Par-Troy Council Paves Way For Townhouses and Open Space

Parsippany may be getting new townhouses after the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council unanimously voted to establish new residential and open space zones.

Edward Snieckus, a professional planner from Burgis Associates, a firm that reports to the Council and Planning Board, presented plans to the council for townhouses on an eight-acre area.

The rezoned property is just South of Route 80, adjacent to Mazda Brook Road and Smith Road, North of Reynolds Ave. and South of Troy Road.

The council unanimously passed an ordinance “Establishing a New PRD-3 Planned Residential Development and Open Space District and Designating Certain Zone Boundaries in the Township.”

The area encompasses four lots, which were all zoned as Recreation Conservation Wildlife (RCW) and Residential Density Modification (R2M) zones, which will now be rezoned to accommodate a maximum of 52 townhouses, said Snieckus.

“What happened was, in 2010, we zoned it RCW and there was a litigation,” said Planning Board Secretary Peggy Mader. “Part of the result was that we would rezone it back to PRD and they can develop on the part that was not wetlands. The council completed the rezoning and now the Planning Board will review the site division and site plans.”

The Planning Board will review the plans from Forge Pond Developers LLC at the August 19 meeting, she said.

“(The ordinance) has a provision in it for potential development,” said Snieckus. “In addition there is a significant area of wetlands, wetlands transition areas and a three-acre area of uplands that is going be preserved as an environmentally sensitive area, possibly developed for a future park.”

About 119 of the 130 acres will remain open space, he said.

On July 1 the planning board compared the proposal to the master plan and determined that it was constant with the township land use plan, continued Snieckus.

Councilman Michael DePierro suggested the area could be used for science and environmental observation, akin to the Great Swamp in New Vernon, NJ.

“It would be really nice if we could have a boardwalk through those acres for kids to view wildlife,” said DePierro. “I would love to see that.”

“I can't think of a better place for passive recreation,” said Councilman Jonathan Nelson. “That property is gorgeous.”

The council voted unanimously to approve the ordinance.