing Procedures to Request Amendments to the Village Master Plan or Development Regulations
Ms. Sonenfeld noted that this is a proposal to amend the filing fees for developing applications and establishing procedures to request amendments to the Village Master Plan or development requirements.
Councilwoman Knudsen said she requested that this item be placed on the agenda for a number of reasons. In reviewing the ordinance, and after speaking to Blais Brancheau, Village Planner, she realized that this was designed to prevent the taxpayers of Ridgewood from shouldering the burden of costly private applications, which is reasonable. Some of the issues raised over the past years have been whether or not this has opened the floodgates for applications to development and rezoning questions. Councilwoman Knudsen thought it would be relevant to have a discussion involving re-examining the ordinance in making a determination about whether there is some wording in the ordinance that could be modified to protect the Master Plan document and the process by which it is amended, while avoiding the necessity of having protracted debates about the proposed amendments. One of the questions to be answered is whether the ordinance treats requests for amendments to the Master Plan as applications, and whether such requests are, in fact, applications. Another question to be answered is about the review process itself, and what is involved, as well as how much discretion the Planning Board and Village Council have in taking action on applications. Another item to be considered is whether there should be more checks and balances in order to help navigate the process and make it less burdensome. Councilwoman Knudsen pointed out that the application process is a burden to the Village and the Planning Board, as well as to the applicant.
Mayor Aronsohn thanked Councilwoman Knudsen for bringing this to everyone’s attention, and stated that it is an issue that needs to be discussed. He does not know what the right answer is, but Mayor Aronsohn said he is one of those who believes that the Planning Board process needs to be improved. In reviewing Ordinance 3066, Mayor Aronsohn said it seems that its application is more the exception than the rule, because amendments to the Master Plan do not occur very often. At the same time, events over the past several years have indicated that a discussion on this matter is necessary. He asked if Mr. Brancheau could give some background on the ordinance, and how it has served the Village so far. Mayor Aronsohn pointed out that those who support maintaining Ordinance 3066 believe that without it, the $250,000 estimated costs associated with the Valley Hospital hearings would have been borne by the residents of Ridgewood, but because of the existence of the ordinance, Valley Hospital had to pay those costs.
Mr. Brancheau explained that the ordinance was not adopted prior to the Valley Hospital hearings before the Planning Board. The hearings began in January 2007, and the ordinance was adopted in July 2007. One of the main reasons for adopting the ordinance was financial. Mr. Brancheau pointed out that any applicant or party that appears with experts and/or attorneys before the Planning Board always bears the responsibility for paying the costs associated with their own experts and attorneys. The costs referenced in the ordinance are the costs paid by the Village for its experts and attorneys, including the Planning Board Attorney. For example, if someone made an application to the Planning Board to have zoning rules changed, and the Village was required to hire a traffic consultant to evaluate the impact on traffic as a result of a zoning rule change, the applicant must pay for the traffic consultant. In addition, if the Village Attorney was required to evaluate some of the legal aspects, the applicant would also have to pay for his services. Often, Mr. Brancheau and Mr. Rutishauser are required to spend time reviewing and evaluating a particular application, which diverts resources that could be going toward other things, for which the residents of Ridgewood are paying, so the applicant must reimburse those costs. A number of experts have been hired by the Village in the Valley Hospital case, as well as in the application for multi-unit family housing, and those experts were specialized and not Village staff members. The applicants had to bear those costs because of Ordinance 3066.
The ordinance specifies that anyone who proposes a change must be responsible for the costs associated with assessing the impact of those changes. That was the main motivation behind adopting the ordinance. The rest of the ordinance lays out some procedural guidelines, but Mr. Brancheau believes those guidelines were reiterating the procedures that were already in place. Mayor Aronsohn asked who paid for such costs before Ordinance 3066 was adopted, citing as an example the Valley Hospital case. Mr. Brancheau responded that at that time, it seemed that the Village was going to charge Valley Hospital for the costs of the experts on an informal basis. However, there was some concern that if the project were to progress, with an applicant paying enormous financial costs, and the application were eventually to be denied, the applicants could challenge the Village’s decision, stating that there was no ordinance authorizing the collection of an escrow account for that type of situation, and demanding the return of their money. In addition, if there were a deficiency in their escrow account, it would have been impossible for the Village to collect the funds, and there would have been no legal basis for doing so. The Village could have taken the position that they would not move forward unless there were funds on hand to pay for the outside experts, which the applicants would probably have found reasonable. The ordinance legitimizes and documents what would actually happen in a normal application process. Mayor Aronsohn clarified that the ordinance would only apply when there is a proposed change to the Master Plan. Mr. Brancheau responded that it could also apply when there is a proposed change to the ordinance, because the two go together. The Municipal Land-Use Law, with some exceptions, generally provides that a zoning ordinance should not state one thing, while the Master Plan says something different. That is what currently exists in the hospital zone. Zoning is supposed to be based on what is in the Master Plan. Therefore, whenever an applicant either comes to the Village Council first with a zoning application, or if the applicant goes to the Planning Board with a proposed Master Plan amendment, the ordinance would apply.
Mayor Aronsohn said it is his understanding that no other community has an ordinance like this, which Mr. Brancheau said is not correct. Mayor Aronsohn asked what other communities have such an ordinance, and Mr. Brancheau said he does not know of specific communities that do, but he does know that some towns have similar provisions, although they might not be as extensive as the ones in Ordinance 3066. He mentioned that Hanover Township has a fee to be paid by an applicant seeking a zoning amendment or a Master Plan amendment. Mayor Aronsohn said he was trying to get an idea of what the differences between having such an ordinance and not having such an ordinance. Mr. Brancheau stated it would essentially look the same, because the ordinance merely formalizes an existing procedure.
Councilman Pucciarelli noted that Mr. Kossoff, in his earlier remarks, acknowledged that an application could be made by a developer to change the Master Plan, but it seems that Ordinance 3066 has opened the floodgates for such applications. Councilman Pucciarelli said he does not necessarily agree with that opinion, because it seems to him that if applicants knew they had a right to come before the Village Council or the Planning Board, they would do so whether the ordinance existed or not. He asked if the four applications for the multi-unit housing developments would have come to the Planning Board without Ordinance 3066. Mr. Brancheau responded that in every town in which he has worked, such applications have been made without ordinances similar to Ordinance 3066 being adopted. Councilman Pucciarelli stated that the idea that repealing Ordinance 3066 would stop a flood of applicants from proposing amendments to the Master Plan is not a valid one. Mr. Brancheau agreed that it probably would not stop that process.
