Spring 2003 Edition       

Rezoning Radburn Land By Chris Neidenberg Radburn Association representatives, appearing before the Borough Council March 18, urged the municipality to rezone the former Hayward Industries site near Plaza Road and Fair Lawn Avenue for a multi-family use - once authorities deem the polluted tract safe for development. Michael J. Ferro, one of those representatives, told the council the association would not rule out trying to acquire ownership of the 11-acre property. He was accompanied by Louise Orlando, who oversees the association's management, and Richard Preiss - a professional planner advising the group in the matter. "The Hayward property is for sale, and Radburn has an expressed an interest (in buying it)," he told offcials. The association sees the area as offering great potential with a multi-family use, combined with facilities that could be used by all Fair Lawn residents. The site is bounded to the north by Topps Cleaners and Radburn Exxon, to the south by Berdan Avenue, to the east by Plaza Road, and to the west by New Jersey's Transit's Main rail line. It has undergone a long-term state-supervised soil and groundwater remediation program. This effort was undertaken by the company which acquired Hayward - the BASF corporation. Ferro said his understanding is that the process is nearing a close, though the state Department of Environmental Protection had yet to issue a "No Further Action" letter on addressing groundwater pollution - that will close out the case. The group manages its own facilities - including a swimming pool - in the Radburn section, which sprouted up as the nation's first planned community in the 1920s. While maintaining its own unique identity as a separate section of the municipality, Radburn was very much part of Fair Lawn upon the borough's incorporation in 1924. At that time, Fair Lawn broke off from Saddle River Township. It remains very much a viable part of the municipality. The association has gladly shared some of its facilities with the entire town when the need has arisen. Farrell said this was true when the association ran facilities in part of the area near the old Hayward company - before pollution shut things down 17 years ago. The resident recalled the association's allowing the Fair Lawn All-Sports Association to play supervised games on Daley Field - a casualty of the contamination - and its opening Archery Plaza to the community. "We resolve to do what's right for Radburn and for Fair Lawn," Ferro told elected officials, who would be tasked with changing the zoning from industrial to multi-family, as the association is seeking.. "This piece of property could be the jewel that brings us into the 21st Century," sdded Ferro, "that could keep Radburn the viable place that it is." The resident maintained that "residential multi-family" is a perfect fit for the area. He called for consolidating the huge parcel under one owner (hopefully, the association). "There's a lot of things that can be done if all the parcels were owned by one entity," said Ferro. Preiss told the council his evaluation is the Hayward tract is best suited for a multi-family use, based on his own analysis. He cited, as one of its biggest assets, its quick accessibility to major roads - including Route 208 North, Fair Lawn Avenue and Plaza Road. "It can be comprehensively planned as a single redevelopment piece," the planner maintained. "It really can be an attractive showcase for this community. What we'd like to do is open up a dialogue with the council." Preiss was asked if retail uses can be incorporated into the property. He replied that, in his view, they would not be desirable under current conditions. "For a retail project, you'd need open access from Fair Lawn Avenue to be successful," he told officials. Councilman Allan Cann agreed that a multi-family use would work wonders for the site. "What you're proposing makes sense for me," he told Preiss.