State Judge OKs Valley Hospital's Expansion Plans, Report Says

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. — The Village Council has 90 days to approve an ordinance allowing The Valley Hospital to double in size, presumably ending years of legal back-and-forth between the village and the hospital.

The ordinance must be consistent with the Planning Board's approval allowing the hospital to increase from 565,000 square feet to 961,000, according to a report by The Record.

Superior Court Judge Lisa Perez Friscia, ruled that the expansion is "inherently beneficial" and that serving the region's health and welfare needs "outweighs" any negative impacts on the village, according to the report.

The hospital's plan creates 451, one-patient rooms on North Van Dien Avenue.

Mayor Paul Aronsohn said that the ruling could end up costing Ridgewood taxpayers "a lot more money," and the Concerned Residents of Ridgewood said the ruling was "unsurprising," according to the report. The CRR advocated against the expansion plan.

Valley filed a lawsuit against the Planning Board and Village Council in 2014 after the board voted against the hospital expanding to nearly 1 million square feet. Opponents argued that the plan puts the safety of Benjamin Franklin Middle School students at risk and creates unnecessary and excessive noise and traffic.

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