Their natural habitats are shrinking and they are looking for nesting places all along the busy highways, turnpikes etc. where the can gather dead wood. They build huge nests. They check an area out long before they lay their eggs and maybe noise isn’t one of their concerns.
Thank you James for this article. Ever since I’ve learned about The Schedler Bald Eagles I have been reading up on them. In 1782 the Bald Eagle became the national/ bird symbol of the USA. It was chosen because it was native to North America and known for its ” majestic beauty, great strength and longevity.” In 1940, the Bald Eagle was protected under the National Emblem Act . During the years of DDT use, their numbers shrank at an alarming rate. They are now on the endangered species list and cannot be ” hassled, sold, killed or disturb their nesting sites.” I don’t know a single kid/ young adult who would choose a 90 foot field if it meant the loss of the woods that have become a possible home for two pairs of American Bald Eagles. We can have a smaller field, save the woods, protect the neighbors from noise and particle pollution and protect our national bird at a cost of nothing! What a great deal. Now to convince the council majority and the village manager.
The video evidence is a BIG eye opener, ear opening exposure of the unsafe location for a kids sports ball field to exist. A big strong crash resistant wall would have to be built along that stretch of route 17, and the responsible parties pushing for this ball field location should pay for that wall. A sound barrier wall would not be strong enough. How could anyone think of putting kids in potential harms way so closely adjacent to busy death highway route 17 heavily traveled by tracter trailer trucks? Are they out of their minds? One big accident lawsuit waiting in the wings. It would be like a ball park adjacent to an airport runway. I agree its not only dumb, its downright irresponsible!
Ridgewood NJ, The folks who live on the other side of town really need your help. Please watch this video and see what I learned from going over there.
Let’s do what neighbors do: stand up for one another in times of crisis. In this case, it means:
a) sharing this video
b) joining the Friends of Schedler FB grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/185935935083937/
c) writing to our Village Council
Charlie Nowinski at Ridgewood Village Hall – December 9, 2015
After watching this video, if you agree that having our tax money spent on converting the Schedler property to a baseball field is a dumb idea, please let our Village Council know by email:
Here are the email addresses for our VC:
Mayor Paul Aronsohn paronsohn@ridgewoodnj.net
Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli apucciarelli@ridgewoodnj.net
Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck ghauck@ridgewoodnj.net
Councilwoman Susan Knudsen sknudsen@ridgewoodnj.net
Councilman Mike Sedon msedon@ridgewoodnj.net
DECEMBER 9, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2015, 10:15 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
(This article is the fourth of an ongoing series examining the Schedler property and the issues surrounding it.)
In the dense, suburban jungle that is Bergen County, some of the most precious resources enjoyed by many residents are the pockets of open space scattered amongst the endless tracts of homes, apartments and office and business buildings.
Like many towns, there is a shortage of open space in Ridgewood. The vast majority of the community is built out and much of the remaining undeveloped open space is only usable as conservation land.
In fact, the majority of the village’s parkland is conservation land, said Parks and Recreation Director Tim Cronin. Ridgewood’s largest park, Grove Park, is more than 30 acres, but is unusable for any kind of recreation.
The end result is a tremendous strain on the village’s outdoor facilities.
“It’s a very unusual town,” said Cronin. “Most people don’t realize this is the biggest school system in Bergen County. When I say that, people look at me and they scratch their head and say: How can that be? We’re 25,000 people, we’re bigger than Hackensack?”
This atypical situation has become part and parcel to the discussion of the construction of a second “60-90” field on the Schedler property on West Saddle River Road. As previously covered in The Ridgewood News, neighbors are concerned their quality of life will plummet, while the Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association (RBSA) says the need for a second full-size diamond is too great to ignore.
Ridgewood NJ, It’s taken a little while to get the Friends of Schedler facebook page started but it’s ready.
You are all invited to come take a look, join and better understand where This neighborhood is, what situations the local neighbors are facing and what situations the kids would be facing if a field were built here. Come see the exposure to Rt 17 and the close proximity the children would be playing to that busy highway.
“Our mission: To promote the responsible development of the Schedler parcel, the last open space in Ridgewood, with consideration of the environment, neighborhood, and town.”
NOVEMBER 24, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2015, 11:45 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
(This article is the second of an ongoing series examining the Schedler property and the issues surrounding it.)
In the springtime, a common sound heard around the village’s parks is the distinct metallic “ping” of an aluminum bat making solid contact with a baseball.
