One Case Cleared With Ridgewood's OK Of Valley Expansion, Other Continues

RIDGEWOOD, N.J.– Litigation between The Valley Hospital and Ridgewood's planning board was dropped after the latter adopted a new master plan in a 6-3 vote Tuesday,

Young children were in attendance, and several testified in the hearing
Photo Credit: *Anthony Locicero*

Anthony Locicero

04/06/2016 1:22 p.m.

However, a May 9 trial remained scheduled for an ongoing suit Valley filed against the Village Council, officials said.

If the judge in the case sides with Valley, Mayor Paul Aronsohn said, she will "presumably use the new Master Plan language as the basis of her decision."That will include changes scheduled for April 14 that Councilwoman Susan Knudsen told Daily Voice the Planning Board will make to the plan.

"Either way, the Council has to adopt an ordinance consistent with the Master Plan for any of this to be operational," Aronsohn said Wednesday. "The question is whether the [j]udge -- during the May 9 trial -- will force the Council to do so."As I understand it, she has basically three options: (1) compel adoption of a consistent ordinance, (2) compel the Council -- presumably the next Council -- to consider a consistent ordinance or (3) find for the defendant (the VOR)," the mayor said.

He also sought to clarify a point: "Only the Planning Board has jurisdiction over the Master Plan, which is a policy document. By contrast, the Council is the only body with jurisdiction to adopt and amend land use ordinances, which are law and which are required to operationalize any changes to the Master Plan."

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