Ridgewood Approves $1.35M Cleanup: What the Schedler Property Bond Means for Your Neighborhood
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — A major step toward resolving a long-standing environmental hurdle in Ridgewood was taken during the Village Council meeting on March 25, 2026. In a move that drew both support for public health and scrutiny over future land use, the council officially greenlit a significant funding package to clean up the Schedler Property.
If you live near the Zabriskie-Schedler site or follow local land-use debates, this update is critical for understanding where your tax dollars are going and why this project is moving forward now.
The $1.35 Million Fix: Breaking Down the Numbers
The headline news from the meeting was the passage of a bond ordinance specifically designed for soil remediation. Here is the financial breakdown:
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Total Appropriation: $1.6 million
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Bond Financing: $1.35 million (to be raised through bonds or notes)
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Purpose: Excavation and removal of contaminated soil as mandated by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The Deputy Mayor emphasized that this isn’t a “choice” by the council, but rather a legal and environmental necessity. To maintain the safety of the area and comply with state law, the village must address the legacy contamination on the site.
Clearing the Air: Remediation vs. Development
One of the most heated moments of the meeting occurred during the public hearing. A local resident voiced a concern shared by many in the community: Is this just the first step toward a development project we didn’t agree to?
The resident argued that recent discussions for the site seemed to deviate from promises made to the neighborhood back in 2018. However, the Deputy Mayor was quick to draw a hard line between the two issues:
“This ordinance strictly pertains to soil remediation. It is not related to any further development plans for the site. We are addressing an environmental mandate to ensure the land is safe.”
By decoupling the cleanup from future park or facility development, the council aimed to reassure the public that the current $1.35 million is dedicated solely to “cleaning the dirt,” not building new structures.
Why It Matters for Ridgewood Residents
Environmental remediation is often the “invisible” part of municipal management, but it carries high stakes. For Ridgewood, completing this cleanup:
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Ensures DEP Compliance: Avoids potential fines or legal action from state regulators.
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Protects Property Values: Ensuring that village-owned land is free of contaminants is a win for nearby homeowners.
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Clears the Path: While no development was approved at this meeting, the land cannot be used for any future public purpose until the soil is certified clean.
What’s Next?
As the village prepares to issue the bonds and begin the remediation process, residents are encouraged to stay engaged. While the soil cleanup is now funded, the conversation regarding the final vision for the Shedler property is far from over.
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the actual cost to remove all the contamination is $2.6 million… this bond is in addition to the already $1.0 previously approved……but don’t worry they are going to carefully check the new replacement soil coming in….oh wait this old soil they are removing was checked and cleared….
The town should be suing the people responsible and getting the funding from their insurance companies, rather than raising bonds and our taxes.
(2,6 million and still climbing, let’s not forget any lawsuits that will be coming in will tell, and remember time is on the side of anyone handling the contamination. The door stays opened. everything is documented so they can’t say we don’t have all the information. It’s there, baby. ☠️
Why worry? The Bond King said its free money.
The Money Pit
Hollywood 1986
Fiction
The Money Pit
Ridgewood 2026
Non-fiction
Listen Ridgewood really f””””” up with his whole situation. It was poorly handled. they were warned don’t mess with a certain individual. He knew where all the skeletons were, and who put them there. But you broke his balls, but in the end ,he won so now pay up.
This is some amazing story, isn’t it, and it’s amazing. Only one individual was pushed out the door the X Director/engineer, how they point fingers don’t they. You know, as I know, that that definitely should’ve been a few more individuals shown on the door. And it’s amazing how one is left after all these years. Is she the one calling the shots behind the curtain, it sure looks that way because the same things are occurring for the past 30 years, some of us been saying that and we see it. Very interesting isn’t it? Can you imagine what she has in her story book, I’m sure it would make you spit up bloody nails. It would be one good novel.