The date of the next Zoning Board meeting is unknown.

When it happens, here's what to expect:

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Zoning Board Meeting Expectations and Instructions:

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1) TESTIMONY OF THE APPLICANT

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The Applicant (Islamic Burial Services) will likely have their paid experts provide testimony under oath.  This can be their engineer, architect, planner, environmental specialist, traffic engineer, etc.  They will explain all the research and planning they have done and why a dozen or more variances and a 3-story apartment building on wetlands in a single-family neighborhood is perfectly fine.

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2) PUBLIC QUESTIONS OF THE APPLICANT'S WITNESSES

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After EACH of their experts testifies, the public will have an opportunity to ask the expert QUESTIONS.  Each person may be limited in their time to ask QUESTIONS.  Ask "Why" and "How" questions that match the witness' area of expertise. 

 

If you ask their architect if he has considered how this project will worse traffic and safety issues, he will easily dodge the question by saying, "I'm an architect, that is someone else's area of expertise."

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If you just complain in general that, "I don't want this built," their expert witness doesn't have to say anything on the record.  You need to ask them QUESTIONS.  Why do you believe a 3-story, possibly/partially low-income apartment complex is in the best interests of the residents?  

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The purpose of asking them QUESTIONS is to require them to provide information to the Zoning Board UNDER OATH.  There are SERIOUS EXISTING PROBLEMS (traffic, safety, environmental) that have not been addressed.  A high-density apartment building will exacerbate the existing problems and cause new ones.  How will 29 new units improve the existing safety and parking issues?  The town will listen to our QUESTIONS and their answers to form their opinion.

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ABOVE ALL, you MUST be calm and RESPECTFUL. If you are rude and nasty to the Applicant's expert witnesses, it is human nature for the Zoning Board to feel sympathy for someone who is sitting calmly while being yelled at.  Do not get frustrated if your question is not answered.  That's not the goal.  The goal is for the Zoning Board to hear what the expert says (or that they dodge your questions).  Do not get emotional or flustered or argumentative.

The Zoning Board are UNPAID VOLUNTEERS who live in Parsippany and are tasked with making decisions on our behalf.  We want them to see that we are good, reasonable people who are rightfully seeking their help.  If you are rude, even to the Applicant's expert witnesses, it disrespects the Board as they try to do their job and hear testimony.

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3) TESTIMONY OF THE OBJECTORS' WITNESSES

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Expert witnesses who are working on behalf of those who oppose the development will provide testimony, and the public will be able to ask our witnesses questions (you do not need to ask OUR experts anything).

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4) TESTIMONY OF THE PUBLIC

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In several months, after several more meetings, when we are in the next phase, THEN you can make statements/speeches.  You can emphasize your concerns and issues:  traffic, safety, house values, wetlands/environmental, the cohesiveness of the neighborhood, etc.  Please try not to repeat the same thing 5 other people said, or the Board members may stop listening.  We need to work together collectively convey the wide range of different problems with this project.  The chairperson may limit your time to speak, so be brief and to the point.  Practice in front of a mirror or a friend.  You can bring written notes and read from them so that you don't have to memorize anything.

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WE MUST ALL BE CALM AND POLITE OR THEY WILL WIN

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If the crowd gets rowdy and people are booing, clapping, or talking over each other, they can simply adjourn the meeting for safety reasons or because they can't hear the witnesses or some other reason.  No yelling.  No swearing.  Be respectful.  Stay on point.  Stop speaking when your time is up.​​​

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