Plan Better Morris Plains Priorities: 2026-2027
We are advocating for increased accountability, transparency, and community involvement in Borough planning. With our town’s well-informed citizens and dedicated officials, we believe these goals are within reach. Join us!
What We're Seeking:
Early and Inclusive Master Plan Review.
- The Borough is legally required to update its Master Plan by 2028. There is no reason for the Planning Board not to begin the process now.
- The new Master Plan will guide development for the next decade and should be shaped by broad community input and a thorough understanding of planning best practices.
Review of Ordinance 14-2023.
- We believe this ordinance, passed in October 2023 to update permitted commercial and residential land uses, was not thoroughly vetted and considered by the Planning Board for traffic, environmental and other impacts.
- The debacle of the Planning Board’s approval of a two-lane McDonald’s in the heart of downtown demonstrated the dangers of a rushed ordinance with incomplete input from residents and experts.
A Freeze on AI Data Centers.
- We applaud the current Council’s thoughtful research and work on an ordinance on this topic and urge its passage.
More Transparent Governance.
- The Council should establish and the Mayor should execute a reliable Borough-managed system for recording and archiving public meetings.
- Public notices should be distributed broadly, beyond minimum legal requirements.
- Agendas should be detailed and posted well in advance of meetings.
- Resident attendance, education and participation should be actively encouraged.
Prioritization of Safe Streets.
- The Council should adopt the Complete and Green Streets framework currently under review so future road designs take safety and sustainability into account.
- Residents should no longer be told that "nothing can be done" about traffic safety on Speedwell Avenue because “202 is a state road.” Other towns have made improvements in safety along state roads and so can we.
The McDonald’s Controversy
Our initiative was spurred by the approval of a two-lane fast-food drive-through in the heart of downtown Morris Plains. From July through December 2024, hundreds of residents attended Planning Board meetings, signed petitions, and conducted independent research to challenge this proposal. Despite their fact-based and widespread opposition, the board approved the project with a narrow 5-4 vote on December 18, 2024.
However, many environmental, traffic, parking, and implementation concerns remain unresolved. For more details on these issues, please
visit our Hot Topic FAQs.
The Bigger Picture
Past development controversies in Morris Plains, such as the prolonged debate over a proposed fragrance factory on Route 53 in 2018 and a proposed storage warehouse at the former Acme property in 2022-2023, highlight the need for a proactive and collaborative approach.
As we look to the Borough’s next 100 years beginning in 2026, it’s time for officials and residents alike to reimagine the town we want for the future and the way the planning pieces should fit together.
Plan Better, Morris Plains!
Resident Supporters
Plan Better Morris Plains represents the more than 1,300 people who signed a petition against a two-lane fast-food drive-through on Speedwell Avenue, the hundreds of residents who attended Planning Board meetings or watched them via livestream, as well as the many residents who researched and prepared testimony for the hearings.
To add your name to this list of supporters, write to PlanBetterMP@gmail.com.
(Asterisk = organizing committee. Contact for more information.)
Jessica Battagliese
Tom Battagliese*
Joseph Bellomo
Zoe Bergquist
Christopher Botsakos
Sara Botsakos
Dave Burrows
Kelly Burrows
Laurie Cama
Robert Carr
Stephanie Carr
Matthew Ciampi
Samantha Ciampi
Paul Clolery
Daniel Coleman
Lee Connor*
Mike Connor
Michele Cristiano
Noreen Curran
James Davidson
Suzanne Dell’Orto
Pamela Dise-Moran
Dave Dolan
Joy Dolan
Ally Dovano
Karen Dovano
Michael Dovano
Kathy Effner
Tom Effner
Elizabeth Eidelman
Stephen Eidelman
Annemarie Emge
Daill Fenimore
James Fenimore
Lisa Foley
Preethi Ganapathy
Gary Grossman
James Hardy
Jessica Hardy
Joe Harris
Karen Harris
Summer Harrison
Jessica Heinzmann
Paula Hoferer
William Hoferer
Claudia Holt
Jim Hunt
Victoria Hunt
Kerri Ivey
Deryn Johnson*
Scott Johnson
Adam Katz
Kate Katz*
Kelly Kulick
Mike Kulick
Jennifer LaPoma
Angela Lewis*
Bill Lewis
Charlie Lewis
Sam Lewis
Karla Lortie
Kelly Maiuro
Rob McAlear
Brian McGotty
Bridget McGotty
James Memory
Karen Memory
Frank Miller
Nancy Mirabelle
Peter Mirabelle
Craig Moran
Shaun Mulligan
Maureen Murray
Gina Musolino
Peter Musolino
Fred Netzband
Christine Nixon
James Norris
Jessica Orr
Mary Lou Orr
Elizabeth Osborne
Gary Osborne
Dominic Palumbo
Dominic Palumbo, Jr
Fiona Palumbo
Mary Ellen Palumbo
Amanda Persak
Steve Persak
Anoli Piccirillo
Christopher Piccirillo
Kathy Pond
Rachel Reinhart
Timothy Reinhart
Gina Reynolds
Michael Reynolds
Sue Ricciardelli
Sara Robinsky
Alexandra Ross
Andrew Ross
Leah Salmon
Joan Sambrowski
June Sambrowski
Prem Schoff
Stefanie Schoff
Lisa Schroeder*
Christina Sebak
Stephanie Shenloogian
Ann Shivas
John Shivas
Corey Skaggs
Julie Skaggs
Derek Skelton
Maria Skelton
Kristen Stahl
Amy Tracey
Pat Tracey
Vaishali Vel
Rob Waxman
Vanessa Waxman
Rebecca Weber
Bill Wenrich
Mary Beth Wenrich
Ellen Whelan
Erin Williams
Jessica Williams*
Meghan Williams
Michael Willams
Kamil Woronowicz
Corie Yungher
Don Yungher
