No Clear End In Sight To Discussion Of Ridgewood's Schedler Property

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — In another week of lengthy discussion on what design choices would be most appropriate for the Zabriskie-Schedler property rehabilitation, Ridgewood Mayor Paul Vagianos forewarned that the approach taken will likely not satisfy all parties.

"Unfortunately, the village has limited resources to satisfy (everyone), which is why we need to work together to share resources for the benefit of the Schedler neighborhood," Vagianos said at Wednesday's council meeting. "We need to stop taking sides and work together to find a solution to this problem."

At the end of council discussion, the mayor thanked the community, saying he appreciates everyone's "patience and respect" on this matter, and then thanked each of his colleagues on the dais — Siobhan Winograd for her summary of the property's history; Pam Perron for her research on poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the dangers thereof, identified in artificial turf; Lorraine Reynolds for her "passion for the neighborhood;" and Evan Weitz for his "even-handedness" in wanting to hear more about the property.

Vagianos said the matter would be placed on the next meeting agenda for more discussion, and that the council would figure out how to "poll" the governing body on which elements of a site plan (adopted in 2018 and recommended by an ad hoc committee in 2017) should remain as is or require modification.

"We are going to come to a decision as quickly as possible but, as you all can see, this is a tough one," the mayor said, referring to the differing opinions of the council and community on elements such as the field size and surface type (turf or grass).

A concept plan that included a multi-use, full-sized regulation field was presented to the council by village engineer Chris Rutishauser at the meeting, following a request from Vagianos at the previous meeting. He had made this request, because the council and community have recognized a shortage of municipal sports fields.

However, Councilwoman Reynolds, in reviewing the latest drawing and after a recent visit to the property, said the field just does not fit there, and that the field, if it were developed to such a scale, would come "frighteningly" close to the Schedler house.

"We are trying to squeeze something in that does not belong," Reynolds said. "This is just too much. It's way too much."

She also, as did Councilwoman Perron, express concern over installing a turf field, and the potential for aerosolized particulate matter (PFAS) that, studies have shown, can be released from turf. The State Historic Preservation Office, whom the council must gain subsequent site plan approval from, also does not support turf, Rutishauser said.

"I don't want to rush into this, and then in three years, all these things will come out, kids get sick, and we'll be like, 'Oh, we made a mistake,'" Reynolds said, adding that perhaps there should be an independent medical examination into this.

Councilwoman Winograd said the council needs to apply a sort of scoring "rubric" to these design elements — those in, or not in, contention — and promptly record a roll-call vote among council members.

"We need to decide (as a council) if we are going to belabor this or move the project forward," Winograd said. "We need to commit to the elements of the design."

"Perhaps Siobhan's suggestion is a good way to go," Mayor Vagianos said in looking ahead to the next council meeting.