Ridgewood January 28, 2009 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 3 Council introduces bond ordinance for Schedler tract by John Koster The Ridgewood Village Council has introduced a bond ordinance for $2,900,000 -- $1 million of which will come from outside sources and the remainder from Ridgewood – to buy the 7.4-acre Schedler property near West Saddle River Road. The ordinance will be up for a public hearing and possible adoption on Feb. 11. One resident spoke against the bonding, and said that this was not a good time for Ridgewood to acquire more debt. But there was no concerted opposition, and the council voted unanimously for the introduction. The $2.9 million for the purchase of the second-growth woodland and one older house includes a $1 million grant expected from the Bergen County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland & Historic Preservation Trust Fund. The fact that the outside money was available – and that the land, if sold elsewhere, would probably be developed for housing – convinced the council, based on comments at previous meetings, that the Schedler Property should be purchased despite the gloomy economy. Mayor David Pfund and the council members also agreed that there would be no construction of sports fields or other recreation facilities on the property in the near future. Councilman Keith Killion in particular said he would not approve sports construction at Schedler until some method of access from the west side of Ridgewood had been worked out that did not involve the chance of pedestrians along Route 17. Councilwoman Anne Zusy and Councilman Paul Aronsohn concurred that the land should be acquired, but that this was not the time for full development due to fiscal factors. In a separate matter, the council extended the lease on 1037 Hillcrest Road to the occupants now renting one of the two houses located on the property of the Habernickel Horse Farm, a 10-acre tract that Ridgewood acquired a few years ago and is now gradually developing for active as passive recreation. The one-year lease at $4,575 a month was extended by resolution of the Ridgewood Village Council until February 2010. Purchased in part with money from a set-aside of a half-cent per $100 assessed valuation, the horse farm became a hot topic when sports groups urged the construction of as many as five ball fields on the land, while some of the neighbors preferred as little construction as possible. The compromise led to a plan to develop a standard field with a secondary field overlapping on the flat pasture land – they cannot be used simultaneously – and to provide internal parking. The wooded, sloping part of the property will be laced with walking paths and most of the trees left standing. Leasing the houses on the land in the meantime will provide Ridgewood with some revenue. ����������������������� ��������������������������� ���������������������������������������������������������� ����������������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������� ������������������������������������ ����������������������������������������� ������������������������� �������������������� S easons ... for Valentine’s Day All WEBKINZ Love Monkey $13.95 Love Frog only $3.00 ����������������������������������������������������� ������������������� Hamilton Square Shopping Center 140 Franklin Tpke, Waldwick • 201-251-7577 ������������������������������������������������������� Place Your Chocolate Covered Strawberries Orders Now ����������������������� �������������������� ���������������������� 2 Locations Glen Rock & Passaic PASSAIC LOCATION NOW OPEN SUNDAYS! We Offer Line Of Credits And Financing Plans 201.345-5621