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CRR members helped elect Bernadette and Tom to a resounding win last night. By winning with such a large margin, the people of Ridgewood have also given them a strong mandate to take to the council. The election was fought over: Revitalizing downtown, fiscal responsibility, preserving Graydon and limiting excessive expansion by Valley hospital RidgewoodNews Expansion Opposition Influenced Election

May 4 - CRR Presents

CRR Presentation Transcript of the CRR presentation The Board also announced that if people want to speak at the public hearing they will need to sign-up by the meeting on May 18. The Record Coverage The Patch Coverage The Ridgewood News

Documents for the Public Hearings

Final Reports: Hospital Planner GeoEngineer Traffic Engineer Proposed H-Zone Master Plan v2

May 2 - Public Hearings starts Monday

Record Article

April 23 - Revised H-Zone Ammendment to the Master Plan H-Zone

Click Here to view the document The dates for the Public Hearings: May 3,4,17,18 & 24

Council Elections May 11 - CRR Endorses Walsh and Riche

CRR has decided to endorse Tom Riche and Bernadette Coghlan-Walsh for Village Council. Vote for Riche and Walsh on May 11 (Line #1 and #4). More...

April 6 - CRR's response to the Board on the move to re-write the Zone Amendment

Read the statement

Experts recommend a better plan, but issues still remain March 31

The Planning Board has decided to move ahead with creating a revised DRAFT of the Master Plan amendment based recommendations from their hospital expert. CRR meet with him twice during his investigations and it was pleasing to learn that the major concerns that we expressed over setbacks, handling the underground parking structures and the streetscape were addressed in his proposal. However, it’s important to understand that the proposal calls for a major construction project within this peaceful village, and no amount of rearrangement is going to change this. CRR will be preparing a more details response once the report is released to the public. The Record The Patch

Planning Board Special Meeting now March 31

The experts hired by the planning board, will make public presentations on March 31 at BF middle school 7:30pm. Various options have now been prepared, including greater setbacks and putting parking underground. There are trade-offs to be considered and CRR encourages all interested parties to attend the meeting on March 31. Articles about the experts preliminary discussions with the board can be viewed at these links-> The Record1 The Record2 ThePatch

February 8 - Planning Board Minutes Available

The Planning Board minutes from Feb 2, 2010 are available from this web site. All other minutes listed on the Resources Page. The Feb 2 minutes include the consultant discussion “about” their draft report. The Planning Board has stated that the full reports will available by the next public meeting.

February 4 - Putting all the parking underground is possible

"It's technically feasible" to build parking for 2,000 cars and locate hospital mechanicals underground, said Larry Keller, director of geotechnical engineering for Whitestone Associates. Ridgewood News Record Article Patch Article

February 2 - Public Information Meeting to be held on March 2nd

H-Zone was discussed at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning Board. New proposals were put forward and the issues will be presented at a public meeting on March 2nd at Ben Franklin Middle School, 7:30pm.

January 16 - More Legal Village hires Environmental Expert

More legal wrangling over plans to reopen Pascack Valley Hospital in Westwood between Hackensack and Valley." Record Article.

January 8 - Village hires Environmental Expert

Village officials met with Valley Hospital representatives and employees from Warren-based Whitestone Associates, Inc., to explore the feasibility of building structures below grade as part of the hospital’s "Renewal." Record Article.

December 28 - Pascack Valley License Expires

HUMC fights closure with a lawsuit to be heard in Trenton by appellate division. Ridgewood News Article

December 24 - Commissioner denies extension of PVH license

The license is due to expire on Monday. While Valley Management are rubbing-their-hands-in-glee at the continuing gravy train of patients that are forced to travel to Ridgewood for care, HUMC is mounting a legal challenge. Record Article.

December 18 - Assemblywoman supports Pascack Valley Hospital Reopening

“Opening a health care facility on the former site of PVH could help improve the medical care of area residents while bringing hundreds of jobs to Bergen County..." - Assemblywoman Connie Wagner, vice chairwoman of the Assembly health committee.

December 2 - Planning Board hires Environmental Expert

The Planning Board will appoint an additional expert with geo-technical and environmental expertise to “review the feasibility of building underground, including parking structures, and related structural and environmental considerations”. CRR welcomes this development. More details on the Planning Board meeting are available at the Ridgewood Patch. The Ridgewood News

December 1 - 128 bed license at PVH set to expire on Dec 28

The decision over the reopening of beds at PVH hospital is set to culminate this month. The Dec 1 story in The Record clearly points out that Valley received the bulk of the inpatient admissions after PVH closed. This is about 4,300 additional patients over the 2 years. Inpatient admissions account for about one third of patients who present in the ER. This means that Ridgewood has seen at least an additional 12,900 car journeys to and from Ridgewood as a result of PVH closing, without counting the visitors who travel daily to Valley to visit the extra patients.

