Valley Expansion Vote Pushed at Least a Week

Giving its members ample time to deliberate and providing the public a sizable forum, the Ridgewood Planning Board announced a meeting next Monday to decide the future of the proposed Valley Hospital expansion.

After devoting a Monday meeting to answering questions while receiving its legal charge, the board wanted sufficient time and an appropriate space so the community could witness deliberations on a Master Plan amendment that would allow the hospital to significantly expand.

Hoping to quell fervor from opponents to the hospital's proposed 200 percent addition to building mass, board Chairman David Nicholson requested a "civil" meeting.

"We're all here because we love the place in which we live. We may differ in absolutes or degrees, but we all must treat each other civilly," he said. 

Since the hospital originally approached the village with its "Renewal" expansion project in 2006, the Planning Board has drafted two Master Plan amendments that it hopes balances the hospital's desires and residents' concerns. The current draft offsets the increased building mass—proposed to go from 562,000 square feet to about 1.2 million square feet—by increasing setbacks along borders.

Although public comment closed last week, residents attempted to continue to get their views through to the board. Over the weekend, resident Loraine Reynolds left a petition—encouraging the board to immediately conduct an environmental impact study—on her front porch and received an additional 200 signatures, on top of her initial 700.

After last week's meeting, where several outbursts drew the board's warning, Nicholson wanted to set a civil tone early on. Prior to the meeting, activists' posters stating opposition to the proceedings were hung from the walls. Village Engineer Chris Rutishauser removed the posters.

Nicholson said as a quasi-judicial body, the Planning Board could not permit posters—in favor or opposition to the project—to hang.

Using the analogy of a courtroom, Nicholson asked, "Would a judge allow posters pro or con on a ruling to  appear?"

Concerned Residents of Ridgewood spokesman Paul Gould said the action deprived residents of their First Amendment rights. 

Some interjections from crowd members occurred Monday night, but it was predominately a tamer meeting. A late and persistent outburst from an audience member, demanding it protect school children, nearly got him removed before he ceased speaking.

Tonight, the board will holds its regular meeting at Village Hall. Due to resident interest, the board wanted a facility for its Valley deliberations that could host an ample audience. It pushed the amendment decision to June 21 at Benjamin Franklin Middle School.

Next week, the board will weigh three linked questions:

• Has the board heard enough testimony to make a vote? if  yes;
• Are there amendments it should consider? if no;
• Should the village Master Plan be amended to provide for the Valley expansion?

If it needs more testimony, the board could contract another expert. If amendments are passed that "significantly alter" the Master Plan, further public notification and hearings are required to transpire. 

Board attorney Gail Price officially advised the body in consideration of its responsibility. She instructed the board to constrain its deliberations to matters occurring on the record—not news articles, opinion pieces, advertisements, posters or any other unofficial documents. Price said only the board members could weigh the validity of admissible evidence.

"All testimony is for you to determine what is credible and what is not. That includes references to school children," Price said.