Honeywell Responds to Petition Against Redevelopment Plans

Honeywell International has responded to an  online petition against the proposed redevelopment of its property in Morris Township, saying the plan "offers significant benefits."

The petition, posted on the electronic petition site, gopetition.com, is reprinted in full below. In an email to Patch, Rob Ferris, who heads up Honeywell's external communications, supplied the following response:

"Honeywell Statement"

"Our proposed plan for a mixed use site offers significant benefits to the Morris Township community, including tripling tax revenue. We expect it to create more than 1,000 new private and public local jobs, offer 3 miles of public pedestrian trails, establish more energy efficient, LEED certified buildings, and provide other amenities to support the local economy.  We are actively discussing these benefits with our neighbors, local businesses, elected officials, and other groups and associations, and will also continue to seek their input so the outcome will best reflect the interests of all parties."

The petition against Honeywell's proposed redevelopment has drawn 130 signers since January 12. It reads as follows:

Target: Morris Township Planning Board and Honeywell International

Background (Preamble):

Honeywell International is proposing a "General Development Plan" (GDP) that will result in significant rezoning and increase development on 147-acre property off Columbia Turnpike in Morris township. 

Currently proposed are a 250-ROOM HOTEL, CONTINUING CARE FACILITY, 311 RESIDENTIAL STACKED UNITS, a 416 ROOM RETIREMENT FACILITY and other buildings. Any rezoning will greatly change the character of the property which currently has 11 buildings all currently set back a good distance from Columbia Turnpike.

Honeywell's development plan is expected to 1: unsustainably increase traffic, 2: add incremental students to our public schools, 3: add incremental infrastructure expense to the Morris Township Budget and 4: place additional pressure on the environment in the area.

A logical result of the combination of all four will be to depress home prices in the area because very simply, it will no longer be viewed to be as desirable a place to live. This fast tracked redevelopment is not in our neighborhood's best interests and is not compatible with Morris Township's Master Plan or State endorsed plans (The Highland's act). The proposed changes in zoning to a mixed-use site will probably "debase the assessed value of Morris Township’s real estate base." Moreover rezoning through a "General Development Plan" will provide Honeywell with the means to redevelop the site over the next 20 years in ways not yet disclosed to the public and in a manner with which our community cannot foresee. As Tom Malman, a land use attorney with Day Pitney who represent Honeywell has stated (Daily record December 1, 2010) "We're testing the range of uses". 

Please don't let Morris township become a test site for corporate greed and unwanted development. We urge you to sign this petition to preserve our community and to become personally involved in the process in which this proposal is moved forward.

Petition:

We, the undersigned, urge Honeywell international and the Morris township government to NOT alter existing zoning at Honeywell International's (101 Columbia Turnpike Morristown NJ) and NOT to engage in a long term general development plan for the area. 

Rezoning is inconsistent with community and state master plans for our area. Further, we call for a more realistic analysis of rezoning changes impact on TRAFFIC, POPULATION DENSITY, TAX BURDEN AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES that will negatively change the LIVABILITY of this area and set a dangerous zoning precedent for Morris Township and our state. We register our disagreement with rezoning and unforseeable consequences of a general development plan for this area. 

We also note the potential negative consequences to our land and watersheds from development of the contaminated ponds and soil on the property.

Patch also contacted Morris Township Mayor H. Scott Rosenbush for comment. We hope to have his response here when it is received.