Councilwoman Knudsen noted Councilman Pucciarelli's frequent use of the word "applicant". She pointed out that, when speaking of a Master Plan, which is a policy document and a legislative issue, the words "applicant" and "application" are used, instead of using less formal terminology like "request". She noted that the idea had been raised that they are not actually applications, and she also noted that Mr. Brancheau had stated that the Municipal Land-Use Law is silent on this particular process. Councilwoman Knudsen wondered what it means if the law is silent on this matter, and does not expressly state any procedure to be followed. She wondered if such proposals are, in fact, requests, and if the approach that is currently taken could be more of a policy discussion, implying legislative action; or if it is a judicial process or quasi-judicial process, which involves hearings in more formal applications. Mr. Brancheau responded that Councilwoman Knudsen’s question, in his opinion, is the core issue involved in this matter, and he believes the perception is that when an applicant comes before the Planning Board or Village Council with a proposed change, which happens quite often, State law is silent on such matters. One section of the law, section 62.1, states that when a zone boundary is changed and it is not done in the normal way, that is an acknowledgment that amendments occur outside of the general re-examination process. The proposed change is publicized to everyone within 200 feet of the proposed change, and the law provides that the costs of that notification are borne by the proponent of the change. Therefore, the law contains an implied acknowledgment that amendments are proposed outside of the general re-examination process, such as when someone appears before a Planning Board or Village Council, and that the proponents do not have to be government entities. However, the law does not clearly state how such proposals are handled. The process in the Village is clearly stated in the ordinance, whether the proponent appears before the Planning Board or the Village Council. The hearing process is regulated, and Mr. Brancheau believes that the negative reaction that has been encountered to this ordinance is largely related to the strict legal procedures that are imposed as part of the hearing process. Just as the Village Council has Work Session Meetings, as opposed to hearings at Public Meetings, the Planning Board also has a meetings and discussions that are open to the public for observation, but not for participation. Hearings must be opened up to everyone, and there are rules regarding qualified experts and other criteria that must be met when appearing at such hearings. One of the misconceptions associated with the process outlined in the ordinance is that hearings are required, which Mr. Brancheau said is not the case. Neither the Planning Board nor the Village Council is required to hold hearings in any of the proposals brought under Ordinance 3066. The hearing is only required if the Councilmembers or Planning Board members feel that enough preliminary analysis has been done to make them believe that the proposal has some merit, and full details need to be ascertained, which would be brought out through public hearings.
Mr. Brancheau recommended that if there is any change to be made, it should be that the Councilmembers do not take action to formalize the process via a hearing. The ordinance currently gives the Councilmembers a lot of flexibility in how, when, and what is done during the process until there is a hearing. Hearings are legal procedures, and certain formalities must be observed. Generally speaking, hearings are not held unless it is felt that a proposal has merit. In many cases, the Councilmembers or Planning Board members will not find that a proposal has sufficient merit to warrant a hearing. Mr. Brancheau explained that in order for a proposal to have merit, there must be a compelling reason for leading to a strong consensus that the proposal is something that is good for the community as a whole. Although every proposal has some merit, no hearing should be held unless and until the value to the community has been determined and the Councilmembers have some specificity as to what they want to do. In the case of the proposed multi-unit family housing, Mr. Brancheau noted that in the beginning, there were two proposals, and two other applicants joined at a later time, making a total of four applications. Early in the process, there was not a lot of public input in that process. The proposal seemed to be moving along on an informal basis, but the idea seemed to grow as the process continued, with a lot of details being added as time went on. However, it was realized that it was still being discussed on an informal basis, and it would be necessary to hear all of the same testimony again when the hearings began. Therefore, it was decided that, rather than waste any more time on informal discussions, hearings could begin immediately, without committing to a particular course of action. However, in retrospect, Mr. Brancheau believes the discussions should have continued on an informal basis at that point. Another problem noted by Mr. Brancheau was that a lot of the testimony went into far more detail than was typical for a Master Plan proposal. That led to Mr. Brancheau’s second recommendation, which was that there is no need to get to that level of detail until the basic concept has been agreed upon.
To summarize, Mr. Brancheau’s first recommendation was no hearings be held until there is a strong consensus; and his second recommendation was that no details are discussed until a consensus is reached on the basic concept.
Mayor Aronsohn stated that he thought what Mr. Brancheau was suggesting were some refinements that could be made to the process and how the Village Council or Planning Board deals with proponents/applicants, in order to maintain Ordinance 3066 as it currently stands. Mayor Aronsohn explained for the benefit of those who have not been following this issue, the proponents of Ordinance 3066 support it because it provides some relief for Ridgewood taxpayers, who will not be required to bear the sometimes significant expense of the hearing process, as was done with the Valley Hospital hearings. The opponents of Ordinance 3066 believe it provides an undue advantage to those who can afford to pay for the process. Mayor Aronsohn said that everyone goal is to level the playing field, because it does not seem like the current process is working. In trying to fix the process, Mayor Aronsohn asked if Ordinance 3066 is something that should be repealed, modified, or left alone.
Councilman Pucciarelli interjected that he thinks it would be beneficial if the Master Plan were viewed in an integrated, studied way, and not dealt with on a piecemeal basis, with only certain applications addressed. He noted that Ordinance 3066 provides that after an application has been made to consider an amendment to the Master Plan, the nature, extent, and timing of any review of such application shall be at the discretion of the Planning Board. Councilman Pucciarelli stated that such language tells him that, because timing is specifically mentioned, the Planning Board would be free to say, for example, that a Master Plan review is coming up in 18 months, and the request would be integrated into that review. Therefore, Councilman Pucciarelli does not believe the ordinance is the issue, because the ordinance shifts the costs to the applicants. It also gives the Planning Board flexibility, and Councilman Pucciarelli thinks the issue is a management question, specifically how the Planning Board manages the process. Repealing the ordinance would have a terrible unintended consequence of forcing the Village taxpayers to bear the costs of all of the expert testimony and other costs associated with applications before the Planning Board, which Councilman Pucciarelli does not believe makes any sense. The Planning Board can decide whether to postpone a particular application, or dovetail it with the overall Master Plan review.