With a robust baseball program, Ridgewood is home to many ball fields at its numerous parks scattered all around town, but the need for one specific size field has become entangled with one of the village’s most sensitive issues.
The Ridgewood News has already explored the concerns held by residents in the neighborhood that plays home to the historic Zabriskie-Schedler house and property, where a full-size 90-foot baseball field has been proposed.
However, it may be the last place remaining to install such a field, driving the Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association (RBSA) to donate money to the village as part of a matching grant opportunity from Bergen County that would allow the proposed Phase One portion of the project, which consists of a cleanup in the woodlands on West Saddle River Road, to begin.
While there has always been a need for more fields in Ridgewood, the completion of the state-of-the-art track and field complex at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in 2011 put a tremendous strain on the resources available to the RBSA, said President Jim Albano.
Previously, that field was home to one of the village’s two “60-90” fields – a diamond consisting of 90-foot basepaths and a pitcher’s mound that sits 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate. BF was also home to a smaller, multi-purpose field with a dirt infield.
Take a look at the RBSA website. There are only eight (8) Rec (Bonvarlet Senior and Junior) teams in town. Most of the Senior games this year were forfeited due to not having enough players.
As the demographic changes, the trending for the last 8+ years shows that baseball and softball particpation is way down. This past year there were only 5 travel teams that needed 60×90 fields. They usually play 2x week with one maybe two home games per week.
Those three fields are more than adequate for covering home field assignments.
So we’re left with conclusion. The Rec Comm wants to upgrade their facilities and showcase soccer and lacrosse.
The idea that they lost a field when BF was converted to a track facility is rubbish. They were desperate to get turf at the HS and play on Ridgewood Avenue and in front of the HS building. You can’t have your cake and eat it too…
NOVEMBER 18, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015, 10:55 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Print
(This article is the first of an ongoing series examining the Schedler property and the issues surrounding it.)
If you were to take a drive up West Saddle River Road, you would see a typical quiet suburban neighborhood with homes and manicured lawns spread out on small winding streets.
However, you would also see green signs asking people to help save their neighborhood as plans loom on the distant horizon for possible development of the area near the Zabriskie-Schedler house.
The house sits on 7 acres of woodlands between West Saddle River Road and the northbound side of Route 17. Last Sunday afternoon, it was also the site of a rally attended by dozens of neighborhood residents who fear their quiet environment, property values, health and quality of life would be harmed by development.
“Our concern is our houses, our quality of life and the impact on us,” said Paul D’Arpa, a Racetrack Road resident who organized the event. “We don’t want to stop the kids from being kids and playing. But is this the right environment for everyone?”
On a recent cloudy, drizzly Tuesday afternoon, D’Arpa stood on the sidewalk on West Saddle Road. He made his way further into the woods, moving towards Route 17. A soft-spoken man, the sound of trucks, buses and cars roaring by drowned out his voice.
“How is an umpire supposed to make calls here?” he asked, referring to a proposal to build a 90-foot baseball diamond after clearing some of the trees away. D’Arpa was standing at the approximate spot for home plate.
At the moment, the concept for the baseball field is just that – a proposal presented in October during a Village Council meeting, although the issue dates back several years. The council has not taken any action in regards to the field except for a resolution endorsing a report by the Open Space Committee that recommended a 90-foot baseball diamond with multi-purpose overlay field be constructed on the Schedler property.
But building a field and possibly clearing several acres of trees could result in unacceptable noise coming from the highway along with added pollution of the heavy traffic that passes through the area. The proposal detailed in October has a six-and-a-half foot high, 17-foot wide berm with deciduous trees along the highway and another line of trees along West Saddle River Road.
However, local residents who have come forward since the latest proposal was unveiled have said this may not be enough to satisfactorily reduce the potential negative side-effects of building a park and field.
The town in which I live, Ridgewood, owns a 7.5-acre parcel known as the Schedler property in the northeast corridor directly abutting Route 17.
It represents the last large piece of green acres in Ridgewood. Schedler serves as a buffer for the community, defending us from the noise of the highway and the pollution. The town is determined, with the insistence of the Ridgewood Baseball Association, to build a regulation-sized baseball field there. So what’s wrong with that? The answer is everything.
For one thing, the location. It has been shown that increasing levels of noise are associated with increasing incidence of strokes, especially in the elderly. Playing fields also facilitate flooding whereas woods act as a deterrent.
