A Message to the Members of Friends of Wyckoff
Regarding Proposed Development of The VISTA

Since 2007, members of the Executive Board of the Friends of Wyckoff (Friends) have closely monitored the Christian Health Care Center (CHCC) application to the Township of Wyckoff for development of an apartment complex for independent living on their campus straddling the border of Wyckoff and Hawthorne. According to the application submitted by CHCC in 2010, the 3-storey VISTA structure would encompass 258 apartment units, 421 parking stalls, 3 dining facilities, an auditorium, a pool, a library, banking, retail shops, a convenience store, a beauty salon, and a wellness center. According to Doug Struyk, CHCC CEO, approximately 86 of the proposed units would accommodate 2 people, for a potential total of 344 residents. The largest apartment unit would be approximately 2,200 square feet. The overall dimensions of the building would be 181,000 square feet. With walkways and roadways, this would cover 20 acres of land that is currently forested. With the majority of construction within the Township of Wyckoff, this development would impact the lives of citizens of both townships, especially those in the Cedar Hill Ave. and Sicomac Ave. areas. It is important to note that Wyckoff’s zoning ordinance explicitly forbids the development proposed for the site.

The Friends Executive Board acknowledges the good work done by the CHCC in caring for individuals who are in need of the medical and mental health services they provide. We also acknowledge that CHCC has the right to develop their property in keeping with the zoning laws of the Townships of Wyckoff and Hawthorne.

That said, after an extensive review of all the information available to the public on January 13, 2011, the Friends Executive Board reached a decision regarding The VISTA development. Our conclusion is based on our mission as a non-profit, non-partisan citizens' organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Wyckoff by, among other activities, supporting smart growth by maintaining the character of our town, protecting our environment, protecting open space, and preserving historical structures and sites within our town. This being our mandate, the Friends Executive Board does not support The VISTA development as proposed.

Why we don't support the project

This decision is based on the following activities:

• Friends Executive Board members conducted a thorough review of the plans and expert reports submitted with the CHCC application for The VISTA development to the Township of Wyckoff
• Friends Executive Board members attended a meeting called by Township Committeeman Kevin Rooney on December 1, 2010, which included Township Committeeman Chris DePhillips, Mr. Struyk, and Carla DeWitt (VP CHCC Marketing); Mr. Struyk presented the proposal for The VISTA to the Friends members in attendance: Linda Vreeland (Chairperson), Toni Brienza (Secretary), Stan Goodman, and Elaine Fichera
• Friends Executive Board members attended the Planning Board meeting on December 13, 2010, at St. Nicholas Church in Wyckoff where testimony was heard from Mr. Struyk and his attorney, and questions were asked by the Wyckoff Zoning Board and by concerned citizens of Wyckoff and Hawthorne

Wyckoff residents’ persistent unhappiness with the development of Boulder Run (the proposed Vista project is larger) also fuels the resolve of the Friends Executive Board to continue to support smart growth, protection of the environment,  and preservation of open space in our town.

We do not support The VISTA development as proposed because—approval would require 13 variances with the building code of the Township of Wyckoff. Granting those variances would set a precedent for ALL future development in Wyckoff.

We do not support the VISTA development as proposed because—in our opinion, the 18-month to 2-year construction period could potentially result in:

• Negative impact on surrounding neighborhoods and on the current residents of the CHCC—consisting of noise, proliferation of dust and debris, and possible blasting
• Truck and heavy machinery traffic—which, in and of itself, would generate emissions, noise, debris, and interruption of traffic flow around the CHCC campus
• Loss of property value to the residents of Wyckoff who reside in the vicinity

We do not support the VISTA development as proposed because—once completed, it could potentially result in:

• Increased traffic due to the activities of residents in addition to added VISTA staff, visitors, and delivery services; it would forever after affect the flow of traffic through surrounding streets, and could compromise the safety of children attending neighboring schools and the safety of pedestrians
• Increased runoff in surrounding neighborhoods due to the creation of 10+ acres of impermeable surface (surface that does not absorb rain water); runoff is already a considerable problem in the streets surrounding the CHCC campus
• Loss of 20 acres of forest which would result in:
—Displaced wildlife seeking refuge in surrounding neighborhoods
—Loss of absorption of rainwater, thus adding to the amount of runoff into
    neighboring streets
• Increased burden on an already overburdened Wyckoff Police, Fire, and Emergency response personnel to service The Vista population

Project as proposed will not benefit Wyckoff

While Mr. Struyk asserts that there is a need for The Vista to serve the aging population of Wyckoff, and that it will be a benefit to the Township of Wyckoff, the Friends Executive Board has seen no such hard evidence for either. While Mr. Struyk asserts that issues such as increased traffic,  water supply, and runoff will be dealt with, the Friends Executive Board does not feel it is in the best interests of the people of Wyckoff or Hawthorne to adopt a “wait and see” attitude, given the scope of the proposed construction and the potential for disastrous results.  

In keeping with our mission as a non-profit, non-partisan citizens' organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Wyckoff, the Friends Executive Committee urges concerned citizens to become involved with the application for approval of The VISTA development, which has not yet passed the Wyckoff Zoning Board. We encourage you to contact the Wyckoff Township Committee by letter or email, to attend public meetings, and to make your voices heard.

For more information about the project:
http://www.savethewoods.org
http://www.savewyckoff.org
http://www.christianhealthcare.org/vista.html
To contact the Township Committee by email:
rboonstra@wyckoff-nj.com
cdephillips@wyckoff-nj.com
tmadigan@wyckoff-nj.com
krooney@wyckoff-nj.com
bscanlan@wyckoff-nj.com