Turf War Continues Over Ridgewood's Plan to Put Athletic Fields On Historic Land

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — As plans move ahead to build ball fields on a historic Dutch farming property in Ridgefield, opponents of artificial turf fields have been vocal.

On June 4, when the town presented revised plans for the fields at a council meeting, opponents came to Town Hall with signs saying, "No plastic turf" (see above).

The state's Department of Environmental Protection gave the go-ahead last August for the town to create the fields at the 1800s farming property on West Saddle River Road.

Opponents of the plan quickly filed a notice to appeal.

Ridgewood officials and residents have spent years debating the addition of athletic fields to the property that includes a 1825 Dutch house. The town purchased the land and house in 2009.

In late August, Assistant DEP Commissioner Elizabeth Dragon issued a ruling giving conditional approval to the plan, provided the town fulfilled certain requirements. She said in a nine-page letter that the athletic fields would benefit the public.

The current plan preserves the house and requires remediation of toxic substances discovered last year. READ MORE: Lead Contamination Latest Roadblock For Ridgewood Plan To Add Ballfield To Historic Land

The updated plans were posted on the town website last spring.

In her decision on Aug. 29, Dragon concluded, "The Village has demonstrated the clear public benefit of this undertaking...The primary purpose of this undertaking is to create a multi-use public space that meets the growing recreational and environmental needs of the community.

"The Village’s athletic fields support a wide range of youth and adult sports programs, school activities, and community events, and the demand for field space consistently exceeds availability."

She noted, "Several of the existing fields are subject to flooding during storm events, placing further stress on the Village’s limited resources."

The approval came with some conditions.

The town has to undertake the work within five years and minimize impacts to the surrounding land.

"The Village looks forward to partnering with the Bolger Heritage Center at the Ridgewood Public Library and the Ridgewood Historical Society in this endeavor," the town said at the time. "We also look forward to the development of a community park."

An attorney for the group Friends of the Zabriske-Schedler House filed a notice of appeal .

Turf Concerns

When the town presented its new plans on June 3, opponents said were concerned about plastic elements of the turf.

An earlier petition to the council notes, "Changes to the plan (including the introduction of a turf field and changes to the existing natural and mature tree barrier) do not consider the known health impact on children. Toxic pollutants from traffic, as well as noise pollution, will further harm park visitors and residents."

The Sierra Club recently supported a proposed state bill that prohibits using state Green Acres funding for artificial turf fields in parks.

See the link to residents' past petition here.

Permit Issued This Month

A state Department of Environmental Protection permit was issued for the remediation and future work at the property on June 11. See the approval and plan details here.

See Village Manager Keith Kazmak's full 9-page "Year End Memo" from late 2024, recapping the project so far, here.