Mr. Brancheau thinks that is something that has to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. He cited as an example a situation in a subdivision in Ridgewood containing a property that had its own boundary, and the boundary was moved between the two lots. However, today, the zone boundary would split one of those lots. If the property owner came to the Planning Board saying that he did not want the zone boundary to run through the middle of his lot, and requesting that it be moved to follow the new lot boundaries designated by the subdivision, which actually happened, that can be accomplished relatively quickly, and the Planning Board members can agree to do that. A recommendation would be made to the Village Council to amend the Master Plan ordinance to state that a property owner would not have to worry about two sets of zoning laws applying to his property. The recent issues brought to the Planning Board involving Valley Hospital and the multi-unit housing developments are more complex and require more time, which is why the ordinance used the particular language contained in it. The timing of such complex issues will depend upon what is on the Planning Board’s agenda, as well as the Village Council’s agenda; and the current status of the planning process with respect to other on-going reviews. Mr. Brancheau cited another example, using the fact that the State will be adopting affordable housing rules within the next couple of months, and the Village will be forced to start moving forward with some kind of housing plan to address those regulations, because the deadline is scheduled for May 2015. It is very likely that that it will force the Planning Board and the Village Council to consider affordable housing immediately, because the State is mandating the Village to do so. During that process, if another application were to come before the Planning Board, the members could opt to either postpone consideration of the new application, or realize that the new application might affect the situation regarding affordable housing, and they could elect to dovetail review of the new application with consideration of affordable housing. The Village Council and Planning Board must have the flexibility to make those decisions with each particular case. Ordinance 3066, as written, gives them that flexibility.
Councilwoman Knudsen also had concerns about the issue of the timing involved in reviewing applications. She noted that the ordinance gives the Village Council and Planning Board complete discretion about the nature, extent, and timing of any and all reviews, except as otherwise required by law. She believes the problem arises because the review seems to come after collection of the administrative fees, and the question becomes whether the process is beginning as a formal application and hearing. A reasonable person could interpret that provision to mean that it would occur after an application is formally moving forward, as opposed to in the less-formal policy discussion/work session phase. Councilwoman Knudsen thinks it might be prudent to set up a joint committee consisting of a few members of the Planning Board, and perhaps two Councilmembers, who could review the application informally with Mr. Brancheau to see if the application can be reconfigured before the more formal process has begun. Mr. Brancheau thinks that might be a good idea, adding that it would be possible to have a pre-application review before an application is even accepted in order to make a preliminary decision about whether the proposal is something that the Councilmembers or Planning Board members are interested in pursuing. If not, the applicant or proponent can be informed immediately, before any funds are expended. Councilwoman Knudsen agreed that it could be done before any fees are collected, because at that point, it would strictly be in a preliminary discussion stage. Mayor Aronsohn added that one of the goals is to structure it so that someone who does not have the funds to pay the fees does not feel that s/he cannot approach the Councilmembers or Planning Board members for consideration of an application. Councilwoman Knudsen asked if it would be possible to create such a committee, perhaps with two members of the Planning Board and two Councilmembers serving in that capacity. Mr. Brancheau agreed, stipulating that it could only be done if it did not violate the Open Public Meetings Act.
Councilwoman Hauck pointed out that section 190-44(D) does provide for a gatekeeper, but she does not recall that the provision was ever implemented. It stipulates that, prior to adopting any amendment to the Master Plan, the Planning Board can, at its discretion, refer the proposed amendment to the Village Council for comment. Mr. Rogers explained that the provision only deals with particular circumstances in which application is made to the Planning Board to amend the Master Plan in a manner that would make it inconsistent with development regulations. Councilwoman Hauck said that is similar to what Councilwoman Knudsen is proposing. Councilwoman Knudsen said that is incorrect, and she was only proposing a subcommittee comprised of two Planning Board members and two Councilmembers to examine the ordinance to clarify the language.
Councilman Sedon asked a question about the re-examination of the Master Plan, and when it was last completed. Mr. Brancheau responded that it was done in 2006, and by law, the Village must do another re-examination by 2016. Councilman Sedon asked if there is any plan to start doing that anytime soon, and Mr. Brancheau responded that it will probably start later in 2014 or early 2015, and will take approximately one year to complete. Councilman Sedon noted that since 2006, some rather substantial properties have opened up in the CBD, and he wondered if a re-examination of the Master Plan might interfere with some of the Master Plan amendments that are being proposed at this time. Mr. Brancheau responded that there is certainly an area of overlap, and he added that the re-examination is not just of the Master Plan, but of the ordinance, as well. He said that whether there is any type of application before the Planning Board or not, the re-examination will have to proceed. It has happened in the past that, while doing the re-examination, there was an unresolved issue before the Planning Board. Mr. Brancheau pointed out that the re-examination of the Master Plan is not an amendment to the Master Plan, but is merely a determination of whether the Master Plan still reflects the Village’s view of what land-use policy should be or not. If it is not, the Village must determine what action to take. The Village could take the position that a problem has been identified, and it needs to be studied further, because the solution is not yet known. That could also be applied to any unresolved issues before the Planning Board during the re-examination of the Master Plan.
Councilwoman Hauck stated that she believes the next re-examination will be very interesting, given the events that transpired since 2006, and what is already known about the future. Mr. Brancheau agreed, and he believes that many of the things that will be found in the next re-examination will be similar to those found in the most recent re-examination, and many things will need to be addressed, either through ordinance amendments or Master Plan amendments. All of the issues from the previous re-examination have not been resolved, and they will be carried forward and updated to reflect the current situation. Mr. Brancheau pointed out that there have been changes in State law, as well as changes in court decisions and Federal law that will have to be considered in the next re-examination. Current conditions in the Village will also have to be considered in 2016.
Councilman Pucciarelli noted that there was a property on Route 17 that came to the Village by way of a proposed amendment to the Master Plan, which he cited as an example in which the Planning Board acted wisely to consider the application. The zone envisioned residential properties on Route 17, which Councilman Pucciarelli said was not good zoning. That illustrates the control over the process wielded by the Planning Board.
