Full Notification

Mayor Bill Ziegler’s May 2025 Status Report
 
Redevelopment and Revitalization:
If you missed the April 24th Town Hall on Redevelopment and Revitalization, don’t worry—you can watch the full video HERE.
 
I was very pleased with the strong turnout for this important Town Hall.  Getting redevelopment right is our top priority as we work together to shape a bright future for Leonia. Your friends and neighbors on MACORR—the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Redevelopment and Revitalization—did an outstanding job updating the community on their progress and encouraging public input. You can view the list of MACORR members HERE.   We owe them a debt of gratitude for their ongoing dedication and service.
 
The focus of this Town Hall was on two specific areas: Mixed Use Zones 1 and 2 (MX1 and MX2), which include the area below Grand Avenue on Fort Lee Road and the Willow Tree Road corridor. Regardless of whether light rail eventually arrives (and I continue to be assured that it will), we are planning a comprehensive redevelopment of this area that meets Leonia’s current and future needs. This initiative also aims to reduce the disproportionately high property tax burden on residential homeowners, making Leonia more affordable for all.
 
The MACORR presentation clearly outlines the zoning changes under consideration and defines the types of development we support—and those we do not.
 
Community input is essential. All public comments are taken seriously and carefully considered as we move forward. We are documenting the feedback received during the Town Hall and will post it on the Borough website as soon as it’s available. In the meantime, if you have any questions or additional comments, please email us at [email protected].
 
Leonia Community Center:
 Leonia is working with Congressman Josh Gottheimer to see if we can get federal funds to build a three-story Community Center including a new firehouse, Recreation Center and Borough administrative offices on Broad Avenue near the Recreation Commission.  This initiative is 100% dependent on receiving full grant funding as the cost is north of $20 million and Leonia does not have that kind of money–not even close.  If successful, we will vacate the current firehouse and move the Borough Hall to this new location, freeing us to potentially sell/lease the current Borough Hall while ensuring all historic protections on the building are enforced.  HERE are the conceptual plans.  If you want, you can click HERE to send a supportive letter to Congressman Gottheimer.  Kudos to Council President Jordan Zeigler for spearheading this initiative. 
 
Leonians and Broad Avenue Restaurants:
I recently conducted an informal, unscientific survey of several restaurant owners on Broad Avenue and came across a couple of surprising data points.
 
First, I spoke with the owners of Dante’s—a long-established Leonia eatery known for its family-friendly atmosphere and quality Italian food—and asked what percentage of their customers are from Leonia. I expected a much higher figure, but Dante and Yuri told me that only about 30% of their customers are Leonians (past or present).
 
I asked the same question of David Leo, the owner of Shumi, a sushi restaurant that just marked its second year in town and is gaining popularity. His response surprised me even more: only 5% of Shumi’s customers are from Leonia. That was not only unexpected—it was also a bit disappointing.
 
I understand that dining out can be more expensive than cooking at home, and that everyone is juggling busy schedules—I get it. But it's also important to recognize that our Broad Avenue restaurants would benefit from more support from Leonia residents. The data I recently shared highlights the untapped potential if more of us took advantage of what these local establishments have to offer.
 
When you support Leonia’s restaurants and other local merchants, you’re doing more than just making a purchase—you’re contributing to the vitality of our community. A thriving commercial district enhances the character of our town, helps boost property values, and attracts even more businesses to serve us better.
 
So, if you’re able, please consider dining at our Broad Avenue restaurants and shopping locally whenever you can. I know our business owners will be genuinely grateful—and the benefits will ripple throughout Leonia.
 
Mother’s Day Traffic:
If previous Mother’s Day traffic in Leonia is any indication of what we can reasonably expect again this year due to delays on an overburdened George Washington Bridge, we need to be prepared for the worst.   In anticipation, we have arranged during Mother’s Day weekend for Bergen County Police officers to be assigned to key Leonia intersections along Fort Lee Road to keep the intersections clear of gridlock and to move the traffic along as quickly and safely as possible.  My thanks again to our County Executive Jim Tedesco and Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton for their continued willingness to assist our town.   
 
Leonia Fire Department’s Request for a New Aerial Truck:
The Leonia Volunteer Fire Department leadership has asked for approximately $2 million to replace the existing ladder truck which is at the end of its standard, expected lifespan.  Our volunteer firefighters do a fantastic job and save us a ton of money every year. We continue to owe them a huge debt of gratitude and appreciation for their service.  But, yes, equipment and vehicle costs are still expensive. 
 
