Highlands Conformance Water Protection Planning in Danger 2022?

What Does Barberio Mean by Smart Growth? Statements on Highlands Revealing. Waterview to Highlands lack of knowledge is disturbing still, and other thoughts

Let us begin with Barberio’s actions at waterview and elsewhere in the service of corporate real estate land developers. After No Rezone Vote, waterview falls anyway. Barberio's explanation of events are not true; but a false narrative he swallowed under former attorney Inglesino.

NJDEP Green Acres Contradicts Barberio's allegation
The township did identify the property in November 2013, however they did not pursue it. The project reference map submitted in 2013 identified the total acreage of 26.75 acres to be encumbered. It would appear that a decision was made after that time to subdivide the lot and encumber only 9.26 acres as of 2017. .

Here we see proof that contrary to the No Rezone Vote and Promise made by Barberio, the Open Space Committee was never activated; as Barberio would follow his leader John Inglesino in making sure his corporate developer buddies got their way; despite the community victory of defeating the rezone.

Morris County rejected the funding because it was for the buffer 9.26 acres not the 26+ acres Landscape; something that could have been zoned. A shady deal!. (Barberio did not attend the County Open Space Committee meeting).

Picking the pockets of Green Acres with some "deal" between a developer and a municipal attorney to compensate the developer for what could have been obtained by a proper ordinance is pretty revolting.

Open space acquisitions are supposed to take place in the context of an Open Space Plan adopted as part of the municipal master plan. Municipalities are required to have these open space plans to be eligible for Green Acres funding. Purchases are supposed to conform to the municipal open space plan. Municipalities often have dedicated tax supported open space funds that are also linked to these plans so that they "partner" with Green Acres financially on open space acquisitions.

Instead local open space funds were raided for a buffer called open space for $4million plus, a kickback to RD developer for all their troubles.

Housing was never an issue at the time as Affordable Housing Mandates were suspended at the time. RD Waterview Mall was voted down. When RD tried to sue again, the Judge should have dismissed the case on it's own, as RD Lawyer was guilty of a "judicial estoppal" coming to court for one issue and arguing another, the threat of public housing; which generated another lawsuit against Parsippany by the Fair-share Housing; for using fear as a tactic, and allowing the No Rezone to prevent housing,but rather allow an unneeded mall. So rather than simply established the town's right to open space, before the housing began, using a "vacant land adjustment", which was never implemented. Waterviews qualities as a sensitive landscape, would of surely saved it from any development; Grade A soils for Recharge, Steep slopes, Forested, Neighborhood Character, Pride in Parsippany, and the right of citizens to the vacant land adjustment prior to the Housing responsibility surely to come. Housing policies themselves would of sanctioned all this is preventing any development. At the time we had the added insurance of a Highlands Referral; which is why Inglesino took Parsippany out of Highlands Completely in June 2014 to cover his tracks.

Affordable Housing Environmental Policies:
COAH gives priority to sites with existing sewers and water service over those without existing infrastructure.COAH calculates a town’s fair share number based,in part, on the amount of land that is developable in the municipality. A municipality with limited vacant,developable land can request a “vacant land adjustment” from COAH, and this adjustment may reduce a municipality’s fair share number.
A municipality can reduce the number of acres available for development by showing how much land it has in each of the following categories.• Restrictive covenants that run with the land (such as conservation easements);

• Steep slopes over 15 percent if regulated by a local steep slope ordinance;

• Wetlands (as delineated by the State);

• Floodplains (as delineated by the State);

• Sites listed on the NJ Register of Historic Places,plus a “reasonable” buffer area;

• Land that the town plans to purchase within one year for active or passive recreational purposes.

700 Mountain Way Quid Pro Quo for Forge Pond

Barberio's allegation he Saved 150 acres Open Space?
Forge Pond in the making since 1989 an original promise of 130 acres, was finally completed for 124 acres, after allowing another forested steep sloped water recharge, and wetlands landscape to be developed; 700 Mountainway. (Waterview was alleged to be a one time allowance of the steep slope protection ordinance to be lifted). Barberio's claim to have saved 150 acres of open space; one must consider that Forge Pond's 124 acres were already protected by the NJ Wetlands Protection Act and could not be developed; however the 6 acres loss, spread more development into the wetland transition zone of that landscape.

Here we see the failure of his administration at the communities costs and loss of place and quality of life.

Highlands Conformance May be in Danger Again?!..WHY; would a Town 100% in the Planning Area not want the best land use laws implemented for itself?

We now have an administration who still knows nothing about the benefits of Highlands Conformance under the NJ Highlands Water Protection and Land use Act passed in 2004 by an overwhelming bi-partisan majority.

In 2009 the Barberio Administration began said conformance, but idled and spoke wrongly and misinformed about it. When Inglesino arrived all stopped until it's demise; all for false reasons ended it in 2014. It appears the reason to idle rather than progress in the conformance process was "the coming public housing quotas" not the intention of best land use in all sense, not just real estate but ecological services and community character.

Parsippany is 100% in the planning area of the Highlands and is already over-developed, many structures vacant. This Question must be asked: Why would a community in such an area not want the best development possible is in fact need at all? Highlands Conformance would insure this by using science and landuse capability maps and data, that corporate developers routinely ignore for their cutting corner and profits, at others expense when long term unintended consequences manifest in natures complex systems all attached and related.

Barberio's statement: during the debate was; "Highlands is against smart growth", what could he mean by this? Has he learned nothing about Highlands at all since 2009-2021? ( Highlands passed legislation in 2004) Why would Highlands be good for Hunterdon County, as you stated Mayor Barberio, but not Parsippany?

Musella's statement: during the debate when asked was; Highlands has good and bad, I will have to look into it more" Another politician, with no ecological sense of how the real world works.

Mr. Musella; there is no bad in Highlands Conformance unless you are a corporate developer, cutting corners for profits, at others expense. Highlands is a win/win for all who care about the future and a sustainable world. How can Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, not be good in a 100% Planning Area?

This new administration hopefully will not become a threat to our community through allegiance to corporate interest and their agents within the republican party, which places themselves above all else. Is the Republican Green Elephant completely dead, under its Trumped elements? Is the idea of wilderness or open spaces to this partisan constituency a golf course; and turf fields?

Gentlemen water does not come from a plastic bottle, but from nature, land use cannot be separated from water quality and quantity especially in a landscape where our water deficient is over -7++ million gallons a day the highest anywhere in NJ, due to depletion, consumption, over-development and water mining. Water and Sewer Funds are not to be used in anything other than their intended trust, water is life. Live in the Real World; not the Market will bare fantasy of economy in a vacuum without any ecological paradigm.

One element of a democracy is to build on advances already made. Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act is one such advancement in the name of all of us. Let Us implement it to our advantage for ourselves and future generations to come..

No economic interest, under any circumstances, can ever be above the reverence for life. A huge part of the problem is the Jeffersonian notion that " the government that governs best is the one that governs least". While it is true as regards individual liberties, it is absolutely dangerous to think that way as regards economy..

-Christian Parenti-