Ridgewood Officials Said They Do Not Know How Long Impact Studies Will Take

Village representatives said they do not know how long the impact studies they want done on the proposed downtown zoning changes will take or how much they will cost, but they know the changes can’t be undone once approved.

“We can’t go back and undo this once construction begins,” said Councilman Michael Sedon.

Sedon made a motion that several impact studies should be conducted after dozens of residents expressed their displeasure with several proposed zoning changes to the Central Business District at a meeting Wednesday.

Many residents said the proposed 35-unit per acre development is too high. The Central Business District has an average of 23 units per acre. People suggested that 25 units per acre is more reasonable.

Mayor Paul Aronsohn said the council members and Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld need to discuss the parameters of each study.

The studies will examine the possible impact the changes would have on village finances, the school system, area traffic, and other aspects of the changes. The changes have been discussed for more than four years.

The Planning Board approved amending the Village Master Plan, which sent the vote to the Council. The changes would allow high-density, low-income housing to be built in downtown areas currently zoned for commercial use.

Councilwoman Susan Knudsen voted against the proposed changes as member of the Planning Board and at Wednesday’s meeting. She and Sedon also voted against introducing the changes in July.

“My opinion has always been this massive change to the character of Ridgewood requires more study and greater consideration of resident input,” Knudsen said.

Residents have expressed their disdain for the project for months. Citizens for a Better Ridgewood filed a lawsuit against the Planning Board in August, claiming their decision was ‘arbitrary’ and ‘unreasonable.’ Residents also gave the board a petition with 1,400 signatures, collected in less than a day, opposing the amendments. The petition was deemed inadmissible.