December 27,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, new vision for Schedler Field is a grand compromise . Like many of you we immediately thought here we go again. However the Schedler ad hoc committee attempted to balance historical preservation, sports , passive parks , the neighborhood , traffic and the environmental impact.
First a little back ground :
Zabriskie–Schedler House is one of the last remaining 1820’s Dutch wood frame houses in Bergen County
In 2003, Ridgewood Open Space Committee submitted plan identifying Schedler property as a “first-priority” target for acquisition by Ridgewood
In 2007, Village was informed that family would be selling Schedler property
In 2008, Open Space Committee provided Council with report recommending that “the initial development [of Schedler property] consist of a parking lot, a baseball diamond and overlay multipurpose field (without lights or restrooms), with the remainder of property left as passive recreation space with wooded areas and a disabled-accessible (ADA compliant), senior-friendly paved walking path around the perimeter”
In 2008, Open Space Committee urged Village to acquire Schedler property, warning that “if the property is acquired by a private developer, the Village will face the possibility of a ‘builder remedy’ suit forcing the Village to accept high-density multi-family residential development of the property including affordable housing units”
In 2009, Village purchased Schedler property for $2.7 million with grants from the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund
In 2013, Village purchased Shotmeyer property, a .358 acre parcel of land that was surrounded by the Schedler property, for approximately $90,000.
In 2015, Council passed resolution adopting Open Space Committee’s recommendation for passive and active park that included playground, walking path, 90 ft. baseball diamond, and a 120 x 75 yd. multi-purpose field. Resolution also provided road map for stabilization and possible restoration of Schedler house
In 2017, the Council rescinded 2015 resolution, deciding instead to re-analyze the proposed plan for Schedler, and appointed this Ad Hoc Committee to propose a development plan.
In the end they came up with a very scaled down sports field with no baseball diamond , some parking , removal of dead and or dangerous trees , an eye on preservation and enriched passive park options with respect to the neighbors and neighborhood.
It appears to be a nice balance between the neighborhood, sports and historical preservation and recreation.
see the committee presentation :
https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/news/1677-schedler-ad-hoc-committee-presentation-to-village-council
Since the Mayor’s family owns property whose value is tied to this plan have they signed off on the recommendations?
what you fail to understand that turning Ridgewood into Jersey City is not going to help anyone’s property values
The lot looks run down…something you would see in Orange Cty NY….the Rust Belt if you will.
You don’t want to be standing in the middle of a proposed ballfield and the Rec Committee….you will get steam-rolled.
Hmmmm. Builders remedies lawsuit. Your good friends and I think you too at a few meetings said that to the Ridgewood residents. Now, in the final plans, all the affordable units are removed from both lots owned by your friends. There are ZERO affordable units being developed at these two sites.
No builder can build anything that close to rt 17 on an uneven lot. If builders could have build anything, they would have paid more than what the village paid to buy this property in 2008.
7:32 Don Delzio, still trying to sing that tired old song. Merry Christmas Don, you big loser
There is talk of an artificial turf field at Schedler from the Ad Hoc Committee. This would be a fiscal, environmental and a recreational mistake.
Quit attacking the mayor for her parents’ property. I would think that the values would go down as it doesn’t include a playground to attract neighbors with young children.
Since Don’s formal ethics violation regarding the mayor’s alleged financial interest in Schedler was dismissed as being without merit, I guess anonymous posts on The Ridgewood Blog are his only outlet.
What a crock. This post is a bad attempt to spin the truth.
No lights. Good luck. Not with Jeff Voight and some shady parks and rec characters. The light will be blaring. It’s no longer about tax payers quality of life !
What total bullshit. If nothing else this town has become numb to blatant political marketing efforts like this. We were never stupid and we are no longer naive.