Councilwoman Knudsen pointed out that recommendations also come from the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Annual reports have been done by the Board of Adjustment recommending certain areas of zoning changes simply because the area itself had changed. These recommendations sometimes come from the Board of Adjustment based on applications that they have received over the course of the year. Councilwoman Knudsen said there are various ways to approach these applications, and she does not believe the Planning Board or Village Council should be required to follow one particular process, which is why she thinks it would be beneficial to create the subcommittee to review the ordinance.
Mayor Aronsohn suggested that if everyone is comfortable with Councilwoman Knudsen’s suggestion, he, Councilwoman Knudsen, and Mr. Brancheau could approach Charles Nalbantian, Chairman of the Planning Board, and ask him to identify two Planning Board members who could serve on the subcommittee. Discussions could then be held to review and possibly modify the ordinance, and bring their recommendations back to the Village Council and the Planning Board. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
5.) Establishment of the Ridgewood Growth and Development Stakeholders Committee
Councilwoman Knudsen suggested that the formation of a Growth and Development Stakeholders Committee has become important as the Planning Board gets ready to do a Master Plan re-examination. This type of committee has been adopted in many communities, with the purpose of offering support throughout the re-examination process. Councilwoman Knudsen believes that with clear goals and objectives, the Ridgewood Growth and Development Stakeholders Committee can research communities similar to Ridgewood; study the existing Master Plan from 2006; assist in determining the essential components of a successful Master Plan; obtain public input and work with the Planning Board for input, guidance, and direction. The committee will be limited in its functions, and would not participate in any applications currently before the Planning Board. Councilwoman Knudsen believes it is in the best interests of the Village to establish a Growth and Development Stakeholders Committee well in advance of the Master Plan re-examination, because their preliminary efforts will help in guiding a systematic, comprehensive, and informed approach to the process. Its members should include Ridgewood residents, building or property owners, members of the Open Space Committee and Historic Preservation Commission.
Councilwoman Knudsen also prepared a mission statement for the Growth and Development Stakeholders Committee, which states that it will assist the Planning Board with the Village Master Plan re-examination by offering support and guidance through research and study of similarly structured communities, while encouraging and ensuring public participation in the process. The Growth and Development Stakeholders Committee shall be comprised of members of the Ridgewood community including residents, building and property owners, Open Space Committee members, and Historic Preservation Commission members. She proposed that the committee contain 11 members, plus a Village Council liaison, consisting of five residents; two building owners; two property owners; one member of the Open Space Committee; and one member of the Historic Preservation Commission. Councilwoman Knudsen asked Mr. Brancheau for his opinion on the proposed committee. He responded that he thinks citizen input is always a good thing, and how it is structured and will operate will be the key elements in forming the committee. It is important to ensure that they work with the Planning Board, and not on parallel or separate paths. Mr. Brancheau also suggested that perhaps members of the committee could be chosen based on their expertise or background in pertinent areas, as has been done in other communities. He said he would have some concerns if there was a totally independent committee that was not working with the Planning Board, because the Master Plan is ultimately the Planning Board’s document. It is also necessary to ensure integration with the Planning Board’s process, as well as good communication to ensure that they work together. Councilwoman Knudsen asked Mr. Brancheau if he was recommending that this particular committee work with the Master Plan re-examination subcommittee of the Planning Board. Mr. Brancheau said he is not sure how the Planning Board will proceed with the re-examination, because although the Master Plan re-examination subcommittee is a standing committee, they do not meet regularly. In addition, the law was changed, so that instead of requiring re-examination every six years, it is now required to be done every 10 years. It is possible that the Planning Board will give all of the work associated with the re-examination to that subcommittee to work on, or they may choose some other process.
Mayor Aronsohn commended Councilwoman Knudsen for this proposal. In previous discussions, the Councilmembers discussed the many frustrations associated with the Planning Board process. In fact, the Councilmembers feel that there is not enough opportunity for the public to give input in public processes. Public input is important in every community, but Mayor Aronsohn feels it especially important in Ridgewood, because there are so many smart, accomplished people who live in the Village and have so much to contribute. Mayor Aronsohn finds that public input is a tremendous help. Councilwoman Knudsen said that if formation of the committee could at least be started at this time, it might not be a bad idea. She asked Mr. Brancheau if he would work with her to refine the mission statement for the committee with clear goals and objectives in the context of research of other communities with a similar structure to Ridgewood. That will take some of the burden off of the Planning Board, and add another layer of support. Mr. Brancheau said he would be happy to help.
Councilman Pucciarelli said he believes that anything that gives the public and property owners a voice on the future of Ridgewood is a good thing, and he saw examples of this on July 23rd, when the open forum was held on the Central Business District.
Councilman Sedon echoed comments made by the other Councilmembers that citizen participation, and members of the public being able to add their voices to any discussions about the future of Ridgewood, is a great thing. In addition, after viewing some of the resumés and applications for the various boards and committees in Ridgewood, it is clear that there are some very accomplished and educated people from diverse backgrounds and having a wide range of experiences living in Ridgewood who have a lot to contribute. This would give them a forum so they could feel like they are part of the process, and hopefully lessen some of their frustrations with government.
Councilwoman Hauck said she has many thoughts on the topic of citizen participation. She has never sat in on a Planning Board hearing, but she believes that it is the single most important issue facing the Village at this time, and everyone should be informed about what the Planning Board does. Councilwoman Hauck stated that she finds it nearly impossible to be informed about what the Planning Board does. She is usually forced to check the Citizens for a Better Ridgewood website in order to find out what the Planning Board is doing, although she does not like doing so, because she does not think that one small organization should be the only voice articulating what happens in the community. Councilwoman Hauck believes that the minutes for Planning Board meetings and hearings should be on the Village website, so that she and others can inform themselves about what happens at those meetings or hearings. She has found that minutes of Planning Board meetings and hearings do not appear for 1.5 years after the fact. In addition, Councilwoman Hauck believes that the news media should concentrate on being unbiased, and they should not publish inflammatory comments made at meetings and hearings. Finally, Councilwoman Hauck believes that the Village should have non-binding referenda in order to find out what the entire Village population thinks about divisive issues. There are many polarizing topics being discussed throughout the Village, and Councilwoman Hauck is concerned that forming the committee as suggested by Councilwoman Knudsen will be a difficult process, because it will be challenging to choose people who are unbiased and who do not have their own agendas. Councilwoman Hauck did research on Growth and Development advisory committees in the towns of Summit and Englewood, and she found that they do not have any residents on them. She believes the reason for that is because it places a burden on the committee to stay unbiased. However, Councilwoman Hauck believes it is good to have an Executive Committee in forming the Master Plan re-examination process, but she thinks that having town hall-type meetings seem to be the most effective way of reaching the population in getting unbiased input.
