Property owner asks Parsippany-Troy Hills to pursue open-space buy for vacant lot near Jeep Hiawatha Park

Mohammed Sayam, who identified himself as a long-time Parsippany (Troy Hills) resident and former town employee, asked the township council on Feb. 18 to pursue an open-space acquisition of a vacant lot at 63 North Beveridge Road adjacent to Jeep Hiawatha Park.

Sayam said he previously obtained plan-board approval for a restaurant that he did not build and that the lot is now vacant. He said he raised the idea of an open-space purchase in conversations with the mayor and business administrator and that an appraisal was ordered; he asked the council to consider adding the parcel to a future open-space funding application.

Council response: Council members said the business administrator and mayor had discussed the parcel and that the township could consider the property for the open-space trust fund and county open-space funds. A council member asked Sayam to email his proposal to the township clerk so staff could distribute it to the council and to place the item on the open-space committee agenda for consideration. The mayor said he would follow up and that staff would explore whether county funding or the township trust could be applied to the parcel.

Why it matters: if acquired, the lot would expand a central town park’s footprint and could be eligible for county matching funds; no commitment of township funds was made at the meeting.

Ending: Council members said they will follow up administratively; the council did not vote to acquire the parcel or to begin a formal acquisition process during the meeting.