Parsippany board carries Lewis drainage dispute to March 5 for township-engineer inspection

The Parsippany (Troy Hills) Board of Adjustment carried an application by Dave and Tess Lewis after neighbors gave detailed testimony alleging persistent runoff from the Lewis backyard has caused standing water and foundation risk.

Neighbors Patrick and Temple Pinto told the board they observed water and mulch moving from the Lewis property into their yard for years, and they presented photographic and video evidence they said shows standing water up to 3–4 inches and runoff entering their garage and foundation. Patrick Pinto said the combined horizontal area of the Lewis basketball pad and patio exceeds 1,000 square feet and directed the board’s attention to how water is discharged toward the Pinto property.

The Lewises acknowledged a recent accidental hose incident during a family emergency and said some improvements dated to the early 1990s; they denied intentionally diverting water onto the Pinto property. Tess/Dave Lewis told the board the hose “exploded” and that they immediately shut it off.

Board members emphasized the board’s limited remedial authority, recommended the township engineer inspect the site and suggested mediation as a possible next step. The Lewis applicants agreed and asked the board to carry the hearing. The board set the continued hearing for March 5, 2025, and instructed applicants to coordinate the township engineer visit and supply any engineering documentation at the continued session.

No final decision on the Lewis variances was made; the matter remains pending the township-engineer report and potential mediation between neighbors.