Township officials took swift action but the damage was done as dozens of trees — many of them mature — were cut down at the historic Squier House property on N. Ridgewood Road in South Orange over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
In a statement, township officials reported, “Unfortunately, in a swift and unexpected action, trees were removed by the developer without warning, without tree removal permits, and without adherence to the planning board’s conditions of approval.”
By December 1, a notice was posted on the front door of the existing home on the property — a portion of which dates back to colonial times — stating that all construction had been halted until further notice.
In response to a request for comment, South Orange Village President Sheena Collum wrote, “We share the community’s concern and sadness over this situation. The preservation of our tree canopy is a priority with our community, the Village administration, the Board of Trustees and myself. We are currently looking into all available options and are in conversations with the developer. We promise to do everything in our power to remediate the situation and achieve the best possible outcome. We will provide an update on impacts to local, county, and state approvals and the course of action taken to remediate.”
Village Green has reached out to the developer, Isaac Lefkowitz, for comment. Lefkowitz had previously won praise from neighbors and the township when he collaborated with local preservationists to save the historic portion of the existing Squier House while subdividing the property to include two new homes.
But the “feel good” story of last March was replaced by sadness and astonishment this past weekend as the properly was quickly and indiscriminately cleared of trees. The Squier House, which was hard to see through the thicket of trees and shrubs previously, stood in stark contrast to the clear-cut grounds surrounding it, with trees stumps dotting the landscape in stubble-like fashion.
The South Orange Environmental Commission issued the following statement on December 2:
“We were shocked to see that trees in the riparian buffer on the Squier property were cut down. The South Orange Environmental Commission takes the subject of trees very seriously and any loss of our already diminished canopy on public or private land is a loss for all residents. It’s very disappointing. While it appears to be in the hands of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to enforce any state regulations that were violated, the SOEC is looking into proposing a Municipal Riparian Zone Ordinance to the South Orange Board of Trustees that would add further protection for riparian areas. Obviously mistakes were made and we hope that a comprehensive plan to mitigate the damage will be required and fully funded. The SOEC stands by to assist if any guidance is requested.”
Statement from South Orange Village in response to community concern regarding tree clearing at 167 N. Ridgewood Rd:
(December 2, 2022) South Orange Village issued a stop work order immediately upon learning of the situation regarding tree clearance at 167 N. Ridgewood Ave. During this time we are working to thoroughly assess the situation and develop an appropriate course of action.
Prior to any site disturbance on any construction site within the Village proper channels and processes must be followed. In this case the planning board review and approval process mandated a tree preservation plan and site disturbance limits as conditions of approval. These plans and conditions were reviewed for consistency by Village Planning, Engineering, and Building departments prior to the issuance of building permits. Field inspections were completed by the Village Engineer to ensure adequate site protection measures were taken, including tree preservation measures. Unfortunately, in a swift and unexpected action, trees were removed by the developer without warning, without tree removal permits, and without adherence to the planning board’s conditions of approval.
Village President Sheena Collum, added, “We share the community’s concern and sadness over this situation. The preservation of our tree canopy is a priority with our community, the Village administration, the Board of Trustees and myself. We are currently looking into all available options and are in conversations with the developer. We promise to do everything in our power to remediate the situation and achieve the best possible outcome. We will provide an update on impacts to local, county, and state approvals and the course of action taken to remediate.”
