Guttenberg’s proposed waterfront park will not be complete by this summer as town officials hoped, because they are waiting for two approvals from the state.
According to Mayor Gerald Drasheff, the town is waiting for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Remediation Department to decide whether the land is safe to build upon, and for the DEP to decide whether the town can build along the waterfront.
The two applications were sent out on April 20 and around the same time the town accepted bids to create the park. Seven companies responded, but due to lack of state approval, Guttenberg asked the bidders to keep their original figures for the next 90 days.
According to Town Attorney Charles Daglian, most have agreed to wait, and more importantly, the two lowest bidders are a part of that group.
The parkland was bought from K. Hovnanian Homes, which had already developed the southern portion of the land. Most of their 180-unit development is in North Bergen, but 12 units are in Guttenberg.
As a part of the deal for Guttenberg to pay $1.2 million to Hovnanian for the land, Hovnanian originally agreed to build the park’s riverfront walkway and bulkhead as soon as they built further north on their own land. However, they decided not to develop their northern land, so they may choose to not fund the park project. The town is still negotiating with them to see if they will fund the walkway and bulkhead.
Guttenberg purchased the land with a $1.2 million grant from New Jersey Green Acres and the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund. They will use state grants to develop it: a $192,000 grant from Green Acres and a $400,000 grant from the Hudson County Open Space Trust Fund.
The town plans to bond (borrow) to pay the difference to finish the $800,000 park. That estimated figure does not include the walkway.
Drasheff said that when they purchased the land, it was expected that Hovnanian would complete the waterfront walkway. He said that discussions with attorneys are ongoing and that he is hopeful.
“I didn’t want to go out and spend town money or county money that someone else has the obligation to do,” said Drasheff.
‘Historic fill’
The parkland currently has a deed notice that lists the area as being contaminated by numerous metals which are considered “historic fill.”
Drasheff said that most waterfront areas in Hudson County have the same type of contamination and that the land Hovnanian built upon did as well. In Hovnanian’s application to the state to develop, they said they would build upon two feet of clean soil, so Guttenberg has asked for the same variance, said Drasheff.
According to a DEP official, the area at one time was a sewing company and has minor arsenic, copper, nickel and other metals in its soil. He said that often, a resolution for solving this type of matter is through removing the contaminated soil.
“Anywhere along the river, people have been dumping stuff there for hundreds of years,” said Drasheff.
He said that they would “cap” the ground. Doing so would go along with their architectural theme of having a raised park.
Other obstacles
Drasheff said that plans for stairs ascending from the park area to the waterfront walkway are awaiting approval from the DEP.
He said that the land does not need approval from the North Bergen Planning Board even though that town borders the land, because it is zoned for park land and will not need any variances.
“We’re a little behind schedule.” – Gerald Drasheff
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Drasheff said that receiving state approval should not be a problem, since Hovnanian built residential units while Guttenberg’s property will be purely recreational.
He said that unfortunately, the park will only have six parking spaces, and the possibility of walkway crossing the treacherous River Road is unlikely because of the location.
The developer has agreed to allow access to the park’s parking lot through a portion of their land where a driveway already exists.
Drasheff said he would have preferred having a parking lot across the street with a bridge crossing the road, but they do not own that land, and because of the layout, there will be no place for the walkway to land on the other side.
“We’re a little behind schedule,” said Drasheff. “I still think we can get our approvals …and still be done by the fall.”
Tricia Tirella may be reached at TriciaT@hudsonreporter.com.