Councilwoman Knudsen said she appreciated the comments made by Councilwoman Hauck. She pointed out that when speaking about people being bias or unbiased, Councilwoman Knudsen believes that everyone shares a common goal of moving forward and creating a comprehensive Master Plan that does not benefit anyone person or group, but benefits the Village as a whole. Therefore, it is prudent to carefully select the participants in the committee to ensure that the integrity of the process or the committee is not compromised. Secondly, Councilwoman Knudsen extended an invitation to Councilwoman Hauck to attend any Tuesday night Planning Board meeting, which are open to the public. Councilwoman Hauck said she believes there are so many ways in which people can keep themselves informed, and she believes that the goal is to reach the entire general population.
Mayor Aronsohn said that one of the ways in which the Village could move forward would be to start televising Planning Board meetings, which has been discussed for some time. Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that, as the Planning Board Attorney has reminded everyone, Planning Board hearings are quasi-judicial proceedings. The process is very structured. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
6.) Proposed 2015 Village Council Meeting Dates
regarding the proposed 2015 Village Council meeting schedule, Ms. Sonenfeld reminded everyone that Work Session meetings begin at 7:30 P.M., and Public Meetings begin at 8:00 P.M., with the pre-meeting conference at 7:30 P.M. Ms. Mailander noted that there are three particular dates that must be discussed. The first date to be discussed is Wednesday, July 1, 2015, because the first Work Session meeting is usually held on the first Wednesday of the month. That week will also be a short week, due to the July 4th holiday, which will be observed on Friday, July 3rd. Therefore, Ms. Mailander suggested that the first Work Session meeting could be held on Wednesday, July 8th, with the Public Meeting on Wednesday, July 15th. The Councilmembers elected to go with July 8th and July 15, 2015. The next date is for September 2015. Labor Day will be on Monday, September 7, 2015, which is rather late, and the first Work Session would normally be held on Wednesday, September 2nd, which would be before Labor Day, or all of the meetings could be moved forward one week, which means that they would be held on September 9th, September 16th, and September 30th, all after Labor Day. The Councilmembers agreed that all of the meetings would be held after Labor Day. The final decision is for the month of November 2015, when the Public Meeting is currently scheduled to be held on November 11th, which is Veterans’ Day. Ms. Mailander recommended that the meeting be held on Monday, November 9th, or Monday, November 23rd, which is during the week of Thanksgiving. The Councilmembers decided to hold the meeting on Monday, November 9th. Ms. Mailander also pointed out that normally, the "Coffee with the Council" event is held on the Saturday after Labor Day, which will mean that it will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2015. In addition, this year’s "Coffee with the Council" event will be on Saturday, September 6, 2014.
7.) Designate the Village of Ridgewood as a Stigma-Free Zone
Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this will designate the Village of Ridgewood as a Stigma-Free Zone. Hoboken, New Jersey, became the first Stigma-Free Zone in the United States in 2011. It was done in order to recognize mental illness as a disease, and the goal is to promote recovery from mental illness by reducing its stigma through community education. In July 2013, Paramus became a Stigma-Free Zone. Bergen County subsequently declared itself a Stigma-Free Zone, and Midland Park has done the same thing. Ms. Sonenfeld said she was recently at a Bergen Leads seminar at Bergen Community College on mental health in Bergen County, and it was highly recommended that each municipality takes this action. Mayor Aronsohn said he had an opportunity to speak with Michael Tozzoli, Executive Director of West Bergen Mental Healthcare, and told him this was on the agenda. Mr. Tozzoli is very supportive of this, and said he has been doing a lot of work on this initiative throughout Bergen County, and welcomes support from Ridgewood. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
8.) Approve Place to Place Transfer (Expansion of Premises) of Liquor License for Park West Tavern
Ms. Sonenfeld explained that this transfer is necessary because Park West Tavern is expanding its premises by creating a second floor, and this will transfer the current liquor license to allow liquor to be served in the new room on the second floor. The Village Council agreed to put this resolution on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
9.) Donation for Patrick A. Mancuso Senior Center Improvements
Ms. Sonenfeld noted that this was originally on the agenda because it was thought that the donation was coming to the Village of Ridgewood for the Community Center, but Ms. Sonenfeld said this may not be the case, and she asked Councilwoman Hauck for clarification. Councilwoman Hauck responded that the distinction is, because a foundation has been formed, the money will not be coming to the Village, but will be given to the foundation. However, some of the improvements will result in a facility upgrade, and approval from the Village Manager will be required for some of the work to be done. The donation will not go into the Village budget. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that this will not require application of the gift ordinance, because the money is going directly to the foundation, and not through the Village. Mayor Aronsohn asked if Councilwoman Hauck and/or Ms. Sonenfeld could keep everyone informed about what improvements are being done.
Councilwoman Hauck mentioned that a donation of $10,000 was received from Duke and Gail Habernickel, who happen to be her parents, and the money is being used to purchase paint and a mini-refrigerator, as well as to install a handrail, if Village Manager approval can be obtained. In addition, it was hoped that a small area rug could be purchased to mark off a "television area," with a loveseat and two armchairs facing a flat-screen television on the wall. The idea is to make the Community Center look more like a living room, or a comfortable home area, where people will want to come in and relax. The goal is that eating and large parties will be held in the Annie Zusy Room, while exercise classes and other meetings will be held in the Patrick Mancuso Senior Center. The David Bolger Foundation has pledged to donate $10,000, which cannot be collected until 501(c)3 status has been obtained, which will probably take another year. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
10.) Requests for Turn the Town Teal for Ovarian Cancer Awareness
Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this is a national campaign to create awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms. This will give permission to volunteers to tie ribbons in the CBD. This will be put on the agenda for the July 16, 2014 Public Meeting.
c. Operations:
1.) Ridgewood Wildscape and Partners – Ho-Ho-Kus Brook Corridor Cleaning Program
Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this resolution will allow the Ridgewood Wildscape Association and its partners to sponsor a cleanup of the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook on Sunday, October 5th, from 1:00 P.M.-3:00 P.M. This is the eighth consecutive year in which Ridgewood Wildscape has organized this type of event for the benefit of the Village. The necessary protective equipment will be provided by the Village. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the August 13, 2014 Public Meeting.
