the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood’s Historic Schedler Property is the only physical barrier protecting an entire Ridgewood neighborhood from the harmful pollutants of Route 17, a major transportation corridor.
The tree and green-filled parcel (7+ acres) filters out light, noise, visual, airborne particulates, gaseous pollutants, and air toxics emitted by nearby diesel truck and motor vehicle activity. Equally important, it protects property values and helps deter crime.
Upholding these important elements, The Village Council approved a Schedler Park plan in 2017 that was a perfect balance for the impacted neighborhood, sports groups, conservationists, and historians.
With required oversight from the State of NJ Historic Preservation, the plan was moving forward with completion by late spring 2023.
With complete disregard of the entire neighborhood and compromise plan in place,
FOR PROFIT SPORTS GROUPS WANT IT ALL AND NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE IN AGREEMENT.
WHAT IS ALL?
- 90’ BASEBALL DIAMOND requiring a MINIMUM 300’ OUTFIELD
- PERMANENT LIGHTING
- BATHROOMS AND CONCESSION STAND
- ON SITE AND STREET PARKING
- STORAGE FACILITY
- ARTIFICIAL TURF
- NETTING ON WEST SADDLE RIVER AND HIGHWAY
- CLEARING OF ALMOST ALL TREES
- CONCRETE WALKWAYS TO FIELD
HOW WILL THIS IMPACT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
- INCREASED NOISE
- INCREASED LIGHT
- INCREASED NEGATIVE VISUAL IMPACT
- INCREASED TRAFFIC
- INCREASED POLLUTANTS
- INCREASED HEALTH RISKS
- DECREASED QUALITY OF LIFE
- DECREASED PROPERTY VALUES
- SAFETY ISSUES
- COMPROMISED RIGHT TO QUIET ENJOYMENT
- ACTIVITY 7 DAYS A WEEK, WEEKENDS AND EVENINGS
- USE OF SCHEDLER FULL SIZE FIELD WOULD BE OPEN TO ALL ADULT LEAGUES IN NJ, MAYBE EVEN NY
- LARGE NUMBER OF ADULT CARS AND BUSES IN/OUT OF NEIGHBORHOOD
HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT?
A stacked Village Council meeting! On January 25, 2023, consuming the public comment portion of the Village Council meeting, NINE people spoke advocating for a 90ft field and complete change of the Schedler plan. The group representing local for-profit sports organizations, publicly offered funds contingent upon getting what they wanted.
Council majority, led by Councilwoman Siobhan Winograd, immediately moved forward with ordering the Village Engineer to produce new site plans with a 90ft field and all of the above.
Without notifying all residents, stakeholders and impacted neighbors, the new plans will be revealed this Wednesday, February 1. 7:30pm at Village Hall.
WE URGE YOU TO ATTEND THE Wednesday, February 1st, 7:30pm VILLAGE COUNCIL MEETING AND VOICE YOUR CONCERNS!
By ZOOM OR IN PERSON.
- Be prepared to speak at both public comment times, one at the beginning of the meeting and one at the end
- If attending by ZOOM, remember to immediately raise your hand to speak during public comment
- If attending in-person, get on line immediately to speak
- Remain until the end of the meeting to speak at second public comment
Agenda: https://www.
ZOOM: https://us02web.zoom.us/
Webinar ID: 825 9279 9142
Passcode: 07450
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Pretty sneaky, sis!
Good…get out there and let your voices be heard.
Cockroaches run from the light!
Thank you for presenting this issue so clearly. A persuasive case against the new plan.
They are not for profit sports organizations, but point made
Then give back to the participants. Shouldn’t have $100k available to pay for a field
Maybe the village can bring in money by selling advertising on the baseball outfield billboards?
It would be an environmental crime but also a crime to Ridgewood residents to clear out such a massive green barrier that this over crowded NJ area desperately needs to preserve. Even though I expected it, I can’t believe the low morals of the VC members. The only thing they care about are their personal agendas. The shallow minded residents who wanted “change” are enabling these hustlers. Nice job knuckleheads.
They can’t get away with this! Next will be the reversal of high density housing, overdevelopment and Valley Hospital.
The RIDGEWOOD RODEO. Siobhan Winograd came out of the bullpen blazing! Meanwhile, RW is watching her run around while the clowns that let her out steer her to exactly the place they want.
Sad to see how such an insecure adult can be so manipulated
Why don’t they build more housing, or a homeless shelter?
that is scheduled to be built on Valley Site
If the ultimate decision is to limit the size of the soccer and baseball fields, will the RBSA and Maroons Soccer Club still offer such a generous amount of their participant and small business sponsorship donations/fees?
