Historic Status for Centuries Old Oak up for Discussion

The Township Council is expected to address a recommendation that a more than 300 year old oak tree become the town's 16th historic site at a meeting Monday night.

Teaneck's Historic Preservation Commission voted in April to confer historic status on the red oak tree. The town council, however, held off on moving ahead with an ordinance to bestow the historic designation while it awaited input from the property owner, Congregation Netivot Shalom.

Despite some apparent confusion over the process, the congregation submitted a letter in support of the historic recognition Sept. 12, according to the council meeting agenda. Recent council meetings have included discussions over the historic commission’s recommendation and status of council action.

The fate of the oak has been a long-running controversy in Teaneck, with tree supporters campaigning for decades to protect it. supporters pushed to save the tree and the land was granted a county easement in April 2011. That move protected the site and put its care under the county parks department.

A decision in early 2010 by the former property, the Union for Traditional Judaism, to remove the tree led to a public outcry.  UTJ filed for bankruptcy and the land was purchased by Netivot Shalom, who vowed to save the tree.

The massive tree was officially recognized as the fourth-largest red oak in New Jersey about two years ago.

Teaneck’s town council will meet publically Monday at 8 p.m.