5. REVIEW OF AUGUST 13, 2014 AGENDA
Ms. Mailander announced that the Public Meeting would include the following Proclamations: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2014 Statewide Crackdown; Declare September Healthy Donations Month; Declare September Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month; Declare September National Preparedness Month.
There are no ordinances for introduction. The ordinances for Public Hearings include: Establishment of a Green Team; Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Fees for Emergency Street Openings on Newly Paved Roads; Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Surface Parking in C-Zone; Amend Ordinance for Site Plan Procedural; Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Stop Signs at Heights Road and Madison Place; Water Capital Ordinance ($94,000) – Water Valves; Amend Chapter 3, Article VIII – Residency Requirements; Valet Parking in Central Business District – Valet Parking Operator; Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Loading Zones and Valet Parking.
Resolutions include: Title 59 Approval – Snow Plowing Services – Clearing of Decks and Sidewalks; Award Contract – Snow Plowing Services – Clearing of Decks and Sidewalks; Title 59 Approval – Pipe, Appurtenances, and Service Materials; Award Contract – Pipe, Appurtenances, and Service Materials; Title 59 Approval – Resurfacing of North Van Dien Avenue; Award Contract – Resurfacing of North Van Dien Avenue; Approve Place to Place Transfer (Expansion of Premises) of Liquor License – Park West Tavern; Authorize Cleaning of Ho-Ho-Kus Brook Corridor by the Ridgewood Wildscape Association and Partners; Designate the Village of Ridgewood as a Stigma-Free Zone; Award Contract – Purchase of Police Interceptor; Award Contract – Lease and Maintenance of Police Department Vehicles; Award Contract – Hydraulic Model for Ridgewood Water; Award Contract for Extraordinary Unspecifiable Services for Remediation of Maple Park Turf Field.
6. MANAGER’S REPORT
Ms. Sonenfeld noted that there have been reports from residents about rats in various neighborhoods in Ridgewood. The locations are on private properties. Dawn Cetrulo, Supervisor of the Health Department, and Carol Wagner, Village Health Officer (shared with Fair Lawn), as well as Mr. Rutishauser, have been actively working on this problem. Based on reports from rodent experts who have been consulted, these are isolated incidents, and causes have been found for the appearance of rats in several locations. As a result of the various news stories that have been distributed, 14 other instances have been reported throughout the Village. Proper notifications have been made, and the focus has been on helping people to solve the problem once it is reported. There was a report that 20 rats were killed on one particular property in Ridgewood. The cause is believed to be construction that has been occurring near many of the homes where the rats have been seen. There was a dumpster located near one of the properties where rats were reported. The contractor was notified, and the dumpster will be removed. Ms. Sonenfeld said she hopes to discuss an idea proposed by Ms. Cetrulo regarding a potential Ordinance regarding pests and construction, because at least two of the sightings were related to construction.
Mayor Aronsohn asked if this problem is an extraordinary one, and if it also occurs outside of Ridgewood. Ms. Cetrulo commented that she has received many calls since the news media reported the sightings, many of them from people who simply wanted to report rats on their property for informational purposes. She noted that in the first two incidents, which were reported on separate streets that are not very close to each other, it was discovered that there was construction going on nearby to replace a retaining wall. That disturbed the rats’ habitat, and the rats moved to another area, where there was also a house nearby, which also had several birdfeeders. All of the homeowners are cooperating, and have called private pest control services. The birdfeeders have been removed. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that eliminating sources of water, food, and a place to nest helps to alleviate the problem. Ms. Cetrulo added that rats like to nest in wood piles, and several wood piles were found, which the property owners said they would either elevate or remove. One of the rodent experts told Ms. Cetrulo that the problem does not seem to be severe. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that other municipalities have similar infestations, but she did not want to name them. Ms. Cetrulo agreed, saying that rats are an on-going problem. She stated that when a report of a rat sighting is received, she and Mr. Rutishauser go out to the home to inspect the property. They also try to look at neighboring properties to find a reason for the infestation. If they see a bird feeder, they talk to the owner of the property where it is located. A letter is also sent to all of the surrounding homeowners to inform them that rats have been sighted in that area, and listing what the homeowners should do in order to keep them away from their properties. Mayor Aronsohn noted that the educational aspect is a key element in keeping the rats away, and it is very important for people to know what they should and should not do when rats have been sighted. Ms. Cetrulo commented that she is currently working on a fact sheet/list of FAQs to be put on the Village website. Ms. Sonenfeld asked Ms. Cetrulo about a potential ordinance to deal with future issues similar to this, and how to handle this going forward. Ms. Cetrulo said it occurred to her when the second incident was reported and she noted that there was construction going on at that location, she asked if there was an ordinance requiring any type of pest control when the ground is being dug. The answer is that there is a State law which requires pest control if an entire house is being demolished, but there is no such requirement when a small area is being dug. Therefore, Ms. Cetrulo and Ms. Sonenfeld thought that is something that should be considered by the Councilmembers, because so far, all of the sightings seem to be related to construction activity nearby.
Ms. Wagner pointed out that she gets similar calls in Fair Lawn, as well as in other towns, and such sightings are not unusual. None of the cases so far seem to be connected in any way. Several holes have been seen, but they appear to be inactive. Ms. Wagner also believes that construction activity near the areas where rats have been cited is the cause.
Next, Ms. Sonenfeld noted that there was a rather intense storm that occurred in the area last Friday, affecting Ridgewood, Ramsey, Allendale, Saddle River, Waldwick, and Ho-Ho-Kus. The storm lasted approximately two hours, during which time approximately two inches of rain fell. Ms. Sonenfeld thanked all of the people who helped respond to the storm. Unfortunately, five cars were damaged in the storm, including Mayor Aronsohn’s car, as well as the previously mentioned damage to the fields. At one point, it seemed as though there was a problem with the gauge system, because at no time did the gauges rise above 3.07 feet, when in fact, the water had risen to over four feet. Usually, when the gauges rise above a certain level, automatic warnings are sent to Mr. Rutishauser and others. Therefore, decisions were made based on visual observations of conditions in the Village, because the gauges did not match what Ms. Sonenfeld, Mr. Rutishauser, and others were observing. Another issue that needs to be addressed is communications within the Village and the Public Library during such storms. Mayor Aronsohn also commended all of the Village professionals for doing a tremendous job during the storm, especially given the fact that the water rose so rapidly, due to the intensity of the storm.
