Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 10, 2010 Wyckoff CHCC plans ‘Vista’ for independent seniors by John Koster The Christian Health Care Center is finalizing formal plans for the Vista Community, a 20-acre site with 258 units where independent seniors over the age of 65 can enjoy their retirement years near friends, family, houses of worship, physicians, and shopping while avoiding the exertion of homeownership and property maintenance. The land that would accommodate Vista, second-growth woodland formerly used for farms, is adjacent to the Christian Health Care Center’s 78 acres in Wyckoff and Hawthorne. CHCC President Douglas Struyk said that while the proposal will not be formally brought before the Wyckoff Board of Adjustment before April, the Christian Health Care Center has already reached out to the neighboring property owners around the perimeter and addressed their concerns about drainage, traffic, and view in a way he said encouraged him to think relations would remain amicable. Struyk said that the scheduling would be at the convenience of the Wyckoff boards once details have been finalized. The 258 units at the site would be available in a variety of 17 different floor plans. Plans call for the Vista community to feature a wellness center with on-site physician services, a pool, exercise rooms, spa-type facilities, an auditorium, a library, a theater, and crafts room, banking facilities, and a convenience store for the exclusive use of the residents. The proposed building would be three stories, but not taller than the 35-foot height standard of Wyckoff’s accepted building code. Most of the structure would be located in Wyckoff, but would span over into Hawthorne. Christian Health Care Center currently has some independent-senior housing, but availability is limited and the center has a waiting list. A survey by a national consulting firm found there is an unmet need for independent senior housing in the Northwest Bergen County area. The Vista project is expected to improve the tax base both in Wyckoff and in Hawthorne, since the independent seniors would pay taxes through their residential fees, but would not impact the school systems in Wyckoff or Hawthorne. Because the community would accommodate seniors, there would be no anticipated additional traffic during school rush hours. Based on national statistics, those seniors who shop in local businesses are expected to contribute an estimated $3 million to the local economies of Wyckoff and Hawthorne. Police arrest wanderer on warrants The Wyckoff Police Department arrested a Pompton Lakes man on multiple criminal warrants after they found him wandering on Sicomac Avenue in his stocking feet at 3 a.m. The 27-year-old man was arrested by Sergeant Kenneth Brown during the early morning hours of Feb. 21. The man identified himself as being from Pompton Lakes, but could give no explanation of why he was roaming the streets of Wyckoff. Wyckoff contacted the Pompton Lakes police and learned that the man was wanted on a series of charges including aggravated assault, possession of a weapon (a knife), making terroristic threats, and criminal mischief. He was committed to the Passaic County Jail in lieu of $100,000 after Wyckoff handed him over to the Pompton Lakes police. In an unrelated incident on Feb. 25, a 47-year-old Wyckoff man was arrested for speeding on Brookside Avenue, reportedly driving at 51 miles-per-hour in a 35mile-per-hour zone. He was also charged with DWI, refusing to submit to a breath test, speeding, reckless driving, and failure to stop at a stop sign. He was released to a family member and faces an appearance in municipal court. J. KOSTER Two candidates file for three seats Only two candidates have filed for the three available seats on the Wyckoff K-8 Board of Education. Wyckoff Board of Education members Ray Hovey, Dan Moynihan, and Danielle Swenson have elected not to seek re-election this year. Jill Mortimer and Catherine Runge, both newcomers, have filed for the April 20 election, but there is no candidate for the third seat that will be available. On April 20, the township’s registered voters will also cast their ballots on the school district’s budget for the 2010-11 academic year. J. KOSTER Break the Highway Trend! ...not your community’s back. Local businesses are the backbone of your community and the trend to shop the big guys on the highway hurts us all.Your local businesses have what you want... at the right price... and close to home. So, why hassle with the highways? Save Time! Save Gas! Save Money! SAVE YOUR COMMUNITY! We Need You SHOP LOCALLY. IT’S SMART. ...and besides, it’s so convenient!