Parsippany Post-Irene — Recovering from the Storm
Posted in: Featured, View All Entries by admin on August 29, 2011 | No Comments
After being hit hard by Hurricane Irene with flooding, power outages, and the release of the Reservoir Dam — this has certainly been a tumultuous weekend for Parsippany, New Jersey and for much of the east coast. Our hearts go out to those evacuated and those dealing with power outages and flooded homes — and thanks to all those emergency responders and volunteers who helped and are still helping residents in trouble from the storm.
- Coverage of Parsippany Evacuations on NJ.com
- Post-Irene Coverage on Parsippany Patch
- Tips for Insurance Claims on Parsippany Patch
- Updates from the Township on Parsippany.net
Photo courtesy of Mary Curoski
Voter Fraud Allegations in Parsippany
Posted in: Featured, View All Entries by admin on August 25, 2011 | No Comments
Today the Daily Record reported about voter fraud allegations tied to Parsippany voters. Specifically, Margaret Nordstrom, the incumbant Republican freeholder – who “unofficially and narrowly lost” to newcomer candidate Hank Lyon — is contesting the results of the Republican Primary Election. Based on the Daily Record reports, ” …of all the vote-by-mail ballots cast in the county’s GOP primary, 676 or 54.12 percent came from Parsippany.”
Click here to read the full story.
Parsippany’s New Incinerator… Long-term Project with Big Implications, but Little Discussion
Posted in: Environment, View All Entries by admin on August 22, 2011 | No Comments
On June 21st, the Council voted unanimously in favor of entering into an agreement with a company called Synagro to redesign and operate the town’s non inactive incineration plant on Edwards Road. The incinerator would burn “biosolids” (what’s left after sewer water is filtered and cleaned). This agreement with Synagro will be for the next 20 years.
Background
In the early 1970s, Parsippany constructed two incinerators at the sewer plant and Parsippany operated those incinerators burning sludge and biosolids from the townships as well as from neighboring towns. However, because they were inefficient and not aligned with the environmental standards on the state and federal level – Parsippany stopped using the incinerators. Instead of burning the biosolids left from treated sewer water, Parsippany paid companies to haul away the waste.
New Incinerator Project
In 2009, Parsippany began the process to obtain bids on re-building the incinerators to meet state and federal requirements. There was an open bid process, however, Synagro was the only responsive bidder for this project. Synagro will pay the Township $1 million over the course of the next three years for the partnership, as well as annual lease and host fees (which reflect a percentage of the sludge/biosolids that Synagro would process on behalf of other nearby towns). Despite the potential for environmental impact on our community, Parsippany’s Environmental Advisory Committee was not consulted about the project.
Our Take
“When the mayor presented his plan for the incinerator at the Council meeting (on 6/14/11), it was the first time that the public could learn about this project that includes a 25 year commitment. When considering re-opening facility that will burn and dispose of waste – natural resident questions and concerns would be related to the potential for environmental and health risks. Especially when the permitting process is highly regulated by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, it would lead one to believe that there’s the potential for a negative environmental impact. The Council’s lack of discussion is troubling.
“The incinerator project represents another decision that the mayor made in a vacuum. Similar to the website project where he spent $22,000 on a pre-fabricated website without consulting local experts in website development and IT on the Transparency in Government Committee. In this case, instead of including the expertise and counsel of the Environmental Advisory Committee (which includes scientists and PhDs who are residents in the community), the mayor presented the proposal and the Council was poised to vote in favor of the plan without question or discussion.”
Interested in learning more about the Incinerator Project:
- Read Parsippany Life article from August 12th
- Read Parsippany Patch article from August 19th
- Watch Council Meeting with the Incinerator Presentation
Click on the June 14th meeting and skip to the 16:40 for the presentation by Synagro
Join us for our Summer Fundraiser – Aug. 14th 2 p.m.
Posted in: View All Entries by admin on August 10, 2011 | No Comments
Julia and Bob Peterson invite you to join us for a summer afternoon at the historic Livingston Benedict House to meet and support Democratic Town Council Candidates Annelise Catanzaro, Janice McCarthy and Tom Wyka…
Sunday, August 14, 2 ‐5 pm
25 Old Parsippany Road
(GPS 10 Lanidex West, take dead end road next to Governor Livingston Park)
Suggested donation: $35 individual
$50 per couple
$25 senior or student
RSVP, please: 973‐887‐2455 or sec‐parsipdems@optonline.net
Light refreshments catered by The Gourmand and The Peasant
Transparency in Government – Fulfilling Jefferson’s Dream
Posted in: View All Entries by admin on July 24, 2011 | No Comments
Read Tom’s recent Letter to the Editor where he discusses the importance of open government and the need for elected officials to be sincerely dedicated to informing the public. Read more on Parsippany.Patch.com.
