A REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2015 AT 8:00 P.M.
- 1.CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL – FLAG SALUTE – MOMENT OF SILENCE
Mayor Aronsohn called the meeting to order at 8:05 P.M. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon and Mayor Aronsohn. Also present were Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.
Mayor Aronsohn led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
2. ACCEPTANCE OF FINANCIAL REPORTS
Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Bills, Claims, and Vouchers, and Statement of Funds on hand as of September 30, 2015, be accepted as submitted. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
There were no minutes available for approval this evening.
4. PROCLAMATIONS
A. NATIONAL DIABETES AWARENESS MONTH
Councilwoman Hauck read the following proclamation:
B. REGOGNIZE ALZHEIMER’S AWARENESS WEEK
Councilman Pucciarelli read the following proclamation:
5. PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION – JUNIOR BASEBALL CHAMPIONS
Mayor Aronsohn congratulated the Junior Baseball Champion Ridgewood Raiders for their success at the World Series in Michigan. Coach Mark Faveiere and the two Assistant Coaches thanked Mayor Aronsohn and said that the players are currently students at Ridgewood High School and he described the road to the victory for the team. The Raiders defeated Toms River for the State Championship, followed by a victory in the Eastern Regionals and then on to Michigan for the Junior Little League World Series. The team was involved in a three-way tie but unfortunately was unsuccessful in getting into the world finals. The team thanked the Village Council for the parade which was held in their honor when they returned to Ridgewood.
6. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Jeff Voigt, 99 Glenwood Road, a member of the Zoning Board, noted that he had spoken previously on this subject. He had several questions for the Village Councilmembers. He recalled that on July 3, 2013, Mayor Aronsohn, along with Councilmembers Pucciarelli and Hauck, attended a Republican fund raiser for Governor Chris Christie. He pointed out that the Chapter 3, Section 53 of the Village Code of Ridgewood, entitled “Conflicts of Interest” states “A Village Officer or employee, elected or appointed, paid or unpaid, shall not accept or solicit anything of value as consideration for or in connection with the discharge of their official duties”. Mr. Voigt asked if Mr. Rogers, the Village Attorney, had attended the event. He asked Mr. Rogers if Councilmembers Aronsohn and Pucciarelli asked for advice relative to potential conflicts of interest prior to attending the Christie event. Mr. Voigt questioned whether or not a complaint had been filed with the Bergen County Local Finance Board under N.J.S.A. 40:A9-22.5, Sec. F, in order to clear these people or to discover whether the law had been violated. Lastly, Mr. Voigt asked if attendance at this event was a conflict of interest.
Mr. Voigt stated that Mayor Aronsohn and Councilman Pucciarelli are Members of the Board of Trustees of the Ridgewood Library, along with John Saraceno who is the Developer of the Enclave. The Enclave development is presently under consideration and the Village Council has the ability to approve an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance to allow multi-family housing where the Enclave is located. Mr. Voigt explained that the Zoning Board Attorney advises members of the Zoning Board to recuse them from voting on applications based on personal or business relationships they may have with applicants. A member who recuses himself demonstrates that there is no appearance of a conflict of interest. He asked Mr. Rogers if the Councilmembers should be held to an even higher standard than other Boards in the Village. Mr. Voigt questioned whether it is better to err on the side of caution in these types of situations based on public perception. He asked if Mayor Aronsohn and Councilman Pucciarelli should recuse themselves from the Enclave vote based on this business relationship.
Matt Cutler, 375 Glenwood Road, said that he was speaking on behalf of Ridgewood residents who have united together to support Citizens for a Better Ridgewood (CBR). This group served legal notice on the Village of Ridgewood and the Ridgewood Planning Board in August indicating that it would file suit over the Master Plan amendments to the CR2, AH2 and B3R Multi-Family High Density Housing Zones in the Village’s Historic Central Business District. He announced that this law suit has been voluntarily withdrawn because CBR is now cautiously optimistic that the citizens have finally been heard and the Village Council is acting in the interests of the Village and not outside interests. The Village Council was expected to adopt the ordinance to amend the Master Plan on September 30th; however; an unprecedented number of residents emailed Councilmembers noting their opposition to changes that would drastically change the character of the Village. A large group appeared at the actual meeting and voiced their opposition to the proposed Master Plan changes in the absence of an independent assessment into the impacts. The Village Council resolved to commission an independent and comprehensive study to understand the impact of the proposed development, including financial information, infrastructure, schools, etc. Mr. Cutler commended the Council for taking this course of action. CBR looks forward to a discussion of future plans at the meeting of November 9th. Mr. Cutler reminded the Council that they are elected officials and do not represent developers or other outside interests. The residents do not want the charm and character of the community threatened and Mr. Cutler expects that the Village Council will now allow residents to be heard. He noted that the effort to have a voice in the future of the Village has cost the CBR over $100,000. This has been both a financial and emotional burden for Village residents and incredibly time consuming. Even though the CBR is withdrawing their law suit, they will remain vigilant since in the past they have been shocked at the dismissive attitude of town officials to legitimate concerns of the residents.
Mr. Cutler said that he hopes that Ridgewood will develop and grow, without the need for further litigation. He also hopes that the elected officials will represent the Village over outside interests and that decisions that impact the Village will be made with care and respect for the citizens of Ridgewood.
Jacqueline Hone, 30 Carriage Lane, commented on tonight’s vote on the Open Space Application. She indicated support of the previous speaker and said that the majority of residents go unheard, which is unfair. Ms. Hone doesn’t understand why people complain at every Council meeting pointing out discrepancies, things that are suspect and relationships that are questionable and receive no response from Village Officials. Ms. Hone recently filed a complaint and received a response from the Village Manager indicating that the complaint was threatening and not worthy of a response. This brash response is unacceptable since there should be an appropriate response to any resident who raises a concern. Money is being spent on unnecessary legal fees on both sides and all residents want, is to be heard. Ms. Hone stated that it appears as though there is an unidentified entity influencing certain decisions. She said that it is unfortunate that Councilmembers appear to be so bored when members of the public speak, and she hopes that going forward, Councilmembers will begin to pay attention and regain the trust of the residents of the community.
Councilwoman Hauck said that public comment is very important to her and she agreed that the public needs to be heard. She wondered if it was a good idea to confront some of these false and absurd accusations that have become reality. She said that Ms. Hone had written a somewhat threatening email to the Village Manager stating that the Village Manager was providing false and misleading information which Councilwoman Hauck did not feel warranted a response. Healthy dialogue and solutions are welcome, but silly accusations need not be addressed. Councilwoman Hauck referred to Mr. Voigt’s comments and said that attending a political function for the Governor of New Jersey is the polite thing to do when the Governor visits the Village and has nothing to do with a bribe of any kind.
Dave Sloman, 36 Heights Road, recalled that he has spoken previously about information flow, openness and availability of information to the public. He stated that there will be a referendum on the parking garage in the Village next month. He asked whether the Council and the Village government could provide information on this proposal to the public. Mr. Sloman recommended that this information be placed on the Village website. He wondered if the Village had looked into other parking options such as utilizing the lot behind the movie theatre or in the lot across the street from Ben and Jerrys.
Ms. Sonenfeld directed Mr. Sloman to the section of the Village website where there is an icon entitled, “Hudson Street Parking”, where he will be able to find details on a cost analysis. She added that on Wednesday, October 21st there will be a public session with information on the latest plans for the parking garage and a financial analysis. On November 2nd there will be a meeting of the Planning Board to provide information and discuss the Central Business District and Historic Preservation.
Mr. Sloman reiterated the importance of an easy to use website that will provide information on the parking garage, since it is difficult for people to attend these various meetings. He commented that people want to be informed in order to make the right decision.
Diane Palacios, 342 North Van Dien Avenue, spoke regarding the last meeting when the parking garage was discussed. She recalled that at that meeting the architects commented that the proposed building would pay homage to the architectural style in the Village. After reviewing the plans, Ms. Palacios stated that, in her opinion, the proposed building is hideous and has no place in Ridgewood. She agreed with Mr. Sloman that several parking lots scattered around the downtown area would be a better solution and she encouraged everyone to vote no to the parking garage.
Councilman Pucciarelli spoke about the situation with Governor Christie and said that he was entertaining the Financial Advisory Committee at his home on the evening previously referred to by Mr. Voigt. He received a call from Mayor Aronsohn that evening reminding him that the Governor was in Ridgewood and it would be appropriate for him to attend the fund-raising event. Subsequently, Councilman Pucciarelli left his home to attend the event. Upon entering, he was questioned regarding the amount of his financial contribution. Councilman Pucciarelli explained that he was attending in his official capacity and was not making any contributions. After staying for twenty minutes, he returned home to his guests. He felt that the intentions of all five Councilmembers were merely a thank you for attending an event in the Village.
After some comments and protests from Mr. Voigt, Mr. Rogers explained when a sitting Governor attends a function in the municipality, the elected officials should attend out of respect, even if they don’t ally themselves with the political party associated with the Governor. Mr. Rogers said that he did not attend the function, however, to his knowledge Councilmembers did not pay to attend. Mr. Rogers said that he contacted the Zoning Board attorney who agreed that there was not a conflict of interest for the Councilmembers to attend this event for Governor Christie.
Mr. Rogers referred to Mr. Voigt’s comments that two members of the Council have served on the Library Board of Trustees, as well as Mr. Saraceno, who is one of the developers involved in this issue. Mr. Rogers pointed out that the Library Board of Trustees is a voluntary position and there are no financial benefits bestowed on any members of this Board.
There were no further comments from the public at this time, and Mayor Aronsohn closed the time for public comment.
7. PUBLIC HEARING – VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD’S 2015 BERGEN COUNT OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND MUNICIPAL PARK IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT GRANT APPLICATION – SCHEDLER PARK PROPERTY – PHASE 1
A. INTRODUCTION – ROBERT SONENFELD, VILLAGE MANAGER
Ms. Sonenfeld explained that holding a current hearing relative to the grant application that has been submitted to Bergen County on the Schedler Park Property is a requirement of the grant process. The Village officials decided to include a discussion of the conceptual plan which was presented last week by Village Professionals. Ms. Sonenfeld explained that many times a grant request is filed, followed by a resolution after the fact. She has learned that Bergen County has received more grant requests than it can accommodate financially and the County has asked if the Village would consider amending the grant request. Therefore, the grant request that is being considered this evening has been reduced from a $100,000 matching grant, to a $75,000 matching grant. Ms. Sonenfeld added that the Village will not know whether they have been successful in receiving this grant for several months.
Ms. Sonenfeld reported that Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association (RBA) is donating $150,000 toward the project. This donation will be put into a trust account exclusively dedicated to Schedler Park. Ms. Sonenfeld described the qualifications of staff members who would present information this evening.
B. GRANT DETAILS – TIMOTHY CRONIN, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATOIN
Ms. Sonenfeld introduced Timothy Cronin, Director of Parks and Recreation, who stated that the staff has re-evaluated the application as required. Initially, there were six items contained in the grant application and this has now been reduced to four or five. This is a fifty/fifty matching grant for a total of $150,000 with the money being used to eliminate debris from the property, including dead and diseased storm-toppled trees. There is a small garden shed and a two car garage that are recommended for demolition as well.
