The Proposal
The Kensington assisted living facility is a proposed luxury senior housing development at North Maple Ave., Marshall St., and Franklin Ave. in Ridgewood (Block 3611, Lots 1, 19, 22).
It would be operated by Kensington Senior Living.
The facility would include luxury assisted living apartments, 24/7 care, dining, and services.
By law, at least 10% of its beds must be reserved for low- and moderate-income residents for 40 years. Read details on affordable housing.
The site is in a B-2 business district now, but the ordinance would have created a new S-1 Senior Overlay Zone to allow this specific type of development with relaxed zoning standards.
What the Defeated Ordinance Allowed (Ordinance #4052)
If passed, it would have:
Rezoned the site to permit assisted living as a principal use.
Allowed a building height up to 56 feet (plus rooftop appurtenances of up to 15 feet) for a total of ~71 feet high.
Set reduced setbacks (as little as 8 feet Marshall Street, 15 feet on Franklin Avenue, 10 feet on North Maple Avenue).
Allowed 85% lot coverage by improvements.
Required primary (facility) entrance on North Maple Ave. but no vehicle access from that street.
All traffic would be directed through Franklin Ave and Marshall Street.
Required brick façade with architectural detailing; prohibited EIFS siding.
Required 10% affordable beds.
Set design guidelines for facades, parking location, fencing, and roof screening.
Not required a planted buffer along any side or rear lot line.
Outcome at the August 13th Meeting
The Village Council voted to defeat Ordinance #4052 after public hearing.
Reasons cited: the proposed building was too large, concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety, and the need for more details.
Council stressed they are not abandoning the site — just sending it back for redesign at a smaller scale.
The developer, Kensington, agreed to revise the proposal and will submit a new proposal in September.
Map context
This location sits one block from the high school zone and a major pedestrian route.
A full traffic, safety and storm water review is essential to ensure the site can safely accommodate 24/7 operations.
Affordable Housing Explained
An Overview
Ridgewood is legally required under New Jersey’s affordable housing laws to provide a certain number of low- and moderate-income housing units. These requirements come from multiple “rounds” of obligations set by the state and enforced through the courts.
What is our obligation?
Ridgewood’s total affordable housing obligation (rounds 1–4) is about 1,320 units:
1st & 2nd rounds: 229 units
3rd round: 664 units
4th round: 427 units
Because Ridgewood doesn’t have enough vacant developable land, the state applied a Vacant Land Adjustment, which lowers the realistic development potential (RDP) to 4 units — but this does not erase the rest of the obligation. The remainder is called “unmet need” and still must be addressed through redevelopment, zoning changes, and negotiated projects.
Why Kensington Ties In
The Kensington assisted living proposal is part of Ridgewood’s Fair Share Housing Plan. It doesn’t fulfill the RDP, but it counts toward the unmet need. If built, at least 10% of the facility’s beds must be affordable (low/moderate income). The original proposed project had 120 beds, so only 12 beds would be reserved for affordable housing. In the upcoming meeting, they will proposed a different sized building. Keep in mind only 10% of the facility beds will be for affordable housing.
Risks of not including Affordable Housing Projects
If Ridgewood fails to keep a compliant plan or doesn’t meet affordable housing benchmarks, it risks losing immunity from builder’s remedy lawsuits and potentially leads to court action forcing zoning changes.
Alternative options
Ridgewood potentially has a few options. It can challenge court action, join neighboring towns - fighting the state mandate, or review other potential locations that would be more suitable for its size.
In the news: Residents Raise Concerns Over Proposed Assisted Living Facility in Ridgewood
TAPinto Ridgewood covered the August 13 town hall, providing a clear overview of the proposed ordinance and explaining the affordable housing requirements in an accessible way.
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