High Density Housing Could Threaten Drinking Water for 800 thousand Bergen Residents

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

River Vale NJ, A proposed high density housing development along a portion of the Hackensack River that leads to the Oradell Reservoir is drawing concerns from local residents and environmentalists in an uproar that it will increase runoff into a water source for 800,000 people.

The project would be built on a portion of the Edgewood Country Club in River Vale and significantly increase the amount of asphalt, concrete and other impervious surfaces by 23 acres.

The developer, Woodmont Properties of Fairfield, claims  it is installing a large stormwater system to contain runoff. In documents filed with the borough, Woodmont told North Jersey Media the project is “a moderate to low-impact development that will minimally increase pollution, traffic, noise, or degrade surface water quality.”

The project sounds a lot like Apple Ridge in Mahwah , that local critics have complained allowed arsenic laden runoff to pollute near by rivers and streams in Upper Saddle River .

Part of the Fair Housing deal the project calls for 225 market rate townhouses and condominiums for sale, 24 affordable housing rental units in a three-story building in a 50-acre section of the 187-acre site. The country club facilities and 18-hole golf course will remain.

Two brooks run through the property ,the Hillsdale Brook on the western edge and the River Vale Brook on the eastern end, which flows into the Hackensack River.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on March 18, 2019 beginning at 9:00 a.m. there will be a Fairness Hearing (“Hearing”) before the Honorable Christine A. Farrington, J.S.C., at the Bergen Justice Center, 10 Main Street, Hackensack, New Jersey 07601 in Room 323.

The purpose of the Hearing is for the Court to consider two issues: (a) whether the proposed Settlement Agreement between the Township of River Vale and Fair Share Housing Center (“FSHC”) in the Mount Laurel Declaratory Judgment Action entitled IN RE FAIR SHARE HOUSING OBLIGATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF RIVER VALE, Docket Number BER-L-6277-15 (the “Settlement Agreement”), is fair and reasonable to the region’s low and moderate income households according to the principles set forth in Morris County Fair Share Council v. Boonton Tp., 197 NJ. Super:359 (Law Div. 1984), affd o.b., 209 N.J. Super. 108 (App. Div. 1986) and East/West Venture v. Bor. of Fort Lee, 286 NJ. Super. 311 (App. Div. 1996), thereby entitling the parties to this settlement to judicial approval of said Settlement Agreement, and (b) whether the establislnnent of the Township’s fair share obligations and the Township’s preliminary compliance efforts (reflected in the terms of the Settlement Agreement and to be reflected in a future Housing Element and Fair Share Plan for which it is anticipated that the Township Planning Board and Township Council will review and take future action, pursuant to the provisions of the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1, et seq.) will satisfy the Township’s obligation to provide a realistic opportunity to satisfy its rehabilitation, Prior Round and Third Round “fair share” of the regional need for affordable housing for low income and moderate income households pursuant to the Fair Housing Act, NJ.S.A. 52:27D- 301, et seq., the substantive, applicable regulations of the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing (“COAH”), the New Jersey Supreme Court’s March 10, 2015 decision in the matter of In re NJ.AC. 5:96 & N.J.A.C. 5:97, 221 NJ. 1 (2015) and other applicable laws.