C. SUMMARY OF CURRENT CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FOR SCHEDLER PARK PROPERTY – CHRISTOPHER RUTISHAUSER, VILLAGE ENGINEER
Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, summarized and reviewed the project development for the Schedler site. He stated that a multi-purpose field is proposed for football, lacrosse and soccer as well as a ninety-foot baseball diamond. A green berm is included to help with sound attenuation. He discussed the issue of sound walls with the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), since the property is located next to Route 17. The NJDOT indicated that they have no objections to the Village constructing sound walls; however; they are not in a position to fund this project. Mr. Rutishauser has supplied the NJDOT with a copy of the concept plan and is awaiting their comments. The plan includes on-site parking, a playground, concession stands and restrooms. The Schedler house is not impacted by the recreational fields and can be saved if desired. There is the opportunity for an additional baseball field if the house is removed.
Mr. Rutishauser stated that his predecessor, Jeffrey Hartke, had drawn plans relative to the property in 1997. This has been a long process, involving Village professionals and staff, to develop a concept for a park at this location. He displayed some earlier designs showing entrance and exiting traffic from Route 17. The current proposal calls for all traffic to enter and exit from West Saddle River Road, which Bergen County has confirmed to be a Village road.
D. TRAFFIC UPDATE – SGT. JOHN CHUCK, RIDGEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT
Sgt. John Chuck, Ridgewood Police Department, said that he was asked to revisit the traffic situation while school was in session. The study time began on October 8th and ended on October 13th. The average speed during that time was 29 mph and the volume for this five day time period was 4,776 cars. The peak volume occurred on October 8th when 107 cars were noted during one hour. Sgt. Chuck commented that the roadway in this area is especially safe and traffic studies will continue.
E. CHARLES DIMARCO, CO-CHAIR OF CITIZENS SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CSAC)
Charles DiMarco, Co-Chair of Citizens Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC), described his credentials and said that he has been a member of CSAC since its inception fifteen years ago. Mr. DiMarco stated that he had commented on access and the site at the last meeting. He noted that the findings relative to the traffic counts are consistent. The access from West Saddle River Road appears safe and adequate. The street is not particularly busy and serves the local area. Mr. DiMarco concluded that the ingress and egress access areas to the park are safe and he anticipates no problems.
Ms. Sonenfeld recalled that a previous design called for a traffic circle on West Saddle River Road. Professionals met to consider the traffic circle and decided to remove it and replace it with a dedicated left turn into the parking lot. She stated that this is a plan that continues to evolve. Mayor Aronsohn agreed with the Village Manager and stated that although tonight’s meeting is principally about the grant application, there is an opportunity to raise and direct questions to the Village professionals.
Councilwoman Knudsen asked if the Schedler Park Development Plan had been considered by the CSAC. Councilman Sedon stated that it is on the CSAC agenda for discussion tomorrow. Mr. DiMarco said that the committee members are familiar with both plans.
F. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Ralph Currey, 260 Woodside Avenue, Chairman of the Ridgewood Open Space Committee, reviewed a history of the efforts to preserve the Schedler property and the discussions that led to the recent resolution and endorsement of the recommendations made by the Open Space Committee. Mr. Currey stated that the Open Space Committee began its work in January 2002, and submitted its first plan for the Village in January 2003. The plan highlighted the Schedler property as having a potential for development and was therefore a priority for active recreation. Before that, the property had been identified by Ridgewood sports groups as having potential playing fields including two baseball fields and a multi-purpose field. Mr. Currey made a presentation to the Village Council on October 1, 2008, on behalf of the Open Space Committee, urging preservation of the Schedler property and a revised conceptual plan was presented. The plan consisted of a ninety-foot baseball diamond, an overlay multi-purpose field, an ADA compliant walking path, and a wooded passive recreation area. The previous plan calling for two baseball fields was rejected by the Open Space Committee because the committee felt the new plan struck the best balance between the needs for active and passive recreation and was more compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. At this time, former Councilman Mancuso convened a Schedler Committee consisting of interested citizens who met during the fall of 2008, to discuss preservation and recreational development. Mr. Currey presented the committee’s findings at the October 22, 2008 meeting. The Schedler Committee’s recommendations were to purchase the Schedler property for both open space as well as a baseball diamond, along with other uses mentioned above. Schedler Committee members assured the Open Space Committee that this plan was supported by the neighborhood. Mr. Currey presented the same conceptual plan to the Bergen County Open Space Committee Trust Fund Advisory Committee in September 2009.
Mr. Currey said that in April and May 2012, the Open Space Committee conducted three public meetings to get input from Village residents concerning a development plan for the Schedler property and engage interest in fund-raising to implement the final plan. In October 2012, the Open Space Committee submitted its recommendations to the Village Council for development of the Schedler property. The Open Space Committee recommended a development plan that closely resembled the 2008 preliminary conceptual plan. Mr. Currey remarked that the Village does not need a smaller field despite the desires of some neighborhood residents; however, it needs a second ninety-foot baseball field and a multi-purpose field. Mr. Currey stated that several adjustments were made to the plan to address concerns, including the construction of a berm to help protect users of the park and to provide a visual buffer. In August 2015, the Village Council voted to endorse the Open Space Committee’s recommendation for the development of the Schedler property.
Mr. Currey stated that this history demonstrates that the Schedler neighborhood and the Village have had a full and fair opportunity to discuss and debate the development plan for the Schedler property. It is now time to move forward.
Councilwoman Knudsen asked Mr. Currey to provide her with a list of “the neighbors” who supported the conceptual plan of the Schedler Committee, the minutes of the meetings, and how they were authorized to speak on behalf of other taxpaying residents of the Village of Ridgewood.
Mr. Currey replied that no minutes of these meetings were kept. He said he could provide the email list used by former Councilman Mancuso. Mr. Currey said he made a public statement in October 2008, and no one from the neighborhood told him that he wasn’t authorized to make certain statements on their behalf. Councilwoman Knudsen repeated her request and asked Mr. Currey to supply her with any information he might have.
Kathy Marshall, 136 Linden Street, said she has served on the Parks and Recreation Committee and was the Parks and Recreation representative to the Open Space Committee at the time of the Schedler property purchase. Ms. Marshall stated that at that time, both groups worked very hard to encourage the purchase of the property by the Village. Most residents surrounding the Schedler property supported the plan rather than having the property sold to a developer for multi-family use. The recommendation by the Open Space Committee was in accordance the Village’s Open Space plan and the referendum that had been voted on previously by Village residents. The plan states that the purpose of open space is to continue to expand active and passive recreational space in the Village through the improvement of park spaces. When the various groups were lobbying for the purchase of this property, a preliminary development plan was referenced which contained passive and active recreation spaces and resembled the plan that exists today. When the Schedler property was purchased, several meetings were held to give residents an opportunity to voice their opinions on development of the property. Since then, any plans for development of the Schedler property have stalled, while participation in youth sports has increased. Ms. Marshall encouraged the Village Council to begin the process of developing the Schedler property into usable recreational space.
Patricia Infantino, 6 Betty Court, asked the Village Council to consider a complete site change for the Schedler property. She previously stated in meetings in 2008, 2012 and now 2015 that the proposal for a ninety-foot baseball field is not a viable plan and neither she nor the people of the northeast corridor want the ninety-foot baseball field. There is usually a wall adjacent to recreational areas in close proximity to dense traffic areas. No wall exists in these plans. She noted that a six-foot berm is an accident waiting to happen, because a child could sled down the berm into traffic. Ms. Infantino asked about the number and height of trees to be planted on the berm, how the trees would be watered, and she wondered who would pay for this. She warned against going forward without thoroughly thinking this plan through. She said that she would love to have recreational fields nearby, but the area has to be safe and not next to a busy highway.
Ms. Infantino said that her voice was never heard and now the Village wants to proceed with the backing of the RBSA. She stated that there is an overlapping membership relative to members of the sports council and local government. Residents in the northeast corridor have to hire people to conduct tests on air quality and noise levels before any site plan is developed and Ms. Infantino asked that an independent traffic engineer be hired. Ms. Infantino said that there hasn’t been the opportunity for public input since April or May of 2012, and much has been done behind their backs which erodes the public trust. She objected to the Sports Council who had access to the site development while the local community has remained in the dark.
Councilwoman Knudsen asked Mr. Rutishauser for clarification of the berm versus the wall. Mr. Rutishauser stated again that during conversations with the NJDOT regarding sound barriers, the DOT said they couldn’t fund construction of a berm within the next 20 to 25 years. The Village could go forward and construct barriers. He sent the NJDOT an email with a copy of the plan for the Schedler property, asking for recommendations. He added that the sound barrier gives more horizontal air to work with on the site. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that the Village is still considering whether or not to construct a 17 foot berm.
Mayor Aronsohn asked Mr. Cronin to compare Habernickel Farm to the Schedler property. Mr. Cronin said that the design team for Habernickel was in-house consisting of the Village Engineer, himself, the Deputy Director of Parks and Recreation and members of the police force. Work on the dam design was contracted out. The use of Village employees saved the Village approximately $200,000 in the area of design work and construction management, which was directed towards other aspects of the property. Additionally, the bid documents were prepared in-house.
Sgt. Chuck noted that the police feel that a berm is safer than a wall because cars can crash though sound walls. The NJDOT will provide a guard rail which will be followed by a berm and another guard rail through the berm on the highway side, followed by trees. It would be very difficult for a car to get through all of these obstacles.
Jacqueline Hone, 30 Carriage Lane, said that two months ago, Councilman Pucciarelli said that the use of the Schedler property must be as inactive of a use as possible. He went on to say that passive elements must be preserved and the present plan takes trees down unnecessarily. The plan could be tweaked and he would never support lights on the field. The peace and quiet of the neighborhood must be respected and the plan needs to be greatly reformed, keeping in mind the needs of the neighborhood. Ms. Hone quoted from Mayor Aronsohn who indicated that the Schedler neighborhood group had a year to come up with a plan and a sustainable proposal to meet the needs of the residents of Ridgewood. The Mayor asked for alternatives; however, Ms. Hone said that this is the only plan that was presented. She asked Mayor Aronsohn and Councilman Pucciarelli what had happened to change their opinions because the plan today is the exact opposite of what they told residents. Proceeding with this plan would result in irreversible damage to public health, safety, general welfare, public land and historic vegetation preservation. Ms. Hone stated that the Village Council must thoroughly conduct and obtain studies relative to the impact of this plan on the quality of life of the residents. In addition, a study is needed on the impact of this plan on property values and how this park will impact the Village and taxpayers.
Ms. Hone said that tonight the Council will vote on whether or not to proceed with Phase One of the development of the Schedler property. Given the amount of changes and inconsistencies in the plan, it appears that the Village Council is acting prematurely. She questioned why space is being cleared for something that is not tangible. This appears to be a reckless waste of taxpayer money at both the County and local level.
Ms. Hone described a series of incomplete applications submitted with false and misleading information without public notification or municipal endorsement which is why there is a vote tonight on something that happened over a month ago.
Mr. Rutishauser explained that the plan calls for the removal of horizontal, blown down trees, dead trees and their stumps on the property. There is a maple tree on the left side of the structure which has split in half and there are branches of the hickory trees on the southwest corner of the house. This debris poses a safety hazard and needs to be removed.
