We are Morris Township residents opposed to The Ketch Road Redevelopment Plan. We recognize the need for more housing in our community. Many of us are saddled with high mortgages or have adult children living at home with us as they can't afford to make rent let alone buy a home of their own. We have no issue with affordable housing. What we do oppose is the slapdash nature of this plan which will strand the residents of this proposed complex in a car dependent mass transit starved neighborhood when the developers themselves state that most of the intended residents will not have cars; for example, the nearest grocery store is 20 minutes away by car.

​

Our commonsense objections to the plan as proposed are as follows:

​

📍 Location Concerns

• Development planned for a 3.54-acre parcel currently designated as open space.

• Site is adjacent to Ketch Road Field, used by children and families.

• A new access road and sidewalks would cut through the park, disrupting recreational use and quiet neighborhood character.

• Access described in the plan would carve a driveway through parkland (Block 1901, Lot 1).

• The park would therefore be unusable as the increased traffic in and out of the proposed development would endanger the children and athletes (soccer players) who play there.​

​

🚗 Traffic and Infrastructure

• Ketch Road already faces congestion during peak hours and weekends.

• 50 new housing units would add 75+ vehicles to the area.

• Increased strain on emergency services, school buses, and delivery access on narrow roads.

• The plan admits the parcel “lacks street frontage and direct access,” highlighting the site’s inappropriateness.

​

🌿 Environmental Impact

• Site borders or overlaps protected wetlands and bird habitats.

• Plan includes “wetlands transition area reduction” and “compensation zones”, indicating environmental disruption.

• Potential impacts include:

  • Increased flooding

  • Loss of wildlife habitat, particularly migratory birds.

  • Degradation of biodiversity

• Damage to wetlands would be irreversible once construction starts.

• Potential for flooding in nearby homes due to destruction of natural permeable surfaces.

​

🛑 Public Safety Risks

• High-density development may strain local policing and safety infrastructure.

• Concerns about:

  • Insufficient surveillance

  • Increased demands on public safety resources

• The plan lacks specific public safety upgrades, relying instead on vague mentions of buffers and lighting.

​

💰 Financial Burden on Residents

• New development likely to:

  • Increase school enrollment

  • Strain utilities and services

  • Raise property and school taxes

• Developer is exempt from ordinances like:

  • Environmental impact statements

  • Tree replacement requirements

• Costs of environmental and infrastructure protections may fall to taxpayers, not the developer.

​

🗣️ Broken Public Process

• At the July 21, 2025 Planning Committee meeting, residents were:

  • Shouted down

  • Intimidated (notably by Planning Committee member Joe Alesso)

• Citizens felt silenced and disrespected.

• The process lacked transparency and community engagement.

​

⚖️ Conclusion

• Affordable housing is necessary but must be implemented responsibly and transparently.

• The current plan:

  • Disrupts a community park

  • Strains roads and services

  • Jeopardizes wetlands

  • Raises taxes

  • Undermines local democracy

​

• The Ketch Road Redevelopment Plan is deeply flawed and harmful to Morris Township.

​

​