Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey
Woodcliff Lake is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,128, an increase of 398 (+6.9%) from the 2010 census count of 5,730, which in turn reflected a decline of 15 (−0.3%) from the 5,745 counted in the 2000 census. Most of the borough mandates a minimum lot size of for single-family homes, with portions on the borough's east zoned for and portions of the borough's northwest and southwest zoned for lots.
Woodcliff Lake is also the name of the reservoir that lies primarily within the borough, with a small portion at the southeastern edge located in neighboring Hillsdale.
History
The borough was originally incorporated as the Borough of Woodcliff, on August 31, 1894, from parts of Orvil Township and Washington Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier. The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone. The borough derives its name from the characteristics of its geography.
On March 1, 1910, after the creation of the reservoir, the name of the borough was changed to Woodcliff Lake, to match the name of the post office. Prior to the creation of ZIP Codes as a way to uniquely identify addresses, United States Postal Service policy was that two post offices in a state could not have the same name, and there was already a "Woodcliff" in Hudson County. On January 1, 1956, and again on July 1, 1958, Woodcliff Lake exchanged sections of land with Park Ridge. On October 13, 1960, portions were exchanged with Hillsdale.
Woodcliff Lake has many historic houses and buildings, some dating from the 18th century. Many old buildings are also present, but are likely to have been modified through the years. The borough has seen intense development over the past 50 years, as virtually all areas available for construction have been developed.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 3.55 square miles (9.19 km2), including 3.38 square miles (8.74 km2) of land and 0.17 square miles (0.45 km2) of water (4.85%).
The borough is bordered by the Bergen County municipalities of Hillsdale, Montvale, Park Ridge, River Vale, Saddle River, and small portions of Upper Saddle River. Woodcliff Lake is located approximately northwest of Manhattan.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 5,730 people, 1,916 households, and 1,600 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,980 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 90.30% (5,174) White, 0.82% (47) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 6.47% (371) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.20% (69) from other races, and 1.20% (69) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.41% (310) of the population.
Of the 1,916 households, 42.3% had children under the age of 18; 75.4% were married couples living together; 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 16.5% were non-families. Of all households, 15.0% were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.28.
27.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 17.1% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.0 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $150,404 (with a margin of error of +/− $25,298) and the median family income was $172,019 (+/− $32,763). Males had a median income of $105,045 (+/− $11,151) versus $65,119 (+/− $22,660) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $62,925 (+/− $7,887). About 1.1% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.
Same-sex couples headed five households in 2010, an increase from the one household counted in 2000.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census, there were 5,745 people, 1,824 households, and 1,605 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,842 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 93.84% White, 0.87% African American, 0.03% Native American, 4.47% Asian, 0.19% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 2.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,824 households, out of which 47.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.2% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.0% were non-families. 10.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.08 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 29.9% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $123,022, and the median income for a family was $133,925. Males had a median income of $90,000 versus $45,150 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $53,461. 1.5% of the population and 0.9% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.4% of those under the age of 18 and 2.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Economy
The borough was the world headquarters of Ingersoll Rand until the company moved in 2004, after which its property was taken over by the North American headquarters of BMW. The borough is also the corporate headquarters of Perillo Tours, which consists of an elaborate Italian revival where Richard Nixon had an office after his presidency.
Tice's Corner Marketplace is a strip mall located on the site of the original Tice's Farms that features more than 20 stores. Due to Bergen County's blue laws, all the retail stores are closed on Sundays, but two of its restaurants are open.
Arts and culture
The Tri-Boro area consisting of Woodcliff Lake, Park Ridge, and Montvale all participate in an annual Memorial Day Parade.
The musical group The Front Bottoms was formed by Woodcliff Lake residents Brian Sella (lead vocalist) and Mathew Uychich (drums).
Parks and recreation
Wood Dale County Park is a Bergen County park covering located on Prospect Avenue. It has a playground, a dog park, walking path, tennis courts, athletic fields, picnic areas and a lake for fishing and model boating.
Old Mill Pool is a public pool complex located on Werimus Road. It has a pool, water slide, playground and a picnic area.
Government
Local government
Woodcliff Lake is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Woodcliff Lake is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
, the mayor of Woodcliff Lake is Republican Carlos Rendo, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Jennifer Margolis (D, 2024), Jacqueline M. Gadaleta (D, 2024), Josephine Higgins (D, 2023), Nicole Marsh (D, 2025), Benjamin Pollack (D, 2025) and Richard Schnoll (D, 2023).
In May 2020, Craig Marson was appointed by the borough council from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that had been held by Ian Spelling until he resigned from office; Marson served on an interim basis until November 2020, when voters then chose a candidate to serve the remainder of the term of office.