Monetary support from the Maroons Soccer Club is contingent upon the installation of artificial turf and permanent lighting.
same thing happened at Habernickel. No respect for the original plan and now Baseball, Soccer, lacrosse, golf and whatever the town feel like putting there is there! No passive side for any unscheduled events Bigios puts parks and rec golf and lacrosse there while citizens park sits empty.
Biggest Lights in town ( put there for the business) so no more owls
Habernickle also has HB business that uses all 11 acres simultaneously with town sports and parks and rec sports going on also. The business buses field trips in during the week along with classes and camps. It also hosts private birthday parties ALL day Saturday along with their classes and NIGHT TIME party events that allow drinking and a full day camp every holiday and all Summer!
So in a nut shell… Habernickel has travel sports, soccer and Baseball
Rec sports, parks and rec sports and classes AND a full time business and party venue all day Saturday and 2 nights a week ALONG with camp every holiday, break and all SUMMER long, field trips buses in all year and full use of the entire park. Neighbors understandings were it was just small cooking classes for little kids. HA! nope
No peace for this neighborhood ever
Welcome to open space in Ridgewood
you wait and see about valley
You wait and see about the rest of the land on rt 17. Homes and old farms will be gone.
Any voter remorse yet?
I have to say, using the whole pollution apocalypse argument is about as lame as it gets. The trees will save us from the Route 17 diesel exhaust? That’s a bit rich.
Legitimate arguments on the impact to the neighborhood from lights and increased traffic is one thing, but turning into a bunch of tree hugging libtards is another.
Knudsen guided the Schedler project and she had conflicts from Day One. She wasn’t an honest broker.
Now the other team is in charge, and they will do what their supporters want.
ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES BOYS AND GIRLS.
With so much street parking available, parking shouldn’t be an issue. Why even build a parking lot on site? Seems unnecessary.
where?
“So much street parking”? What street parking? West Saddle River Rd? Kingsbridge? Terhune? Are you nuts? These are quiet, family-friendly residential streets.
Why don’t they build a sound barrier like all the parts for 17 has. Just to control some of the sound. It may be a bit safer. And talk about W. Saddle River Rd. how come that still hasn’t been resurfaced. This is going on a long time. They’re going to have to install speed humps to control speed of traffic coming off of 17.
There is no sound barrier needed. UGLY!! They don’t need a professional baseball diamond either. W. Saddle River road was scheduled to be resurfaced this year with the ‘completion’ of Schedler according to the Village Engineer. They should finish the original Schedler plan, resurface the road, and be done with it.
Council members and village employees do not care about neighbors quality of life. That had been evident since Pauly
If those up on the hill like turf, why not put some at Habernickel?
There’s a big field behind Ridge School, turf that up and install the lights. Neither field is in a flood zone.
The way to fight Schedler is a t the historic commission. Don’t waste your time at the council meetings.
Well you all hide behind social media and no one came out to help the few neighbors, shame on you all.
Maybe they should buy up the old valley hospital and make that a playground.
Tax Payer Lima it was a full house tonight, except you. Hard to see from your couch. Thanks for calling in tho.
Habernickel already is over used but sure add turf. Maybe the tree hugger will be offended.
Turf or start using citizens and upper citizens.
Why is that so underused?
I know it was a packed house. My family tried to get in online jam packed. Residents are pissed off not just about playgrounds, they just pissed off about Village hall. On things that’s been going on. So many things been kept quiet for so long, all the dirt is coming out ,and people are scrambling. what a mess.
Everyone, please remember this post.
Turf sports in THIS location is a huge error, and a tragedy just waiting to happen. Route 17 is the primary threat, West Saddle Road secondary, but just as potentially deadly. No parent should be comfortable with their child playing with FEET, literally feet, of speeding vehicles and trucks despite a berm. The berm can not stop a speeding truck, or vehicle. Vehicles speed and jump barriers ALL THE TIME. Vehicles exiting Route 17 onto WSR road don’t adjust well to the 25MPH speed limit coming off a 55 MPH road. They speed all day long, and this will not change.
Despite fencing, nets or whatever perceived solution that may be proposed will deter a determined child from chasing their ball onto WSR or God forbid, Route 17. This WILL happen, a child will be lost, and citizens will wonder why such a STUPID idea was even entertained, never mind built.
Stop the insanity before this moves one inch closer to reality. Please.