"No Use Afterwards” RD’s Waterview

  This reality; “no use afterwards” is what is most likely in store for the last remaining wooded lot and its ridgeline and contours, known as Doremus Ridge, or Waterview Block 421 Lot 29. It’s development for unneeded additional retail space and parking will most likely be added to the inventory of already developed and abandoned properties littering Parsippany up and down Route 46.

   Our Town council fails to recognize this property in it’s inheriting value within nature. It’s value in the aquifer recharge phenomena, its beauty and importance of mature trees and its integrity as a landscape threshold for an immediate neighborhood. Our one dimensional Council thinks only of tax retable’s, which in reality turn out not worth the endeavor for the local citizens and are in fact tax breaks for corporate developers or “sweetheart deals”.

 Unneeded addition retail at waterview will:  1. produce an undesirable change in the character of the immediate neighborhood.  2. Will surely be a detriment to nearby properties and would have an adverse effect or impact on the physical or environmental conditions in the neighborhood; noise, traffic, pollution, trash & litter.

 .  The Rutgers study of the Troy Brook mentions, maintenance of bio-diversity in the area known as waterview office park, should be adhered to; along with importance of Aquifer Recharge and flood control..

 The new impervious surface here must be seen in addition to the new Audi-Dealer lot and the inventory of already developed block lots in the area, many not being utilized. Loss of Aquifer Recharge must be taken more seriously.  

  No significant tax benefit; will be forthcoming for the community; however a scenario of possible and likely future impacts will surely cause tax increases. The area developed for "retail" will be of no use afterwards, but will add to the list of developed and useless properties now littering Parsippany. 

  Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world. We ask that the Town Fathers think beyond simple property rights and taxes, which are more than likely unbalanced in favor of the developer and property owner, who will make an unreasonable profit at the expense of the community and region.

We have political rather than scientific reasons, which go against a higher principal of the Highlands legislation to protect the future of the land & water resources of the region from non-traditional and unneeded land development. Parsippany being in the Planning Zone of the NJ Highlands chooses not to conform to the regional master plan, but favors home-rule. So it proves politicians are an impediment to healthy well-being of the future.

   We ask that an emergence of values emerge from the Town Council & Planning Board away from consumerism, individualism and dominance over nature, to quality of life, human solidarity and ecological sensibility. Redefine wealth as a measure of health of our families, communities and natural environment. Stop seeing nature as a resource to exploit as it sees fit for economic and other practices, to seeing the natural world as having both intrinsic value independent of people and rights that create the duty of ecological stewardship; from rights of ownership to responsibilities of stewardship.

  A new economy is necessary; this is the newly elected councils chance to change the cycle of Parsippany being a developers town; or a house divided between community and large property owners or rude entities like RD whom we really know nothing about, except their contempt for the Parsippany community. Belle-Meade will be unjustly enriched at the expense of this neighborhood, community and region, if allowed to go any further. We ask that the Mayor and Council keep their word; that Waterview will become open space and preserved for all forever.