In January 2016, the borough council appointed Angela Hayes to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Carlos Rendo until he took office as mayor.
Jean Bae was chosen in September 2012 to fill the vacancy of Kenneth Baum, who had resigned from the council earlier that month. Bae became the borough's first Asian-American councilwoman.
Controversy erupted in the borough in August 2008 when former mayor LaPaglia described Councilmen Bader and Rosenblatt as "the temple twins", an apparent reference to their Jewish religion. The two councilmen demanded an apology, which LaPaglia would not give, denying antisemitic intent and stating that he is prone to colorful nicknames.
Federal, state and county representation
Woodcliff Lake is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 39th state legislative district.
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,209 registered voters in Woodcliff Lake, of which 1,119 (26.6% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,024 (24.3% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 2,065 (49.1% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 73.5% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 101.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide; meaning that there were more registered voters as of the date accessed than those of legal voting age, which can happen when registered voters move out of the borough but aren't removed from the voter rolls).
In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden received 2,323 votes (57.7% vs 57.44% countywide), ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 1,626 votes (40.45% vs 41.06%). In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 1,804 votes (52.5% vs. 54.2% countywide), ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 1,489 votes (43.3% vs. 41.1%) and other candidates with 142 votes (4.1% vs. 4.6%), among the 3,503 ballots cast by the borough's 4,741 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.9% (vs. 72.5% in Bergen County). In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,792 votes (56.1% vs. 43.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,374 votes (43.0% vs. 54.8%) and other candidates with 20 votes (0.6% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,197 ballots cast by the borough's 4,475 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.4% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,696 votes (49.9% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,646 votes (48.5% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 23 votes (0.7% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,396 ballots cast by the borough's 4,305 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.9% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,656 votes (49.7% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,638 votes (49.2% vs. 51.7%) and other candidates with 24 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 3,329 ballots cast by the borough's 4,108 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.0% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.1% of the vote (1,603 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.8% (567 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (24 votes), among the 2,258 ballots cast by the borough's 4,333 registered voters (64 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 52.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,362 votes (48.1% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,257 votes (44.4% vs. 48.0%), Independent Chris Daggett with 160 votes (5.7% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 20 votes (0.7% vs. 0.5%), among the 2,831 ballots cast by the borough's 4,902 registered voters, yielding a 57.8% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).
Emergency services
Woodcliff Lake is served by a volunteer fire department that was established in 1932 after residents became dissatisfied with fire protection paid for through Park Ridge. The WLFD consists of a chief, a deputy chief, two captains and three lieutenants in addition to the 30+ members. Woodcliff Lake Fire Department operates Squad 7, Squad 72, Truck 75, Rescue 76 and Marine 7 out of the fire house on Pascack Road. The chiefs are assigned cars numbered after their radio designations 710 and 711. WLFD is a member of the Tri-Boro Mutual Aid along with Montvale and Park Ridge.
Together with Park Ridge and Montvale, Woodcliff Lake is one of the three municipalities that is part of the Tri-Boro Volunteer Ambulance Corps, founded in 1938 and provides EMS service to these three communities. Tri-Boro is a non-profit and full volunteer group which provides free emergency service to those in the community who need it at any time. The headquarters is located in Park Ridge near Mill Pond.
Woodcliff Lake's police department, located next to borough hall and the fire department, was founded in 1954.
Education
The Woodcliff Lake Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 737 students and 77.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.5:1. The schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are
Dorchester Elementary School with 464 students in grades Pre-K through 5 and
Woodcliff Middle School which had 265 students in grades 6–8.
For ninth through twelfth grades, Woodcliff Lake public school students attend Pascack Hills High School, along with those from Montvale. The school is part of the Pascack Valley Regional High School District, which serves students from Hillsdale and River Vale at Pascack Valley High School. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 842 students and 70.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1. The mayor and council of Woodcliff Lake have passed resolutions supporting the withdrawal of the borough from the Pascack Valley Regional High School District, noting that the community contributes 28% of the district's spending, while accounting for 19% of the students attending the district's schools. Both Montvale and Woodcliff Lake, with substantial commercial property tax ratables, have a cost per student substantially higher than that paid by the other two communities, with Woodcliff Lake's cost of $28,521 nearly double the $14,840 paid by Hillsdale (on a per student basis).
Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Bergen County and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
The Garden State Parkway and County Route 503 pass through Woodcliff Lake.
The Garden State Parkway may be entered, southbound, or exited from, northbound, at exit 171. Due to the fact that not all movements are possible at that exit, exits 168 in Washington Township and 172 in Montvale are also used to access the borough.
