Former Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello said today he was glad to receive planning board approval for his subdivision–but is mad that it took so long.
After months of postponements, the board voted 5-2 last week to grant him a variance to divide his residential property at 186 Mills St. The former mayor applied for the variance in September, while he still was mayor. He said delays cost him thousands of dollars for expert witnesses and legal fees, and were “unheard of, absurd, ridiculous” and political.
Mayor Tim Dougherty said his predecessor created the delays, by initially citing town officials he had appointed or hired as mayor–officials who then had to step down to avoid potential conflicts.
“The former mayor was the cause of all his issues on the planning board,” said Mayor Dougherty, who serves on the planning board and voted against the variance. Board Chairman Joe Kane cast the other dissenting vote.
Donald said Stefan Armington, a current planning board member, spread “inaccurate information” to residents about the size and type of structure he intended to build next to his Mills Street home.
Stefan said he pointed out problems and discrepancies in Donald’s application.
“While I have always opposed this application, as well as other subdivision applications into nonconforming lots in the R-3 zone, I believe that my comments to the public and at the planning board meetings have resulted in changes to the subdivision application that will, in the end, benefit the neighborhood,” Stefan said via email.
Donald went to court in an unsuccessful bid to have his successor removed from the variance proceedings. Mayor Dougherty, who defeated Donald one year ago in the Democratic primary, said he gave the application a fair hearing.
“I wish him all the best,” the Mayor said.
During the variance hearing, a surveyor presented evidence that the Mills Street property had been subdivided back in 1954. Donald said he is renting out his Mills Street residence, and moving to an apartment in the third ward. He said he has not decided whether to build another house on his land, or to sell the property. If he builds, he said, the new house would be a single-family home similar in style and size to the one he has occupied for 31 years.
