PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Three Pascack Valley mayors are frustrated with Suez North America’s delays in approving a long-awaited nature trail around Woodcliff Lake Reservoir that all three towns had approved nearly two years ago.
Mayors in Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, and Hillsdale are turning up the pressure on Suez to get the company to approve a 1.5-mile-long walking trail around the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir, an effort approved two years ago and yet to get a final sign-off from Suez.
Through four surface supply reservoirs in New York and New Jersey, including Woodcliff Lake Reservoir, Suez North America provides water service to 500,000 customers in Rockland and Westchester counties, New York, and 850,000 people in Bergen, Hudson, Sussex, Passaic and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey.
Recently the borough business administrators of Park Ridge and Woodcliff Lake met with a Suez representative to discuss ways to move forward and were told that trail approval was not likely anytime soon.
That response angered Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo, who has seen many years of effort and negotiation by council members and mayors over the years to get a walking trail approved for area residents to enjoy. Rendo also made opening the reservoir trail a top 2021 priority during a recent state of the borough annual address.
Rendo said he “would not accept” further delays from Suez and said he would invite a Suez representative to a Feb. 10 meeting of 10 Pascack Valley mayors to discuss the situation.
At press time, it was not known if a Suez official would appear at the mayors’ gathering.
Efforts by Park Ridge councilmembers almost a decade ago kicked off negotiations to create such a recreational trail and all three mayors are working together to push Suez to make the trail a reality.
The long-discussed and long-postponed trail was approved almost three years ago by the three town council and mayors, which signed detailed agreements with Suez to provide trail improvements, trail maintenance and security measures.
A final hurdle was overcome in April 2019 when the state Watershed Property Review Board—the state entity that regulates lands around reservoirs—conditionally approved the three-borough nature trail that traverses the reservoir’s eastern border.
Several years ago, both Park Ridge and Woodcliff Lake received $15,000 state Green Acres grants to make the trails walkable. Hillsdale also had applied for a $24,000 NJDEP recreational trails grant, with 20% match, to develop its walking trails.
However, Hillsdale Mayor John Ruocco told Pascack Press that the state did not provide a grant for its reservoir trail upgrades. He said the borough would reapply for a state recreational trails grant in 2021.
He also said he was surprised that Suez was not moving forward with its reservoir trail approval.
The Suez agreement, signed by each mayor in 2019, read in part, “Given the property’s sensitive use as a watershed resource as well as the need for significant multiple-borough cooperation, the nature trail initiative will be treated by [Suez] as a two-year pilot program with the possibility to extend up to three additional years.”
In April 2019, after the Watershed Property Review Board gave conditional approval for the project, Rendo told Pascack Press, “I’m ecstatic. We’ve been working a long time for this to come about. There’s been a lot of moving parts.”
He said he looked forward to Woodcliff Lake residents finally getting to enjoy the lake their town is named for.
Previously, Rendo praised former Councilwoman Kristy Herrington’s years-long effort to advocate for the nature trail.
Last week, Park Ridge Mayor Keith Misciagna said his borough has invested time, effort and funds to pursue a walking trail around the reservoir. He said the towns “have done everything we’ve been asked to do” by Suez.
“What do we need to do now to make this happen?” asked Misciagna. “We’re hoping that we’ll be able to move this thing along.”
He said that the three towns were looking to work with Suez to start work on the trail and open it for residents.
Suez did not reply to our request for comment by press time.