Second, it is very well documented that exercising along busy highways increases one’s chances of developing respiratory disease, cancer and cardiovascular disorders. This problem is particularly worse in children, who have a more susceptible physiology. Recently, News 12 reported a new medical study that showed increased incidence of leukemia in children under the age of 15 who played in proximity to busy thoroughfares.
Lastly, in a time of constrained fiscal budgets, it would cost a lot less to leave nature alone. A field for our children would be great, but can’t it be built in a place that does not jeopardize their health?
Decisions that affect the health and well-being of our citizens, especially our children, should be guided by the facts. Not every piece of land needs to be developed; on the contrary, nature needs to be preserved.
We should take a page from the book of Theodore Roosevelt, who in his great wisdom, when entrusted with the stewardship of our great beautiful land, decided to conserve portions in their natural state for his time and posterity.
We, the citizens, must demand that our government behave just as responsibly.
For those suggesting the town should sell it (Schedler Park), as a neighbor, I wouldn’t be horrified. The neighborhood would have many more legal protections from a private developer that the Village doesn’t need to comply with. Chiefly, ingress/egress from Rt. 17 and noise reduction.
It was bought with open space money from the County, not just the Village, and is supposed to guarantee a balance of active and passive space. Secondary to the pay-to-play development, it looks like only a baseball field will be built, and 74 parking spots. All this for the 2nd 90′ field the mayor says he ‘promised’ RBSA to make up for the field lost at BF. That field was already promised to RBSA at lower Hawes, courtesy of the CMX report which the Village paid 80K dollars for. The mayor knows this because he questioned the involved parties directly when that plan was adopted. The facts are in the minutes and speak for themselves.
Why doesn’t RBSA want that field? Why haven’t they done anything to advance that plan since 2008? Why haven’t they made the already approved improvements to Somerville’s field also approved in 2008? Why wouldn’t the Village encourage them to develop park space adjacent to an elementary school where more of the Village could benefit from it? Why would RBSA want to take on fundraising to develop an entire park instead of a cheaper renovation to an existing and approved space? Upon OPRA request, there is no documentation of any reason why the fields can’t be exactly where they were already ‘promised.’
Ridgewood NJ, News 12 showed up at Schedler but Sadly the News12 report where residents spoke was removed. It was replaced with Mayor’s statement, which happens to be untrue. Property bought with $2million of taxpayers money was promised to a baseball group without public notification. The Historic house is owned by the Village. Mr. Mayor: why does the public have to save a house owned by the Village? Destruction by abandonment? The roof needs repairs, you’ve ignored it 7 years ago. Transparency: Tell the whole story! The facts would tell a very different tale
Schedler Site Development Study – 460 W. Saddle River Road
Below are the Site Development Plans prepared by the Ridgewood Engineering Department.
Click Here for Part 1A
Click Here for part 2B
Click Here for Part 3 C, D, E
Schedler Park
Below are the Site Development Plans prepared by the Ridgewood Engineering Department.
Click Here for Part 1A
Click Here for part 2B
Click Here for Part 3 C, D, E
Maps – Revisions
Schedler Map Rev 8 – October 7, 2015
Info
Click Here for the Schedler Park and House Grant Timeline – as reported by the Village Manager at the September 16, 2015 Village Council Public Meeting.
Wednesday, August 12th the Village Council discussed the use of the Schedler property. They voted on the following resolutions:
Click Here for Schedler Property Resolution including House
Click Here for Resolution to apply for Schedler House Grant
NOVEMBER 4, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015, 9:39 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
A resolution endorsing recommendations made in the Open Space Committee’s 2012 Open Space plan as a guide for the course of action to be taken regarding the Schedler property was brought back for discussion last Wednesday after hearing the concerns of neighborhood residents during recent meetings.
Passed by the council in mid-August, the resolution affirms the plan provided by the Open Space Committee, which states the property should be developed for recreational purposes, which includes a 90-foot baseball field and multi-purpose overlay field for soccer and lacrosse.
Councilwoman Susan Knudsen asked for the resolution to be brought back for discussion to remove language specifically regarding the 90-foot field and add that the village recognizes the need for active recreation fields, but will take a different approach to finding a solution.
“We should take this, revisit it and do a redo on it so we give a more balanced approach and help the neighborhood have what they need and figure out how we can also accommodate what the RBSA needs,” said Knudsen, adding such a change could help to rebuild a relationship that is “a little broken” between the council and residents of the neighborhood.
