By Marion Filler
It’s still early in the match. But the Red Bulls got a boost Monday from the Morris Township planning board.
By a unanimous vote, the board determined that a proposed zone change for the pro soccer team’s new headquarters/training center falls within the bounds of the township’s zoning master plan.
The township governing body could adopt the ordinance, introduced earlier this month, at a special virtual meeting this Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, at 7 pm.
The Red Bulls want to erect team offices and eight soccer fields on 81 acres of the former Honeywell site on Columbia Road. Present zoning would allow up to 900,000 square feet of offices, according to Township Engineer Jim Slate.
A soccer complex would generate less traffic–hundreds of cars, instead of thousands for an office park–while preserving more green space, proponents contend.
Fifteen callers posed questions about traffic flow, possible contamination of the property, flooding, buffer zones and noise. One caller suggested field lights might interfere with flights to nearby Morristown Airport.
Throughout the three-hour Zoom session, board members reminded residents that such details would be hashed out when the matter returns to the board for site plan approval. That’s assuming the Township Committee approves the ordinance to create a “nonresidential overlay district.”
When a caller asked if the project already would be a “done deal” by the time it returns to the planning board, Mayor Jeff Grayzel answered with a resounding “no.”
He and Committeewoman/planning board member Cathy Wilson explained this is just the first step in a lengthy approval process.
Several board members and callers indicated they would like Red Bulls traffic to access the property via an old Honeywell service drive, to reduce congestion along the Columbia Turnpike.
Member George Quillan inquired about re-wording the zoning ordinance to mandate use of the service road. But board Attorney Steve Warner advised against any tinkering until the project returns to the board for site plan approval.
Kevin Coughlin contributed to this report.
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November 30, 2021 at 01:05PM
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Red Bulls project gets boost from Morris Township planning board - Morristown Green
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