Update on storage center for Morris Street: Jan. 18 workshop a, Morristown town hall

I am a new resident to Morristown, having moved here after 18 years in Florham Park. This matter is like deja vu for me since I attended what I thought were meetings to discuss the proposed field on Elm St. two years before my move.
Other residents also were highly annoyed at the waste of time taken by postponements and last minute cancelling of the engineers who were heading the project. Concerned residents finally gave up.
Needless to say, the project slid through and the AstroTurf field with professional style scoreboards for use by youth football were installed, along with a “dog park” to appease pet owners.
Much traffic ensued, along with threats to the immediate neighbors of flooding due to over development.
I agree with Margaret that an unsightly storage unit on that site which has high traffic already is a project beneficial only to the developer.

I doubt that the residents on Ridgedale would want this proposed facility in their neighborhood.

Just because it happened on Morris Street in the past, permitting inappropriate uses have proven to benefit no one but the person making a profit from the enterprise involved. Often conditions established in the variances permitting those uses are violated. How can we know the Town won’t again ignore those restrictions, even if restrictions are placed on the this use due to its negative impact on the neighborhood on this redevelopment zone. Once a variation from the zone plan is permitted, it becomes permanent even if the property is sold.
In a neighborhood that has been stripped of its open space and public uses, piece by piece as a result of the highway and hospital expansion, this may be the Town’s last opportunity to do something worthwhile for all its residents.

….Does the town planner and administration really support a commercial storage facility on a street in Morristown? a street within walking distance of the Green and the train station?…a street that has some of the oldest residential houses in Morristown? a street that is adjacent to a historic district? a street that is perfect for the addition of more condos/townhouses such as the condos purchased by Morristown residents in what had been promised to be a residential area. a street that is not zoned for storage units?…a street that is already congested with traffic? Storage units affect quality of life, with increased traffic, headlights, noise of honking, reverse beeping, lift motors, idling engine, fumes, trash, security risks, etc. And what about the effect of such storage units on residential property values? I suspect values will be lowered by proximity to the storage units and the activities associated with it. As most planners and town leaders know, storage units are generally not located in or near residential neighborhoods. They are located along major highways; other towns fight approving them due to their negative impact. The storage facility would be a massive win for the developer/owner at the expense of residential Morristown. We are close to highways and many areas that offer massive storage facilities. There are at least ten storage unit facilities within very close driving distance of Morristown. There are better uses for this space. Such storage units are not consistent with the Morristown Master Plan. This kind of development in Morristown is wrong.

What is the state of the environmental? If it isn’t too difficult to clean up I would build townhomes there. That is great land and would be a waste to have an unnecessary storage facility. That could go on Ridgedale next to the power station