Regarding the quarter theft, Ms. Sonenfeld stated that the forensic accounting has started. The accountant interviewed everyone involved. Ms. Sonenfeld said she went through the coin collection process from beginning to end, and she finds it to be a physically grueling job. The coins are very heavy, and the parking meters are antiquated. Ms. Sonenfeld also spent time with the person who counts the coins in the coin room, which she said is also a very grueling job due to the amount of lifting that is required. She said that the entire process is outdated. In addition, Ms. Sonenfeld said that no fault can be found with any Village staff for the theft. Recommendations had been made to change the mechanisms in the meters so that they would be locked, which will cost the Village approximately $100,000, but the work was not done. However, Ms. Sonenfeld said the controls have now been placed on the back end of the process, although the process is still handled by people.
Ms. Sonenfeld noted that the Village has been awaiting a report from the Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA) regarding the parking situation in Ridgewood, including the parking meters, and she believes it will be necessary to make a decision with regard to issuing RFPs for new parking meters. Mayor Aronsohn suggested that perhaps the Village could begin exploring the technology that currently exists while waiting for the report from the BCIA, so that the Councilmembers and Ms. Sonenfeld and her staff could educate themselves about the possibilities. That would put the Village in a good position to move forward once a report from the BCIA is available.
There has been an increase in the number of street signs that have been stolen recently, with the most popular street sign stolen being Corona Place. In addition, a number of "Dip" signs have also been stolen.
Ms. Sonenfeld stated that she is currently engaged in the third round of interviews for the Building Department Director’s position. Five good candidates have been selected, and Mr. Brancheau; Michael Barker, Tax Assessor; and Mr. Rutishauser have been working together to do a technical review of the candidates. Ms. Sonenfeld estimated that it would take approximately two more weeks to complete the interview process.
In addition, Ms. Sonenfeld said she was notified by the Building Department that they are three weeks behind with inspection requests, and she has authorized overtime pay, as well as the hiring of part-time personnel in order to alleviate the situation.
The RFP for the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Plan is currently being drafted by Mr. Brancheau, and Ms. Sonenfeld hopes to have it ready for next week.
Construction at Garber Square will resume next week. Ms. Sonenfeld and Mr. Rutishauser spoke with the contractor and put pressure on him to have all of the work completed by the time school starts, although the contractor would not make that commitment. The contract stipulates an October deadline, but Ms. Sonenfeld said that she has been pushing for the work to be finished sooner.
In her Response to Residents section, Ms. Sonenfeld stated that she had her monthly Meet the Manager event last week. Only two residents showed up, and both of them wanted to discuss trees. Currently, there is work being done on Dunham Trail, based on input received from residents. A determination is being made as to whether the trail can be moved, due to the erosion that has occurred as a result of the recent storm. The next Meet the Manager event is scheduled for Tuesday, August 26th, from 5:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M.
Ms. Sonenfeld expressed her delight with the Landscape Committee, which was an idea that was formulated several weeks ago. The committee met with Councilwoman Hauck. They defined their mission, who they are, where the gardens are located, and what their next steps will be. Mr. Cirillo also contacted Ms. Sonenfeld about the possibility of doing work on more tree wells in the CBD.
Ms. Sonenfeld gave an update on the election investigation into the emails sent to Councilman Sedon’s employer during the recent Village Council campaigns. At the previous Village Council meeting, it was stated that the investigation is currently active, and Ms. Sonenfeld asked Mr. Rogers if he would follow up with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, although she did not expect to get a lot of information from them. The Prosecutor’s Office stated that they have not yet started their investigation, and it is still under consideration. Efforts are being made to get the Prosecutor’s Office to move forward with their investigation.
The last concert of the season at the Kasschau Memorial Shell will be held tomorrow night. Movies in the Park will be held on Wednesday, August 20th, at 8:00 P.M. The movie to be shown is "Life of Pi".
7. COUNCIL REPORTS
Planning Board – Councilwoman Knudsen said that the Planning Board met last evening, and they continued the discussion of the proposed multi-unit housing projects in the CBD, with testimony heard from a traffic expert, who gave a tremendous amount of detailed information that was very helpful.
Public Library Board of Trustees – Councilman Pucciarelli said he is very proud to continue as liaison to the Ridgewood Public Library Board of Trustees, and they met last week. He promised to bring to everyone’s attention two features that are available on the Public Library website. One of them is a database for magazines, which includes a tremendous array of different periodicals and journals covering a variety of subjects. The other is that the Public Library has free passes available to four major museums in New York City, including the Children’s Museum of Manhattan; the Museum of the City of New York; the Frick Museum; and the Guggenheim Museum. The passes can be reserved and picked up at the Public Library.
Ridgewood Arts Council – Councilman Pucciarelli stated that the Ridgewood Arts Council will hold its next meeting on Thursday, August 28th, and they have some major plans that are currently moving forward. A major kickoff event is planned for the fall.
Councilman Pucciarelli added that the open microphone discussion on the Central Business District will continue on Wednesday, August 20th, at 7:30 P.M. The venue is the Ridgecrest Senior Citizens Residence at 7 Ridge Road. The first 30 minutes will be devoted to open microphone comments, and the next hour will be a panel discussion. Councilman Pucciarelli is assembling a panel that includes a cross-section of people who will expand upon the ideas that have already been heard.
Parks, Recreation, and Conservation (PRC) Board – Councilwoman Hauck said that the annual Duck Derby was held on July 18th, and it was a great success. Six hundred people attended the event this year, an increase of 200 over last year. One of the lessons learned is that repetition is good, because it enabled staff members as well as attendees to be better prepared for the events. Councilwoman Hauck thanked Tim Cronin, Director of Parks and Recreation, and Nancy Bigos, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, for their expertise and their efforts in helping to put the Duck Derby together and making it a success. Councilwoman Hauck also thanked the staff at Jacobson’s Landscaping for all of their efforts and donations to the event. A square dance/hoedown is planned for the first week in October, which will include pony rides, hot air balloons, square dancing, and fiddlers. It will be held at the Irene Habernickel Family Park.
