Letter to the Editor: Wyckoff, Vista, Traffic Lights and Size

Dear Editor,

As 33-year residents of Wyckoff, my wife and I are very concerned about the proposed senior residential project known as "The Vista" at the Christian Health Care Center at Cedar Hill and Sicomac avenues.  

The CHCC is a wonderful humanitarian organization that has been helping people for decades.  However, there are two key issues about The Vista that residents of Wyckoff need to understand.  

First, the CHCC has officially opposed the installation of a traffic light at this intersection. In testimony before the Wyckoff Zoning Board on April 25, 2011, Jerry Vogel, the CHCC's attorney stated that the only reason they have agreed to re-build the entire intersection (which will change traffic patterns and present potential dangers to Wyckoff school children) is that Bergen County is forcing them to do so. Yet they have not produced documentation to prove this.  

I have written to Joseph Femia, Director of the Bergen County Engineering Department and the Bergen County Department of Public Works, asking if Bergen County actually requires the traffic light.

Second, Mr. Vogel has testified that they do not want to make the project smaller, which might eliminate the need for a traffic light.  

The CHCC has not explained exactly why they can't scale down this 258-unit senior residential complex to perhaps 100 units. The town and the people need to know if it is economically feasible to build a smaller project.  

Since the CHCC already owns the 19 acres of land, how much will it cost to build only 100 units? And why wouldn't this be profitable? If they are asking to be excused from the same laws and regulations that every Wyckoff homeowner and taxpayer are subject to (13 variances,) it is their responsibility to resolve these two key issues:  (1)  Can we avoid a traffic light?  and  (2) Can the project be cut in half? We'd like to see these issues addressed at the March 12th Zoning Board meeting.

Signed, 

Les and Sue Fox
Wyckoff

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