Portion of Route 17 Could be Rezoned with Commercial Complex

Prolific developer Malvern Burroughs has spent decades trying to get something on a strange vacant triangular lot on Route 17 and Paramus Road, proposing three separate plans in the past decades to no avail.

Now, he and his representatives say, it's time to re-zone the area that they contend should have been zoned for commercial decades ago by the village. But, they say, the section oriented toward Rt. 17 they have in mind for development should "reflect the character of Ridgewood "and he said he's eyeing a bank or restaurant as likely occupants.

Burroughs, a developer based in Florida who's worked on numerous large projects including Meadowlands Racetrack decades prior, has presented an ordinance via attorney Tom Wells that if enacted would re-zone Ridgewood's small southern portion of Rt. 17 into a commercial zone as opposed to its current residential zone.

Burroughs told the board he has owned the property for 26 years, the same property that had previously been the potential home of the poorly-received Baker Home subdivision, which quelled considerable opposition a few years ago when proposed.

According to the particulars of the proposed ordinance–which was generic and reflected a broad spectrum of possible uses from hotels to service areas to restaurants and beyond–the Burroughs-owned parcel is likely the only property that could actually be affected in re-zoning Ridgewood's small section of Rt. 17 on the southern end, though the Ingram office building just west of it is in the current residential zone. Village Planner Blais Brancheau said the Ingram office had access problems to Rt. 17 and was not likely to face adjustments.

"For the first time, this would be a good use of this property," attorney Tom Wells told the planning board, which has been slowly analyzing the still-unfinished Rt. 17 Corridor Study for roughly five years, in which Brancheau has been working with the goal to rework the section to reflect its more natural zoning–commercial stores along a highway.

The property is 2.4 acres (including a space the Department of Transportation plans to sell to Burroughs, Wells said) and because he's "not a fan" of strip malls, plans to build something in character with Ridgewood's downtown–stucco, brick in a "Tudor" style.

The undeveloped triangle location would have a "park-like" feel with far more than the mandated 15-percent coverage in green areas with setbacks of a 30-foot buffer between residential property west on Linwood along with other setbacks along the remaining sides.

There would be 64 parking spaces under this 15,000 square foot property plan, as the ordinance proposed specifies four parking spots to every 1,000 square feet, planning consultant Joseph Burgess said. The maximum building height would be 45 feet, consistent with village ordinance. The applicants aren't opposed to an emergency entrance on Paramus Road but say the property is only oriented toward Rt. 17 and no additional traffic is expected to impact Paramus Rd., a worry of many in the Baker subdivision proposal.

Planning board vice chair Albert Pucciarelli said he was concerned that if the ordinance re-zoning were permitted, nothing would stop Burroughs from selling the property, who "may not be as sensitive" in drafting a proposal to fit a Ridgewood-consistent property outside the central business district.

Wells said they'd leave the village in charge of restricting use, as they're only interested in potentially building a select few types of property, not "service stations or truck stops" and would be open to the idea of the village stipulating such. Wells did however caution the village that being too restrictive in its language could be a detriment to greater zoning concerns along the corridor.

Similarly, residents of Linwood Avenue expressed concern that the Ingram property would be purchased and there would be shoppers right on their doorstep, which could detract from their privacy and quality of life. "I can assure you I will not sell this property," Burroughs told the father-daughter team of concerned residents.

Although Brancheau is still working to address the Master Plan recommendation that the zoning on the "highway corridor" be reflective of the use, the application put forth on Tuesday night will be heard on its own basis and will not be bundled into the ongoing Rt. 17 study. The next date of the continued ordinance draft is likely to be March 15.