TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari has suggested the town repurpose hundreds of thousands of dollars it’s in line to receive from the Bergen County Open Space Fund for its purchase of the 6.1-acre former Township of Washington Swim and Recreation Club, on Ridgewood Boulevard North.
The money, he said, could go instead to another acquisition the town is interested in: 450 Pascack Road, abutting Memorial Field.
Related to this, on Nov. 9 the town council voted, 4-0, to authorize its attorney, Kennth Poller, to investigate a possible closed-session leak after several residents on Nov. 9 seemed to have details pertaining to affordable housing being at least discussed for 450 Pascack Road.
Calamari told council members on Nov. 9 that he would like to acquire the 3.2 acres of mostly wooded property at 450 Pascack Road using approximately $439,000 that the township is expected to receive as part of a 2022 county Open Space grant, which should be officially awarded by the Bergen County Commissioners in December.
At least three council members later expressed reservations about accepting the funds, which were applied for by the town’s grant consultant in May to subsidize its recent puchase of the 6.1-acre former Township of Washington Swim and Recreation Club, as the funds come with restrictions.
The administration has floated an interest in a senior center or other recreational center at the former club site, but the money is expressly for open space, in keeping with passive recreation.
It was not clear whether council members might vote not to accept the county funds. Calamari, however, chastised council members who appeared to waver on accepting the funds given the restrictions on Open Space grants.
Calamari said that the county would not look kindly on the township rejecting the swim club property funding at the 11th hour. He said the council should have discussed these concerns prior to applying for the grant.
During his report to council, Calamari said, “There seems to be renewed concern about development at the 450 Pascack Road property. How often does over 3 acres of property come available adjacent to an existing field? I would like to see the town acquire the property using the proceeds from the ($438,750) grant we are likely to receive from the swim club property purchase.”
He said, “What better way to spend open space grant money than to acquire additional property [450 Pascack] that would remain open space next to the town’s flagship field [Memorial Field]. Please let your voices and concerns be heard again for this purchase.”
He added, “I want to publicly state that although I do not have a vote on allocating money for the purchase I am in favor of purchasing this property.”
Last summer, the council bid $430,000 for 450 Pascack Road, threatening condemnation, and since then local officials have only spoken about the negotiations in closed session. Officials have not said what “public purpose” might justify condemnation of the 450 Pascack property, although Poller previously told us the town believed it had “more than enough” justification to condemn.
Now, some parts of recent closed-door discussions appear to have leaked out, with several residents noting on Nov. 9 that they had heard that affordable housing was being considered for the long-sought tract.
Calamari and council said no decisions had been made.
Poller said that any decision to purchase 450 Pascack Road would have to be done in public. Early in 2021, the council decided to contract an appraisal of the property, and then put in a bid following the $430,000 appraisal estimate. He said the property is in condemnation litigation.
Over the last couple of weeks, at least a half dozen brightly colored signs have appeared up and down Ridgewood Boulevard East, stating “Stop Overdevelopment by Washington School and Memorial Field.”
Area neighbors said they had heard that possible affordable housing was planned for the 450 Pascack Road property, an issue which arose during public comments at the Nov. 9 meeting.
Resident Joseph Scalia criticized council members for possibly considering the use of 450 Pascack Road as affordable housing. He called the prospect of high-density housing there “totally ridiculous” and anticipated noise complaints and concerns about privacy.
He charged that the township should limit development. “We don’t want to be Hillsdale, We don’t want to be Westwood.”
He suggested that with recent developments approved, Washington Elementary School would need to expand. He questioned whether the township had a “strategy” for the town.
Scalia said officials need to “reevaluate what we’re doing” and questioned “decisions being made behind closed doors.” He urged more transparency and engaging the public on issues such as 450 Pascack’s purchase.
Other residents on Ridgewood Boulevard East also spoke against possible housing on the 450 Pascack Road tract, and said the property should be preserved for its nearly 700-tree canopy.
Several cited potential storm runoff impacts from development and the loss of local tree coverage as reasons to preserve the property. One resident, citing the canopy, called the tract a “gift from God.”
After several residents spoke in favor of acquiring 450 Pascack Road for open space and not affordable housing — with only one resident speaking out for affordable units at 450 — councilmen Tom Sears and Steve Cascio appeared blindsided by how information from council closed sessions was now part of a public discussion.
“I want to know how this got out of closed session,” said Sears. “Somebody’s getting this information out, which is illegal to do.” He said that the public “was jumping to conclusions and we’re still looking for answers.”
Cascio said closed sessions were for litigation discussions. “Somehow it got out and that’s unacceptable,” he said.
Cascio called for a “special investigation” by Poller of how the information was revealed to some residents after a closed session.
With president Desserie Morgan absent, the council voted 4-0 to authorize Poller to look into how the information got out.
“We’re still looking at solutions,” Cascio said, after residents had criticized the acquisition of 450 Pascack for affordable housing. Council members noted no decisions on 450 Pascack had yet been made and Poller and Calamari noted that a final decision to purchase must be made in public.
Ridgewood Boulevard East resident Michael Proto, a longtime critic of high-density development proposed for 450 Pascack, noted the land is zoned for single-family homes.
Proto, and nearby homeowners, opposed an application made in summer 2020 by a developer to then build a 48-unit senior apartment complex there. The developer, Lakos Construction, then held an option to purchase the property.
Following local opposition to the senior complex, the application was withdrawn. The 3.2-acre property was later listed for sale at $2.1 million, mostly due to its alleged development potential.
An “available” sign remains in front of 450 Pascack Road, an elongated sliver of land fronted by a rundown single-family house with a blue-tarp-covered front porch.
A small garage and barn can be seen behind the home, and then only wooded land that acts as a buffer between backyards on Ridgewood Boulevard East on one side and Washington Elementary School and Memorial Field on the other side.
Proto said that he was concerned about all the mayor and council’s 450 Pascack discussion occurring behind closed doors. He said residents wonder about what prices are being discussed and how much the township might be willing to accommodate on the property and what the developer may have in mind.
Proto said, “by no means should there be affordable housing on that land and it’s not zoned for that.” He asked which members favored purchasing the tract, and if not why not.
Cascio said he was “still open” on the topic; Sears told him that the matter was “still in closed session.” Councilwoman Daisy Velez said she was “in favor of open space and fields.” Vice president Stacey Feeney said she was in favor of purchasing the property.
When the council initially decided to purchase the 6.1-acre former Township of Washington Swim and Recreation Club this year, following closed-door negotiations between the club’s owners, Calamari and Poller, the council approved an $800,000 bond issue, paid $750,000 for the property, and the rest for soft costs such as bond down payment, closing and engineering costs, and closed on the property in late April.
(See “Questions Trail Swim Club Sale,” May 3, 2022, Pascack Press online.)
Within weeks, the township’s grant consultant, GLD Associates, held a public hearing to seek input on applying for a county Open Space grant to help reimburse the property’s purchase. GLD Associates said that acquisition grants could be applied for first and grants to develop the property could be applied for the following year.