file photo by Boyd Loving
The attached terms posted are a proposal by the residents living in the vicinity of the Schedler property. These terms are a result of many meetings and discussions among the Schedler neighbors over the last 6 weeks. We have worked hard as a group to prepare this document which we believe considers the needs not just of the Schedler neighbors, but of the entire Ridgewood community. The terms demonstrate a park that we envision will significantly reduce the amount of trees to be removed, decrease the cost of the development and maintenance required of the proposed larger field and draw our fellow Ridgewood residents to visit and enjoy the east side of the Village. Charlie Nowinski
Outline of Proposed Terms for the Development of the Schedler Property
In order to provide the Village with much needed passive park and recreational space, the field shall be no larger than 60’.
Any design will include a sound wall to block out the sound of the highway for the entire length of the property. In addition, to a sound wall near the highway, the park will include a berm on West Saddle River Road to block off the sound and view of the park. The berm shall include several rows of regularly maintained evergreens in order to provide the neighborhood with a “green shield”.
All demolition, including removal of trees (downed, diseased or otherwise) will not occur until completion of a development plan and budget approved by the Village Council. Demolition shall occur in conjunction with the overall project in order to avoid a gap between demolition and construction.
The plan and design of the park will be developed by an independent civil engineer and landscape architect specializing in park design with input from representatives of the neighborhood and the Village.
The development plan and budget will be based off of independent, comprehensive studies which would include:
Addressing the issues already identified by environmental and wildlife impact studies
The noise study to be conducted on the property and the surrounding area
A third party traffic and safety study on West Saddle River Road and the surrounding side streets as recommended by the council committee. The traffic and safety study will include a determination of an adequate parking lot, as well as a review of potential ingress and egress into the parking lot from Rt. 17. In addition, the traffic and safety study will include a determination of appropriate parking restrictions on West Saddle River Road and, if practical, the surrounding streets off West Saddle River Road
Prohibition on the inclusion of (1) lights, both permanent and portable as required by the conservation easement, (2) a public address announcement system and (3) a concession stand.
The hours of the park will be from dawn to dusk.
Installation of police monitoring system to monitor any criminal activity.
Preserve the Schedler house by moving forward with registering the house with the historical society. The house will be used to benefit the entire community by, for example, providing meeting space for different community groups and providing restrooms for the park participants.
Watch for Big Al”s flip flop on this. It re election time and he will say or do anything to be Mayor. Till he gets in.
Yawn 8:06, the Village should just sell the property
sell it, put up condos or a strip mall. maybe the neighbors will like that better
8:06am and 10:38am – do you understand “open space money/funds”?
Yep. Sell it. Road noise is too great to support building a 60×90 field and putting up a tall wall to alleviate that problem would create a new problem: because the Schedler lot is on the east side of Route 17, the shadow thrown by the noise alleviation wall would put the field in cold and darkness for late afternoon and early evening games and practices.
The place is a scrubby, scraggly, skinny patch of an organic dump with no communal use other than as a place for neighborhood dogs to relieve themselves. Congratulations, Schedler neighbors…you win. No significant development will take place.
This letter reads like a hostage situation. Who are these idiots?
The property belongs to the 26,000 residents of the Village, not a group of whiners who live near it.
Let’s build affordable housing there. The buildings will buffer the neighborhood from Route 17 traffic noise.
Good idea Red! The property has no other use.
Again Red do you understand “open space money/funds”? Try educating youself on what you can do with that property once the town accepts open space funds
The explosion in state and local
government open space funding reflects
increased public concern about the
environmental, fiscal and quality-of-life
problems created by uncontrolled growth.
Even in times of taxpayer rebellion, voters have
repeatedly supported funding for open space
preservation. Property owners increasingly
recognize that preserved open space enhances
property values and reduces the need for
additional municipal services and infrastructure
such as sewers, roads, schools and police that
would be required if open lands were
developed.
Once the Village accepts funds they have to spend on development – just sell it. This is just an attempt to enhance surrounding property values at the expense of everyone else in the Village. It’s also why the Councilwoman needs to recuse herself from any discussion of the property, she has a conflict when it comes to the Village seeking open space funding