The result at Valley has been the widely reported over-crowding of the Valley ER and an increase in Valley profits by $25 million. Valley was already very profitable before PVH closed and the new PVH patients provide a significant windfall to the non-profit Valley. From a Northern NJ and a Ridgewood perspective, it would best to allow the 128 beds to reopen at PVH. This will significantly reduce traffic through Ridgewood streets and put healthcare back into a location where it is needed.

November 17 - no dates for the next H-Zone meeting

No dates have been set for the next review of the H-Zone by the Planning Board. Watch this site for updates

November 5 - meeting cancelled

Planning Board meeting on Nov 16 has been cancelled. Ray Skorupa’s mother has passed away so he will not be able to attend the meeting on Nov 16. The meeting will be rescheduled for another date.

November 3

Voters in 13 northeastern Bergen County towns showed overwhelming support for the reopening of Pascack Valley Hospital in Westwood. Will the NJ State Commissioner of Health listen?

October 20

The Hosptial consultant, who was hired by the Planning Board, has submitted his report to the Planning Board who will need to approve it for public release. CRR will publish the report as soon as it is made public. The report will then be the subject of further public meetings.

October 8

Bergen Record coverage and editorial that mentions CRR.Record Editorial Oct 8 2009 Record Lead story

CRR Letter to the Editor - Ridgewood News

October 5

Ray Skorupa (Hospital expert) gave an update on what he plans to put in his final report to the Board. The report will probably be available by the next public hearing now to be in November (date to be set). His draft key recommendations were: buffers should be 130 ft deep; ALL parking should be underground; the Chillers and air handlers should moved from the roof and put into the basements.Click this link for a summary of the meeting Click here for the full Transcript

September 26

Resident Lisa Baney asks Board to Study Alternatives.

September 16

Transcript of the July 15 2009 Public Hearing avalable on Resources Page.

September 10

It now seems that the next Public Meeting on the H-Zone will be held on Oct 19 (possibly). This website will be updated with the offical date once it is known.

August 21 Hospital Expert annouced

Mr. Ray Skorupa http://www.mprinternational.com/ has been appointed by the Planning Board as their hospital expert. http://www.ridgewoodnj.net/main.cfm?ArticleID=713 A CRR representative has had the opportunity to talk with Mr Skorupa and outlined the concerns. If you would like CRR to ask him any questions, please send your questions to helpdesk@stopvalley.com and they will be put to him by CRR at the next meeting.

July 26 Valley Launches "Just the Facts" campaign

Residents are receiving glossy cards in their mailboxes from Valley called “JUST THE FACTS”. One of these, which talks about the North Building, but does not mention the fact that the full Valley proposal is for a Phase One AND a Phase TWO which would almost 1,000,000 sq ft in addition the existing hospital floor area. To build Phase One would require over 12,000 individual heavy truck movements around the hospital.

To the parents of Ben Franklin, Travell, Hawes, Somerville and RHS

HSA Talking Points Flyer to Parents BOE Submission to the Planning Board

***Residents Speeches to the Planning Board Resources, Transcripts, Traffic Studies etc.

CRR REVIEW OF PROPOSED MASTER PLAN AMENDMENTS

July 15 Public Hearing

Quotes: Planning Board Chairman: "We are hiring an expert on hospitals to advise the Planning Board."

Village Planner: "The number of units could be 300 if a developer is used to build the 60 COAH units."

Village Planner: "We are not sure where the COAH units could be built, above the shops in downtown perhaps?"

Ridgewood News coverage

June 17 Public Hearing

Quotes: Arie Bortinger: "We need to contain the monster. I don't feel like you know when to pull the fire alarm."

Janet Tuomey (Nurse and teacher): "our children are at risk from this project, especially those with special needs & asthma."

Village Planner response to John Citti: "Yes that about right 1.5 million sq ft if you include the underground structures"

Sheila Brogan (on behalf of the BOE): "...unprecedented size, scope and duration of the project"

The Record coverage Transcript of Hearing

June 8 Public Hearing

Quotes: CRR's Paul Gould: "So where is the compromise in this Plan? Valley gets a bigger hospital and the Village gets dust, noise, traffic and to see taller buildings behind a taller wall - Valley wins and the Village loses.