Paul D’Arpa, 574 Racetrack Road, commented that it would be cheaper to fence the property and erect a no trespassing sign. Mr. D’Arpa asked why the Village was rushing to implement Phase One of the project if they are not sure of future funding from the County. He spoke concerning a property where several hundred trees were removed from the north of the Schedler property and south of Racetrack Road. The side of his house faces this property as well as Route 17. Mr. D’Arpa said there has been a huge increase in the level of sound due to the lack of buffer.
Mr. D’Arpa asked if the Village would guarantee to plant trees to bring the sound level back to what it was if it is determined that the sound level has been altered. He asked if changing the roadway to add a third lane reduces the number of parking spaces; and if the latest traffic study on speed included Kingsbridge Road, as well as the speed on West Saddle River Road. He said that although there would be no lights on the fields he wondered if generators would be used instead. He also wanted to know if there have there been studies to determine how many parking spaces are needed for those participating in and attending the various sporting events that occur at the same time and how effective the proposed trees will be at attenuating sound within homes in the area.
Mr. Rutishauser stated that the road is twenty-four feet from face of curb to face of curb with a fifty foot right of way. The plan shows room for the horizontal pavement needed for a dedicated left turn lane. Seventy-four parking spaces were calculated and Mr. Cronin commented that there are more spectators at a game where younger children are playing. Sgt. Chuck said that the speed study spent two and a half days in front of Kingsbridge Road followed by two and a half days behind Kingsbridge Road and there is no variation. Mr. Cronin stated that there is no decrease in parking spaces if part of the easement is used for the turning lane. Regarding lights, he said that there are no plans for permanent lights or lights by means of generators and any discussion of lights in the future would come before the Village Council.
Mr. Rutishauser stated that motor noise is exempt under the New Jersey State Noise Code but the Village will make every effort to attenuate the sound. He pointed out that there are many other factors along the highway contributing to sound including construction on the other side of the highway and building materials that are used. He will present the response from the DOT, relative to sound barriers, to the Village Council when it is received. Mayor Aronsohn reiterated that they will do everything they can to meet the base line sound level that was discussed at a previous meeting. Mr. Rutishauser said that additional sound readings will be taken at locations recommended by the Village Manager. Ms. Sonenfeld stated that she had recommended studies be taken near Mr. D’Arpa’s property where there are no trees and in other areas where there are no trees between Route 17 and Saddle River Road.
Mr. D’Arpa referred to safety and spoke specifically about how the different types of cleats used in the different sports would impact the condition of the field. Mr. Cronin said that in several parks in the Village, such as Citizens Park, different sports are rotated and he is not aware of any resulting injuries.
Councilwoman Knudsen asked Mr. D’Arpa if he had noticed an increase in soot and other particulates since the trees were removed. Mr. D’Arpa said that his porch is 250 feet from Route 17 and he regularly cleans soot from the chairs on his porch. Councilwoman Knudsen asked Mr. Rutishauser for confirmation that no lights would be used on the Schedler property as was noted on the original application. Mr. Rutishauser agreed that it is noted on the application that no sport lighting or portable lighting would be involved; however; shoebox lighting is shown in the parking lot.
Councilwoman Knudsen questioned Mr. Cronin relative to the number of spectators who would turn out to watch a Ridgewood Maroons Soccer game. She noted that this is a club team that draws players from all over Bergen County. Mr. Cronin stated that there are seventy-four parking spaces in the parking lot. The Maroons players are older and from his experience older players do not draw large amounts of spectators. He stated that seventy-four spaces would be adequate for a ninety-foot field which is used primarily by older children.
Isabella Altano, 656 Kingsbridge Lane, said she is a thirty-one year Village resident who has met with Village officials on many occasions. She stated that a smaller field on the property would allow for the preservation of many trees and maintain the buffer. She noted that the proposal for a ninety-foot field was made by previous administrations and she asked the Village Council to correct this determination to address different demands in 2015. She realizes that certain groups are demanding an adequate field, but the proof for a ninety-foot field has not been provided. She said that parking will spill over into neighborhood streets, when tournaments take place on the field, which will impact the neighborhood. Ms. Altano noted that this is a very unique site in the Village and the past decisions pertaining to this site were not the right decisions. She asked the Village Council to revisit decisions made regarding this property and to look at other options for a ninety-foot field.
Ms. Altano stated that she worked on the Schedler Property Phase One application which included the Schedler house. They were successful in obtaining matching funds, as requested, but learned that the Village didn’t have the money that was needed. They appealed to the public for donations but were told that a resolution would be needed because the Village owns the house. Village funds could not be used to assist with the application and the Village would not sign off on the application because the resolution was required first. A presentation was made to the Council on August 5th, and on August 12th, the resolution to go forward was defeated; however, the Open Space Committee report was approved. They were not told about the grant application for the field and she felt that the resolution relative to the house should have been passed at the same time.
Ms. Altano confirmed to Mayor Aronsohn that she would be in favor of a sixty-foot field. Mayor Aronsohn commented that there would be a similar traffic concern voiced regarding a sixty-foot field as there would be for a ninety-foot field. Ms. Altano said that a ninety-foot field will be used by older children, meaning that there will be traffic from a wider area. The concession stand and bathrooms will attract a larger group as well. Mayor Aronsohn pointed out that there have been no decisions made on whether the site would contain a concession stand and bathrooms. He added that no decision has been made regarding the house, but they are willing to consider keeping the house.
Ms. Sonenfeld explained that if a private group is making a grant application, it must be a 501(C) 3 organization but this is not necessary for a grant made by the Village. The County stated that the group applying for a grant for the house, needed a lease on the house if the grant were to be considered and discussions on leasing the house took place. Councilman Pucciarelli questioned the utility to the community of this house, which contains a narrow staircase and multiple small rooms. Ms. Altano said that there are many farm houses that have been preserved and it is important to preserve this Dutch framed house. Mayor Aronsohn agreed that structures should be preserved, but they also want the structure to serve the community and the neighborhood. Councilman Pucciarelli agreed that using the house as a community center could alleviate the need for another structure, resulting in more passive use of the park.
Dan Fusco, 329 Queens Court, said he cannot support the idea of building a major league baseball field for the youth of Ridgewood. As Councilwoman Knudsen pointed out previously, the source of funding requires that the field be open and accessible to everyone from the State and the County. West Saddle River Road is the primary access to the park and will block access to the neighborhood for emergency vehicles that could prove to be the difference between life and death. A more responsible way to approach this project would be to have access to the park from Route 17. This proposal would require an extensive study by the State. At this point, all that is known is how many cars travel on West Saddle River Road on a summer day, during a given week in June and August, which will be irrelevant once the park is complete. Mr. Fusco noted that no consideration was given to pedestrian traffic or where spectators will park when the parking lot is full. Increased traffic will be a constant source of irritation for the residents. Regarding noises, all studies have been done with the trees still in place which is useless. Mr. Fusco knows that people from the neighborhood are aware of the noise from Route 17 since they live there and he noted that sound barriers were erected by the state to mitigate the sound. He knows how ineffective these barriers are, since there is a barrier in his backyard. He is not happy about the removal of existing trees, combined with additional traffic, and crowds of screaming fans and players. The amount of litter on Saddle River Road will increase, along with crime and vandalism. Mr. Fusco asked if property values would decrease since there aren’t many people who want to live next door to a major league ballfield. He questioned whether current property assessments will be valid or justified and he predicted that mass tax appeals will ensue.
Mr. Fusco noted the historical value of the Schedler house which has been overshadowed by the baseball field. He supports responsible development of the Schedler property in accordance with its historic significance, while respecting the residents in the area.
Kari Sharry, 412 George Street, said that she served on the Parks and Recreation Board and was the liaison to the Open Space Committee during 2011, 2012 and 2013. She voiced support for the proposed plan as presented.
David Edelberg, 635 Kenwood Road, said that he wants everyone involved to work together in a transparent manner to develop the best park possible. He urged the Council to refrain from the need to make driveway cuts, remove trees or install utility stubs without a final plan. A plan was only put on the Village website today which could be improved and contain more details. He asked for the name of the individual who prepared the plan which, at one time, included a rotary. There seems to be no reason as to why that rotary was removed. There are no indications as to whether a sixty-foot field would have less of an impact on the neighborhood because there is no professional on staff who designs parks or who conducts traffic, noise, and/or safety studies for a living. Mr. Edelberg asked who planned the park and what their qualifications are. If several million dollars are going to be spent, this must be done the right way. Although he respects Sgt. Chuck’s experience, Route 17 is a major highway, requiring traffic studies by a professional. Mr. Edelberg noted that West Saddle River Road is a narrow street, with limited sidewalks and poor lighting, and will not withstand an onslaught of traffic. A determination of the number of parking spaces should not be based on observations.
Mr. Edelberg stated that noise affects everyone and the spectator stands are located against the highway. He asked if measurements have been taken relative to what people in the stands will hear. He wondered whether the players will be able to hear the coaches and if they will be able to communicate on the field. A noise expert is needed to address the impact on the neighborhood, players, parents and people on the playground. There is no report on the Village website from Charles DiMarco detailing his findings or the basis of his findings.
Mr. Edelberg said that it may be necessary to remove several trees around the Schedler house for safety purposes. He stated that there are no existing trails and no one walks through the area. He asked for specific details on why and how many trees would be removed. Mr. Edelberg requested that an expert arborist be hired to ensure that tree removal is correctly assessed.
Ms. Sonenfeld addressed comments made by Mr. Edelberg stating that the issue on the driveway and the stubs is no longer contained in this grant application.
Adlo Infantino, 6 Betty Court, said that he is a cardiologist at Valley Hospital and has coached Maroons Soccer for 17 years. He stated that there are four important facts for consideration by the Village Council. This is the last open space in the Village and the existing trees absorb pollutants and give back oxygen in return. It is essential to preserve as many trees as possible and even add more trees. Playing fields are very poor environmental structures which facilitate flooding and they do not absorb carbon dioxide. The number of senior citizens in the United States has risen to 13% and is expected to grow to 20.9% in 2050, and having wooded areas is essential for the health and well-being of senior citizens. The creation of this park area to include sport fields would cost millions of dollars and Dr. Infantino urged the Council to recall Theodore Roosevelt’s decision to set aside millions of acres of parks to be enjoyed by all members of the public. While he understands the needs for fields, since he was a Coach himself, he said that the Village Council must understand that having a park area in a pristine environment for everyone to enjoy should be a priority. He urged the Council to consider the facts that he has presented when making their decision.
