1. Just Two Amendments to 160-20176 were considered by Council - and
ORIGINAL Sohn Resolution
WHEREAS, the Route 4 Greenbelt dates back to 1933 and was created with the intention to create a
favorable impression upon all those entering Teaneck by way of the Route 4 state highway; and WHEREAS, this area, extending from the Englewood border to River Road and consisting of publicly owned property along Route 4, has been planted with shrubbery and flowers to beautify the area; and WHEREAS, the Greenbelt serves as an effective visual and sound buffer to prevent imposition of highway traffic and commercial development into the adjacent residential areas, thereby improving the quality of life and increasing the property values of those residences near the highway; and WHEREAS, Block 4102, Lot 27, a .94-acre wooded property on the south side of Route 4 at the Englewood border, is protected under an Agreement and Restrictions document, dated December 20, 1966, executed by the Mayor of Teaneck and the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Economic Development (the predecessor of the Department of Environmental Protection), which acknowledges the Township’s acceptance of Green Acres funds for the purchase and includes a map of the funded property and any such Green Acres funded parkland cannot be used for other than recreation and conservation purposes; and WHEREAS, Block 6002, Lot 10, the 4.92-acre wooded Route 4 buffer adjoining Alfred Avenue, was acquired by the township from the Phelps Estate with provisions specified on deed page 6 (Deed Book 2953, Deed Book Page 101) that the property can be used “only for public park purposes”; and
WHEREAS, the State Historic Preservation Office of the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection determined in its September 1, 2015, opinion that the entire Route 4 Greenbelt meets all the
office’s criteria and has been deemed eligible for designation as an historic district; and WHEREAS, the Township Council reaffirms its April 1987 Resolution calling for permanent historic preservation of the Route 4 Greenbelt, one of many such resolutions passed by the Township Council in the past several decades that have advocated for preservation of the Greenbelt and expressed opposition to commercialization of the Route 4 corridor; and WHEREAS; this Township Council would like to maintain this Greenbelt in its present form and has
determined that the Greenbelt in its entirety shall be designated and dedicated as a historic landmark,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Township Council of the Township of Teaneck, that the
Township Attorney shall be directed to submit all necessary applications to have the Route 4 Greenbelt
Open Space Corridor Historic District listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Township Manager and Attorney shall be directed to work with the
Green Acres Program in the NJDEP to identify any and all township-owned properties acquired with funds from the state that are encumbered under restrictions that limit use of such properties to recreation and conservation purposes; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all township-owned properties constituting the Route 4 Greenbelt shall be added to the township’s Recreation and Open Space Inventory with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres program.
Just Two Amendments to were considered by Council - and
both passed! {
Amendment 1 –remove paragraph - passed 5-2
Removes reference to Block 6002 Lot 10 in order not to further jeopardize Township vis-à-vis billboard lessee) as requested by Rupp
Amendment Passed C. Pruitt: “I would like to amend it to allow the Department of Transportation to
minimally use whatever property is needed to make a 3rd lane going east bound on Route 4 from Belle Avenue to Webster or whatever it is.” C Sohn : “And I would second that amendment (not in original - to be added)

2. Again precisely what was the PRUITT Amendment that in a roll call passed 7-0? C. Pruitt, referring to Sohn’s Resolution: “I would like to amend it to allow the Department of Transportation to minimally use whatever property is needed to make a 3rd lane going east bound on Route 4 from Belle Avenue to Webster Avenue…”
C Sohn :
“And I would second that amendment.” (Sohn goes on to say: “I think the memorandum of agreement (MOA) that was reached regarding the bridge over Windsor, Palisades and the CSX tracks is a model for that.”)
Note: this Pruitt 3rd lane amendment was
never restated and later passed unanimously
See video – Transparency.com
Hence, the website resolution’s reiteration (3 times) of the 3rd lane – and all use of language about “exception” when referring to the Greenbelt - is absolutely inconsistent with the Resolution that Council actually passed.
At no time in the entire 14-minute discussion of Sohn’s Resolution did anyone use the term exception; that “anyone” includes Attorney Rupp! The only term used in support of the Pruitt amendment was the term “to allow” a 3rd lane. In that 14 min., every Council member spoke;
Note: the current website version also is illegal since: Green Acres does not allow pre-emptive exceptions to its rules about the process by which open space property uses may be changed
Let’s review precisely what was: 2) what Council actually passed; & 3) what is now on the website!