Valley Traffic Engineer: "The 5 years planned for construction is just for the completion of Phase 1".

The Record coverage Ridgewood News Coverage Letters - Ridgewood News June 12 2009 Transcript of Hearing

June 2 Public Hearing

Quotes: Village Planner: "The history shows a pattern here of continuous expansion..."

Traffic engineer: "During the years of construction, 20 truck trips per hour and 40 bus trips per hour will be on the roads."

Village Engineer: "With all they want to pack into the site, I do not think there would be any room for a water tank!"

Ridgewood News Review of the Meeting Valley-oply Transcript of Hearing

Proposed H-Zone Master Plan ammendments Released

The Planning Board has released its proposed Master Plan Ammendments. To see all the details and read the proposal click on the Resources button See if you can spot the difference between it and the Valley proposal of March 2008?

Valleynomics

Valley has created a new type of economics - Valleynomics

PVH 128 bed licence granted

The bankruptcy judge has stopped Valley’s bid to “buy and bury” the 128 bed license at Pascack Valley Hospital. Valley has not yet said if they will appeal. The next stage is the certificate of need hearing in Westwood on July 8.

Draft Traffic reports available

Click to see the draft traffic report that Planning Board viewed at its last meeting and the public could not see. Traffic the Studies

CRR supports the opening of Pascack Valley’s 128 beds

Click the link to see why. PressRelease

Valley admits it needs higher patent turnover to pay for “Renewal”

TIn an article in the Bergen Record April 26, 2009 Valley’s CFO Richard Keenan stated that “while Valley Hospital’s survival would not be threatened by the proposed reopening [of PVH], [Valley] would lose half of the caseload it gained as a result of Pascack Valley’s closure and would reduce income from operations by about $12 million a year. A reduction in operating income of that magnitude would force us to modify or delay essential capital projects [RENEWAL] we had planned."

From the introduction of the “Case for Renewal” in September 27, 2006, Valley has continually stated that only 3 more beds would cause little increase in patients, visitors or traffic. Keenan’s statements contradict this claim as he admits for the first time that Valley needed to increase revenue, through patient turnover to pay for the Renewal.

It is also interesting that the traffic study was conveniently undertaken one year after the “Renewal” presentation, after Pascack Valley had closed and had traffic increased. This means that the traffic study is flawed as it was calculated on the wrong baseline.

STOP PRESS - Public Hearing to begin on June 2nd at BF Middle School

The planning board has announced that it intends to hold public hearings about the proposed changes to the Master Plan on June 2nd and 8th at BF Middle School. The board also plans to make the draft wording avialble to the public by May 19th.

Village Releases a Status Report on the Valley Hospital Project

On April 13, a report was posted on the Village website on the status of the Valley Hopsital Project. The report outlines the opportunities that the public will have to comment in the future process. http://www.ridgewoodnj.net/main.cfm?ArticleID=665

Planning Board to meet to finalize DRAFT ammendments, before public hearing

The Planning Board will be devoting the entire agenda of its regularly scheduled meeting on April 21st to the finalization of the DRAFT amendment to the Master Plan concerning the H-Zone. The meeting will be held in Village Hall at 7:30pm. Traffic issues and the timetable & procedures for the public hearing will also be discussed. As of April 7, the Board had not received word from the County about its position regarding the proposed intersection upgrade to Linwood and Van Dien Ave. At the invitation of the Planning Board chairman, CRR has provided the board with comprehensive recommendations on how the public hearings should be conducted.

County proposal for upgrading Linwood Ave and Van Dien Ave

The draft plan that is being considered would add a right-turn lane from Van Dien Ave into Linwood East and a right-turn lane from Linwood West into North Van Dien Ave. HosptialIntersectionMarch302009Design.pdf

Public Meeting on Proposed Master Plan changes – sometime in May, 2009

The Planning Board is still working through the final details of the draft Master Plan amendments and has tentatively scheduled April 21st to discuss and possibly approve the draft. This means that the public hearings will start in May. At the public hearings residents will be able to make comments to the Planning Board about their proposal. Factoid: The Draft proposal is for the proposed Master Plan changes only and a new process will have to be started to consider proposed changes to H-Zone ordinances which contain the specific regulations that will govern the H-Zone.

Planning Board meeting - Tuesday March 17th 2009

More details of the draft Master Plan amendment were discussed. It was also revealed that the Village and valley Hospital met with the County to request the Linwood Ave and Van Dien Ave intersection be upgraded. The plan would not involve the taking of any residential land for widened lanes only from the Valley Hospital property.

