Ridgewood meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Ridgewood council to weigh Warner Theater purchase, water contracts; no votes taken this week

All Ridgewood government meetings held over the past week were agenda-only, with no final votes or decisions recorded. The most consequential item on the table is a proposed option to purchase the Warner Theater for $375,000, along with a $728,000 bond for water storage tank renovations and several large contracts for water infrastructure work.

Village Council (Aug. 12)

The Village Council held a special public meeting and a separate regular meeting on Aug. 12. The special meeting was limited to public comments (3 minutes per person) and discussion of agenda items; no action items were listed.

At the regular meeting, the council will hold public hearings on a bond ordinance (No. 4105) for water storage tank renovations, not to exceed $728,000. It will also introduce two ordinances: one (No. 4114) to authorize an option to purchase the Warner Theater for $375,000, and another (No. 4116) to regulate all-terrain vehicles, including fines and forfeiture.

The consent agenda includes awards for:

• Water meters to Rio Supply ($100,000)
• Road paving to D&L Paving ($386,239.72)
• Lead service line engineering to Arcadis ($793,200)
• Water main replacement to Montana Construction ($4,723,000)

The council also will consider accepting donations for the Schedler Property from sports clubs totaling $264,000.

Zoning Board of Adjustment (Aug. 11)

The Zoning Board heard four new variance requests, including a garage and a home addition. One old business item, a parking lot reconfiguration at 304 South Van Dien Avenue, was carried to September 22. The board also discussed extending a variance approval for a property at 46 Park Slope and memorializing resolutions for several prior cases.

Historic Preservation Commission (Aug. 10)

The commission reviewed five applications for changes to historic properties, including a residence at 252 Lincoln Avenue, a door and window replacement at 75 Ridge Road, signs at 40 West Ridgewood Avenue, an addition and patio at 149 Fairmount Road, and a façade color change at 41 East Ridgewood Avenue.

Planning Board (Aug. 18)

The Planning Board reviewed two proposed ordinances: one to permit shared parking for institutional uses (No. 4111) and another to amend rules on recreational facilities in residential zones and rescind a moratorium (No. 4117). The board also took public comments and adopted minutes from its August 4 meeting.

Access Committee (Aug. 21)

The Access Committee, a volunteer body focused on accessibility, held a routine meeting with reports on Access Week, Sensory-Friendly Dinners, and updates from village departments. No votes on ordinances or contracts were listed.

Coming up

The Zoning Board of Adjustment will hold public hearings on Aug. 25 for two variance requests: a continued application for a two-story addition at 627 Doris Place (with side yard setback variances) and a new application for a patio expansion at 194 Katherine Road. The board will also memorialize resolutions for two prior cases.

All meeting agendas and minutes are available on the Village of Ridgewood's official website.

Ridgewood meeting roundup: Zoning, fields, and school shade structure on agendas

Four Ridgewood boards and committees met over the past two weeks, but none have published minutes yet, so no official decisions or votes are available to report. The agendas covered residential variance requests, field maintenance updates, a school shade structure, and a closed-session legal discussion.

Zoning Board of Adjustment (July 28)

The board had six variance applications on its agenda for residential additions, porches, and air conditioning units. One application, from Matthew & Maggie Geudtner at 552 Hillcrest Road, was withdrawn. The remaining applications were:

• Ming-Wai Seuffert: variances for front/rear setbacks and coverage at 136 Pershing Avenue
• Roman & Brittany Sandoval: variances for front porch setback and lot coverage at 328 North Pleasant Avenue
• Aaron & Katyhara Garfinkel: variances for lot coverage and AC condenser setback at 27 Garfield Place
• Catherine Fischer: variances for front yard setback and coverage at 274 East Glen Avenue

The agenda also included discussion of a paint color issue, a variance extension request, and votes on two resolution memorializations.

Fields Committee (August 4)

The Fields Working Group met to review updates on Monello Field work and Board of Education closures, as well as the Schedler Property. The committee discussed the 2026 fall schedule for Ridgewood High School varsity sports and youth organizations, and received reports from various sports and community groups. Summer projects on the agenda included scoreboard installation at Maple Park, RHS tennis court renovation, and skatepark resurfacing. A review of the FIFA World Cup Watch Party was also scheduled.

Planning Board (August 4)

The Planning Board held a courtesy review for the Ridgewood Board of Education regarding a proposed installation at a local school. The item was a shade structure at Willard Elementary School, 601 Morningside Road.

Village Council (August 5)

This was a special public meeting with only procedural items: call to order, public comment, and a resolution to enter closed session. The closed session was to discuss legal matters regarding the Warner Theatre and the Belveduto v. Village of Ridgewood case. No votes on ordinances or contracts were scheduled.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days. Check the village website for any newly posted agendas.

