Dear Editor:
NOW IS THE TIME TO CONDEMN WATERVIEW LANDSCAPE AS BUILDERS REMEDY THREATENS
Elections remark included. Has our Governor allowed sprawl to continue; has he ended smart growth; should not all housing be affordable locally by jobs and immediate population?
Township Attorney John Inglesino, however, said RD’s new proposal could bypass COAH completely because the application calls for affordable housing only; opening the door for a “persuasive argument” that it could be approved by a judge as “inherently beneficial use” of the land.
The “Inherently beneficial use”; How about the long-term economic benefits of protecting our common watershed, as waterview landscape has several characteristics to quality it as an environmentally sensitive area? Condemning this asset will give indirect valuation our future cost avoidance in water quality and quantity through its ecosystems services already working for us. Waterview has steep slopes, forest and its part of the ground water recharge phenomena. It is also a sponge for the areas flood problems being part of the Troy Brook system, which leads to the Troy Meadows Natural Landmark, Whippany, Rockaway and Passaic river complex. It also plays a part in the aquifer wellhead protections. The landscape enhancing the immediate neighborhood of which no major changes have occurred to warrant such a development. Waterviews should of in reality been rezoned long ago as environmentally sensitive, as the Troy Brook Stormwater Study brought out and as its slopes and forest would demand. It is a left over from the office development frenzy of the past market speculation craze. It condemning as environmentally sensitive would be in keeping with the Troy Brook Study recommending prevention of biodiversity loss, to ensure water integrity and flood control.
The land being private property matters not as its development would affect all of us and the region in general so a common shared interest prevails. Under home rule which Parsippany prides itself on a municipality has the right to condemn land for its own best interest, not the interest of a developer. RD has proven they are no friend of Parsippany and have constantly changed their proposals for the land, showing bad faith in every measure toward the community they intend to change.
The time then is right to condemn the landscape, because now is the time we are sure our township is going to be effected by coming development threats and other developments allowed for economic growth, we therefore need to identify, assess and protect these important environmentally sensitive landscapes making sure they are not compromised forever by unneeded developments or developments that can be placed elsewhere. As Mr. Inglesino stated, vacant land puts us at risk, however vacant land cannot be the legal avenue of right alone in choosing sites for affordable housing. Environmentally sensitive lands should not be developed for any reason, in the best interest of all now and into the future. Parsippany must come to recognize and respect their place in the Highlands, planning zone or not, our responsibility and duty not to damage the common resource of water, as Parsippany’s place in among the seventh largest buried valley aquifer in the Nation. This water resource is a commonly shared natural asset and no developers have the right to allow us to compromise its vitality.
If COAH no longer exist any and all contentions by developers to build affordable housing must be carefully scrutinized as the actual demand must stem from the local population in need of this housing with appropriate renting scales based on income. If defies logic that vacant land alone would dictate where housing would be located, as this will allow sprawl to expand even further inflicting more environmental damage ruining landscapes and impeding the lands ability to replenish its water basins. Traffic and air pollution would also affect the health of us all.
Parsippany has more than met any housing needs and most likely still has enough available housing, as should not all such housing be made so-called affordable? Parsippany nor any single municipality can be targeted without seeing the issue on a regional scale as already existing surrounding housing or housing now in the works of construction must all be accounted and considered.
Simply put the people of any community and especially under Home Rule decide what is good and in the best interest of their community, not outside forces, or developers. This has been the case for too long in Parsippany. Parsippany has unwisely decide not to conform to regional planning, which would bring more transparency, public participation and guaranteed best land use practices without question. It would also prevent the constant lawsuits now plaguing tax payers. It makes no sense to continue this way, but we go on, paying taxes to an administration that does not represent the people of the area. Our tax money goes to assist and add developers with their best interest in mind and a self-serving political machine that accompanies and encourages their wants, ignoring our needs. If water is not important, is more traffic doesn’t matter, more trash, litter and noise well then what does? Home rule is a farce because it should be obvious to all; developers rule and if they don’t get their way like RD they sue, this could not happened under a regional land use plan. It would become too expensive for the developer. In our case it sis for us, while our leaders convince us they are saving us money by compromising or giving in.
Mayors or Councilman who think it is all the choices of the developers, whole foods, or public housing for example should not pretend they are in our service, they are not. Every town has the right to choose its own best interest, in zoning and condemning land when required for the best interest of the people living and paying taxes there.
A vote for the dePierro, Ferrara, Gragnani, team would spell disaster for Parsippanys future which now looks dims enough without them. If there is any hope of keeping Parsippany a nice place to live because of its landscapes and relatively cheap water bills and reasonable taxes, the vote needs to go to Paul Carifi, Aida Visakay and John Beehler. We need leadership not follow ship. Compromise if necessary must bring us all to a higher level. It’s time to stop feeling powerless over nonsense. Developers do not rule Parsippany, Mayor Barberio had no right to invite RD here like he did without prior consent or good reason. We however have with us a most powerful influence in the State of New Jersey, John Inglesino. It is his time to show us his magic; developers have had enough of our community, we ask for waterview landscape to be preserved forever part of Parsippany. Show us the Pride you have for us condemn waterview landscape and let what may happen.
Did not Mayor Barberio state he would save waterview as open space? He has now no other way but to condemn the land for the best interest of Parsippany.
Please find the definition here for landscape, for your entertainment as waterview is such a landscape.
A “landscape” is defined as a large area encompassing an interacting mosaic of ecosystems and human systems that is characterized by a set of intersecting management concerns. The landscape is not defined by the size of the area, but rather by the interacting elements that are meaningful to the management objectives. In addition, for the purposes of this report, the term “landscape” encompasses watersheds and marine environments that match the above description.
15 The term “cumulative impacts” refers to the combined, incremental effects of human activity on a resource, ecosystem, or human community. Impacts of an action may be relatively insignificant on their own, but as they accumulate over time and combine with the impacts from other sources, they can lead to significant overall degradation of resources (EPA, 1999)
Let us think not only of development and growth but the elements of life itself, earth, air water, and soul, without these what good is all else. Vote the Carifi Team.
Even a cactus plant has enough god-given intelligence to store itself water; for its future and those of its surroundings.
Nicholas Homyak
