Letter: Land Swap is 'Realistic Plan' to Save Historic Houses

This post was written by Rich Ball, Amy Hummerstone and Ray Richter.

To The Editor:

At the July 22, 2013 Fair Lawn Historic Preservation Commission meeting, a proposed development plan for the Vanderbeck/Vander Plaat site was discussed. The Commission was asked to support a schematic site plan proposed by the developer, Barrister Home Construction. The Commission voted at this meeting not to support this development plan. We are the three Commission members who voted in favor of supporting the plan that we believe is a realistic plan to save both historic houses.

The Vanderbeck/Vander Plaat site, adjacent to the Naugle site along the Saddle River, contains a landmarked historic house dating to the mid-1700s with a history entwined with the history of the Naugle house. Currently, Barrister Home Construction has a contingent contract to buy and develop the Vanderbeck/Vander Plaat property. The proposed development plan includes a land swap in which the Borough of Fair Lawn would yield part of the Naugle site to the developer in exchange for part of the Vanderbeck/Vander Plaat site.

Prior to the proposed swap, the Borough owns approximately 1.7 acres which contains the Naugle house. After the proposed swap, the Borough would own approximately 2.1 acres which would contain both the historic Vanderbeck/Vander Plaat house and the Naugle house intact in their original locations with open space that connects both houses and is adjacent to the Saddle River.

We acknowledge that this plan is preliminary but we believe that supporting this plan is a step in the right direction and that the benefits of the plan far outweigh its negative elements. For the last several months, a sub-committee of the Historic Preservation Commission consisting of the three of us and the HPC Chairperson has met with the developer and the Mayor in order to revise the initial site plan to achieve the best possible plan (considering the historic importance of the site, the neighbors in close proximity to the site, and the goals of the Borough government and the developer). As a result, the developer revised the initial site plan as per our discussions such that the two historic houses remain intact in their original locations.

Development of the Vanderbeck/Vander Plaat site is inevitable. We believe that this is a viable plan that avoids lengthy litigation and very possibly an outcome undesirable to the community. We also recognize that there are many steps to be taken and approvals necessary from many entities, including the New Jersey Green Acres program and the appropriate Fair Lawn Boards before this plan may be realized.

At this early stage in the process, any plan is just that, a plan. Our support for the plan discussed at the July 22 meeting comes from our belief that this plan is a good compromise that is viable in the real world and would benefit the town, the developer and the historic preservation movement. We hope that when a final plan emerges, the Vanderbeck/Vander Plaat house will be saved as a complement to the Naugle house.

Sincerely,

Rich Ball

Amy Hummerstone

Ray Richter