Richard Brooks, 777 East Ridgewood Avenue, said that he is Chairman of the Parks, Recreation and Conservation (PRC) Board which is an advisory group comprised of volunteers, professional staff from the Parks and Recreation Department, as well as standing representatives from the Board of Education and the Village Council. The job of the Board is to provide support for the activities of the Parks and Recreation Department and they are strong advocates for properties and programs that benefit as many Ridgewood residents as possible. Mr. Brooks stated that the PRC Board is very familiar with all aspects of the Schedler property. He recalled that in December 2013, Ms. Altano, of Project RED presented the concerns of her neighborhood to the PRC Board, regarding the development of the Schedler property. The last formal action taken by the PRC Board had been a letter to the Village Council in October 2012, which stated that the development of the property for active and passive recreational purposes would satisfy the need for additional multipurpose playing fields in the Village, while providing pleasing parklands for all of the citizens. This balanced approach was consistent with the recommendation for Schedler as noted by the PRC Board in November 2010. There were shared concerns for the safety of citizens who would utilize the Schedler property and the Village Engineer become involved during the early stages to offer suggestions that would minimize the safety risk associated with the property’s proximity to Route 17. The PRC Board supported the recommendation to involve experts to determine the next steps for the Schedler house, as well as a full assessment of trees on the property. This is the same recommendation that was made by the PRC Board both in December 2007 and in December 2010. Mr. Brooks maintained that the PRC Board’s support for the Schedler property has not waivered because the benefits include additional playing field space and a safe passive recreational area for all citizens of the Village. This will enhance Ridgewood’s reputation for having some of the best parklands in northern New Jersey.
Ilene Harrison, 32 Chelsea Place, lives in the area and stated her biggest concern is quality of life and property values. She has learned that realtors are not getting the prices they used to, for homes in this area, and the turnover is slow. She was concerned about the number of parking spaces which she thought was inadequate if there are two parents and two cars for each child playing on the fields. This will result in spillover traffic parking on West Saddle River Road and the side streets. Ms. Harrison asked if there would be a dedicated person who would manage the concession stand and remove the litter at the park. Because the area is so close to Route 17, there will be the potential for strangers sleeping in the restrooms. There will be more children accessing this side of Route 17 across the pedestrian bridge; however, walking along Route 17 is not safe. She wanted to know if there are guarantees that West Saddle River Road will not become a parking lot.
Mayor Aronsohn said again that there has been no final decision on a concession stand on the property and that Ms. Harrison has raised some interesting points. Mr. Cronin stated that there is a proven formula used to determine the correct amount of parking spaces that are needed. The maintenance of the bathrooms and litter clean up would fall to the Parks Department and the janitorial staff. Mr. Rutishauser explained that there are fifteen people on a soccer team which equates to thirty spaces needed if the ratio is one car per player, as anticipated. Additional spaces are needed for referees as well as accommodations for people who may want to use the playground area. If unscheduled time is available, it must be open to residents of the State of New Jersey.
Mr. Rutishauser said that there is a sidewalk extension on the northwest corner of the property and they may want to speak to DOT about adding a sidewalk leading to the bus stop. Sgt. Chuck said he isn’t concerned, because people currently use the sidewalk to get to the bus stop. Ms. Harrison said that she is referring to children who are busy playing and not thinking. He referred to Ms. Harrison’s concern about vagrants using the park and said that they would install electronic locks on the bathrooms, which can be operated remotely.
Charlie Nowinski, 2 Betty Court, said that there have been a tremendous amount of robberies in the neighborhood which he attributes to the quick and easy access to Route 17. The new park will attract even more. He was concerned about problems with rats and other vermin that a concession stand could attract. There are no concessions stands or bathrooms at Hawes or Citizens Park. Mr. Nowinski stated that he doesn’t want the neighborhood destroyed but rather enhanced. This conceptual design contains no narrative or symbols. There are lights on the pathway and there must be lights in the parking lot according to code, which will probably be shut off an hour after the game.
Mr. Nowinski sent the plan to an acquaintance who is a consulting engineer who told him that the berm won’t provide much relief from the sound. He circulated an email to residents in his neighborhood asking for donations and within 24 hours he raised enough money to pay for an acoustical consultant. The consultant will make a recommendation on noise mitigation that will be distributed to Village officials.
Nick Whitney, 665 Kingsbridge Lane, said that he is against the park and he is having difficulty understanding the process. He asked why they were going forward to clear trees, and remove buildings, without a cost analysis or time frame being presented, especially if there has been indication that the Village will be successful in obtaining a grant from the County to preserve the house. Mr. Whitney will have a direct view of Route 17 if trees are removed from the property and this will destroy the value of his home. He noted that two of his children have asthma which will be aggravated with the removal of trees.
Mr. Whitney stated that Kingsbridge Lane is a dead end street which is dangerous because many drivers think that it is a “U” turn to Route 17 south. This fact needs to be taken into consideration when discussing a potential ballpark.
Mike Zuckerman, 550 Bennington Terrace, thanked the Village for purchasing the property which will beautify and benefit the town. He pointed out that Habernickel Park only has about 35 parking spaces and he suggested that West Saddle River Road and the streets running off of it be designated as “permit parking only”. There will be a net measuring sixty feet high by thirty 30 feet long on the Route 17 side of the park and he asked what protection there would be from balls going onto West Saddle River Road. Mr. Zuckerman questioned whether there would be a tax increase required to fund this field.
Mr. Rutishauser said that a good portion of West Saddle River Road is now a no parking zone and the rest of the area could be designated as “no stopping, standing or parking” similar to the area adjacent to Stevens Field. Mr. Cronin said that they will investigate buffers that could be used along West Saddle River Road. Ms. Sonenfeld said that no taxpayer dollars will be spent on the field and they intend to stay within the limits of the grant money and the donation from RBSA. She said that it will take years to finish the park and she remarked that Habernickel Park is still not complete. Mr. Rutishauser added that Habernickel Park has also been funded using grants from both Bergen County Open Space, and the Department of Environmental Protection which was used to improve the dam.
A resident of the Schedler neighborhood said that his main concern is noise pollution because his street faces the field. Trees are not enough to reduce the noise which ends up in his living room and a high wall is absolutely necessary. He hoped that a least one line of existing trees on West Saddle River Road would be kept to block the view and he repeated that a tall wall is needed.
Mr. Rutishauser said that new trees are proposed along West Saddle River Road from the area of the playground northward. A number of existing trees have been trimmed by Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) and the Village arborist sees evidence of disease and decay which is why tree replacement is recommended. In the passive recreation area, in-fill trees are shown (marked in dark green on the plan) which means that trees will be planted as necessary to maintain a healthy cover. Mr. Cronin reiterated that there will be a survey of all trees by an arborist to determine diseased and dead trees to be removed which will be followed by a tree survey. The resident asked the Village Council to think seriously about both tree removal and a high wall which he feels is most necessary.
The resident said that he is a doctor and he is very concerned about the effects of noise on children who will be exposed to premature hearing loss. The parents and other spectators may not want to watch their children playing in such a noisy place.
Councilwoman Hauck asked for clarification regarding the wall along Route 17. She questioned whether or not the Village could pay for a wall. Mr. Rutishauser reiterated that the DOT could not fund a wall but had no objection to the Village paying for the installation of a wall. Mr. Rutishauser said that a wall costs approximately a million dollars a mile which would translate into $200,000 to $300,000 depending on the material and angle of the wall.
Scott Muller, 118 John Street, Executive Vice President of RBSA said that this is a tough issue and he thanked all sides involved for the time and effort they have put into this issue. He stated that the RSBA supports the grant application and feels that this is the reason for the purchase of the property. He also commended Mr. Cronin, Mr. Rutishauser, the Ridgewood Police and the Ridgewood Open Space Committee for their input. He pointed out that this purchase is not only for the benefit of RBSA, but they have come forward to kick start the project.
Joseph Civita, 636 Kenwood Road, stated that his major concerns are traffic and safety. The planned parking lot will result in a large number of cars exiting in a short period of time. The traffic studies have projected what will happen when the seventy-four spots fill during a 15 minute time period. Mr. Civita described the exiting process from Route 17 to West Saddle River Road. He said that a driver has to slow down to the exit speed which is almost impossible. The driver is then confronted with a blind curve, followed by a turn into the parking lot. There are cars coming from the other direction that are accelerating because their destination is Route 17. There are also people exiting the parking lot travelling in either direction. Mr. Civita stated that this is a disaster waiting to happen in a ten to fifteen minute window and the absence of a professional traffic study puts everyone in a precarious situation. A drop-off and pick-up area was discussed at the last meeting. This will only lead to more confusion as well as the potential for accidents. Mr. Civita stated that if the property was being considered for development by a private entity, the Village Council and Planning Board would insist on a professional traffic study and it would then be the job of the Village professionals to check the accuracy of the professional’s report. Mr. Civita observed that the entrance and exit to the park is via a Village street, which avoids involvement by the State or County. This is unfair and the Village is avoiding its due diligence. A traffic engineer would study the queuing of cars into the parking lot.
Mr. Civita said that the sound readings done by the Village are inadequate. A study should be required by an acoustical engineer who would take into account conditions such as noise level when there are no leaves on the trees, and the fact that this has been a dry year and the drier leaves are less able to impact noise levels.
Mayor Aronsohn said that in the future, it may be a good idea to involve both a traffic and acoustical engineer who could work with Village professionals and provide input that would improve the proposal. He stated that this plan is in its initial stages and it would make sense to commission these studies. Mr. Civita agreed and said that development is normal, but he wants to ensure it is being done correctly.
Mr. DiMarco spoke about access to Route 17 which would require a highway access permit. This type of access to the park from Route 17 would be extremely hazardous and the entrance to West Saddle River Road northbound would have to be closed. The result of that plan would be traffic piling up at Racetrack Road.
Allen Dlugasch, 3 Betty Court, said he has previously discussed his views on the Schedler property. He would be willing to accept an alternate plan for a sixty-foot field, which would avoid the need to remove five acres of trees. The expected increase of traffic on West Saddle River Road which is quite narrow, as well as the increase in crime, safety and health issues is not acceptable. Mr. Dlugasch stated that a sixty-foot field would be adequate and would provide a well-designed park for the remaining residents of Ridgewood to enjoy.
Mr. Dlugasch pointed out that this issue will only directly impact the daily life of the residents on the east side of Ridgewood. He recalled the previous arguments of several people who support the proposal but state that they would probably oppose the ninety-foot field if they lived in this area of the Village. These comments say a lot about what the size of the field should be and there are residents of this part of the Village who will put their houses up for sale if the project goes through on this scale. Mr. Dlugasch asked for the same consideration the Village Council has often shown for residents on the west side of the Village such as concerns for the quality of life with respect to the expansion of the Valley Hospital and the professional planning that went into Habernickel Park. There is a feeling that the east side is not treated with the same protections and concerns by the Village Council as those of other neighborhoods in the Village. Mr. Dlugasch implored Councilmembers to vote as if the proposed park with a ninety-foot baseball field were adjacent to their homes. He concluded that the residents of the east side want to enjoy the area known as Schedler Park and not Schedler Field.
Clair Kerner, 636 Terhune Road, stated that she was on the advisory group referred to earlier with former Councilman Mancuso and Mr. Currey. There was a consensus among group members that responsible development was inevitable; however, at no point was there discussion of a ninety-foot baseball field. She did not think there was any agreement or endorsement on the part of the group as previously described by Mr. Currey. Ms. Kerner supports a responsible plan for development of the Schedler property; however, that would not include a ninety-foot baseball field because it is not right for the property. Ms. Kerner’s main concerns are the visibility and sound obstruction. At the moment, she cannot see the highway from her property and the property provides some relief from the sound of the highway; however, the idea of replacing beautiful trees that line West Saddle River Road makes no sense. She suggested responsible development which would include the preservation of trees on the perimeter, along with a high wall.
