Planning Board Sets Agenda

Not surprisingly, the Ridgewood Planning Board said its top priority going forward is the Valley Hospital 'H-Zone', and they've already tasked Village Planner Blais Brancheau to continue the process of drafting an accompanying ordinance for the Village Council to vote on when they begin the process of reviewing the H-Zone amendment–which would allow Valley Hospital to double in size–this fall.

Brancheau had previously written the H-Zone amendment, which has seen a legal challenge from opposition group Concerned Residents of Ridgewood, who hope to overturn the H-Zone amendment–put into the Master Plan by the planning board and sponsored by the hospital–and allege that the legal process was invalid and there were conflicts of interest from members of the planning board.

Still, despite the action the planning board decided to move forward, and board attorney Gail Price stated she doesn't believe the suit from CRR will impact the process.

"We can procede and get it to [Village] Council," she said.

The planning board is currently in the process of sending documents to the Village Council so they can get up to speed on the issue, which has seen almost four years of paperwork and is a few feet high in size when stacked, Price motioned. Mayor Keith Killion suggested that they should be economical about how they distribute the paperwork between the various parties given the cost of making copies.

The mayor also wondered if members of the council who serve on the planning board (he and Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh) would have any conflicts in developing the ordinance at the planning board if they have to vote on it later as council members. Price reported that there would be no conflict, as he and Walsh serve important functions and are able to participate in the process for both governing bodies.

Brancheau estimated that it will take an additional month to finish preparing the ordinance, stating that they can't do "a straight taking" from the Master Plan, as more detail would be needed.

"We have to flesh out elements," he said.

Two public meetings, the first on Oct. 5, will be held to review the ordinance before it's passed to the Village council for a vote along with the H-Zone amendment. The official date for the second meeting has not been determined.

The other big priority for the planning board is the central business district and what the planning board says is their continuing effort to better Ridgewood commercial businesses. That doesn't necessarily mean just the downtown area, however.

"All commercial districts should be considered and looked at further," Vice Chairman Albert Pucciarelli stated.

The board will be taking a closer look at the Rt. 17 corridor, an area they've been studying for years, and one that the board has entertained for zoning changes, along with the smaller commercial regions in town. The board is also prioritizing a way to make the downtown more pedestrian-friendly they say, and taking a closer look at N. Chestnut by off Franklin, along with the whole "Franklin Ave. district".

Although Valley Hospital and the central business district are the biggest issues for the planning board, and certainly two of the larger issues for the village as a whole, the planning board may also be moving on residential and municipal issues as well.

Historic Preservation Committee Chair Art Wrubel and Village Historian Joe Suplicki presented a proposal that the James Rose House and Graydon Park be designated as historical sites in the Master Plan, which would allow the planning board the opportunity to review any possible suggested changes in development to these sites.

Currently, the planning board is only brought in as a courtesy when municipal projects are altered, as they go directly to village council. Although the board would be able to review and make suggestions should the two sites be added, they would still not have real legislative power over municipal buildings, per state rulings, Brancheau said.

Wrubel said the current process of bypassing the planning board for municipal projects "is bad government," and noted while Village Council would still have the ultimate word on municipal matters, the planning board should at least weigh in should the sites be in the Master Plan.

"I want to take it out of the political realm and put it into the planning realm," Wrubel said.

Pucciarelli also briefly mused that the planning board "could spend an hour and a half" on a canopy on Ridgewood Ave, "but we wouldn't see if Village Hall doubled [in size]."

For the additions to be made to the Master Plan, a public hearing process would be required, though no dates have yet been set up. It may not even happen this year given the board's specific list of priorities.

"I want the board to spend time where it counts," Nicholson said.