Planning Board meeting - Monday Feb 23th, 2009

The Planning Board did ask raise some concerns about the significant issues, however, many remain resolved.

Planning Board meeting - Monday Jan 12th, 2009

For most of the session, the Village Planner outlined a very strong case for including strong Floor-to-Area-Ratio (FAR) limits in any revised H-Zone ordinances. In earlier testimony, Valley Hospital had requested that all FAR restrictions be removed! Blais however, advised the Planning Board that they should consider including strong FAR standards that cover specific uses at the Hospital, like parking garages and outpatient services.

Why this is important? Strong FAR limits would prevent Valley from suddenly converting the hospital into a predominantly outpatient center and so attract two or even three times the current amount of traffic. CRR supports the use of strong FAR ordinances.

CRR has also released a detailed document for consideration by the planning board titled “Minimum requirements for gaining community support for changes to the H-Zone”. It is the result of many, many discussions held with residents of the Village.

Traffic is to be disscussed - Monday Jan 26th

It is expected that the Village's traffic consultant (Mr. Staiger) will present his final report at the special Planning Board meeting on Monday January 26th. Concerned Residents of Ridgewood made a number of recommendations to him in Octobter, based upon public feedback after his last presentation.

Valley comes clean with the project timeline for Phase 1

During the last week of September, Valley Hospital sent out an information card to many homes in Ridgewood. The cards finally made clear, to the wider public, the details of just Phase I of their proposal. The proposed construction of Phase 1 would take 6 years. One year for the Linwood Ave garage, then 3.5 years to construct the North Building (on the corner of Van Dien and the BF middle school driveway) and finally 1.5 years to remove the Phillips Building.

More Views from Residents

All The following letters appeared in the Ridgewood News on May 16: letters.

Planning Board meeting review Sept 22, 2008

Click this link to see a review of the last Planning Board meeting.

Summer is over, but the battle to Preserve Ridgewood Village hots up!

With summer over, the Planning Board will re-commence discussing the Valley hospital proposal to change the Master Plan and twenty two H-Zone ordinances. No date has yet been set for the next meeting, but it is believed that it will occur in October 2008

Three new Council members sworn in

On July 1st, three new Council members were sworn into Village Council for a term of four years. Anne Zusy, Keith Killion and Paul Aronsohn were elected thanks to your votes.

David Pfund was re-elected as Mayor, Keith Killion is the new Deputy Mayor and Anne Zusy will take a place on the Planning Board. Pat Mancuso is the 5th member of Council and is up for re-election, along with Mayor Pfund in 2010.

Next Planning Board meeting?

t has not yet been announced when the Planning Board will next discuss the Valley proposal. The next Planning Board meeting is scheduled for July 15th, but the agenda has not been published.

Concerned Residents decide to withdraw formal H-Zone alternative proposal

On January 22nd 2008, CRR presented the Village with an alternative to Valley’s application for the H-Zone.

The counter-proposal was submitted to ensure that the Planning Board and Village Council consider the massive impact Valley’s proposals will have on the Village. On Tuesday June 10th, CRR withdrew its proposal as it has not succeeded in getting the Planning Board to objectively consider the land use impacts. The CRR proposal has merely served as a convenient vehicle for the Planning Board and their attorney to try and kill CRR's effort financially. The CRR proposal has attracted charges approaching $10,000 at the time of this letter. Some of these charges pre-date our application date in January and many relate to the Planning Board’s lawyer’s time spent responding to any opposition to Valley’s proposal.

CRR will continue however, to make submissions to the Planning Board professionals on matters that concern our Village.

Summary of the Planning Board meeting on May 27th 2008

The agenda was taken up with discussion over the revised wording in the H-Zone section of the Village Master Plan. The draft wording was prepared by the Village Planner on behalf of the Planning Board.

The important difference between the wording of the H-Zone section in the current Master Plan and the wording in the new draft was that the proposed draft adds specific details about the H-Zone ordinances.

While the revisions that were discussed were only a draft, it became clear at the meeting that the Planning Board has ignored any discussion on the adverse effects that the expansion would have on the Village. Instead the Board is focusing on approving the ordinance changes requested by Valley; one-by-one. Ultimately, it is the Village Council who has jurisdiction over any H-Zone ordinance changes. We need to put pressure on the Planning Board to get them back on track!

No date has been set for another Planning Board meeting.

The Village has spoken!

All three candidates that CRR endorsed were elected. Paul Aronshn, Keith Killion and Anne Zusy. CRR congratulates the successful candidates and looks forward to the results of their leadership within the council.