Mayor Aronsohn stated that in 2008, when the Schedler property first became available, he did not think purchasing the property was a good idea. After much discussion, the Council realized that in order to avoid the purchase of the property for commercial development or high density housing, the Village had to buy the property. He recalled that the Village Council wanted the area to be used for active and passive recreation and wasn’t sure if a ninety-foot baseball field was discussed at that time.
Tatiana Whalen, 218 Paramus Road, said that this issue has been on-going since 1997. She is eighteen years old and could have been playing softball at the park. She pointed out that a ninety-foot baseball field had been lost at Benjamin Franklin Middle School when the track was built. She said that carpooling is an option for transportation to and from various sporting events and, from her experience, is done quite often. The proposed field at the Schedler property is only able to support one sporting event at a time and there is time built in between games to allow for the ebb and flow of traffic. The ninety-foot baseball field can only be used by older children who can drive themselves and these games are not attended by large numbers of parents as stated previously.
Michele Italia, 3 Betty Court, referred to a letter to the editor by Mr. Currey which stated that although the members of the Schedler Committee believe that the primary objective is preservation of the property for open space, they have also discussed details of a conceptual plan for the improvement of the property to include a baseball diamond; an overlay multi-purpose field with an ADA compliant trail; a parking lot; and a source of funding for these improvements. Ms. Italia said there was never a Schedler Committee that represented all the people in the neighborhood but there were people who attended the meeting because they were concerned about the property. Residents in the neighborhood were happy that the Village bought the property and understood that a compromise needed to be reached and accepted that fact that a small field was the best way to address the issue. Ms. Italia said that Mr. Currey’s statements were incorrect and he did not share his plan for a ninety-foot field with the Schedler Committee. Ms. Italia wanted to know which individuals from the neighborhood spoke in support of the plan.
Ms. Italia referred to the Comprehensive Park, Facility and Recreation Plan which was done by the Village in 2008 or 2009. The Village paid $80,000 to commission the plan which identified other sites for recreational fields. She questioned why the Council did not consider a plan for fields at the Schedler property at that time. Ms. Italia asked whether or not the Council was aware of how much money it will cost to complete this project.
Ms. Italia referred to a recent television program in which the Mahwah Police identified the heroin corridor as being Route 17. Therefore, having a parking lot that is easily accessible from Route 17, used for the exchange of drugs, will put the community in jeopardy. Ms. Italia said that the safety and wellbeing of the residents should be the number one concern of the Village Council.
Jose Perez, 471 West Saddle River Road, said that he faces the property and he is very concerned about the noise and the lights at the proposed field. He is not convinced that there will be no lights on the field. His children play football and soccer in Ridgewood and he knows that players have to be at the field an hour ahead of the scheduled game time to warm up. This occurs while another game is being completed meaning that a lot of parking spaces will be occupied. Mr. Perez stated that seventy-four parking spaces will be inadequate and when games end and new ones begin, traffic will back up on Route 17. He wondered if there will be school buses bringing in players from other towns.
Nancy Friedman, 526 West Saddle River Road, stated that her concern is the noise and the view. Her research has demonstrated that most sound barriers do not work. She said that this process has been flawed from the start. There was a bias on the part of Mr. Currey, the Chairman of the Open Space Committee, who said that he and his wife were committed to fund-raising efforts for the improvements to the field. These improvements were to include the construction of benches and bleachers in the name of their son who had played baseball for Ridgewood for twelve years. Ms. Friedman said that Mr. Currey, in his capacity as Chairman of the Open Space Committee, should have been entertaining all possible uses for the property.
Ms. Friedman commented that this issue unnecessarily pits the east side neighborhood against the RBSA and the exact reason as to why this ninety-foot baseball field is necessary is not clear. The $80,000 report referred to previously called for the relocation of the ninety-foot ballfield at lower Hawes where there was an existing field that could be expanded. RBSA was given approval for another dedicated softball field at Somerville School and in the seven years since the report, RBSA has done nothing. RBSA has been able to raise significant amounts of money and should be using the money to renovate the existing fields to meet their needs.
Ms. Friedman said that the Village and neighborhood residents would have more protection if the property was sold to and developed by a private investor. Over the years, she has seen the Village Council object to and stop plans that would extend the Bergen County Bike Path behind resident’s homes; relocate the dog park to the Duck Pond due to concerns about noise from residents; approve a six figure landscaping job to conceal a water tower on Heights Road, among many others. While Ms. Friedman doesn’t object to these decisions, she feels that the same consideration for development in this neighborhood is not a Council priority. She urged the Council to stop any work on the property until it is clear exactly what will be developed and what the impact will be.
Leo Ruane, 705 Kingsbridge Lane, shares the concern of most of his neighbors regarding the development of the park. He is most concerned with the noise levels and would prefer a large sound barrier and not a six foot berm. He pointed out that during the past few winters, people have to walk on the roadway area of West Saddle River Road because of the large amounts of snow. He asked if there is a provision for the expansion of sidewalks on West Saddle River Road. Mr. Rutishauser said there are plans for sidewalks along West Saddle River Road as well as a sidewalk that will circumvent the entire park.
Angela Lehmans, said that she was representing 517 and 541 East Saddle River Road. She stated that she has been to numerous Council Meetings, Open Space Committee meetings, and was on the PRC Board for several years. The same points concerning noise and pollution are made meeting after meeting, year after year, while the plan continues to move forward. No one seems to want the proposed development except the RBSA and a handful of other people. She wondered if all of these meetings were merely for the purposes of placating everyone, while the governing body intends to vote in favor of the proposal, regardless of what is said. Ms. Lehmans stated that while Mayor Aronsohn says the proposal is in the early stages, the resolution has been accepted and she feels that it is just of matter of time before the proposal moves forward. Nothing makes sense to her and Ms. Lehmans questioned why they are all here again reliving the same scenario and wasting each other’s time. Ms. Lehmans stated that the real issue is hobby (playing baseball) versus quality of life and she asked everyone to keep in mind that the residents live in the area 24/7.
Councilwoman Hauck said that this item predates her four years on the Council but tonight’s hearing has raised many questions in her mind. The resolution that passed includes a ninety-foot diamond, but questions for reconsideration include: number of parking spaces, the concession stand, sidewalks, the berm, the visual and safety effects, smog levels, sound impacts and the hiring of outside experts.
Councilwoman Hauck agreed with Mayor Aronsohn that this is a work in progress and there will be changes as a result of this meeting.
Sally Brandes, 515 Stevens Avenue, was involved with a group of concerned residents when the schools were being reorganized. She said she feels for this community which seems to be a lost area of Ridgewood. The community needs to have this park and people must remember there are 1,200 children involved in sports in a community of 25,000 taxpayers. Ms. Brandes stated that anyone who voted in favor of the resolution that mentioned a ninety-foot ballfield has the power to make a motion to amend the resolution. She commented that traffic studies done in June and August show low traffic counts and do not reflect actual traffic counts. The roads in this area were designed for current traffic and did not include the addition of playing fields to the neighborhood. Ms. Brandi pointed out that the neighborhood was in favor of a plan for a park, but that statement may date back as far as 1997 and neighborhoods change in 20 years. Long term field maintenance has not been addressed nor the question of grass versus turf. Ms. Brandes asked what the difference is between an area of commercial use and this proposal for tree removal, parking lots and lighting which comprise this proposal.
Regarding the traffic issue, Sgt. Chuck stated that the lowest volume and average speed occurred during October, with the highest volume occurring between June 20th and June 26th.
Marcia Ringel, 250 Ferris Place, asked why these people are being so poorly treated. The plan is a waste of future money at the time when the Village is considering a parking garage and apartment houses. There is barely enough money for garbage collection and street paving and the Village is considering spending a great deal of money on something that would benefit only a few residents. During the forty years she has lived in Ridgewood, she has watched as a group of people involved in sports take over the entire town. Ms. Ringel asked if it matters that the people in this area are terrified of what could happen in their neighborhood. She said it is not too late to back away from making a huge mistake and she recommended the property be left alone.
Diane Palacios, 342 North Van Dien Avenue, said that much has been written in the press recently about saving trees and wildlife. This means that the preservation of these seven acres is important. Ms. Palacios stated that the experience of undeveloped nature is vital for the emotional growth of children and the health of senior citizens. Humans have a biological need for this type of passive recreation, which benefits the creative process. Ms. Palacios understands the benefits of competitive sports but she said that there can also be too much team sports which results in the epidemic of injuries for college students. Ms. Palacios recommended that the Schedler house become a colony and a place for children to do creative work and walk in the woods.
Claude Bienstock, a resident of Fair Lawn, said he has forty-two years of real estate experience and he is not representing any specific group this evening. He supports the idea of open space and preserving historic sites and he is not against development. The decision the Village Council makes on this property is very serious because a wrong decision will affect property values. Buyers will no longer look to buy homes in this area of Ridgewood and, as representatives of the people, the Village Council must do everything possible to protect property values. He urged Councilmembers to listen to the concerns of the residents and do the right thing for the home owners in this neighborhood. Cutting down trees in any area is detrimental and he would never advocate tree removal in this area of Route 17, where there is so much noise.
Doreen Regina, 540 Bennington Terrace, thanked the previous speaker. She said that people in this part of Ridgewood love the RBSA but they don’t want a ninety-foot field where it doesn’t belong. The Village Council has the opportunity to correct a wrong by going forward with a smaller field. There have been no reasons given as to the necessity of a ninety-foot field. There are two ninety-foot fields, one at Veterans Memorial Field, and the other at Somerville School and there is the potential for another ninety-foot field at Hawes School.
Ms. Regina referenced Mr. Currey’s report and said that numerous people have commented on its inaccuracies. She recalled that there was no discussion of a ninety-foot field during a meeting in 2012 that included former Councilman Mancuso, even though Mr. Currey says everyone was aware that the size of the field was discussed. Ms. Regina said that there must have been some miscommunication between Mr. Currey and the other attendees. She asked that the Village Council review the minutes of these meetings to see how many times the phrase “balanced approach” was used. Ms. Regina pointed out that there was a report that was issued in conjunction with the Recreation Committee and the RBSA but it did not involve input from anyone else.
Ms. Regina asked whether or not the RBSA had adequate funding in the bank to cover the donation to the Village. She questioned the stipulations surrounding the donation, and if there is a contract in effect between the Village and the RBSA. She asked if the RBSA will go forward with their donation if the plan for a ninety-foot field is rejected. Ms. Regina asked for transparency regarding the funding.
A resident of 635 Kenwood Road asked the Village Council to vote no on Phase One of this project.
James Albano, 363 Bogert Avenue, said that he has been involved in various aspects of the RBSA and is now president of the organization. He feels that people are trying to tarnish the name of this great organization. The RBSA exists for the benefit of all of the children and he thanked Tim Cronin, Chris Rutishauser and Richard Brooks for their efforts on behalf of the organization. Mr. Albano supports the grant and the development of Schedler Park. He stated that there is nothing going on behind the scenes and no one raised questions about behind the scenes behavior when the RBSA donated $13,000 to repair Citizens Park or when they donated $800,000 towards Maple Field. A ninety-foot field is needed at Schedler Park because a field of the same size was removed from Benjamin Franklin Middle School. He understands people’s concerns, but this matter has been on-going for four years and people should have attended the Open Space Committee meetings during that time to understand the background of what is happening now. Mr. Albano simply doesn’t understand why there is so much opposition to this proposal and why people are being so uncivil. If the grant is approved, it should be accepted in order to go forward with this park as proposed. Mr. Albano added that existing fields are overused and are repaired annually. The RBSA funds these repairs and the Village provides no financing at all.
Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said that the question concerning the source of the $150,000 remains unanswered. The people of the neighborhood in question have a right to know whether the $150,000 is coming from one donor, two donors, three donors or more particularly, if there is a large amount of money coming from one person. He also wants to know if this donor has any connection to the Parks and Recreation Department or anyone else who has a connection to this plan. Mr. Loving agreed with a previous speaker who stated that this is the time for total transparency and he believes that none of the Councilmembers are aware of the source of this money. Mr. Loving stated that it is imperative that this question be answered since it will affect these Village residents and their property values.
Mayor Aronsohn said that to his knowledge, the money is coming from the RBSA. An additional donation for the Schedler house, in the amount of $45,000, is coming from an anonymous donor. Councilwoman Knudsen said that the source of the donations is identified and is part of the resolution on the Schedler Zabriskie House grant application. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that to inquire about the source of donations is a fair question and every group must be held to this standard.
Ms. Sonenfeld spoke regarding the RBSA donation and said it was processed through the donation/gift resolution. The RBSA filled out the gift form, indicated that they didn’t have any business in front of any Board and had to appear before the Village Council because the amount of the donation exceeded $5,000. Mayor Aronsohn said that there was a second stipulation referring to the requirement for the source of funding and the expenses pertaining to the house. Councilwoman Knudsen said that, even though it may not be a requirement in this case, everyone should be held to the same standard as required by the U.S. 26 501 (C) statute. Ms. Sonenfeld stated that the RSBA is not going through the gift donation process which would assure the Village Council they have nothing in front of any of the Boards. The RBSA has indicated that money is being raised through donations from their membership.
Susan Steele, 399 Queens Court, said that each week she hears the same thing. She referred to the map which shows the baseball field going from tip to tip of the property and she asked for consideration of a sixty-foot field with a 30 foot barrier of trees. Ms. Steele gave the Council a copy of “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss which is a story of serious destruction which ensues when trees are cut down. She cited the similarities between the book and the Schedler property.
Ms. Steele asked if there would be additional police presence at the park to prevent the exchange of drugs. She wanted trees slated for removal to be identified before they come down and added that many diseased trees can be treated and saved. The woods serve as a shield from Route 17. She asked why the plans for the park were prepared by the Village and not an outside professional. Ms. Steele reached out to Crew Engineering who developed Habernickel Park and she spoke to Mike Simone. They discussed the uniqueness of the Schedler property and its proximity to Route 17. Ms. Steele concluded that this park proposal needs more professional evaluation and consultation than Habernickel Park and she asked that Mr. Simone be brought in to consult on this project. Ms. Steele said it would be helpful to share the numbers surrounding the need for the ninety-foot field. She wondered if a resolution was adopted without public participation, and noted that the public participation is mandated by law.
Sgt. Chuck addressed the heroin highway and said that the main thoroughfares include Palisades Parkway, Route 17, and Route 208 to Route 287. The police do not see a large gathering of transients in Ridgewood and the Schedler property would be an ideal place for this sort of activity now. The Police Department has recommended a burglar alarm system, remote locks on the bathrooms as well as field cameras in the field and the parking lots whether this is developed as a sixty-foot field or a ninety-foot field.
Mr. Rutishauser explained that Crew Engineering did the concept plan for Habernickel Park. After some back and forth, the main entrance was relocated from the east side of the property, adjacent to several area residences, to a central location on the property. The plan that was signed, sealed and used for permitting purposes was done by the Village Engineer’s Office. Councilwoman Knudsen said that several residents have indicated a preference for an entrance way on Route 17 and she asked if this was possible. Mr. Rutishauser replied that the exit/entrance from Route 17 is not warranted and not suitable for the park, due to safety concerns.
A resident at 685 Kingsbridge Lane agreed with the neighborhood residents but knows that the proposal will be approved eventually. She recommended speed bumps along West Saddle River Road, trees in the parking lot to block residents’ views of Route 17 and “No Parking” signs on Kingsbridge Lane. The resident commented that people speed through the area when coming off Route 17 and will always slow down when they see a police car. She asked for more professional involvement as well as involvement by the residents. She hoped that the Village Council would have some sympathy for the concerns voiced by residents this evening.
Sgt. Chuck explained that the traffic counts are radar based with equipment being stored in a small suitcase. The suitcase is hung from a tree, telephone pole or a street sign and is not visible. Three locations were used. In August, the suitcase was located two car lengths off Route 17 and the average speed was forty-three miles per hour.
Councilwoman Knudsen questioned Mr. Cronin about the point system that is used as part of the Open Space Application. She referred to the line that states that the property is located in an area that has already been cleared and Mr. Cronin said he would have to review the application to specifically answer any questions on this particular section of the application.
Councilwoman Knudson pointed out that most towns have ninety-foot baseball fields and this is not the size of a major league baseball field. She said that residents are curious as to whether or not there is really a shortage of fields in a town the size of Ridgewood. Mr. Cronin explained that Ridgewood is a unique town in the State and is the largest Group Four school system in Bergen County including Hackensack. This puts extreme stress on the outdoor facilities. Mr. Cronin said that Ridgewood is a family-oriented town and people move here for that reason. There would be repercussions if a ninety-foot baseball diamond were to be removed and later discovered that the field at Somerville is undersized.
Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said that it is unfortunate that the President of the RBSA thinks that everyone is speaking negatively about the group. The RBSA could improve relations with the concerned citizens if they were forthcoming with information and would identify who came forward with $150,000. Ms. Loving agrees that the law has been followed but she sees no reason why this information is being hidden.
Steve Loyka, 685 Kingsbridge Lane, said that he supports the RBSA. He suggested that a committee be formed with the goal of working to make the plan benefit all citizens of the Village.
Giovanni Regina, 540 Bennington Terrace, asked why it appears that the baseball outfield has been enlarged. He questioned whether the High School baseball team would be using this field. If they do, high school buses will most likely be parked across the parking spaces on the lot. There needs to be accommodation for buses in the parking lot. He doesn’t see the reason for the symmetrical outfield and suggested that left field could be reduced by 300 feet and still qualify as a high school field, and it would also allow more trees in a buffer zone. It appears to Mr. Regina that the goal is to create as large a field as possible, compared to the original plan, which depicted a smaller field. Mr. Regina questioned why home plate and the outfield were changed to allow a higher level of play.
Mr. Rutishauser said that the drawing on the left shows three hundred feet between first and third base lines and three hundred and fifty feet straight from home plate to center field. Locating home plate in the northwest corner is often considered as optimum and other variations have placed home plate closer to West Saddle River Road which could increase noise to the neighbors. Therefore, home plate was moved away from the homes. Locating home plate in the area of the Schedler house was eliminated because of the interest now expressed in saving the house. Mr. Cronin does not expect the High school team to play here because they have invested money in school fields and it would cost more to bus players to this location. Junior Varsity and Freshmen would most likely use this field and they would be bussed back and forth from the field.
Paul D’Arpa, 574 Racetrack Road, asked if the field was open for use by anyone in the County or State. Mayor Aronsohn confirmed this is the case because Green Acres money was used for purchasing this property. Mr. D’Arpa asked if Ridgewood teams could be or have been bused to other fields in the County to host games. Mr. Cronin said he would have to research this point. Mr. D’Arpa asked why the number of parking spaces in the lot was excluded from the ratio of passive versus active recreation. Mr. Cronin said that this was not discussed because COULDN’T HEAR RESPONSE.
Councilwoman Knudsen asked Mr. Cronin to provide a breakdown of the number of participants and teams that would be using this field.
Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, suggested that the Village Council receive some assurance from the RBSA that none of the money they are donating has come from any Councilmembers, anyone on the Open Space Committee, or anyone from the Parks and Recreation Committee including those who would have had any impact on the plan. This would be a huge issue if donation money was coming from any of these sources.
Linda McNamara, 575 Knickerbocker Road, stated that the residents of the neighborhood are trying everything in their power to convince the Village Council not to approve the proposed plan. She said she has been on committees dating back to the 1970s. She knows that the ballfield at Hawes is ten feet. Ms. McNamara recalled discussions on Maple Field when the Village Council listened to those who asked that a certain amount of natural vegetation be kept; however; that field is now a turf field. Ms. McNamara said that she had heard that the Village may be considering a compost facility to be located in the west side of town and that residents may come to the realization that a baseball field is preferable to a compost facility. She asked the Council to compromise and be more aware of the environment and to preserve the woods at Schedler Park.
Mayor Aronsohn stated that the public hearing was now closed.
5. MANAGER’S REPORT
Ms. Sonenfeld stated that there was a presentation of a concept plan for the Hudson Street parking garage to the Village Parking Committee, Village Council and the Historic Preservation Commission last week. There are two forums coming up. The first is on October 21st when the public will be able to learn about the project, make suggestions and ask questions. There will be a Central Business District (CBD) forum on November 2nd and both meetings will take place in the Village Hall Court Room.
Ms. Sonenfeld reported on the second annual Leaf Summit with the staff. The Village continues to use a third party to maintain leaf removal service levels and Ms. Sonenfeld reminded everyone that leaves can only be put out at the curb seven days before the scheduled pick up date and warnings will be issued beginning this week. Next week, summonses will be issued if leaves are put out too early. Ms. Sonenfeld said that the biggest comment after last year’s leaf season was that residents wanted the Village to enforce the rules regarding leaf collection and to get tougher on violators.
Ms. Sonenfeld stated that this Saturday is “Meet the Manager Day” from 9 A.M. to noon. Appointments are not necessary.
Ms. Sonenfeld recalled that at the last meeting a resident’s questions about her water bill were not answered, due to the lateness of the hour. Ms. Sonenfeld wanted to answer the question tonight and she explained that the Ridgewood Water Department has been in the process of converting to radio meters. The old meters were accessed by telephone, which became a problem when people began to eliminate land lines or converted to services such as Optimum. Before the conversion, many estimated bills were issued. Last year the Village Council agreed to fast track the conversion by using outside contractors and purchasing more meters up front. As a result, the Village is now hearing from customers who have either been undercharged or have underpaid their bills. The resident who spoke last week had an account which was not accessible using the prior method and she now has an extremely high water bill. If installment payments are allowed, they must be in line with the requirements of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. The Village contacted Ms. Shinozuka the day after the meeting and she has put a payment plan in place and seems satisfied.
Ms. Sonenfeld responded to Mr. Loving’s question last week about the allocation of revenue within the parking utility. She explained that the parking utility has direct expenses and allocated expenses. Expenses are allocated but not revenue; however; both are handled through the parking utility’s budget.
6. COMMITTEE REPORTS
Fourth of July Committee – Councilwoman Knudsen reported that the 4th of July Committee met at the Firehouse last night. There was a discussion about the November 12th Donor Recognition to be held at The Stable and the Committee’s December party. The regularly scheduled meetings will reconvene in 2016.
