Self Proclaimed ​Economic Growth Allowing Builders Remedies Parsippany is Left Wide Open. 700 Mountain Way Spot Zoning

We Exchange One Historic Landscape for Another Forge Pond for Mountain Way

Another “Monstrosity on Watnong Mountain" Mosberg strikes again!

Mayor Barberio has forsaken his duty and responsibility to his community for what he openly admits is his self-proclaimed economic growth mission. This obsession became evident during the waterview fiasco and has manifest again in the Forge Pond/700 Mountain Way quid pro quo exchange.

Instead of adhering to our master plan and working out formulas that balance growth with protection of natural resources, he has chosen along with town attorney John Inglesino to give our town up and waste tax dollars in lawsuits that accomplish nothing and settle in complete favor developers that short circuit the organic democratic process of local government. Lets look at what happened with forge pond and the notorious Mosberg; indicted for bribery in 2008, and has always sued Parsippany almost as a hobby; whom by the way the Mayor stated; “he actually liked working with” after the forge pond open space acquisition, which caused tax payers plenty.

(Of the original 130 acres Parsippany got 124, 108 of which are wetlands, vernal pools, and transition zones, undevelopable anyway).

This is why the private deal that occurred behind closed doors at a special council session of 9/27 is in reality “spot-zoning”; as it not only pacified the developer Mosberg but allowed another quid pro quo deal, I’ll drop the lawsuit if you let me develop 700 Mountain Way. How is this spot zoning? Let me explain. Parsippany has no certified COAH type-housing element in its Master Plan; nor did it seek a declaratory judgment to obtain exact housing numbers according to regional needs and local obligations. Parsippany did not prepare a vacant land adjustment; for example steep slope, or any type of environmentally sensitive landscape, which could be exempt from housing development; COAH does not consider steep slopes in its environmental policies. Par-Troy also did not prepare for the obligation by using an inventory of existing housing or inventory for lands or property that could meet said obligation. (In fact our Attorney stated that we were in good standing with COAH). In short our present sue as you will housing scheme is all spot-zoning or rezoning.

What this means is that the Mayor and the Town Attorney purposely left Parsippany open and easy prey for developers remedy lawsuits. These suits are not settled in courts, most of which take 90 days if contested, but behind the closed door in private. This is what one may see as a conspiracy to favor the best interest of large landowners and corporation developers, not in the best interest of the people of Parsippany. The parties involved in the housing issue are not COAH representatives, or the community and its master plan, but the builders and the officials acting contrary to the public trust using affordable housing as their smoke screen. If COAH was involved directly for example in a declaratory judgment we would have had a regional master, and a local master together with affordable housing officials, builders and the public. Why did Parsippany simply leave themselves open for remedy lawsuits, despite the alternative here mentioned? They planned it that way, to allow development frenzy and help private interest over the community’s welfare. Our Housing Plan or lack there of is simply a developer sues we settle, they win and they receive a variance or a rezone to suit their desire.

The exchange behind closed doors of Forge Pond for 700 Mountain Way clearly shows our disrespect for our own Master Plan and again shows Parsippany’s low environmental esteem. Another landscape of character and important long-term ecological and historical benefit will be erased. Mountain Way near Beacon Hill, steep sloped; wetlands and open water protection area, and part of the Watnong Mountain of the New Jersey Highlands will be erased.

During waterview public housing was used as a fear tactic at Mountain Way as the excuse to meet obligations of unknown numbers with a shady developer. Both landscapes of which real COAH officials would not consider especially if our officials lived up to our master plan goals and objectives.

We did not seek a declaratory judgment from the courts nor did we prepare ourselves with a certified COAH Affordable Housing Element in our Master Plan. We did not for the same reason that in July 2014 Parsippany rejected regional planning, which would of, acknowledged all aspects of sound land use and resource protections in the planning zone of the Highlands. Conformance also provides legal protections against developers’ lawsuits. Instead we have a closed-door council and a mayor that favors economic growth by any means necessary. He has made his goal and objective to help developers overcome their hardships at our expense. When this occurs call it what you will, pacifying a developer, its spot-zoning. Choosing the one over the many. This mayor and his attorney and allies have surrendered Parsippany to the private market for development and use beyond any sense of public trust or responsibility.

Councilman dePierro has stated in the past his opposition to regional planning, as “what is good for the region may not be good for Parsippany”, not in this case. Statements have also been made that Highlands Land & Water Protection Legislation will be the cause of Parsippany bearing an unfair burden of the affordable housing obligation, nothing is further from the truth as Parsippany is inflicting on itself the burden choosing to openly favor economic growth through developers remedies. Parsippany’s biggest mistake was leaving conformance.

The Mayor has gone beyond what his bounds should be and is taking bad advice. In Parsippany we are merely taxpayers not citizens as we are denied participation and transparency in what is being done in our name.

No matter how the board of adjustments see it approving Mosberg's variance would be spot zoning. They must say No.