Assume that CC implodes before the application has been completely heard. I would like to suggest that we should plan now for what will be allowed to be done with that property in terms of usage. It is my opinion that the existing structures are already overloading that property in the environmental sense, since HP was required by the DEP to create some wetlands after the "New Building" was completed in aproximately 1980.
To be sure that some other Real Estate Mega-Catastrophe will not be in the offing, we should consider re-zoning that area of town for the obvious reasons based on traffic, environment, etc.
I know, that this particular "what if" is wishful thinking, but I am praying. Now is the time to make the zoning law changes before the potential collapse of cc, since Agilent could have another customer immediately after the existing contract will have been broken.
Agilent sells out for a reasonble price to open space, fields for OUR town, demolish buildings, create nature trails, tear down the fences, live happily ever after. That's a win-win.
quote: Originally posted by: JohnQ "Agilent sells out for a reasonble price to open space, fields for OUR town, demolish buildings, create nature trails, tear down the fences, live happily ever after. That's a win-win."
Amen Johnny!
If we have to take a 630k a year tax hit, I would rather see a nice park (with much needed Lacrosse fields), rather than a Mega Church or Mega Anything.
Seriously though, with the glut of vacant office space in Morris County, the environmental sensitivity of that property, and the CC thing looking more and more like a farce. I see a nice park in 2-3 years. What a great addition to our town. I can't wait to walk my dog through the nature trails. Win Win indeed.
I think that would be useful to look at the property as a consolidation property for application to other land uses in the Township. For example, it might make sense to centralize our libraries to one locale. Also, our muni-building (which presently sucks) could be brought onto that site including our police services. We could sell the existing site to the highest bidder. Also, maybe one element (leg) of our emergency services could be consolidated and brought to that venue. Lastly, there are lots of kid related activities that could help our own town provide alternatives to ill advised spare time activities. In other words, we could provide a gym and a field for all of the towns kids to use after hours at no cost to residential taxpayers. We could also hold teen nights there with bands, etc.
As nice as a project like that might sound, it seems that it may come close to a project on a similar scale to the one most of us oppose.If so, once again, it brings into question your real motives.
I'm perfectly fine with an OBRL corporate tenant that can move in completely "turn key" with about 600-800 employees over 3 shifts. One that does not need underground and double decker parking. One that can offer the fields to our kids on a regular scheduled basis. One that will offer jobs regardless of their religion, and one that WILL PAY TAXES.
I doubt that the project that I suggested comes anywhere near close to the CC project. If we condesned all of our municipal sevices into this new theoretical project, how many people would it involve? How many total employess does RT have? It certainly is not 20,000. I would guess that the total number of employees on the RT payroll in one form or another is only about 200 total not including the volunteers.
Fair enough. I don't know how big a project it would be or if it's needed or feasible. My point was whatever goes on or in the site, it's obvious that the standards should be the same as we would like to require of C.C. or any other concern.
How about a future High School??? I know, we commited to the Regional district a few years back (I fought it!) I thing we are certainly big enough to support a K-12 - It sucks that we have to break our kids up for High School. It may take years, but I believe it is worth fighting for.
If we left the Morris Hills Regional District, the district would be left with a glut of classroom space. I am guessing it would make much more sense for us to take over Hills and leave Knolls to the regional district. Of course, leaving the district would have been much easier a few years back when there were no outstanding bonds.
I'd be a bit concerned about the impact of a High School at that location. I doubt they'd be able to use the existing buildings, so we'd be looking at another demolition / rebuilding. Parking wouldn't be much of an issue thanks to bussing..There can't be more than a few hundred spots at Hills or Knolls. The questions would come down to traffic and environmental impact of disturbing the plot.
Of course, aren't we all putting the cart a bit before the horse?
If we're voting though - I'd say tear down the buildings, return the wetlands that were destroyed by HP to wetlands, leave a small parking lot and build a few fields for our township kids and maybe some nature trails for us geezers who like to walk.
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"Of course, aren't we all putting the cart a bit before the horse?"
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I think that it is healthy to discuss these things and formulate some ideas ahead of time. It will take some of the pressure off of everyone in town if we have come to some conclusions about the use of that property in the event of the desired outcome with CC.
Yes Jay, that was my first suggestion.. - but if we need to build a High School in the future (my opinion - K-12 district is possible and good step foward!) then this site makes perfect sense. We would not need to dig up a underground parking garage, no need to overflow parking onto fields, no traffic nightmares, no limited use fields for the kids, no uncontrolled future growth, and last, but not least - unlike the applicants plan, this would be BENEFICIAL for all of Rockaway Township...just my humble opinion...
- but if we need to build a High School in the future (my opinion - K-12 district is possible and good step foward!) then this site makes perfect sense. We would not need to dig up a underground parking garage, no need to overflow parking onto fields, no traffic nightmares, no limited use fields for the kids, no uncontrolled future growth, and last, but not least - unlike the applicants plan, this would be BENEFICIAL for all of Rockaway Township...just my humble opinion...