Anyone interested in the “Adopt a Hydrant” program is encouraged to email Councilwoman Knudson. The program requires that participants ensure that the fire hydrants closest to their homes are clear of debris, leaves and snow.
Central Business District (CBD) Forum – Councilman Pucciarelli reiterated the date for the ninth Central Business District Forum on November 2nd. Kenneth Schier, an architect from Desman Design Associates will be available and this is a wonderful opportunity to review the designs for the garage and give input relative to the design process.
Daffodil Planting – Councilwoman Hauk said that the goal is to plant one daffodil bulb for every resident in Ridgewood. This is a fund raising opportunity for the Conservancy for Public Lands with the goal of enhancing the public lands in Ridgewood. This group does wonderful work in Village parks and the Conservancy is working on a plan to beautify Memorial Park at Van Neste Square by illuminating the trees with very low wattage bulbs that would create a visual awareness of the park by night. The Conservancy will put information on-line to see if there is support for this project.
Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (REAC) – Councilman Sedon stated that REAC met yesterday and the Schedler development was discussed The Committee has made a strong recommendation to the Council that an environmental impact study be conducted, as well as an ecological inventory of plant and animal life before there is any development of the property.
Shade Tree Commission – Councilman Sedon reported on the Shade Tree Commission meeting yesterday. The Commission discussed adding more leaves to the Village with the goal of planting twenty-five trees this year and an additional ten trees through the Adopt a Tree program.
The Green Team – The Green Team did not meet; however; Councilman Sedon received an email advising that the efforts of the Green Team have been recognized by Sustainable Jersey. The Village will be officially certified at the bronze level. The Village completed twenty actions, in eight categories, for 205 points where 150 points were needed. The points can be increased through the rest of the application process which doesn’t end until November. This certification will allow the Village to apply for several grant opportunities for various sustainable projects.
Councilman Sedon stated that the Open Space Committee meets tomorrow as well as the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee. He will attend the first half hour of the Open Space meeting and then join the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee for the rest of their meeting, when the Schedler property will be discussed. Councilman Sedon thanked the residents who came out tonight, along with the Village staff and the RBSA. He understands that everyone is passionate about how this area should be developed. Councilman Sedon suggested they consider relocating one of the sixty-foot fields on Veterans Field to the Schedler property. This field could be replaced with a ninety-foot field at Veterans Field. He recalled that there was a cost of approximately $124,000 to develop the field and if his suggestion was suitable, the RBSA could have a functioning field within a relatively short time. It would cost the RBSA less money and it would give the Village more time to consider development at Schedler.
Parking Garage - Mayor Aronsohn stated that there were two upcoming forums on the Hudson Street parking garage, one on October 21st and the other on November 2nd. He noted that the Walker report is available on-line and is useful in terms of financials and identifying areas of greatest parking demand. Representatives from Desman Design Associates spoke about design concepts at last week’s Village Council meeting. The architects are making revisions to the conceptual plan, based on discussions that took place last week with the Historic Preservation Commission. Information on the changes will be available on-line in the Village Hall. Mayor Aronsohn reiterated that this would be discussed next Wednesday and he encouraged everyone to be part of the process. He reminded everyone to vote on the parking garage issue at the November 3rd General Election.
Access Ridgewood – Mayor Aronsohn stated that this weekend is the seventh annual Access Ridgewood Weekend. He explained that this is more than just a disability awareness weekend, it is also an opportunity to embrace special gifts and special needs, particularly for the children in the community. He said that there is a program at all of the schools on Friday and a seniors program focusing on fitness. There is a teen dance on Friday for special needs teenagers; a fashion show on Saturday; and a special soccer program put on by the Ridgewood Soccer Association, where some fire fighters and police officers will participate in this program. Mayor Aronsohn encouraged everyone to attend a special interfaith service on Sunday at the Friends Church, which is a wonderful opportunity for the entire community to come together.
7. ORDINANCES
A. Introduction - #3507 – Amend Bond Ordinance – Change in Description and Average Useful Life- Ridgewood Public Library
Mayor Aronsohn moved the first reading of Ordinance 3507. Councilman Sedon seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3507 by title:
BOND ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 3 (l) AND SECTION 6 (B) OF BOND ORDINANCE NUMBER 3475 OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOO, IN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, NEW JERSEY FINALLY ADOPTED MAY 13, 2015 IN ORDER TO AMEND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT AND THE AVERAGE USEFUL LIFE
Councilwoman Hauck moved that ordinance 3507 be adopted on first reading and that November 9, 2015 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilman Sedon seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
b. Introduction - #3508 – Amend Fine for CBD Employee Parking
Mayor Aronsohn moved the first reading of Ordinance 3508. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-80, ARTICLE X: “CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT EMPLOYEE PARKING”
Councilwoman Knudsen moved that Ordinance 3508 be adopted on first reading and that November 9, 2015 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
c. Public Hearing - #3501 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Prohibited Turns at Intersection – Benjamin Franklin Middle School Drop-off
Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3501 by title on second reading and that the public hearing be opened. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3501 by title:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-56, SCHEDULE VI “PROHIBITED TURNS AT INTERSECTIONS”
Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open. There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Councilman Sedon moved that Ordinance 3501 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
d. Public Hearing - #3502 – Amend Chapter 174 – Holiday Displays – Display Regulations
Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3502 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3502 by title:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 174 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, HOLIDAY DISPLAYS, AT SECTION 174-1, “DISPLAY REGULATIONS”
Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open. There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Councilman Pucciarelli moved that Ordinance 3502 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
e. Public Hearing - #3503 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Permit Fee for Holiday Displays
Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3503 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3503 by title:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 145 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOO, FEES
Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open. There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Councilman Pucciarelli moved that Ordinance 3503 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
f. Public Hearing - #3504 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Establish Stop Sign at Stevens Avenue and Laurel Road
Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3504 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilman Sedon seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3504 by title:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-59, SCHEDULE IX “STOP INTERSECTIONS”
Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open. There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilman Sedon seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Councilwoman Knudsen moved that Ordinance 3504 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilman Sedon seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
g. Public Hearing - #3505 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Establish Stop Sign at Morningside and Hamilton Roads
Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3505 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilwoman Hauck seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3505 by title:
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-59, SCHEDULE IX “STOP INTERSECTIONS”
Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open. There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Councilman Pucciarelli moved that Ordinance 3505 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
h. Public Hearing - #3506 – Capital Ordinance – Building Repairs to the Traffic and Signal Building ($31,000)
Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3506 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3506 by title:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, IN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, NEW JERSEY APPROPRIATING $31,000.00 FROM GENERAL CAPITAL FUND BALANCE FOR BUILDING REPAIRS TO THE TRAFFIC AND SIGNAL BUILDING
Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open. There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Councilwoman Hauck moved that Ordinance 3506 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
8. RESOLUTIONS
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBEREDED 15-309 THROUGH 15-337, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RESOLUTIONS 15-335 AND 15-336 WHICH WERE REMOVED FROM THE AGENDA THIS EVENING, WERE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL, AND WERE READ BY TITLE ONLY:
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 15-338 THROUGH 15-339, WERE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY AND READ IN FULL:
Resolution #15-338
Prior to the adoption of Resolution #15-338, Councilwoman Knudsen moved that the resolution be tabled because there may be further questions pertaining to whether the reporting of a 2008 Open Space meeting accurately reflects resident input. She questioned whether someone had been given the authority to speak on behalf residents living near the Schedler property. In addition, it has been suggested that there were options other than the ninety-foot ballfield. The Village needs to conduct studies to ensure that the attached resolution was appropriate and accurate.
Councilman Sedon seconded the motion for reasons that he had noted earlier. He said that RBSA’s money might be better spent if they could reconfigure the ballfield at Veterans Field to have two ninety-foot diamonds and relocating the sixty-foot diamond to Schedler Park.
Councilman Pucciarelli said that he continues to support a ninety-foot ballfield. Many questions were raised tonight including whether it would be feasible to shorten the outfield fences or increase the height of the wall to make up for the lack of length. This may allow for more trees on West Saddle River Road. Councilman Pucciarelli indicated that questions were raised on whether a wall or a berm was best for sound attenuation and if a sound study would be in order. While he understands that residents have grave concerns, he does not share the concerns of Councilwoman Knudsen. He concluded that the RBSA is a great organization.
Councilman Sedon offered another proposal which might not be realistic. He is not convinced that a ninety-foot diamond will fit the Schedler property and he would like to have the opportunity to continue to study the plan that was presented and propose changes to that plan. He would also like to consider the suggestion of having another ninety-foot field at Veterans Field and he hopes that RBSA wouldn’t withdraw their generous support if an alternate plan was studied.
Councilman Pucciarelli said that this is a thriving community. An active and popular sports program must be sustained. He wants a second ninety-foot diamond to be built sooner rather than later. He asked if trees could be planted in a vacant area between the proposed concession stand and West Saddle River Road to create more of a buffer. Councilman Pucciarelli said he would like to have the opportunity to question Village professionals on the plan again, while also considering Councilman Sedon’s alternative suggestion. He stated that this project is not dead and there seems to be evidence that a commitment was made for a ninety-foot baseball diamond.
Ms. Sonenfeld explained that if this matter is tabled, the grant money could be in jeopardy. She doesn’t expect to hear anything about the grant until early spring and the grant application could be pulled at any time between now and then. If the Village is successful in obtaining the grant, Ms. Sonenfeld will come back to the Village Council asking for the authority to accept the grant. She reminded Councilmembers that this grant only covers demolition of a single story two car garage, the old garden shed and the removal of dead and storm toppled trees.
Councilman Sedon asked if it is determined that the Veterans Field idea works and the field can be reconfigured, if it would be possible to withdraw funds through the capital budget to handle the clean-up of the Schedler property and then give the RBSA money for capital funds for the ninety-foot baseball field.
Mayor Aronsohn asked for Mr. Cronin’s initial reaction relative to Councilman Sedon’s suggestion. Mr. Cronin said that he would have concerns about this idea concerning Veterans Field, because the two fields would overlap, meaning that only one field could be used at a time. The Kasschau Memorial Shell would also have to be considered and the Tuesday/Thursday concerts would probably have to be eliminated. Mr. Cronin indicated that the idea still needs to be studied.
Councilwoman Knudsen received an email after a hearing in September stating that a good compromise is when everyone feels some pain. She sees this as an opportunity to explore other options. If this process had been reversed, the Village Council would have heard the concerns of the public first and the approach might have been different. Councilwoman Knudsen recommended tabling this matter in order to explore options.
Councilwoman Hauck said that her initial thoughts were to accept the grant should the Council determine that it is agreeable to everyone. The Village Council will have six months to discuss this and can reject the grant if it is awarded to the Village. The next grant cycle is a year from now. Councilwoman Hauck commented that the residents have a variety of different views and were in favor of a park initially when they thought that the area was being saved from commercial development. However, when the plan for a ninety-foot field was made and they realized that the neighborhood was going to change they didn’t like that. She recommended going forward with the grant application, along with continued discussion. Ms. Sonenfeld explained that the grant application has already been filed and that aspect is not up for discussion.
