Another aspect of the new "Waterview Threat" is that no environmental impact statement will be forthcoming until after the zoning ordinance is passed.

The Parsippany Planning Board and the developer are playing games. Did not the developer at the February meeting present an overlay map? This map, although showing no contours as regulation would require, gave quite an impression as to the impacts that would be suffered. The block lot which contains slopes of 380 to 360 feet down to 320 feet closer to Route 46 have various steep percentages.

For example, at the meeting that night the developer should have shown the block lot in "topographic map form showing existing contours at two-foot intervals."

Areas clearly identified showing the following as measured between 10-foot contour lines:

• Area 1 - 30 percent slopes or greater
• Area 2 - 20 percent slopes but less than 30 percent
• Area 3 - 15 percent slopes but less than 20 percent
• Area 4 - Less than 15 percent slopes.

This is just one of numerous other criteria concerning environmental impacts that should have been presented that night or any time.    

The developer, RD Realty, has the plan and knows what it wishes, so the environmental impacts are known already or can be assessed. It was cheaper for RDR not to provide these materials; it supplemented the Eco-Science report instead. 

This report states a mature upland/successional forest community exists. The developer failed to mention the number of trees and their place or size on the lot. This too is a very important factor in environmental impacts.

Here is one impact we don't need RDR for: 'yearly one acre of trees absorbs enough carbon dioxide to offset a car driven 26,000 miles and produces enough oxygen for 18 people. Trees keep water clean and drinkable. Tree roots can trap and filter contaminants before they affect water supply.

Let us show another impact from this development. The important work conducted by Rutgers University with the good intention of helping us help ourselves in the realm of our Troy Brook watershed will be thrown out the window. This Rutgers study cites specifically the Waterview office complex and the immediate area for improvements in biodiversity and recharge quality of stormwater runoff.  These studies were conducted for the common good, not to be ignored by some unreasonable, greedy developer.

Ignoring this Rutgers study smites of civil contempt. Destruction of environmentally critical areas or areas of significant environmental value are just one of the many negative impacts this development/destruction will bring. Add in the noise, light, water and trash pollution.   

Nicholas Homyak
Lake Hiawatha