Dear Editor:
Have Parsippany Officials performed any due diligence in their knowledge and applications of The Sciences of Ecology? Especially the ecotone scam, and our water future?
Understanding ecology is to safeguard the environment and improve human well-being. To refer to themselves as “Puddingstone Developers LLC” is absurd. This is an antithesis to the Puddingstone Ridge Corporation of the original founding community.
The developer produced NO EXPERTS in the required fields, Ecology, Hydrology, Forestry. In his fantasy of ecotones, and destroying an established forested area, to make it better. Planners and Engineers in the service of LL are not; experts in this testimony, as was obvious.
Developers’ presumption of ecotone balance, or as stated a better landscape after a major disturbance; erasing a sensitive landscape would be laughable to anyone with a basic knowledge of ecology.
The Board itself prevented Due Diligence in rejecting Advanced Property Reports/ Advanced Scientific Data made available for such Boards, and the Public concerning the properties’ inherent characteristics. We should not be concerned with Ecotones, (a misused term in this situation) but Ecosystem Services and functions that will be lost to the detriment of the Township. Established Maturing Tree Species, Original Landscape Biodiversity, Groundwater Recharge, A remaining unique neighborhood.
In addition, we must state that Groundwater Recharge cannot be ignored as O’Neil stated, Parsippany has the highest water deficit between 1-7.11 Million gallons a day. (The Block Lots are majority GWRA. Block 45.10 6.70 acres (59.37%) Lot 11 3.03 acres 99.55%)-(These areas will be erased and surely severely degraded, and their ecosystem services gone) ( The disturbance will surely have some additional impacts on the areas overall recharge phenomena )
Page 64 Master Plan.
A water allocation permit from the NJDEP is required for the diversion of
large amounts of groundwater for long periods of time.12 The Township has an NJDEP permit for up to 2,900 million gallons per year and uses about 80% of that amount within capacity limits of daily water supply. To conserve water Parsippany limits the number of days when residents and businesses may water their lawns from the start of June until the end of September each year.
* Note according to Highlands data most of Parsippany is in a water deficit area. The deficit is somewhere between 1 and 7.11 MGD. The most stressed category of water deficit in the Highlands. Part of the problem in addition to over-development/impervious surface, failure to protect GWRA in the past, depletion, (leaks), consumption (lawn culture), groundwater is withdrawn and then conveyed to the downstream sewer treatment plant, where it flows down the Rockaway River and is no longer available to recharge the aquifer, What is called water mining.
Tree Ground Cover and Soil Erased? Making it Better by Destroying a Landscape. another ecological impossibility; laughable.
At the very least Shelter-Wood Forestry Method should be applied, not the total erasing of trees, soils, and groundcover biota. (the animal and plant life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period.)
How can a major development asking for a hardship, suddenly change that position, and allege that their major development is a balance; that Ecotone can be better than a natural landscape or life in harmony with the Puddingstone Community?
The proposed major development is a Monstrosity ignoring and disregarding Master Plan Goals and Objectives Six are violated/ignored: 1-2 -7-10-11-12. (which in the time allotted cannot be read and emphasized)
3 minutes for concerned citizens to defend their Homeland, while a rich corporate developer has all the time necessary. Pride in Parsippany is just three words? We shall see.