OCTOBER 30, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Schedler woods must be preserved
To the Editor:
When it comes to the Schedler property, we mustn’t be naughty and we can’t afford to be nice.
We mustn’t be naughty and remove a majority of the trees for a 90-foot athletic field, but likewise a “nice park” as many residents recommend won’t do either.
Ridgewood, Bergen County, America and the rest of the world is experiencing an environmental crisis of unprecedented proportions due to a dire lack of what we now call wildscapes: undeveloped land where our ecological system can flourish.
Because we have so few remaining acreages of woods and forests, the balance of plants and wildlife required to produce food, the quality of our air and water is seriously threatened.
There has always been a “necessary reason,” as it is phrased, for woods to be replaced by development.
We are told we need another shopping mall, a strip mall, another housing development, another parking lot, another athletic field. You name it and there is an excuse for trees to be chopped down.
But now the time has arrived where it is vital that to preserve every acre of remaining woodland.
Therefore, it would be irresponsible to develop Schedler to any degree whatsoever.
Let our 7 acres of Schedler become a beacon, a lodestar, perhaps even accruing the power of a meme, communicating that we in Ridgewood know that those wild woods left alone are of the utmost value.
OCTOBER 22, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Print
No ‘equality’ for residents living on village’s East Side
To the Editor:
At an Oct. 7 Ridgewood Council meeting, former resident Mr. Giordano made what I thought was the most important point. He stated that the sports groups met often with neighbors to assure them about a project on Maple East. They also met with neighbors about other projects. We know that the village met with neighbors of Habernickel.
What is the difference between these and the East Side residents regarding the future development of the Schedler property? Since 2008, I believe there have not been sufficient sit-down meetings between East Side neighbors and the village.
The East Side was presented with a 1997 schematic in 2008. From that date forward, all the residents saw were renderings by the village/Parks and Recreation/Fields/sports groups. Nobody met the east side residents and asked for input and suggestions specifically about the schematics.
To say that the three open public forums in 2012 were sufficient is incorrect. I have minutes from those meetings — the neighbors did complain about proposed traffic, loss of trees, size of fields. That is the last time they had anything to do with the three plans since then. But were they shown a plan that is shown today?
One day they saw a concession stand when a recent schematic was presented (presented, to the public, without any consideration or input by the neighbors), one day they saw a turnaround, one day they saw 24 extra parking spaces, on and on. At the Oct. 7 meeting, they saw that the turnaround was gone, a left turn lane put in its place.
Is this any way to treat a neighborhood, when other projects spent time with neighbors?
To equate Schedler with Habernickel, as is done with pride by the village, is not a fair equation.
To equate Schedler with other fields abutting highways is also not a fair comparison, as the neighborhoods are different.
And to talk about very small amounts of traffic misses an important point: What is going to happen to the “light” traffic when 70 or more cars are coming to a game and will arrive at the same time?
The Engineering Department draws plans satisfying sports’ groups needs, but they do not draw plans satisfying the residents of the East Side. Where is the equality?
OCTOBER 19, 2015 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2015, 10:08 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
After a lengthy public hearing on Oct. 14, the Village Council decided to move forward with the process of procuring a grant for phase one of the Schedler Park project and accept a monetary gift from the Ridgewood Baseball/Softball Association (RBSA).
The approval of the two resolutions came with the notion of exploring other possible sites for a 90-foot field while scaling down the playing field at Schedler to a 60-foot diamond, which was supported by some residents in attendance.
Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld started the hearing with an update to the grant money available to the village. Sonenfeld reported that Bergen County received a high number of requests and the village lowered its amount to $75,000.
The RBSA also decided to increase the amount offered in its gift to the village to $150,000, Sonenfeld said.
Warning: Undefined array key "sfsi_riaIcon_order" in /home/eagle1522/public_html/theridgewoodblog.net/wp-content/plugins/ultimate-social-media-icons/libs/controllers/sfsi_frontpopUp.php on line 165
Warning: Undefined array key "sfsi_inhaIcon_order" in /home/eagle1522/public_html/theridgewoodblog.net/wp-content/plugins/ultimate-social-media-icons/libs/controllers/sfsi_frontpopUp.php on line 166
Warning: Undefined array key "sfsi_mastodonIcon_order" in /home/eagle1522/public_html/theridgewoodblog.net/wp-content/plugins/ultimate-social-media-icons/libs/controllers/sfsi_frontpopUp.php on line 177
