370+ Housing Units Eyed For Mendham, And Neighboring Officials Want Answers

MENDHAM, NJ — Three enormous housing development projects are on the table in Mendham Borough, but Mendham Township officials say they haven't been given the logistics of how they would mesh with their community.

Officials say the projects could result in 372 new residences in Mendham Borough, a 20 percent increase in homes in a small community.

Recently, Mendham Township officials sent a letter to the Morris County Planning Board, the NJ Department of Transportation, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, and Highlands Council, requesting a cumulative review of the projects' impacts on the community.

Mendham Township and Borough share several resources, with members of each community using each other's roads, emergency services, schools, and more.

"We want to understand whether and how potential impacts on Mendham Township are being considered as part of the applicable State and County review processes, what information is already available, and whether there are areas where additional coordination would be helpful," the letter reads. "With several projects moving forward at approximately the same time, we believe it is our responsibility to better understand the larger regional picture and make sure we are planning appropriately for any impacts that may extend into Mendham Township."

Mendham Township officials clarified they are not taking a position on the projects themselves, nor are they assuming the projects even will have an impact on the township. They are questioning whether, or how, the township was considered as the projects were proposed.

The township's main concerns are how the developments will affect the communities' shared roads and traffic, emergency response services, natural resources, sewer systems, and other infrastructure.

Specific questions made in the letter include:

• What traffic studies have already been completed and what additional analysis is anticipated, and which roads and intersections in Mendham Township are included in those analyses?

• Are mutual-aid routes and response times from neighboring municipalities considered?
• How are potential impacts to groundwater, streams, wetlands, riparian areas, and other shared natural resources evaluated?
• How is (water) system capacity evaluated when multiple projects are moving forward within the same general area, whether cumulative demand is considered, and whether any new or expanded water, wastewater, pump station, or other infrastructure is anticipated?

"The Township Committee values our relationship with Mendham Borough and the many ways our municipalities work together. This request is made in that same spirit," the letter reads. "Our goal is not to interfere with the Borough's land use process or point fingers. It is simply to understand the facts, make sure the Township is appropriately planning for matters within our responsibility, and continue the cooperation that has long existed between our communities."

The letter was signed by Mayor Sarah Neibart, Deputy Mayor Nick Monaghan, and committee women Amalia Duarte, Tracey Moreen, and Lauren Spirig.

It asks that the recipients respond within 30 days.