Mayor Aronsohn stated that everyone agrees that something has to be done with the Schedler property. The Village Council has adopted a resolution based on the Open Space Committee’s report from the 2002 public hearings which included a ninety-foot baseball field, multi-purpose overlay, a handicapped accessible playground and passive recreation. He said that they need to move forward with the items covered by this grant money because this work has to be done on the property no matter what happens. They need to take advantage of this opportunity because the property needs to be developed in some way, shape or form. The Village Council intends to address the items brought forward by the neighbors this evening including sound, traffic, etc. Mayor Aronsohn said that if they forego this grant application, there will be more of a burden on the taxpayers of Ridgewood.
Councilman Pucciarelli said that he is in favor of going forward with the three items covered in the grant application. He pointed out that the resolution passed by the Village Council says that the donation from the RBSA is accepted to assist in Phase One of the development of the Schedler property. It does not reference a baseball field of any specific size but the gift is accepted exclusively to accomplish Phase One.
Councilwoman Knudsen indicated that her concern is whether the RBSA would go forward with their donation to accomplish Phase One, with the potential of failing to get Phase Two and Phase Three. She heard tonight that while the residents reject the idea of a ninety-foot field, they are willing to consider a sixty-foot field which appears to be a compromise that is acceptable to them.
Councilman Pucciarelli said the Village Council should proceed in good faith. The RBSA has to realize that they are making an investment in the hopes that there will be a ninety-foot baseball field. There is no commitment in the resolution for Phase Two.
Mayor Aronsohn emphasized that the work on the Schedler property is work that needs to be done in any event. Ms. Sonenfeld stated that the Village could turn down the grant award from the County. Councilman Sedon mentioned the requirement of REAC for an ecological inventory and environmental impact study to take place before anything happens at the property.
Councilwoman Knudsen said she still wants to table this matter until the next meeting. She proposed amending the original resolution endorsing the ninety-foot field to read that there would be a field but no commitment as to the size of the field. Ms. Sonenfeld said tabling this matter could be time sensitive.
Councilman Pucciarelli stated that he wants to go forward with the grant and acceptance of the donation from the RBSA in order to complete Phase One of this project or a similar type of good faith effort to guarantee a ninety-foot field. Ms. Sonenfeld said that even if RSBA decides to withdraw their donation, the Village could withdraw the grant application or during the capital budget process decide to match the $75,000. Mayor Aronsohn reiterated that applying for the grant from the County provides options for the Village without locking it into anything. Councilman Sedon said that this is why he suggested swapping the money to move forward with a project that would be available sooner. During capital budget discussions, the Village could match the $75,000 grant and the RBSA could use their donation for something else. Ms. Sonenfeld added that at any time, the County could advise the Village that the application is not appropriate.
Councilwoman Knudsen asked if everyone was open to revisiting the resolution. Mayor Aronsohn said that he disagrees with Councilwoman Knudsen and recommended that they move forward, which is what they are doing in a methodical way. Mayor Aronsohn indicated that tonight’s decision gives the possibility of obtaining grant money to take care of things that need to be done at the Schedler property regardless of any development on the property at all.
Councilwoman Knudsen clarified her motion, which is to table the resolution to a special meeting of October 28th. Councilman Sedon seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Knudsen and Sedon
NAYS: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli and Mayor Aronsohn
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
Councilwoman Hauck made a motion to accept Resolution 15-338 knowing that the grant can be denied if they can find another acceptable location for a ninety-foot field. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion and he pointed out that the resolution allows the Village the opportunity to receive the grant and move forward with Phase One.
Resolution #15-339
After the vote on Resolution #15-339, Councilwoman Knudsen made a motion to revisit the original resolution which is comprised of the Open Space Committee’s recommendation that was endorsed by the Village Council for the Schedler property, adopted in August 2015. The Village Council could determine whether or not to modify the language and to provide an opening to look at other options. Councilman Sedon seconded the motion and said it would help to rebuild trust with the affected community.
Councilwoman Hauck commented that she is not ready to revisit the resolution and people are not in a position to make this type of decision at 2 A.M.
Mr. Rogers advised Councilwoman Knudsen to withdraw her motion and the matter could simply be listed on the agenda for October 28th. Councilwoman Knudsen withdrew her motion and Councilman Sedon withdrew his second.
9. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Susan Steele, 399 Queens Court, said she wanted assurances that the diseased trees were not being eliminated because they can be cured. Councilwoman Knudsen asked Ms. Steele to email Ms. Sonenfeld the name of the company she used to treat her trees. Ms. Sonenfeld encouraged the neighbors to meet with the Village’s certified arborist on site to discuss the trees on the property.
Paul D’Arpa, 575 Racetrack Road, suggested that trunks of the toppled trees that need to be cut should be left. He drives by the area daily and never sees anyone there and can’t understand the safety concerns. Mayor Aronsohn said that they want to have the area cleared of debris.
Jacqueline Hone, 30 Carriage Lane, thanked the Village Council for their decision to revisit the resolution concerning the ninety-foot field. She had indicated to the Village Council via email that the application was submitted incorrectly. The Village Council had endorsed the application without going through the application process, which would include public input. The paperwork submitted to the County states that the Village Council followed the guidelines when those rules were not followed. She is appalled that the Village Attorney gave it his blessing. This was done against guidelines in order to obtain taxpayer money. The resolution for a ninety-foot ballfield should not have taken place first. There should have been a public hearing, followed by an endorsement and submission of the application. Ms. Hone said that the County was never told about the ninety-foot field but were told it would be a 60/40 active/passive split and that plan is not the plan included in the application. Ms. Hone agreed with Councilman Sedon that this is the time to gain back the public trust and she encouraged the Village Council to revisit the original resolution adopted in August.
Mr. Rogers responded stating that he advised the Village Council to do the resolution and then make an application. The Village has not done anything illegal or improper and the County finds it acceptable as well. This in no way impacts the substantive information on the application. The public forum is required as part of the grant process.
Doreen Regina, 540 Bennington Terrace, said that she is here at this late hour with the other residents because they want to do what is right for the neighborhood and the RBSA. She agrees with Ms. Hone and pointed out another mistake which indicated that capital funds were being used and this is not the case. As Ms. Hone had previously pointed out, some things have been done out of order and these things may be questioned by the County. Ms. Regina is asking to work with the Village Council to come up with a plan that will work for everyone. She is concerned with accepting money as a gift from an organization that is a 501 (C) 3 organization with no concern as to where the money is coming from. The Village Council has a responsibility to the citizens of Ridgewood to correct errors now. She asked about the laws regarding gifts and Mr. Rogers said that the Village has an ordinance relating to this issue and the correct procedure has been followed. Ms. Regina said that the Village could ask for financial statements from the RBSA but they have chosen not to do so.
Marcia Ringel, 250 Ferris Place, stated that she was involved in a grant situation concerning Graydon Pool and she saw that the form contains the question “Do the people want this”. This question isn’t always easy to answer and it must be proven that the people really want this. Ms. Ringel said that in this case, it is clear people don’t want this, but unfortunately the Village Council has decided to proceed.
A resident from the Willard School district stated that he is sympathetic to the feelings of the residents in the Schedler neighborhood. He has been involved in coaching for some time and he thinks that the idea of two ninety-foot baseball fields at Veterans Field is not feasible. There are minimum requirements depending on the organization and he suggested that they find out from RBSA which organizations would be using the field and what their field requirements are. The resident asked if he was correct in thinking that there is another vote necessary on specifics relating to the field. Councilwoman Knudsen said that there is a resolution attached to the grant application indicating the planned project. Mayor Aronsohn reminded everyone that the grant money would only cover removal of the shed, garage and dead and diseased trees. Ms. Sonenfeld added that if the purpose of the grant were changed, the grant money could not be used.
Patricia Infantino, 6 Betty Court, commented that the procedure regarding the public on the Schedler matter has been mishandled. She stated that a public hearing should be held first, followed by discussion, adoption of a resolution and then submitting the grant application.
Mayor Aronsohn explained that the reason the Village Council went forward with the resolution is because they were approached by some of the advocates for preservation of the Schedler house who asked them to provide grant money. This group was told that no decisions had been made regarding the property. After being approached again by the group wishing to preserve the Schedler House, the Village Council decided to proceed with a resolution based on the recommendations of the Open Space committee and to make decisions relative to development on the property.
Ms. Infantino stated that she was at many Open Space meetings in 2008 and 2012, and she disagrees with Mr. Currey’s assessment of what transpired. Councilwoman Hauck said that she wants to review the original grant application that was filed in order to purchase the Schedler property to find out if specific items were listed for development on the property.
Isabella Altano, 656 Kingsbridge Lane, said that the grant application referred to by Councilwoman Hauck did call for a 60/40, active/passive split, but did not mention a ninety-foot field. She thanked the Village Council for revisiting the resolution because a review of the Open Space Committee’s minutes from April and May of 2012, will indicate that the outcome was completely different. Many people who spoke at these meetings commented that they wanted balance, which means more space allocated as parkland and definitely not a ninety-foot field. The report did not accurately reflect what happened during those meetings; however, in August of this year this three-year old report was suddenly accepted by the Village Council. She stated that much has changed in the three years since the report was presented by the Open Space Committee. She asked that the Open Space Committee report be compared to the minutes to see the discrepancies. Councilwoman Hauck said that she attended the 2012 Open Space Committee meetings and she had a different perspective from that of Ms. Altano.
Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said that he doesn’t receive any response when inquiring about the source of the money being donated by RBSA. Mr. Rogers indicated that this was a question that could be asked, therefore, he wondered if the Village Council had been told where the money was coming from. Mr. Loving agreed with an earlier speaker who complained about the order in which this matter had been handled. Mr. Loving referred to Mr. Cronin’s remark that Ridgewood has the largest school system in the County and while this is true, Mr. Loving pointed out that this doesn’t prove that Ridgewood actually has more children than any other school system in the County.
Linda McNamara, 575 Knickerbocker Road, said that all of the fallen and dead trees in Grove Street Park don’t seem to bother anyone. This is a naturally occurring part of nature which should remain untouched. She said it is important to know the total cost and parameters of the project before moving forward. They need to compromise on the size of the field in order to save the house and save the trees.
Ms. Sonenfeld asked Mr. Cronin to review the process again. Mr. Cronin explained that the project was split into two parts, one part being the house and the other part being the park project. He indicated to Ms. Sonenfeld that there was time to apply for a grant from Bergen County for the Schedler property. After the go ahead for the grant application was received from Ms. Sonenfeld, an endorsing resolution was required by the Village Council. The matter has been presented to the public and the grant application has been submitted. Mr. Cronin stated that the matter is discussed during public budget hearings and it can be deleted from the budget hearings at any time. The County reviews the grants and they will contact communities for further information.
Ms. Sonenfeld stated that she responded to an email from Ms. Hone which suggested that blatant, intentional, false and misleading statements had been made by public officials. This is a question of trust and Ms. Sonenfeld said that nothing has been done from an accounting standpoint that vaguely resembles any of the accusations made by Ms. Hone.
10. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION
The following resolution, numbered #15-340, to go into Closed Session, was read in full by the Village Clerk, as follows:
11. ADOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilman Sedon, seconded by Councilwoman Hauck, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the meeting was adjourned at 2:46 A.M. on October 15, 2015.
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Paul S. Aronsohn Mayor
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Heather A. Mailander
Village Clerk