The Facts about Missed Solar Panels Opportunity
Posted in: Environment, View All Entries by admin on June 21, 2011 | No Comments
Candidate Janice McCarthy recently published a Letter to the Editor on Parsippany Patch clearing up the facts related to a 2009 Solar Panels project that the Council voted unanimously against despite savings for Parsippany totaling between $3.8 million and $5.7 million.
Click here to read Janice’s Letter to Editor on Parsippany Patch
272 Parsippany Road Project – still pending
Posted in: Development, View All Entries by admin on | No Comments
Yesterday evening, the Planning Board convened once again to discuss next steps for the 272 Parsippany Road Project. Though Monday’s meeting was initially planned to be a procedural review of the finer points of the Planning Board’s decision to limit the project to 3 stories and a parking garage, there instead ensued a heated discussion about the proceedings.
Discussion Continues…
The developer’s attorney (former Councilwoman Anne Grossi representing Cerbone-Prisco) re-opened discussion, pressed the Planning Board to re-consider their decision to limit the re-development project to 3 stories, and at one point inferred the Board had made their decision due in part to political influences. She stated that the “project has been unfairly targeted by the Democratic Party in this town.”
However, the Planning Board members spoke out strongly against this assertion. They instead cited the numerous concerns they had with the project as proposed. Moreover, Tom Dinsmore, a Planning Board Member said, “we have a robust land use process in place” and re-emphasized his preference for future developers to use the existing Zoning Board process. This project had originally been before the Zoning Board of Adjustment, but withdrew that application.
Additionally, though he initially voted twice in favor of the designation “Zone of Rehabilitation” on the Council and Planning Board – Councilman DiPierro is now calling to rescind that decision to “close the barn door” to prevent future developers from trying to use this process to bypass the existing Master Plan.
Following the discussion, Parsippany Town Planner, Ed Snieckus began to review some of the specific parameters of the new mixed use designation. Some of the factors he detailed included limits on water use, number of stories, and approved uses for the commercial space (i.e. the types of businesses allowed in that area). Due to water restrictions and potential noise disruptions, the space could not be used as a restaurant, eating/drinking establishment, a laundromat, an automobile garage, or an animal kennel. Approved businesses that Mr. Snieckus listed included any type of retail store, shop, barber shop, nail salon, or bank.
Next Steps
At the next Planning Board Meeting on July 11th at 7:30pm, the Board will continue to discuss the specific parameters allowed for this space and should finalize the recommendation to send to the Council for final approval. At that time, the Council would pass an ordinance that allows this 1.2 acre zone to be developed using these new parameters.
Our Take
“Anne Grossi was attempting to find a scapegoat for the Planning Board not granting approval for her client’s six story building. I attended the last two Planning Board meetings, along with dozens of other residents who cited multiple concerns the proposed development project including: height, density, traffic, inadequate parking, removal of trees, loss of privacy, insufficient buffer, and so on. So I would argue strongly that the decision was not about politics, but instead about the proposal being wrong for that area of town.
She also made it seem that as a Council Candidate, it was not my place to attend the meeting or take a stand on this issue — I couldn’t disagree with her more. If anything, I believe that voters prefer to learn how their candidate thinks, feels, and makes decisions.
Re-development is certainly needed in many older buildings across Parsippany — but granting designation’s of areas as “Zones of Rehabilitation” and bypassing the Zoning Process and the Master Plan is not the way to approach our goal of re-development. This is an instance where the Council should have more closely understood the impact and potential precedent that their decision would have on the dozens of vacant and aging buildings in our community.”
Solar Panels in Parsippany Re-Visited
Posted in: Environment, View All Entries by admin on June 10, 2011 | No Comments
Earlier this month, the Township Council voted to approved two small solar panel projects to be placed at the Community Center (1130 Knoll Road, Lake Hiawatha) as well as a second project at the Parsippany Library (449 Halsey Road, Parsippany). We fully support the Council’s decision to move forward with important renewable energy projects, especially since it will also help Parsippany residents save on energy costs. However, we question their motives for agreeing… especially given their lackluster record on solar panels in the past. In December of 2008, the Council voted unanimously against another solar panels project that would have helped the community capture even more energy AND maintain ownership of the panels.
