Beyond that, there is the landfill, the peak of which lies about a half-mile, as the sea gulls fly, from homes atop the cliff. It has changed for the better since the landfill, only about 15 acres of which is being used, stopped taking household garbage in 1998, he says. That cut down on smells and caused many of the gulls to leave. Workers are still building up certain portions, but because garbage settles, the high point has dropped 27 feet in the years since, he said. That's not the way neighborhood residents see it, though.
Many residents say they accept the existence of the landfill, but bemoan the vista lost behind it.
We lost our view, which is heartbreaking to us. But people say that's progress. Some relative newcomers, however, hardly seem to notice. Until the cliff was cut away to make room for the warehouse below, the area was rife with rabbits, pheasants, and other wildlife, neighbors say. The proximity of the Meadowlands means the area still is home to large numbers of hawks and other birds, they say.