Neighbors in Ho-Ho-Kus join Schedler property discussion in Ridgewood
Tuesday February 11, 2014, 10:27 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
The Ridgewood Council has yet to resume public discussions on the future of the Schedler property, but a handful of residents continue to keep the topic fresh on the governing body’s mind.
Council members last rang in on the potential development of the site in December, when members of the Ridgewood Eastside Development organization presented a series of facts and findings.
Jane Shinozuka, who lives on Ridgewood’s east side, was the most recent resident to broach the topic, when she suggested last week that development might result in a spike in crime. Others, during a January council meeting, stressed the importance of basic winter maintenance to the historic house that currently stands on the 7-acre tract of land sandwiched between Route 17 north and West Saddle River Road.
Spike in crime?????? What…more litter because there will be more than 2 people on the property? It’s a waste to sit there empty. Build the ballfield.
the town should build a firehouse there capable of holding a pumper and a couple of firemen or women, so it will cut down the response time to get water on a fire on the east side of the highway. Just ask anyone east of the highway who had to wait for the fd to come from glen and maple house and the west side house.
Firehouse combine with a new Town Garage with larger salt bins.
People always use the same story. Spike in crime, Child safety, Pedestrian Safety.
2 and 3 yes i like it, smart.
I don’t think a small firehouse would be that expensive, just enough to house 1 truck and 2or 3 people. You could staff it with the men we already have
Yes and a small sub station for police to provide services to that part of town. The residents have said that they are The forgotten part of town. Town Garage? I don’t know about that?
Such a considerate bunch. Some of you must be so miserable in your own lives to wish such ill will on others.
I didn’t ask them to build or not to build anything in particular. I only asked that the Council be aware of its geographical reality (for lack of a better description) before they decide on anything.
The property is right on the highway. A parking lot, especially if it has lights and no developed police presence, is an obvious spot for drug sales. You’d pull in, buy or sell drugs and be back on Rte. 17 and in NY in minutes. It wouldn’t be like trouble at Vets Field or the high school. It’s a bit remote and off the radar. #4, I’d agree that people might use spike in crime, child safety, pedestrian safety, etc. to win other arguments, but this is one of the most unique spots in town and as such makes it worthy of extra caution.
I didn’t ask them to build or not to build anything in particular. I only asked that the Council be aware of its geographical reality (for lack of a better description) before they decide on anything.
The property is right on the highway. A parking lot, especially if it has lights and no developed police presence, is an obvious spot for drug sales. You’d pull in, buy or sell drugs and be back on Rte. 17 and in NY in minutes. It wouldn’t be like trouble at Vets Field or the high school. It’s a bit remote and off the radar. #4, I’d agree that people might use spike in crime, child safety, pedestrian safety, etc. to win other arguments, but this is one of the most unique spots in town and as such makes it worthy of extra caution.
Not sure if we really need a third firehouse to handle the half a dozen fires we have in town each year but if we combined it with a police station to handle the increase in the size of the police force it might be cost effective. If the police were stationed there it would also stop the spike in crime.
A town garage would be a perfect use for that property. With the easy on/off access from Rt. 17 the Village could move all of its trucks, loaders, and equipment over there. Sanitation could move all of their garbage trucks over there as well as the recycling that is currently behind the fire house. There would be plenty of room for storage of sand and salt and I would bet there is even room for the mulching unit that property is so big. The Village could explore a joint usage agreement with the BOE who could store all of their trucks, mowers, tractors, and plows there as well and get that stuff out from behind BF where it takes up a lot of parking spaces and looks like hell. With the property completely fenced in with 10 foot high privacy fencing and a police substation, crime would not be a problem. It would also be a natural spot for the cell tower that is currently across Rt. 17 and is causing so much consternation. I think the cell tower would be a revenue generator as well.
With the recycling moved from behind the firehouse that land could be allowed to return to its natural state and Village’s net open space remains the same. The brook that carries the treated sewage water from Waldwick will then be able to flood and not damage any Village vehicles.
Thankfully the Village Council has not accepted the Village Engineering Dept’s plan for a multi-use park that contains an athletic field that might have been used a couple of hours a day. Although many residents could have used such a facility, by using the property for a multi-use Municipal Garage, Firehouse, Police Substation, Recycling Center, and Storage area everyone in town will benefit from a reduction in taxes as well as the revenue from the cell tower. Brilliant!
I would recommend that the plans for such a facility be drawn up as quickly as possible. Once the snow and ice are gone construction could begin as early as this spring and the site could be fully functioning by late fall.
Funny you should say combined police and fire house there was a contingent of people who wanted to build such complex at vets field on the north west corner out of the flood area, but they rebuilt village hall at the same location and it floods all the time. This was after hurricane Irene, back in the day the Hudson firehouse used to be police hq’s also. The fd goes on more than 6 fires a year plus ambulance calls and car accidents so to build a small house east of rt 17 is completely extravagent
Just turn it into a parking lot and be done.
from 12 typo, not completely extravagant.
Park and ride for ridgewood residents. Farmers market on weekends.