Here’s our take:
“Parsippany needs Council members that can look outside party lines to make decisions that are in the best interest of our community, not a rubber stamp Council that agrees with whatever the mayor presents. When our Democratic mayor and Democratic governor proposed solar panels the Council was adamant about the project being a waste of money and without long-term benefit for the township — and voted unanimously against the project. Now when our Republican mayor presents a similar idea with less long-term energy savings and without maintaining ownership of the panels, the Council unanimously approves the project without discussion.” - Annelise Catanzaro
“I find it interesting how these projects are going forward with little debate, when the previous administration presented perfectly viable projects, such as Sharkey’s Landfill to power the sewer plant, where the town was offered a grant of $1.7 million from the state; a grant that other towns like Chatham and Morristown snapped up – our council vehemently voted it down. One incumbent council member was quoted at the time as saying he ‘wasn’t impressed’ by the 1.7 million grant. I wonder how it sits with the taxpayers when your Councilman says he’s not impressed when someone drops 1.7 million in his lap to help the town. But this is typical of the partisan games that these folks play — to the detriment of Parsippany. ” - Tom Wyka
- Click here to read the full story in Parsippany Life: “Council says let the sun shine in through solar panels”
Are environmental issues an important local issue for you in Parsippany? If so, please let us know!
Thank You to Everyone that Voted!
Posted in: View All Entries by admin on June 8, 2011 | No Comments
Thank you to everyone – Republican and Democrat alike – for caring enough about your community and local government to cast a vote in yesterday’s Primary Election. We are thrilled to announce that Annelise Catanzaro, Janice McCarthy and Tom Wyka have all been elected to continue their campaign for Township Council in Parsippany!
We would also congratulate Mike DiPierro, Brian Stanton, Paul Carifi, and Vinnie Ferrara. Our hope is that in months ahead, we will have many opportunities to debate and better inform Parsippany residents about who we are and how we intend to serve Parsippany on the Council.
Finally, to John Fox, Roy Messmer, Bob Hofacker and Bob Crawford – we would extend our thanks for caring about Parsippany enough to become a candidate and campaign these past few months. We are sure that you’ll continue to serve our community in other ways moving forward.
Click here for additional Primary Election Results coverage from Parsippany Patch
Update on Parsippany Road Development Decision
Posted in: Development, View All Entries by admin on June 7, 2011 | No Comments
Yesterday, Monday, June 6th the Planning Board convened to deliberate and make a recommendation related to the proposed six story apartment building for 272 Parsippany Road. This is the property located between the Board of Education Building (the old library) and the Wells Fargo Bank.
Background
The developer Cerbone-Prisco approached the Council on January 11th, 2011 and received unanimous approval to change this 1.2 acre of property to a “Zone of Rehabilitation.” According to the Planning Board Attorney, this type of designation is usually used to zone larger areas (i.e. a whole block or a whole street) as in need of rehabilitation. So the Council’s approval of this one small area is unique. The Planning Board met twice before yesterday’s June 6th meeting to discuss the project, hear testimony from the developer, Town Planner, and the public.
The Decision
The Planning Board voted to deny the current request as originally outlined — based on a number of factors including height, traffic concerns, density, and inadequate parking. Instead of the original six-story request, the Planning Board instead voted unanimously to allow a three story building with one level of underground parking below. The Board also voted to allow a density off 24 units per acre (or a total of 30 units on the property) — a figure comparable to the garden apartments (Colonial Heights) that are located just behind the 272 Parsippany Road property.
Next Steps
The Planning Board will convene once more to discuss this specific recommendation on Monday, June 20th at 7:30pm. Although the decision has already been voted upon, the Board will discuss the “finer points” of the request — specifically the amount of setback (the distance between the road to the front of the property) as well as the type of businesses allowed in the mixed use property. The developer had proposed a bank, but in the case that this bank does not succeed or another type of business rents/buys the property, there are multiple concerns including insufficient parking for a different type of business. Following this meeting, the Township Council will make a final decision as to how the developer may use the property. This may differ from the Planning Board’s recommendation.
Our Take
There was no reason for the Township Council to designate this small area as in “Need of Rehabilitation” this past January. The vote was unanimous with little discussion about the consequences of this type of decision, nor the precedent it would set for other properties in Parsippany. In fact, it seems as though they didn’t even know what impact their vote would have at all based on comments from Council DiPierro made at yesterday’s meeting. From the get-go the Council should have voted NO and allowed this type of project to go through the normal zoning process.
- Do you have questions about this process related to the 272 Parsippany Road property? If so, we’re happy to help or find someone who can provide more information. Just contact us with your comments and questions!
- Click here to be directed to the Parsippany Patch article about yesterday’s Planning Board Meeting