Mayors Wellness Campaign – Councilwoman Hauck reported that this campaign is continuing through the summer. The next event scheduled is tomorrow, in which the Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring exercise for the Sidewalk Sale days. Equinox Gym will be holding power exercise classes. Information can be found on the Ridgewood Mayors Wellness Campaign Facebook page.
Shade Tree Commission – Councilman Sedon stated that efforts to clean out the tree wells in the CBD are progressing. All of the tree wells from Maple Avenue to Broad Street on the north side of East Ridgewood Avenue have been done, and they will be going down the other side of the street. It is hoped that by that time, the Landscaping Committee will have been put together, and efforts can be coordinated to get some of the other tree wells cleaned up.
Citizens’ Safety Advisory Committee – Councilman Sedon stated that the Citizens’ Safety Advisory Committee elected a new Chairperson, Sherwin Suss. At their brief meeting, it was decided to try to get some local experts to come up with an idea for bike lanes in Ridgewood. There is also a list of intersections that need to be improved, and the members of the Citizens’ Safety Advisory Committee hope to find a way to move forward with those improvements.
Chamber of Commerce – Mayor Aronsohn repeated what Councilwoman Hauck said about the Sidewalk Sale days, which are August 7th-9th.
Planning Board – Mayor Aronsohn reiterated what Councilwoman Knudsen said about the Planning Board meeting last night. He found it interesting because the traffic expert did not just consider the potential traffic impact of high-density housing downtown, he was also able to put it in context and discuss what property owners are allowed to build in that area, as well as the potential traffic impact. It is important to remember that whether the Planning Board moves forward with the high-density housing proposal or not, property owners in the CBD have rights to build.
Access Committee – Mayor Aronsohn stated that the Access Committee is working with Janet Fricke, Assistant to the Village Manager, for the annual Access Ridgewood weekend. The weekend is all about disability awareness, and is scheduled for October 17th-19th. A full roster of events is planned.
8. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Mayor Aronsohn stated they would again have comments from the public and asked anyone wishing to address the Village Council to come forward.
Peter McKenna, 420 Meadowbrook Avenue, had some comments about Ordinance 3066. Mr. McKenna believes that the ordinance has created unnecessary problems since it was passed. Mr. McKenna said that in order to understand the impact of the problems of his cause, it is necessary to look at the fact pattern. He asked how many hearing applications were brought to the Planning Board annually prior to the adoption of the ordinance, and how many applications have been brought since it was passed. Mr. McKenna also asked how much of the Planning Board’s time was consumed by hearings prior to adoption of the ordinance. Mr. McKenna said his perception is that he cannot recall Planning Board hearings being so divisive before the ordinance was adopted. However, the five applications currently being considered have been very divisive since the ordinance was adopted. Mr. McKenna stated that if the ordinance was only intended to change the party responsible for billing, he would support it, but something else seems to have changed.
The perception is that someone who does not have a lot of money will not be able to get anything done through the Planning Board. Mr. McKenna explained that he is a member of the Concerned Residents of Ridgewood (CRR), and he pointed out that they proposed an amendment to the Master Plan to leave Valley Hospital as it is. After a relatively short period of time, their funds dried up. The process was extremely onerous, and Mr. McKenna sympathizes with developers who must undergo the same process. The perception is that someone who knows the right people who can open the necessary doors and gain necessary access will get a hearing on his/her issue.
Finally, with regard to finding experts who can bring relevant expertise to the various hearings and processes, Mr. McKenna believes that if things continue as they are, Ridgewood will find itself with a plethora of multiple land-use experts. He said that the current Master Plan and Planning Board processes are very inhospitable to Ridgewood residents. Mr. McKenna added that it should not be assumed that because some people take an issue very seriously and take the lead in a fight on that issue, they are a vocal minority. Many people care deeply about the issues, but they do not have the time or other resources necessary to get involved in the fight.
Ron Simoncini, 249 Bogert Avenue, pointed out that the Sunshine Law was passed in New Jersey in 1977, and now has one of the most transparent municipal laws in the country. Mr. Sabatini believes that no one is heard more than the residents of Ridgewood are heard. The issue is what the role of government is, not what the role of citizens should be. Citizens are protected by the processes that are in place which allow citizens to speak. Mr. Sabatini pointed out that the Village Council and Planning Board are duly authorized to perform a specific function, for which they are trained. Some members are elected, while others are appointed to their positions. Mr. Sabatini trusts that process, and believes everyone else should trust it also. Members of the public who speak at meetings and hearings are not voting, they are only speaking and giving their opinions. Government cannot be run by perceived referendum. There are various laws in place that protect taxpayers and residents, and Mr. Sabatini does not want to see the Village get hung up because of a personal agenda.
Leonard Eisen, 762 Upper Boulevard, stated that the issue regarding the remediation of the turf fields reminded him of an issue several years ago, when the Board of Education raised $25 million through a bond issue to rehabilitate their buildings, and the bond issue also included a provision of $2 million for artificial turf. The bond issue passed, and the artificial turf was laid. Mr. Eisen pointed out that the bond issue has a life of 25 years, while the lifespan of the artificial turf is approximately half that time. Therefore, it appears that halfway through the bond issue payment, it will be necessary to throw out the artificial turf that was purchased using those funds and the Board of Education will have to buy new artificial turf to replace the current turf. Mr. Eisen is not sure if that was taken into consideration at the time of the bond issue.
Mr. Eisen was also very surprised to hear a discussion about Stigma-Free Zones, because he considers that to be something that should be discussed with young children. He believes the entire United States should be a Stigma-Free Zone. Mr. Eisen does not understand why it is necessary for the Village, or any other municipality, to declare itself a Stigma-Free Zone.
Finally, Mr. Eisen stated that in the Paramus Borough Hall, pictures are hung of Paramus residents who are currently serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, or at any other overseas military base. Mr. Eisen believes that is a nice idea, and perhaps Ridgewood should consider doing the same to honor its residents who serve.
There were no other comments from the public at this time, and Mayor Aronsohn closed the time for public comments.
9. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION
The following resolution, numbered 14-199, to go into Closed Session, was read in full by the Village Clerk, as follows:
10. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilwoman Hauck, seconded by Councilwoman Knudsen, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the meeting was adjourned at 11:00 P.M.
PAUL S. ARONSOHN, Mayor
HEATHER A. MAILANDER, Village Clerk
- Hits: 2444