Latest News February 25, 2010

Public Information Session - March 16 BF at 7:30pm!

February 25 - Meeting Rescheduled to March 16

The Planning Board has rescheduled the H-Zone meeting to Tuesday March 16, 7:30pm at BF Middle School.

February 22 - Planning Board Prepares for (March 2) now March 16

At the meeting on Feb 22 2010, the experts hired by the planning board provided further recommendations in preparation for the public presentations to be made on March 16. 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 16. 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.

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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

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