Dear Neighbor,
We hope you and your family are healthy and safe. The Morris Township Committee has made it a priority to communicate frequently with our residents. We are reaching out to you at this time to provide an update on an ongoing initiative being led by our Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC).
As part of EDAC's Strategic Plan that was approved by the Township Committee in 2019, EDAC has begun work on a study of the Madison Avenue Corridor (“the Corridor”) to assist the Township, local businesses, and residents be better prepared for potential future development proposals along the Corridor.
For many reasons, this Corridor is in a phase of transition. Restoration Hardware will begin building their new facility on the corner of Canfield Road in the spring, but there are also several vacant or semi-vacant properties on the corridor as well. The purpose of the visioning work EDAC has undertaken is to give our community a proactive voice in shaping the kinds of development proposals for this Corridor that may be brought forward in the future.
Currently, EDAC is in the process of reviewing information collected from existing business owners along this Corridor to better understand their present perspectives and future plans. Once this review is complete, a summary report will be shared with the public.
A future component of our visioning initiative is communication with area residents who live near or adjacent to the Corridor, as well as with residents of the Township as a whole. At that time, there will be opportunities for residents to voice suggestions and feedback about what you would like Madison Avenue to look like in the near- and long-term.
While the timing and format for residents’ participation have not yet been determined, we want you to know that planning for it is underway. Input from residents will be an important consideration in the advisory recommendations that EDAC will eventually share with the Township’s governing body regarding our community’s vision for the future of this Corridor. Your participation in this process will be vital to its success.
We will keep you informed about the progress of this work - especially the opportunities for resident involvement. In the meantime, please feel free to review the EDAC webpage on the Township website. The public is always welcome to attend a (currently virtual) monthly meeting of EDAC.
We look forward to working together with you on this important community initiative as this process continues to develop.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey Grayzel, Mayor of Morris Township
Liam Gallagher, Chair of EDAC
