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Ridgewood to Host Sept. 9 Hearing on 42-Year Parkland Dispute With NJDEP: Proposed Land Swap Could Finally End Saga

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — After more than four decades of legal back-and-forth, the Village of Ridgewood is preparing to resolve a 42-year parkland transfer dispute with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). A public hearing has been scheduled for Monday, September 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the Patrick A. Mancuso Senior Center, Ridgewood Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Ave.

At the heart of the issue is the 1983 sale of a 0.38-acre playground to the Housing Development Corporation of Bergen County. The land was used to build four affordable condo units at 308-316 S. Broad Street.

Nearly 30 years later, in 2012, state officials discovered that the land was encumbered under the Green Acres program, which prohibits the transfer of protected parkland for non-recreational use. As a result, Ridgewood was frozen out of Green Acres funding until it could identify five times that amount—1.9 acres—to be permanently dedicated for recreational use.

Why the Delay?

According to Village Manager Keith Kazmark, the process stalled for years due to complications including:

  • Changes in certified land appraisers

  • The COVID-19 pandemic

  • Property appraisals and ongoing negotiations

“We have now identified what we are calling swap properties to be considered as replacement recreational space,” Kazmark said.

Ridgewood’s Proposed Settlement

The proposal under review includes several properties and improvements designed to meet the state’s requirements:

  • Hammond Road (Block 5005 Lot 5): A 0.4-acre village-owned vacant property.

  • Marlborough Road (Block 2605 Lots 2 & 3): Portions of a “paper street” right of way.

  • Kings Pond Park (341 Lakeview Drive): Upgrades to the 29-acre park, including a new playground, benches, and a pavilion for outdoor programs, social gatherings, and picnics.

  • Garden State Preservation Trust: A financial contribution (amount unspecified).

“The advantage for Hammond Road and Marlborough Road is that these properties will be preserved in perpetuity, protected from development,” Kazmark emphasized.

What’s Next?

The Sept. 9 public hearing will give residents a chance to weigh in on the proposed settlement. If approved, Ridgewood could finally put an end to the decades-long dispute and regain access to critical Green Acres funding for future open space and recreation projects.

For more details, residents can visit the official website: ridgewoodnj.net.

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4 thoughts on “Ridgewood to Host Sept. 9 Hearing on 42-Year Parkland Dispute With NJDEP: Proposed Land Swap Could Finally End Saga

  1. This will certainly go down in Ridgewood’s history as the most outrageous, egregious, preposterous and insulting “just check the boxes” sham ever perpetrated by Village of Ridgewood officials.

    1) Open space and a heavily used children’s playground were closed and removed literally overnight from a historically black (African American) community without proper legal notice. The closure was ostensibly executed to address a high crime situation on the property.
    2) Revenue from the property sale was transferred to the General Fund; it was not used to purchase new open space.
    3) Since the facility’s closure in 1983, there have been no documented efforts on the part of Village officials to find a suitable replacement parcel within a reasonable driving/walking distance of the closed facility.
    4) Village officials flatly declined a somewhat recent unsolicited offer made by a not-for-profit, property tax-exempt organization for a nearby parcel which could possibly be used to build a playground.
    5) Location of the “replacement” playground is 1.8 driving/walking miles from the closed facility; 0.6 of those driving/walking miles are absent of sidewalks.
    6) “Replacement” open space parcels are landlocked, heavily wooded and virtually inaccessible.

    This would not have happened in a predominantly white (Caucasian) neighborhood.

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    1. see also Hackensack Middle School toilet explosion…

  2. Who the hell will go to kings pond for a playground. The neighborhood kids need a neighborhood playground.

  3. PLEASE let Kings Pond remain natural. Stop building. There are so few open spaces left.

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