Citzens: We're Not Political About Honeywell

Once again, the debate goes on: Has the proposal for gotten too political? Have those in or running for office made it so?

Citizens for Better Planning in Morris Township—the group that's been at the forefront of the Honeywell debate, urging officials to consider traffic impacts and other concerns—sent us a reply to an article that originally ran on NewJerseyHills.com. The article quoted incumbent Republican Township Committeeman Scott Rosenbush saying Democratic candidate Ron Goldberg had "been working to position himself as an opponent of the application as a campaign issue." Rosenbush went on to say that Goldberg's involvement in the Citizens group could make it an extension of his campaign, and therefore subject to reporting requirements.

Here's what the Citizens group had to say about that:

Citizens for Better Planning in Morris Township has consistently and consciously proceeded in a non-partisan fashion to advocate for balanced and evidence-based planning. This has been done with the help of many, many talented and committed people who care deeply about our Township. We anticipate that this discussion and debate will continue at the next Public Hearing on April 19. We have not nor ever will be affiliated with any political campaign.

Our mission (see http://c4bpmt.org/about-us/mission/) over the past 16 months our activities have been squarely aimed at improving the planning process in our Township.

We have:

•  Provided a petition to Planning Board (Stop Honeywell's Fast-track Redevelopment on Columbia Turnpike in Morristown New Jersey) http://www.gopetition.com/petition/41669.html which has collected signatures from 362 households;·        Requested that a description of the process for amending the Master Plan and creating a related ordinance be made available to the public http://www.morristwp.com/pdfs/HoneywellProposalApprovalProcess.pdf);
• Sent citizen observers to the Township’s Technical Coordinating Committee’s (TCC’s) meetings with Honeywell. to clarify how and what information was being exchanged;
• Campaigned for TCC agendas and meeting dates to be made available to the public;
• Brought pressure on the Planning Board to bring in independent traffic and environmental experts who were retained at Honeywell’s expense;
• Brought pressure on the Planning Board to conduct an independent fiscal analysis prior to adoption of any proposed amendment.  This has yet to be done and seems like it will not be done until it is too late!
• Reached out to the mayor to ask that a Citizens Advisory Council be created to provide citizen input in the planning process
• Researched the “sign ordinance” and coordinated efforts with the American Civil Liberties Union to successfully advocate for all citizens’ first amendment rights in our Township after private citizens were incorrectly threatened with fines for placing free speech signs on their own property;
• Engaged, at the expense of many committed citizens, an experienced community planner who, at  the March 5 Public Hearing, provided a more complete and balanced analysis after discovering  inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the proposed Master Plan amendment.

Citizens for Better Planning in Morris Township continues to seek reasonable, non-partisan solutions that are fair to all.  I hope that we can count on our elected and appointed officials to demonstrate their support. It is disappointing to think that the outpouring of genuine distress we have seen around this Master Plan Amendment might be dismissed as being ‘politically motivated.’

In a statement at the end of the letter, Citizens for Better Planning in Morris Township described itself as "a non-partisan group of concerned residents working together to provide input to the Township Committee and the Planning Board regarding development in Morris Township.  We advocate for balanced, evidence-based planning options that will preserve the open space and residential character of our township, while improving its desirability as a place to live, work and visit."

The Honeywell proposal will come before officials again on Thursday, when the township planning board continues considering changes to its master plan, which outlines development goals and objectives for the community, forming the basis for zoning rules.