Reported by The Friends of Wyckoff

Last night, the Township Committee unanimously passed a resolution to file an application to the Bergen County Freeholders for an Open Space Grant to be used for a possible purchase of Russell Farm. The grant request is $1,500,000, an amount just over two times our Municipal Open Space Fund. The application deadline is July 31, and funds are awarded by year-end. This is the first application that Wyckoff has submitted for a land acquisition (versus recreation/refurbishment) in recent memory. The grant is non-binding and allows Wyckoff to keep all options open with respect to the property.

Forty-six residents and two children attended the Township Committee meeting last night. All those who spoke were in favor of passing the resolution. The attendance on a mid-summer evening certainly demonstrated the community’s passion for open space acquisition. The 5-acre property is ideal for passive and/or active recreation for community enjoyment, however, a prudent analysis of its value is critical.

Here is some background information on the Russell Farm property. The site is zoned for single-family market rate housing and was approved for six homes by the Wyckoff Planning Board. There may be environmental remediation necessary because pesticides were used in the orchard. The site is not zoned for affordable housing. The developer, Robert Milanese (Barrister Farm/Deep Voll Ravine Development), and owners of Russell Farm filed a letter of protest in response to the Township’s last filing with COAH stating how many units the town needs to meet its obligation. (COAH is the state agency responsible for establishing and monitoring municipal affordable housing obligations in New Jersey.) The developer and owners said that Russell Farm could have been included, and that 60 units could be built there. A larger development would be more profitable than six homes. Additional costs of pesticide remediation and a protracted lawsuit may have motivated the owners to seek a sale of the property.

According to Mayor Fiorenzo, the property owners are asking $2,700,000 for the property. The Township Committee will prudently review the aspects of a purchase and will move forward only with a careful analysis of costs and benefits to the town.

If you would like to listen to the meeting, an mp3 file will be available for download at the beginning of next week. Please visit www.FriendsOfWyckoff.org where the recording will be found on the left tab: Township Committee Meetings/MP3. Friends of Wyckoff will monitor the progress of this application.

Speaking of Public Meeting Broadcasting…

On Tuesday, August 4, Cablevision will face the Township Committee for the routine renewal of their cable license in Wyckoff. The public may comment on Cablevision service at the Township Committee meeting at 8 pm. Additionally, grants may be available to provide Wyckoff Town Hall with equipment to broadcast our public meetings for those who can’t always attend. If you are interested in televised public access to our town meetings, please attend this meeting and let your governing body know!