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Ridgewood Council Approves Changes To Hudson Street Parking Deck

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. — The Ridgewood Village Council approved a round of changes to the much-discussed planned parking deck on Hudson Street by a 3-2 vote Wednesday night.

The Ridgewood Village Council voted on changes to a parking deck on Hudson Street Wednesday, Jan. 27.

The Ridgewood Village Council voted on changes to a parking deck on Hudson Street Wednesday, Jan. 27.

Photo Credit: Joshua Jongsma

The latest version of the deck, which Ridgewood voters approved during the November election, will provide approximately 325 parking spots and will be around 43 feet tall, and will hang no more than 5 feet off the property, Mayor Paul Aronsohn said.

The mayor said the overhang can be addressed through adjusting the size of the street, or sidewalk but that Hudson Street itself would stay at least 25 feet wide so it can maintain three lanes, two for traffic and one for parking.

Aronsohn said the latest plan was the result of much discussion about the project.

"I think this has been a very deliberate process, very engaging," the mayor said. "... I think we're at a place I think we're addressing the concerns."

Some residents along with council members Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon disagreed with the timing of approving changes to the plan. 

Knudsen and Sedon said they wanted more time to gauge neighbor reaction to the plans after the alterations were recently discussed at a Jan. 19 meeting with village officials.

"It seems like we're almost there," Knudsen said. "We should really just make sure we get it right and engage the community support."

The change in plans cost around $140,000 for design work, which resident Anne Loving said was "outrageously expensive." 

"There should be no vote," fellow resident Lorraine Reynolds said. "There are no plans, there are no visuals."

Deputy Mayor Albert J. Pucciarelli said the images were not yet available to present Wednesday. He said that changes occur commonly as projects go along.

"I think the process has been pretty good on this garage," Pucciarelli said.

A $12.3 million bond would pay for the parking deck, Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld said. The council previously voted 3-2 for the bond, which was not enough to pass, leading the governing body to seek an agreement with the Bergen County Improvement Authority to fund it.

The council did not vote on entering an agreement with BCIA Wednesday but will likely do so at its next meeting, Feb. 10.

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