Ridgewood Roundup: Community Center Project Advances, Zoning Board Application Withdrawn

Ridgewood's advisory boards and commissions turned their attention this past week to the Community Center renovation, environmental initiatives, and residential variance applications. The Planning Board's July 21 meeting was canceled, with its next session rescheduled to August 4.

Community Center Advisory Board

The Community Center Advisory Board met July 23 to review next steps for the Community Center project. The project account balance stands at $587,200. Board members discussed a new contract and permit for the project and reviewed facility options for relocating programs, rentals, and committee meetings during the construction period.

The board also noted a change in payment processing providers, transitioning from TYSYS to Fiserv through the 4agoodcause portal.

Zoning Board of Adjustment

The Zoning Board of Adjustment had six variance applications on its July 28 agenda for residential additions, porches, and air conditioning units. One application — from Matthew and Maggie Geudtner at 552 Hillcrest Road — was withdrawn.

The remaining applications scheduled for public hearing included:

• Ming-Wai Seuffert: variances for front/rear setbacks and coverage at 136 Pershing Avenue
• Roman and Brittany Sandoval: variances for front porch setback and lot coverage at 328 North Pleasant Avenue
• Aaron and Katyhara Garfinkel: variances for lot coverage and AC condenser setback at 27 Garfield Place
• Catherine Fischer: variances for front yard setback and coverage at 274 East Glen Avenue

The agenda also included discussion of a paint color issue and a variance extension request, plus votes on two resolution memorializations.

Green Ridgewood

The Green Ridgewood committee met July 23 to review environmental initiatives. Agenda items included a leaf blower transition under a new approach, food scrap expansion, a potential Columbia University study on local sustainability, a climate planning grant from the Green Building/Sustainability Subcommittee, and a discussion of artificial turf and grass fields.

All three meetings held the week of July 21–28 are listed as agenda-only, meaning minutes have not yet been published. The items above reflect what was scheduled for discussion; formal actions and votes will be confirmed when minutes become available.

Coming Up

Two meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, 2026:

• **Fields Committee** — 7:30 p.m. agenda includes updates on Monello Field work and Board of Education closures, the Schedler Property update, and field closure notifications. The committee will review the 2026 fall schedule for RHS varsity sports and youth organizations. Summer projects on the agenda include scoreboard installation at Maple Park, RHS tennis court renovation, and skatepark resurfacing. A review of the FIFA World Cup Watch Party is also scheduled.

• **Planning Board** — 7:30 p.m. in the Village Hall Courtroom. The board will conduct a courtesy review for the Ridgewood Board of Education on a proposed installation of a shade structure at Willard Elementary School, 601 Morningside Road.

Ridgewood Council Takes Up $4.7M Water Main Contract and Water Bond in Busy Meeting Week

Ridgewood's village boards covered water infrastructure contracts, land-use ordinances, historic district signage, and open space policy over the past two weeks. Because meeting minutes have not yet been published for any of these sessions, the items below reflect what agendas list for discussion or action — not confirmed outcomes.

Village Council — Water Infrastructure Dominates July 15 Agenda

The Ridgewood Village Council's July 15 meeting agenda includes the largest dollar items of the week. The council was scheduled to consider awarding a $4,723,000 contract to Montana Construction Corporation, Inc. for 2026 distribution main improvements.

Also on the agenda: introduction of a Water Capital Bond Ordinance appropriating up to $728,000 for storage tank renovations, corrosion control, and well improvements. A separate item would authorize leasing tank and ground space at the Glen Avenue Water Tank to World Class Wireless, LLC for $500,000 per year.

Additional July 15 agenda items include:

• A $464,193.59 contract to Smith-Sondy Asphalt for South Pleasant Avenue resurfacing — Phase 2, funded through an NJDOT grant.
• A $456,165 contract for crossing guard services for the 2026–2027 school year.
• A sole source contract of up to $21,544.22 to Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions for SCADA system programming, wiring, and startup services.
• A shared services agreement with the Borough of Midland Park for road resurfacing after raw water main installation.
• A $1.5 million emergency appropriation for reassessment costs.
• Public hearings on ordinances covering land use, taxicabs, elevator fire keys, and fee changes.

Village Council — July 8 Special Meeting

A July 8 special public meeting agenda called for a vote on a resolution to enter closed session. The closed session was set to cover personnel matters for boards and committees and legal issues concerning the Special Improvement District and the Ridgewood Business Alliance. A second July 8 meeting, held via Zoom and telephone, listed water-related contracts, parking ordinance amendments, grant-funded road resurfacing, and a fire-prevention agreement with Midland Park among its items.

