July 23, 2019 Last Chance To Be Heard

Zoning Board Meeting

July 23rd at 7:30pm

Last Chance to Voice Your Concerns!

The Zoning Board, prior to their VOTE, will open for public comment where all residents will be allowed to state their comments regarding the proposed 60 apartments at 188 Broadway.

Come to the meeting and bear witness as to how our appointed officials will vote on the future of WCL.

There are many reasons which have been presented by town experts and members of the public as to why this application is not suited for Woodcliff Lake. Well, now there is another reason to Vote No to this application. It appears the owners do not want to pay their fair share of taxes. This burden will fall on the tax paying residents to pick up the costs of the additional required services. i.e, School, Police, First Responders, DPW, etc.

If 188 is approved, Broadway will see a multifamily increase of at least 98 apartments (this does not include the existing 18 Affordable Apartments at Broadway Village and the 14 Rental Apartments at 62 Broadway).

If 188 is approved, we will see at least 130 apartments lining Broadway.

It is important to remember that the variance for 60 apartments at 188 Broadway is not an isolated case.

Broadway is already absorbing the bulk of the Affordable Housing. The total apartment units on Broadway could go higher depending on how the town implements the Affordable Housing Settlement.

For the past few months, there have been hours of presentations by the applicant’s engineer, architect, planner, etc.  Discussions have focused on multiple issues including:

• “urban density” (this will be 60 new apartments near the already congested Highview/Broadway/Causeway intersection)
• inadequate parking spaces
• noise (e.g. from roof top equipment like a/c units and morning trash pickup at bins)
• inadequate ingress and egress (there’s only one driveway in and out)
• increased traffic
• fire/police safety (possible lack of access due to traffic congestion and single driveway)
• traffic risks due to making left turns into or out of the driveway at 188, etc.

It’s been mind-numbing!

Note that the “footprint” of the existing vacant office building will remain the same and contain about 34 apartments.  But, the developers also want to build a second building behind the existing one, and it will contain about 26 apartments, crowd the parking lot, be positioned closer to single family homes and put these homes, as well as, the uphill homes at risk if there’s a fire in the “back” building.

The applicant’s planner claimed in his testimony that WCL needs this development because it would help create more development. MORE DEVELOPMENT!!!! How will more apartment buildings benefit WCL. It's obvious who it would benefit, not the residents.

• More apartments will lower the value of all properties in WCL
• More apartments will increase all our property taxes
• More apartments will increase school population (from Elementary to High School - don't forget about all the development occurring in Montvale and Park Ridge)
• More apartments require more services - hence more taxes for all single-family home owners (apartment tax rates are lower vs single family homes)

If this interests you, please come to the Zoning Board meeting July 23rd at 7:30 Tuesday night.

Police Chief Traffic Report

Fire Department Safety Report

Notice of Hearing