Planning Board Entertains Idea of a Re-Zoning an Area Abutting Rt. 17

The Planning Board entertained a conceptual hearing for the possible re-zoning of a property that has in the past been a potential spot for a multi-family housing structure, known as the Baker Housing site.

Situated on Paramus Avenue north of Linwood Avenue and on Rt. 17 at the rear, the lot has been vacant for three decades and throughout its history and has also been a candidate for an office building and self-storage facility. Now the owner wants to put up "Highway Commercial" businesses in the space, which would require a zoning change.

Unlike the Baker Housing proposal, which would have had 66 single-family units and 171 parking spots with an access point of Paramus Avenue, the new informal proposal would feature the building with only Route 17 having an access point. Paramus Avenue, according to this idea, would be closed off, though the fire department would still have access to the property from Paramus Avenue.

There was much opposition from residents to the Baker housing proposal two years ago and the application was withdrawn "because of the economic situation," attorney Tom Wells of Wells, Jaworski and Liebman, counsel to the property owner,  said at the Monday night hearing.

Given the overall business climate of Route 17, Wells called the area "the perfect location" for re-zoning and asked for the Planning Board's thoughts on the notion and what a possible process might look like going forward.

Though Route 17 is a heavy commercial zone, businesses thin out by Linwood Avenue, something the Village is acutely aware of. The Rt. 17 Corridor Study, an ongoing study to assess whether rezoning could improve mixed-use zones in the Village, may prove to be a resource for the Village as they review a possible application. Village Planner Blais Brancheau said rezoning those mixed-use zones could increase ratables, efficiency and overall quality of parcels for Ridgewood.

The property owners have also appealed to the New Jersey Department of Transportation to receive an access permit on Route 17, another need should the plans to build commercial on the lot move forward. Wells said that the DoT has been receptive to the possibility in the past.

Board members, overall, were intrigued by the idea, but wouldn't make any commitments–not yet anyway. "We like ratables and efficient use of property," member Charles Nalbantian said, with member Richard Joel added that developing a lost parcel is better for traffic on Paramus Avenue. Mayor Keith Killion said he "likes this better than townhouses" but would have to look more into the matter before making any judgments.

Presiding over the board, Albert Pucciarelli said that the area in question has been "a respite" from the commercial chaos stretching from Suffern to Lyndhurst. Wells responded that it's a shame some property owners have to be "a part of the respite," but said he's looking forward to continuing the process of possibly filing applications, and throughout the public meeting repeated how much he valued the input from Planning Board members.

None of the comments or decisions at Monday's meeting are binding, but merely a discussion to gauge how the Planning Board might view such plans were an application to be submitted. Wells and the property owner will soon be meeting with the Village Planner and Village Attorney to discuss the next step.

The area is "more Paramus-like" than Ridgewood, Wells said. "We think this would be the perfect use."