By Michael Lovito
For most municipal boards, reorganization is a ceremonial affair.
But after the Morristown planning board swore in members Martha Ballard and Frank Crippen, and re-appointed council liaison Chris Russo, board Chair Joe Stanley (who has held that role since 2012), and Vice Chair Joe Kane on Thursday, it went straight to business.
The board kicked off 2025 by hearing testimony regarding The Metro, a mixed-use 226-unit building proposed for the Staples strip mall at 22 Lafayette Ave.
The proceedings began with landscape architect Paul DeVitto, who primarily was asked about the project’s effects on a retaining wall on the eastern part of the property, which borders a residential neighborhood on Jardine Road.
“I’m really concerned about this,” Randy Kaplan, who lives on Jardine, said.
“We had to replace our garage because the foundation was crumbling because of the grade of the hill, which was cut through years ago when (Route) 287 came through. That wall is old and shabby, and we would like to know if there are any plans to replace it or reinforce it.”
Project attorney Frank Vitolo replied that Morristown Associates LLC, the site’s developer, already had committed to ensuring the integrity of the wall, and that it had a vested interest in keeping it intact.
“It certainly doesn’t benefit us (if it collapses). It’s on our property,” Vitolo said. “It would be a disaster for us. So, we have probably the greatest interest, after the neighbors, of maintaining that wall.”
Vitolo also said the present Dunkin’ Donuts would remain in the new project.
CUT ON THROUGH (TO THE OTHER SIDE)
After DeVitto’s testimony, traffic engineer John Corak testified regarding what he, Vitolo, and Mayor Tim Dougherty acknowledged was an unusual request.
The current, sparsely populated Staples parking lot frequently is used as a cut-through for cars to travel from Abbett Avenue to Lafayette Avenue.
Even though such cut-throughs technically are illegal (and encouraging them on private property is explicitly illegal), the applicant was asked to maintain connectivity between Abbett and Lafayette on the western side of the building to prevent traffic from flowing to Jardine Road and Olyphant Drive once the project is completed.
While Vitolo noted the applicant was willing to take necessary measures – including paying for “No Thru Traffic” signs on Jardine and Olyphant – to discourage drivers from cutting through residential areas, he cautioned it would be impossible to truly predict how motorists would react to the new development.
“We’re willing to get the signs approved on our dime to dissuade people from using Olyphant and Jardine,” Vitolo said. “And the first cut-through you get to is ours. So, who knows what people are going to do.”
Other solutions – such as reversing the one-way direction of Jardine and maintaining the cut-through during construction – were proposed by the board and residents. But only one, delivered half-winkingly by Dougherty, seemed to have the broad approval of the public.
“How about this? We make Olyphant and Jardine a gated community, and then we don’t have to worry about it,” Dougherty said, to a smattering of applause.
“I told you they’d clap,” he said to his fellow board members.
The final witness called by the applicant was planner Paul Phillips, who outlined and argued for 12 bulk variances and eight design exceptions and waivers.
While no member of the public had a question specific to Phillips’ testimony, Scott Wilson asked if the nearby Morristown & Erie Railway, which he said sometimes runs diesel engines all night, would affect the project.
Dougherty said he was unaware of the issue Wilson described and said it was beyond the board’s purview. But he promised to consult with the town attorney about possible actions the town could take to curb the emissions.
TWO OUT OF FOUR AIN’T BAD
Dougherty’s brief closing remarks were both solemn and celebratory. First, he encouraged those in attendance to donate to help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires. Then, he congratulated the town on KPMG’s announced relocation of its New Jersey headquarters to Morristown.
“That was great news, to have two of the Big Four (accounting firms) headquartered in Morristown,” Dougherty said.
“Halfway there,” Councilman Chris Russo replied.
The board will hear further testimony regarding The Metro on Jan. 23, 2025, at 7 pm.