So we are looking at all alternatives available to us concerning a new aerial truck and analyzing different scenarios in an objective manner to come up with the safest and most cost effective approach for Leonia.  As we all appreciate,  taxpayer money doesn’t grow on trees but, at the same time, a top priority for any level of government is public safety and welfare. 

Our ongoing analysis is taking the form of a business case study. At this stage, no conclusions have been reached. We want to reassure you that we are working in close partnership with the leadership of our volunteer fire department. They are fully informed of what we are analyzing and have been actively engaged in gathering key data and contributing input on the various scenarios under consideration. This collaboration is essential to ensure we arrive at the best possible recommendation on how to proceed.

If there is a way to do something better, faster, and more cost-effectively, we owe it to the community to give that option serious consideration before making any final decisions.
HERE you’ll find the business case background I prepared, along with some of the preliminary data and alternative approaches we’ve compiled as part of this effort.  Initially, we were looking at having MBA students assist us with the analysis and you’ll see that indicated.

Among our neighboring municipalities—Teaneck, Englewood, Fort Lee, and Palisades Park—there are at least six aerial trucks in operation. This isn’t surprising, given that Bergen County has the highest concentration of fire trucks in the United States. It’s worth asking whether there may be another way to meet Leonia’s needs without requiring our taxpayers to spend $2 million. Time will tell. I’ll continue to keep you updated as this process moves forward.

Bergen County Inmate Work Program: 
This is a program I wasn’t previously aware of which is run by Bergen County and utilizes minimum security, low-risk inmates who have no history of violent offenses.  It periodically assists many municipalities with regular maintenance duties and has helped and is helping Leonia today too.
 
Leonia’s involvement with the Bergen County Inmate Protection Program has proven to be of considerable benefit to both the town and to our Department of Public Works.  This program has provided invaluable support on a variety of projects, such as painting the office and stairwell at the Leonia Senior Center, re-striping the Leonia Pool parking lot, and performing cleanup and landscaping at Sylvan and Wood Parks. The only cost to Leonia is providing lunch for the supervising officer and inmates, which is a fraction of what we would otherwise pay for these services. 
 
Flooding:
Increased runoff from a more developed Fort Lee to our east—combined with more frequent and intense storms, likely due to climate change—has created real concerns in Leonia. Some residents, especially those on Wood Terrace, have experienced major flooding. The term “100-year storm” feels outdated—we’ve seen at least five such events since Hurricane Ida in 2021.
 
While our DPW regularly maintains stormwater systems and clears catch basins, the infrastructure is aging and wasn’t built to handle today’s volume or intensity of storms. That’s why the Borough has formed a Flood Committee, chaired by Council President Jordan Zeigler and including Councilman Christoph Hesterbrink, Borough Administrator Marisa Mesropian, and myself. Here’s what we’ve been working on:
 
Hydraulic Study: NJIT is conducting a Borough-wide hydraulic analysis—free of charge—to identify potential locations for stormwater retention tanks or pools. This saved us $80,000 originally budgeted just for a study of Wood Terrace.
Grants for Retention Tanks: We’ve applied for grant funding through the H2Loans program to install these tanks, which slow runoff and ease pressure on the system.
Regional Cooperation: Leonia participates in a regional stormwater committee coordinating efforts to clear streams and creeks. The group is also seeking a $4 million grant through Senator Gordon Johnson for stormwater cleanup and equipment.
NJ Turnpike Authority Accountability: After persistent pressure, the NJTA has acknowledged its role in flooding caused by Crystal Lake overflow and committed to clearing out culverts and storm basins along I-95.
Wood Terrace Pumping: We’ve installed a pump behind the Methodist Church—one of our lowest elevation points—that can move 1,500 gallons per minute. We’ve also blocked nearby driveway areas on Broad Avenue to temporarily retain water and allow our systems to catch up.
Long-term solutions:  Both for Wood Terrace and elsewhere, will require significant state and federal funding. These projects are well beyond the Borough’s budget and will depend on successful grant applications.
 
Meanwhile, Leonia has taken local steps to reduce future risks:
 
Development Regulations: New construction and major renovations must include stormwater retention systems. You may have seen these large underground tanks being installed by some neighbors.
Tree Protection: Our updated tree ordinance protects large, mature trees—each of which can absorb up to 40,000–50,000 gallons of water annually. Leonia has once again been named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Foundation—our 36th year—and received the Growth Award for the 9th consecutive year.
 
