Tuesday, January 1, 2002
By RICHARD COWEN, Staff Writer
CLOSTER -- The new year promises to be a busy one for residents looking to preserve old homes and historic sites in Closter.
A new law gives the borough's Historic Preservation Commission the power to designate landmarks in town -- and to ensure that when renovations are done to historic sites, the work is done without destroying the site's historic value.
Closter is a town that still has a dozen stone houses from the Colonial era. But until Dec. 17, there was no zoning ordinance on the books to protect those houses from being knocked down or severely altered to meet modern needs.
Under the new ordinance, the seven-member Historic Preservation Commission will put together a register of historic landmarks in town. Once a landmark is listed on the register, the owners cannot make any changes -- even minor variations such as changing the paint color or adding an awning -- without first consulting the commission.
The new law cannot prevent an owner from demolishing a historic structure, but it does require that the Closter Historic Preservation Commission review any application for demolition. Once informed, the commission could then try and persuade the owner to save the building.
Doug Radick, vice chairman of the Closter Historic Preservation Commission, said the new ordinance at least gives the borough a tool to stop unscrupulous developers who knock down older, smaller homes that have historic value and build large ones.
"The land values are so high that to some developers, it doesn't matter what's there," Radick said. "They just want the land. House by house, this all begins to add up."
Studies have shown that historic designations, while restrictive for the owners, tend to raise property values in the immediate area.
Radick said many people believe incorrectly that just because a site is on the national or state register of historic places, it is protected from development. He said the preservation process begins at the local level.
Although there are no Closter landmarks on the national register, the borough does have several sites designated as landmarks by Bergen County.
The first order of business for 2002 will be compiling a register of historic sites in Closter. For the long term, the commission is looking into establishing a historic district in town -- possibly along Durie Avenue or downtown. Once the district is established, the borough can apply for state and federal grant money for upkeep.
Staff Writer Richard Cowen's e-mail address is cowen@northjersey.com
Tuesday, January 15, 2002
On landmarks in Closter
Regarding "Landmark panel starting work" (Page L-1, Jan. 1):
The historic preservation ordinance in Closter does not regulate paint color. The ordinance in Closter merely establishes that the commission is made up of qualified persons. It also sets up the procedures for designating historic sites and districts, and the mechanism and procedures for reviewing demolition and design changes to these resources.
The article states that no Closter landmarks are listed on the state and national registers of historic places. Actually, 10 "Dutch" sandstone houses from the Colonial period and the all-metal Lustron home erected in 1950 are on the roll of national sites.
In addition, Bergen County does not designate landmark sites. The county keeps a survey list of historic resources in each municipality, but there is no mechanism for protection through a designation process. Only a local town preservation ordinance can accomplish that.
Pat Morillo, Closter, Jan. 3
The writer is chairman of the Closter Historic Preservation
Commission