Residents: We Doubt Honeywell Will Stick Around

Among the arguments for changing Morris Township's zoning so that can redevelop its property, one in particular keeps popping up: The township needs to make it attractive for businesses like Honeywell, which contribute lots of money to the tax base, to stay.

But residents worried about a proposed master plan amendment—a step along the way to rezoning—said they don't believe it would work.

Honeywell received a tax break from the state when corporate officials threatened to move to Pennsylvania, but several residents at a planning board meeting Thursday said they don't think the rezoining would be enough to keep the company in New Jersey.

Steve Lipski of Lidgerwood Road told the planners that a company spokesman said early on in the process the firm would search for a new corporate headquarters if the debate over its request for zoning changes goes on too long.

Robert Cole of Normandy Parkway questioned why a Fortune 100 corporation would want its international headquarters in the middle of a mixed-use development. The proposed master plan amendment would allow Honeywell to develop townhouses and a continuing care facility on its headquarters property as well as to remove unused laboratory buildings and renovate office space.

While traffic generated by the plans for the Honeywell site remains the concern of many neighbors who have addressed the board, others were worried about possible pollution on the site from the days when it was Allied Chemical and Dye, Allied Chemical and Allied Signal.

Dr. Lynn Siebert said she was concerned the township could be held responsible for contamination if remediation of polluted areas of the site could not be assured. Maria Racer, the township’s environmental consultant, said regardless of what is built on the site, mitigation of vapors from volatile organic compounds is required.

Some of the comments from the public bordered on admonishing the board.

Among them was Ron Goldberg, a former township committee member and Democratic candidate for the committee this year—as well as a member of the Citizens for Better Planning in Morris Township group, which has tracked the Honeywell project closely and voiced several concerns. He said Honeywell’s request to the township for a master plan amendment that would allow more extensive uses on the site was “supported by a read estate market study which offered a short list of new uses which were more marketable than the current allowed, single, office/lab use. Good for them, It’s their job to watch the market and maximize return to their share holders. Your job is to look out for everybody.”

Board member Leigh Doxsee said the draft master plan report wasn’t just to address site plan issues requested by Honeywell, it was also to create a structure “to get a handle on how to manage this property.”

Board Attorney Brian Burns said the report is a draft document for study by the planning board. Board Engineer James Slate said “this whole exercise is to get input and make changes.”

Walter Bergner challenged the board’s practice of swearing in residents who wish to testify before the board.

“To the best of my knowledge such requirement has no basis in law. In my opinion, such precondition to addressing a governmental entity would also be a violation of the First Amendment,” he said. Burns told Bergner he would be happy to show him the provision for swearing in witnesses in the state Municipal Land Use Law.

Siebert asked who was paying the experts who prepared the draft master plan amendment. Slate said all expenses of the three experts were paid out of an escrow account set up by Honeywell just as was done when there was a zoning change proposal made , and is done anytime there is an application that requires the review of professionals.

Another point brought up by Diane Holland challenged the assumption that townhouses on the Honeywell site would be successful. She said both the Brownstones and Wheatsheafs townhouse developments had problems selling units.

Cole also said Normandy Parkway area have fought challenges to the historic nature of the district in the past and are sensitive to the history of the Honeywell property.

What Honeywell proposes abuts an historic neighborhood and their property is the Otto Kahn Estate. There is nothing to designate who he was. His story should be known. People only know it as the Allied Signal property,” Cole.

Kahn was a financier who reorganized the Union Pacific Railroad and other railroads. He maintained a country home in Morris Township that was purchased by Allied Chemical and Dye Corp. in 1942.

On the other side of the issue, Mike Pulcinelli, business agent for the IBEW union, said 700 members of his local are unemployed and construction on the Honeywell site would be important for job creation.

The board will hear further public testimony at another special meeting, tentatively scheduled for Thursday, May 17. The meeting date will be confirmed at the next regular planning board meeting on Monday, May 7.

Some residents asked for a 7 p.m. start for the special meeting if it is held on May 17. That will also be decided at the May 7 meeting.