3. Amended 7-6 Greenbelt Resolution as it now appears on website
Proposed 7-6 Amended Resolution on Greenbelt as passed, 6-1
WHEREAS, the Route 4 Greenbelt dates back to 1933 and was created with the intention to create a favorable impression upon all those entering Teaneck by way of the Route 4 state highway; and
WHEREAS, this area, extending from the Englewood border to River Road and consisting of publicly owned property along Route 4, has been planted with shrubbery and flowers to beautify the area; and
WHEREAS, the Greenbelt serves as an effective visual and sound buffer to prevent imposition of highway traffic and commercial development into the adjacent residential areas, thereby improving the quality of life and increasing the property values of those residences near the highway; and
WHEREAS, Block 4102, Lot 27, a .94-acre wooded property on the south side of Route 4 at the Englewood border, is protected under an Agreement and Restrictions document, dated December 20, 1966, executed by the Mayor of Teaneck and the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Economic Development (the predecessor of the Department of Environmental Protection), which acknowledges the Township’s acceptance of Green Acres funds for the purchase and includes a map of the funded property and any such Green Acres funded parkland cannot be used for other than recreation and conservation purposes; and
WHEREAS, the State Historic Preservation Office of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection determined in its September 1, 2015, opinion that the entire Route 4 Greenbelt meets all the office’s criteria and has been deemed eligible for designation as an historic district; and
WHEREAS, the Township Council reaffirms its April 1987 Resolution calling for permanent historic preservation of the Route 4 Greenbelt, one of many such resolutions passed by the Township Council in the past several decades that have advocated for preservation of the Greenbelt and expressed opposition to commercialization of the Route 4 corridor; and
WHEREAS; this Township Council would like to maintain this Greenbelt in its present form and has determined that the Greenbelt in its entirety shall be designated and dedicated as a historic landmark,
Continued next page
WHEREAS, the Route 4 Greenbelt dates back to 1933 and was created with the intention to create a favorable impression upon all those entering Teaneck by way of the Route 4 State Highway; and
WHEREAS,  this area, extending from the Englewood border to River Road and consisting of publicly owned property along Route 4, has been planted with shrubbery and flowers to beautify the area; and
WHEREAS, the Greenbelt serves as an effective visual and sound buffer to prevent imposition of highway traffic and commercial development into the adjacent residential areas, thereby improving the quality of life and increasing the property values of those residences near the highway; and
WHEREAS, Block 4102, Lot 27, a .94 acre wooded property on the south side of Route 4 at the Englewood border, is protected under an Agreement and Restriction document, dated December 20, 1966, executed by the Mayor of Teaneck and the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Economic Development (the predecessor of the Department of Environmental Protection), which acknowledges the Township’s acceptance of Green Acres funds for the purchase and includes a map of the funded property and any such Green Acres funded parkland cannot be used for other than recreation and conservation purposes; and
WHEREAS, the State Historic Preservation Office of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection determined in its September 1, 2015, opinion that the entire Route 4 Greenbelt meets all the office’s criteria and has been deemed eligible for designation as an historic district; and
WHEREAS, the Township Council reaffirms its April 1987 Resolution calling for permanent historic preservation of the Route 4 Greenbelt, one of many such resolutions passed by the Township Council in the past several decades that have advocated for preservation of the Greenbelt and expressed opposition to commercialization of the Route 4 corridor; and
WHEREAS, the Township Council would like to maintain this Greenbelt in its present form and has determined that the Greenbelt in its entirety shall be designated and dedicated as a historic landmark, with the exception of such property as may be required to widen State Highway Route 4 to three lanes in each direction along its entire length lying within the Township of Teaneck; Continued – next page
Problem starts here

4. Amended 7-6 Greenbelt Resolution as it now appears on website
- continued
Proposed 7-6 Amended Resolution on Greenbelt as passed - continued
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Township Council of the Township of Teaneck, that the Township Attorney shall be directed to submit all necessary applications to have the Route 4 Greenbelt Open Space Corridor Historic District listed on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Township Manager and Attorney shall be directed to work with the Green Acres Program in the NJDEP to identify any and all township-owned properties acquired with funds from the state that are encumbered under restrictions that limit use of such properties to recreation and conservation purposes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all township-owned properties constituting the Route 4 Greenbelt shall be added to the township’s Recreation and Open Space Inventory with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acres program; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Township of Teaneck shall work with the New Jersey Department of Transportation to minimally use whatever property is needed to make a 3rd lane going eastbound on Route 4 from Belle Avenue to Webster Avenue.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Township Council of the Township of Teaneck, that the Township Attorney shall be directed to submit all necessary applications to have the Route 4 Greenbelt Open Space Corridor Historic District listed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places, with the exception of such property as may be required to widen State Highway Route 4 to three lanes in each direction along its entire length lying within the Township of Teaneck; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Township Manager and Attorney shall be directed to work with the Green Acres Program in the NJDEP to identify any and all Township-owned properties acquired with funds from the State that are encumbered under restrictions that limit the use of such properties to recreation and conservation purposes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that all Township-owned properties constituting the Route 4 Greenbelt shall be added to the Township’s Recreation and Open Space Inventory with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Acre program, with the exception of such property as may be required to widen State Highway Route 4 to three lanes in each direction along its entire length lying within the Township of Teaneck.
Problem finishes here
Again precisely what was the PRUITT Amendment - Passed 7-0? C. Pruitt: “I would like to amend it to allow the Department of Transportation to minimally use whatever
property is needed to make a 3rd lane going east bound on Route 4 from Belle Avenue to Webster Avenue…”
C Sohn :
“And I would second that amendment.” (Sohn then goes on to say: “I think the memorandum of agreement (MOA) that was reached regarding the
bridge over Windsor, Palisades and the CSX tracks is a model for that.”)