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Note that the applicant's materials and Township review refer to a Peach Tree Hill Overlay District that this site is within. That overlay apparently allows warehousing use, since all of the applicant's documentation and township reviews say it's a conforming use.
Regarding your concerns, the applicant prepared traffic, environmental, sound, and stormwater impact studies that the township requested (possibly at community urging) and found acceptable.
To be honest, it's weirder that residential development was allowed in this location than warehousing. Looking at the zoning map, I agree with the OP. Who would want to live there (unless the price is really good)?
Note that the applicant's materials and Township review refer to a Peach Tree Hill Overlay District that this site is within. That overlay apparently allows warehousing use, since all of the applicant's documentation and township reviews say it's a conforming use.
Regarding your concerns, the applicant prepared traffic, environmental, sound, and stormwater impact studies that the township requested (possibly at community urging) and found acceptable.
To be honest, it's weirder that residential development was allowed in this location than warehousing. Looking at the zoning map, I agree with the OP. Who would want to live there (unless the price is really good)?
When I looked at the zoning code, it says research and development district. And it looks like Joseph Kushner, Newark Academy, and all corporate offices in this area have the same color. It’s odd to me that a large warehouse could be developed to replace an existing corporate office under the same zoning code. I don’t think most people would think that an office building could turn into a warehouse. I think this sets a very bad precedent in my opinion. Then what next? Livingston become one of those warehouse town that people don’t want to live anymore? No one would want to live immediately next to warehouse. Not even Manhattan residents as far as I know live in close proximity (across from your street) to a large warehouse.
And by the way, this not only affected our community and Kushner school students directly. It also will have impact to everyone in Livingston along the routes that the trailers will pass through. This is going to be hundred of trailers crossing major roads in Livingston. For those who don’t know, the participles emitted by trailers can cause lung cancer and cause asthma. And these particles will spread to a decent area across the town. So this will impact a lot of people living here.
Really really disappointed with the Township, the Planning Board.
I'm sure many of those schools have a few powerful alumni and or parents with "connections" to squash something like this.
When I looked at the zoning code, it says research and development district. And it looks like Joseph Kushner, Newark Academy, and all corporate offices in this area have the same color. It’s odd to me that a large warehouse could be developed to replace an existing corporate office under the same zoning code. I don’t think most people would think that an office building could turn into a warehouse. I think this sets a very bad precedent in my opinion. Then what next? Livingston become one of those warehouse town that people don’t want to live anymore? No one would want to live immediately next to warehouse. Not even Manhattan residents as far as I know live in close proximity (across from your street) to a large warehouse.
And by the way, this not only affected our community and Kushner school students directly. It also will have impact to everyone in Livingston along the routes that the trailers will pass through. This is going to be hundred of trailers crossing major roads in Livingston. For those who don’t know, the participles emitted by trailers can cause lung cancer and cause asthma. And these particles will spread to a decent area across the town. So this will impact a lot of people living here.
Really really disappointed with the Township, the Planning Board.
Sounds like entitled NIMBYism to me. If the property's best use is as a warehouse (desperate shortage of warehouse space in NJ right now) then what benefit does it provide the town to force the owners of the land to keep it designated as corporate office space (especially post-COVID)? NIMBY practices like this always have the inevitable result: undesirable buildings get put in poor towns, because the residents lack the resources to fight it. I say lets support property rights. If they can get environmental approvals, sprinkle some trees around the area, they should be able to build whatever they want.
If you don't want something built on that land, buy it yourself.
Apparently we are the poor newcomers that can only buy a shoebox Townhome without backyard instead of a single family house. Obviously we don't have the resource to buy land outside of my existing building... so that "NIMYism" works well to to the rich Livingston people who can afford to live in single family houses, including the Planning Board who find it convenient to build a large warehouse in an area far away from where the rich lives and next to our poor community all in the name of supporting economic environment while accusing us of not wanting to live next to a warehouse...that's quite something. Oh, and by the way, we also get accused of stealing town resources. Apparently existing Livingston residents only want newcomers to buy and live in Single Family Houses.
Apparently we are the poor newcomers that can only buy a shoebox Townhome without backyard instead of a single family house. Obviously we don't have the resource to buy land outside of my existing building... so that "NIMYism" works well to to the rich Livingston people who can afford to live in single family houses, including the Planning Board who find it convenient to build a large warehouse in an area far away from where the rich lives and next to our poor community all in the name of supporting economic environment while accusing us of not wanting to live next to a warehouse...that's quite something. Oh, and by the way, we also get accused of stealing town resources. Apparently existing Livingston residents only want newcomers to buy and live in Single Family Houses.
Yeah, the outrageous prices stink… and it stinks that a warehouse has been built next to your community…
but you own a fairly new townhouse in Livingston… you’re ahead of most people. I couldn’t afford to buy a newish townhouse in Livingston, or even in Fair Lawn where I used to live. That’s how I ended up in “The Woods”. I looked at a community in Randolph… still too expensive for me. That’s how I ended up in Mount Arlington.
Would I have preferred to buy a townhouse Fair Lawn or Livingston? Being completely honest, yeah. But things are fine here. I have a great house, nice neighbors, my mortgage, taxes, and HOA fees combined are less than my old apartment in Fair Lawn currently rents for, and since the community is in a semi-remote location, there’s not much chance of any factories moving in anytime soon.
You have to make the best with what you have. Now whether everyone has the same opportunity to “get” is a subject for an entirely different thread…
Yeah, the outrageous prices stink… and it stinks that a warehouse has been built next to your community…
but you own a fairly new townhouse in Livingston… you’re ahead of most people. I couldn’t afford to buy a newish townhouse in Livingston, or even in Fair Lawn where I used to live. That’s how I ended up in “The Woods”. I looked at a community in Randolph… still too expensive for me. That’s how I ended up in Mount Arlington.
Would I have preferred to buy a townhouse Fair Lawn or Livingston? Being completely honest, yeah. But things are fine here. I have a great house, nice neighbors, my mortgage, taxes, and HOA fees combined are less than my old apartment in Fair Lawn currently rents for, and since the community is in a semi-remote location, there’s not much chance of any factories moving in anytime soon.
You have to make the best with what you have. Now whether everyone has the same opportunity to “get” is a subject for an entirely different thread…
Every makes choices make on their circumstances, nothing wrong with that. The infuriating part is that none of the residents (that I know of) here know about this could happen. Imagining your neighbor houses turns into a huge warehouse with hundred of trucks coming in and out, a year after you move in. And when you complain, they said "oh, we changed our zoning law last year, so now your neighbor area can now have a warehouse. BTW, it's your fault that you didn't know about this and sucks for you that the previous owner didn't tell you this can happen."
BTW, it's your fault that you didn't know about this
Well, it is, actually.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ResidentTransplant
and sucks for you that the previous owner didn't tell you this can happen."
That’s not the previous owner’s responsibility.
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