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Planning board approves replacement of Morris County sheriff’s canine training facility with noise and site controls
Summary
The Morris Township Planning Board on Feb. 2 approved a capital project review clearing the way for a 5,500-sq-ft replacement canine training facility on West Hanover Avenue, subject to recommendations on noise mitigation, tree replacement and site grading; county and applicant witnesses described distances, operational limits and building details.
The Morris Township Planning Board voted Feb. 2 to approve a capital project review for the Morris County Sheriff’s Office to replace its canine training facility on West Hanover Avenue.
Christopher Bitz, identified himself as director of public works for Morris County, told the board the existing structure is roughly 40 years old and the proposed replacement is intended to modernize the county’s training facilities. "I'm Christopher Bitz. I'm the director of public works in the county... I've been with Morris County for about 29 years now," he said.
Engineer Chris Nasser (Prince and Carlo Associates) and architect "Miss Hart" (licensed architect) testified about the site plan and building design. Nasser described the proposed building as a one‑story, 5,500‑square‑foot facility located lower on the site than the existing modular structure and moved about 200–250 feet downslope from the current location. He also presented a noise estimate and mitigation overview, saying that, "where the average dog bark is 80 to 90 decibels... at 400 feet with no attenuation... 90 decibels turns into 47.5 decibels," below the township's nighttime threshold of 50 dB at the property line.
Miss Hart described the programmatic layout: staff offices, three private offices, locker and break rooms, a laundry and grooming area, a large training area with an overhead door that can open for good weather, and 14 indoor/outdoor kennels. She said the kennel area is secured by an approximately eight‑foot privacy fence.
Board members focused questions on proximity to a planned affordable‑housing redevelopment parcel, visibility from West Hanover Avenue, tree impacts, stormwater/runoff implications and operational hours. The applicant said the new facility will be about 400 feet from the redevelopment parcel and roughly 972 feet from the nearest southern residential property line, will be largely out of sight from the public road because it sits lower in elevation, and that the existing facility will remain in service until the new building is complete. On stormwater, the applicant stated no additional stormwater management was required because some existing impervious area will be removed and curbing will redirect flow.
Planner Miss Mahaney recommended the board find the project "not inconsistent" with the township master plan and suggested the board may attach recommendations as part of the capital project review. After discussion, a motion to approve the capital project review "as presented" was made, seconded and carried by roll call.
The approval was granted with the existing conditions and mitigation measures described at the hearing: limits on generator testing (as described in the applicant's submission), noise‑attenuating fence coverings, attention to tree replacement/landscape buffering consistent with the township tree ordinance, and site grading/curbing to address concentrated runoff. The board recorded no closed session and adjourned the meeting.
What happens next: the motion was carried at the Feb. 2 meeting; the transcript does not specify final construction permitting steps or a construction timeline.
