Appeal Against Expansion Of Field Club Blocked By Morristown Council

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The Morristown Council will officially dismiss an appeal filed by a Morristown resident in connection with an approved application for the expansion of the Morristown Field Club.

The Morristown Field Club, founded in 1881 and the third-oldest tennis club in New Jersey, received approval from the Morristown Zoning Board in August.

Official plans include two new platform tennis courts, resurfacing tennis courts 11 and 12 for multi-purpose use, removing 13 trees and an undefined section of trees within the wetlands area, and removing asphalt driveways, gravel driveways and portions of concrete walkways.

According to the agenda for the town council meeting planned for Tuesday, April 11, Morristown resident, John Landau appealed the Board of Adjustment’s resolution, pursuant to a New Jersey statute.

The statute says that an “interested party may appeal to the governing body any final decision of a board of adjustment approving an application for redevelopment.”

The appeal was filed on Feb. 1, and according to the statute, the appellant must provide a transcript to the governing body or municipal clerk within 35 days of service of the notice of appeal.

This means that Landau's transcript was supposed to be delivered to the Morristown Clerk by March 8, but it was not, officials said.

As a result, the appeal is being officially dismissed by the Morristown governing body.

The expansion project was first proposed by the applicant, John J. DeLaney Jr. of the Morristown Field Club, in 2021. In May of that same year, he formally submitted an application to the zoning board.

The plan has undergone a number of revisions since it was first submitted, as a result of feedback from the board and the general public.

A local named Christine Miller vocally objected to the plan back in August and questioned why the Club wasn't expanding in other places. She criticized the Club's boisterous music and requested that no nighttime lighting be used.

Additional site improvements coming to the club include:

• New deck to meet existing deck around the tennis hut and paddle courts
• Two new ground signs

• New refuse and recycling area within the clubhouse parking area
• Bicycle rack for 6 bicycles
• Renovate the existing storage room
• Two new A/C units
• New gravel and paver walkways throughout the Site
• Landscaping, lighting, drainage, grading, and utility improvements
• New shed near tennis hut addition and fence around existing storage shed.

The Morristown Field Club, which can be found at 168 James Street, offers competitive opportunities for players of all skill levels as well as professional tennis, platform tennis and pickleball instruction for adults and kids.