Resident Urges alternatives to the Valley expansion

The following article appeared in the Ridgewood News May 9, 2008. Valley should consider alternatives.

Summary of Planning Board Meeting May 6, 2008

Please cleck on the following link for a summary of the meeting. May 6 Plan Board Meeting Summary.

CRR circulates a Position Paper on the Valley Issue to Council Candidates

Concerned Residents of Ridgewood have prepared a position paper on the proposed Valley Hospital expansion which they are asking the candidates to respond to. Click here to see the Position Paper

Valley proves that most Ridgewood Residents DO NOT support the “Renewal”

Over the last two weeks, Valley once again dipped into its considerable “war chest” and sent out glossy “sign-up cards” to Ridgewood residents. The tri-fold cards read, “Have You Expressed Your support for the Valley Renewal – there is still time?” A large Valley advertisement also appeared in the Ridgewood News on the same theme and was timed by Valley to coincide with the card mailing. Another $20,000+ not spent on healthcare!

Despite the money spent, Valley says that it only has 1,200 replies. As there are 24,936 residents and 8,802 households in Ridgewood, and a number of the replies were from the same household, this represents only 5% to 10% of residents and households.

Thank you Valley for proving that over 90% of Ridgewood DOES NOT SUPPORT the “Renewal” because these people deliberately decided not send back the card or did not feel strongly enough in favor of the "Renewal" to send back the card.

The Village waits for the Planning Board Professionals Report

The next step in the process is for the Planning Board professionals to report back to the Planning Board about their findings, after studying both the Valley and CRR proposals. It is expected that meeting date for this presentation will be decided at the April 1st meeting of the Planning Board.

Concerned Residents presented to the Planning Board Public Meeting - March 18th, 7:30pm GW Middle School

The Concerned Residents of Ridgewood present their response to Valley Hospital's presentation that was delivered on Mar 10th. CRR used the opportunity to explain why the board should adopt the CRR Master Plan and Ordinance changes. The meeting was well attended and the CRR was enthusiastically received by the audience. CRRPresentationMar182008.pdf

Sign Ordinance defeated

The proposed sign ordinance that would have limited election signs and "signs of public interest" was defeated at Council. According to the Ridgewood Times, this ordinance was originally targeted at the STOPVALLEY Expansion signs.

Valley sends out more appeals to residents

Valley sent out more letters from Audrey Meyers to thousands of people throughout NJ and beyond, asking them to sign and return an enclosed card of support for the "Renewal". This is a campaign by the hospital to by-pass the public hearing procedures.

Valley continues to publicly ignore Residents concerns - Feb 10, 2008

In a statement in the Record Feb 10, Gail Callandrillo, the Valley’s vice president of planning is quoted as saying: "There is no 'Plan B.’ … The goal for the coming year is village approval". In the same article it states that only Valley and Hackensack are thriving in the face of the recent hospital closings and that Valley and Englewood are bidding for Pascack Valley which will be auctioned on March 4th.

Sign Ordinance to be debated on Wednesday as the Council meeting - Feb 10, 2008

It is expected that the proposed sign Ordinance #3091 will be debated at the Council Meeting on Wednesday 13th. Those who have looked at it all agree that it would be unconstitutional to apply it to the STOP THE VALLEY EXPANSION signs as its enforcement would not holdup if challenged in court.

Escrow paid for the Concerned Residents Application to alter the Master Plan to protect Village - Feb 10, 2008

The required escrow for the Concerned Residents formal application to the Village Council and Planning Board was lodged last week. The Planning Board have not yet set a date for reviewing the proposal. Valley is in the process of making a formal submission of their own.

Valley Desperate to find support (yet not willing to compromise) - Feb 10, 2008

Last week Valley sent out emails to people on its lists of patients and Doctors. The text read in part, “…over the next few days we will be mailing Renewal Support Cards to every household in Ridgewood. …additional card is also enclosed for a spouse, friend or neighbor… your peers, patients, neighbors and friends… “. CRR reminds its members to dispose of any junk mail you receive responsibly.

60 more affordable Housing Units needed if Valley gets “Renewal” approved - Feb 10, 2008

If the Valley "Renewal" is approved it would require Ridgewood to build 60 more units of affordable housing! Where would this go? "I haven't got the foggiest idea" says Chris Rutishauser (Village Planning Board Engineer). - Jan 25 Ridgewood News

Is the Village by-passing its own processes? Oct 3 2007

The Village Manager to engage in negotiations with Valley over the purchase of the Park and Ride.

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Important Email Addresses

Question Posed by Residents to Valley (via StopValley Website Aug 2007)

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