Planning Board — Ordinance #4099 Review

The Planning Board's July 7 agenda included review of proposed Ordinance #4099, which would amend Section 190-123(B) of Chapter 190 (Land Use and Development) to modify conditional use standards for institutional uses. The agenda also listed adoption of May 5, 2026 minutes and a possible executive session.

Historic Preservation Commission — Three Business Applications

On July 13, the commission was scheduled to review signage and exterior modifications for three businesses:

• Grill & Greens, 36 Prospect Street — sign and awning fabric change.
• The Madison Rose, 2-4 Garber Square — window sign and paint color change.
• Ridgewood Eye Care & Wear, 160 E. Ridgewood Avenue — new sign.

Zoning Board — July 14 Meeting Canceled

The Zoning Board of Adjustment canceled its July 14 public meeting. Two applications were postponed: Chestnut VD Holdings LLC at 304 South Van Dien Avenue (Block 4107, Lot 17.01) was carried to August 11, 2026, and Ming-Wai Seuffert at 136 Pershing Avenue (Block 3404, Lot 14) was carried to July 28, 2026.

Open Space Committee — Guiding Principles and Funding

The July 9 agenda called for finalizing guiding principles for open space acquisition and a funding allocation approach. Discussion items included potential acquisition properties, park stewardship, and July events.

Citizens Safety Advisory Committee

The July 16 agenda listed updates on e-bikes, sight triangle obstructions, and incident reporting from the Ridgewood Police Department and Engineering. Speeding concerns on Bellair Road and the West End Avenue area, plus a digital display map proposal, were also listed.

Coming Up

• **Planning Board** — The July 21, 2026 meeting has been canceled. The next regular meeting is scheduled for August 4, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. in the Village Hall Courtroom.
• **Zoning Board of Adjustment** — Next scheduled meeting July 28, 2026, with the Ming-Wai Seuffert application carried to that date.

All items above are drawn from published agendas. Minutes for the recent meetings listed have not yet been published, so final actions and vote tallies are not yet available in the record.

Ridgewood council takes up water system contracts and bond ordinance; Zoning Board cancels July 14 meeting

Ridgewood's Village Council convened a special meeting on July 8, 2026, with a packed agenda covering water infrastructure contracts, a capital bond ordinance for storage-tank renovations, road resurfacing, and parking changes. Because minutes have not yet been published, the outcomes of these votes are not yet confirmed in the public record.

Village Council — July 8

The council met via Zoom and telephone on July 8. The agenda included several significant items:

• **Water Capital Bond Ordinance** for storage tank renovations/replacements and corrosion control treatments.
• **Award of a Sole Source Contract** for SCADA System programming, wiring, and startup services.
• **Award of a contract** under a NJDOT grant for South Pleasant Avenue Resurfacing — Phase 2.
• **Amendment to Chapter 265 (Vehicles and Traffic)** regarding parking at Pease Library.
• **Authorization to execute an agreement with Midland Park** for fire prevention enforcement involving Kuiken Enterprises, Inc.

The agenda also listed grant applications, a housing-affordable agent appointment, and policy changes related to parking, power-tool use, and snow removal. Minutes were not available as of this report, so vote tallies and final actions could not be confirmed.

A separate special council meeting also held July 8 included a resolution to enter closed session to discuss personnel matters for boards and committees and legal issues concerning the Special Improvement District and the Ridgewood Business Alliance. Public comments were limited to three minutes per person. The outcome of that resolution is not yet documented in published minutes.

Planning Board — July 7

The Planning Board's July 7 agenda included a review of Ordinance #4099, which would amend Section 190-123(B) of Chapter 190 (Land Use and Development) to modify conditional use standards for institutional uses. The agenda also listed public comments on topics not pending before the board, adoption of minutes from May 5, 2026, and a possible executive session. Minutes have not yet been published.

Open Space Committee — July 9

The Open Space Committee was scheduled to finalize guiding principles for open space acquisition and a funding allocation approach. Discussion items included potential acquisition properties, criteria implementation, park stewardship, and July events. The committee also planned to review an RMX document and discuss a vision for the future. No minutes are available yet.

Coming Up

• **Zoning Board of Adjustment — July 14:** This meeting has been canceled. Two applications are postponed: Chestnut VD Holdings LLC (304 South Van Dien Avenue, Block 4107, Lot 17.01) is carried to August 11, 2026, and Ming-Wai Seuffert (136 Pershing Avenue, Block 3404, Lot 14) is carried to July 28, 2026.
• **Citizens Safety Advisory Committee — July 16:** The committee will review updates on e-bikes, sight triangle obstructions, and incident reporting from the Ridgewood Police Department and Engineering. Discussion items include speeding concerns in the West End Avenue/Bellair Road area and a proposed digital display map.

All recent meeting outcomes listed above remain unconfirmed until official minutes are published. Residents can consult the Village of Ridgewood's official meeting portal for finalized records.