Council reviews NJDEP finding of tiny isolated wetland at Zabriskie/Schedler site; community meeting on soil remediation set for Nov. 13
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Summary
Council discussed a Suburban Consulting Engineering letter reporting a small (<0.01 acre) isolated wetland identified by NJDEP at the Zabriskie/Schedler property and announced a public community presentation by Matrix New World Engineering on the soil remediation plan scheduled for Nov. 13; manager also updated residents on PFAS treatment work and potential timing impacts from a DEP‑required cultural resource study at Cedar Hill.
At its Nov. 12 meeting, the Ridgewood Village Council reviewed a letter from Suburban Consulting Engineers summarizing NJDEP's field review of the Zabriskie/Schedler property and announced a community presentation on the soil remediation plan.
The Suburban letter reported that NJDEP identified a single, isolated wetland feature on the property that the department assessed during its field review. Suburban's assessment — and a separate remediation consultant report — characterized the depression as measuring less than 0.01 acre and likely the result of prior disturbance, including a historic water‑main break. Suburban told the village it expects to proceed under New Jersey Administrative Code general permit 6 for isolated, non‑tributary wetlands that "do not provide significant ecological functions or services." The letter was signed by Robert Gregoria of Suburban.
Council members displayed a map and photograph showing the location of the DEP‑identified feature near West Saddle River Road adjacent to an existing parking area. Council staff emphasized the feature is small, isolated and not located in the designated park area.
Village Manager Keith Kasmark (as introduced in materials) also announced that Matrix New World Engineering will present the soil‑remediation plan for the Zabriskie/Schedler property at a community meeting on Nov. 13, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the youth lounge at Village Hall; residents may attend via Zoom.
Separately, the manager provided an update on PFAS treatment projects. He said a signed consent order with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection remains in place for completion of PFAS work by 2026 but that DEP required a cultural‑resource study at the Cedar Hill location. That study and associated coordination with DEP have created the possibility that Cedar Hill work may run into 2027 while other PFAS facilities remain slated for 2026 completion. "That is not something that was in the control of the village," the manager said.
Matrix representatives will be present at the Nov. 13 meeting to answer questions; the village also said it will post the soil‑mitigation plan on its project portal after receiving final DEP correspondence.