Public transportation
Woodcliff Lake is served by NJ Transit at the Woodcliff Lake train station, located at Broadway and Woodcliff Avenue. The station offers service on the Pascack Valley Line, which runs north–south to Hoboken Terminal with connections via the Secaucus Junction transfer station to New Jersey Transit one-stop service to New York Penn Station and to other NJ Transit rail service. Connections are available at the Hoboken Terminal to other New Jersey Transit rail lines, the PATH train at the Hoboken PATH station, New York Waterways ferry service to the World Financial Center and other destinations and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail service.
Rockland Coaches offers service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on routes 11T/11AT and 45/46/47. Saddle River Tours / Ameribus provides service to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station on route 11C.
Community
Tice Farms was a farm and roadside stand in Woodcliff Lake. Founded in 1808, it was a local landmark which attracted families from miles around, especially in the fall, when it was noted for pumpkins, apple cider, freshly baked donuts, and other fall products. Many people would make the drive to the area from New York City, causing massive traffic jams on autumn weekends. Beginning in the 1970s, the farm was increasingly squeezed by local land development, and Richard Tice, the head of the family, repeatedly sold land to accommodate development. BMW's North American headquarters are located on Chestnut Ridge Road, and is built, and currently being expanded on land once owned by the Tice family. The company is the town's predominant landowner. Tice Farms is now Tice's Corner, an upscale strip mall.
Van Riper's Farm, formerly located approximately across the street from Tice's, was founded in the late 18th century and known for its apple cider and annual turkey shoot. It was closed to make way for an A&P supermarket, which was known as the company's trademark store. The store was acquired by Acme Markets in 2015 and finally closed in 2019.
A small reminder of Woodcliff Lake's rural history is Fusco's Market, located on the corner of Werimus and Saddle River Roads. Nearby is the Old Mill Pond, which was established as the town's swimming pool around 1950 when the borough acquired the small, nearly silted-up mill pond near the headwaters of the Musquapsink Brook. Old Mill Pond has been renovated to include a partial sand beach along with a water slide, two diving boards, swimming lanes, and other water activities for kids.
Woodcliff Lake lacks its own public library; however, it offers its residents reimbursement if they pay for a library membership from a neighboring municipality with its own library.
The borough was originally assigned the ZIP Code 07680. As part of post office consolidation in the early 1970s, it lost its postmaster (though not its post office) and was designated a branch of the Westwood post office, sharing the ZIP code 07675. Following longtime public protest, it regained its own ZIP code, 07677, as of July 2000.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Woodcliff Lake include:
Jack Antonoff (born 1984), guitarist for the band Fun
Bruce Beresford-Redman (born 1971), co-creator and executive producer of MTV's Pimp My Ride
Mark Denbeaux (born 1943), law professor at Seton Hall University School of Law and the director of its Center for Policy and Research
Steven M. Goldman, former commissioner of banking and insurance of New Jersey (2006–2009)
Kerri Green (born 1967), actress who appeared in The Goonies
Rick Hurvitz, co-creator and executive producer of MTV's Pimp My Ride
Andrew Kissel (1959–2006), real estate developer who was found murdered at his rented Greenwich, Connecticut, estate
Joe Oriolo (1913–1985), producer of the Felix the Cat cartoons made in the 1960s, and co-creator of Casper the Friendly Ghost
Tom Papa (born 1968), comedian, actor and host of The Marriage Ref
Randolph Perkins (1871–1936), represented New Jersey's 6th congressional district from 1921 to 1936
Gene Perla (born 1940), jazz bassist
In media
Some scenes from the fourth episode of The Jack and Triumph Show, titled "Siri", were filmed on location at Tice's Corner Marketplace.
References
Sources
Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties) prepared by the Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey); December 1, 1958.
Clayton, W. Woodford; and Nelson, William. History of Bergen and Passaic Counties, New Jersey, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men., Philadelphia: Everts and Peck, 1882.
Harvey, Cornelius Burnham (ed.), Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey. New York: New Jersey Genealogical Publishing Co., 1900.
Van Valen, James M. History of Bergen County, New Jersey. New York: New Jersey Publishing and Engraving Co., 1900.
Westervelt, Frances A. (Frances Augusta), 1858–1942, History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630–1923, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1923.
One Hundred Years of Woodcliff Lake Heritage, 1894–1994, Woodcliff Lake Centennial Book Committee, 1997
External links
1894 establishments in New Jersey
Borough form of New Jersey government
Boroughs in Bergen County, New Jersey
Pascack Valley
Populated places established in 1894