I’m proud of our governing body for taking proactive steps to protect Leonia. But each homeowner also shares responsibility. Please review the flood preparedness tips we've compiled HERE. The Borough will continue to implement smart short-term fixes and fight hard for the funding needed to secure long-term solutions. Flooding will likely worsen in the years ahead, and we all must be ready.
 
Bogota’s interest in Leonia’s Court:
In a previous update, I shared news of our proactive outreach to nearby municipalities that might be interested in renting our courtroom space for their own court proceedings. Attached HERE is a flyer we've prepared to showcase our beautiful new Municipal Center and courtroom. And if I haven’t said it enough—the Police Department is thrilled to finally be out of their former headquarters.
 
I recently had a very productive and enjoyable lunch with Mayor Daniele Fede of Bogota at Shumi on Broad Avenue, where we discussed Bogota’s court space needs in more detail. That conversation was followed by a tour of our courtroom and a more formal meeting that included both of our Borough Administrators and Police Chiefs.
 
As a result of those discussions, Leonia will soon present a formal proposal to Bogota for their consideration. Our Borough Administrator is preparing that now. If the agreement is approved, it will allow us to generate rental income by leasing the courtroom during times we’re not using it—specifically in the evenings. That means we’ll be leveraging our investment in the new Municipal Center while helping to reduce our overall tax burden.
 
I’ll keep you posted as this develops.
 
Teaneck’s Interest in Leasing land north of our DPW:
The Borough of Teaneck is interested in leasing a parcel of land north of our DPW facility, and while the topic may sound straightforward, the backstory is anything but.
 
Recently, Bergen County officials informed us that the State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has found the County in violation of Green Acres parkland rules—because a strip of Green Acres-protected land runs directly through the middle of our Leonia DPW building. This is a serious issue, as the DEP is threatening to withhold all County grants until the matter is resolved.
 
Yes, the irony is not lost on me: this was originally Leonia’s land before we deeded it in the 1950’s to the County. But none of that matters now.  What does matter is that this land—known as an easement—is no longer ours and is classified as protected parkland.
 
You may be asking the same question I did: how did Leonia ever get permission to build its DPW on Green Acres land? The short answer is: we didn’t. Someone made a significant error back in the 1970s, and now it’s on us to fix it.
 
We don’t want the County to lose its grant funding. We also don’t want to damage the positive relationship we've built with the County—or even entertain the idea of vacating our DPW facility.
 
To clear the violation, the law requires a land swap with the State—at a minimum ratio of 5 to 1, and possibly up to 10 to 1. The problem? Leonia doesn’t have enough land available to meet that requirement.
 
Enter Teaneck. They own land that could satisfy the DEP’s swap criteria. If Teaneck provides that land to the County, the easement running through our DPW disappears, and the violation is resolved.
 
In return, Teaneck is asking for our consideration to lease the land adjacent to our DPW for their own facility. In addition to lease revenue for Leonia, this arrangement would include a shared services agreement on DPW equipment—potentially saving us substantial costs.
 
Discussions are active. Just last week, I met with our Borough Administrator and Attorney, the County Executive, the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Teaneck, and their respective teams to explore the proposal. I made it clear that this could be a win-win: the easement gets resolved, the County avoids penalties, and Leonia benefits financially and operationally.
 
That said, we’re not locking ourselves into anything just yet. I’ve emphasized the importance of fully exploring all options. If a developer steps forward with a more compelling proposal, we’re open to that possibility—though I think it’s unlikely.
 
The bottom line? I believe we’re on track to reach an agreement with Teaneck that eliminates the easement issue, addresses the DEP violation, provides lease income, and strengthens regional cooperation.
 
And we certainly don’t want to risk our relationship with the County over this. Strengthening ties with our neighbor to the west, Teaneck, is also a smart move.
 
If I ever write a book about my time as Mayor, this story might land in a chapter called Never a Dull Moment...
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I hope everyone is having an enjoyable Spring and it was great to see so many friends and neighbors again this year at Leonia Day in Wood Park.  Thank you to all the volunteers, business sponsors and our Recreation Center, DPW,  Police Department and MACORE for making Leonia Day another successful celebration of our diverse community.
 
Kind regards,
 
Bill Ziegler
Leonia Mayor