Frequently Asked Questions:

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FLR4RD is a Limited Liability Company formed in May 2023 by a group of Franklin Lakes residents who share a mutual concern about the effects of certain real estate development projects on the quality of life, cost of living, and property taxes levied in Franklin Lakes, in addition to concerns about public health, safety, environmental impacts and changes to the overall character of our Town from a semi-rural/exurban community to higher density/industrial zoning.

Of particular concern is the redevelopment of the 89-acre parcel on which the former Express Scripts office building is located, often referred to as the Cigna Site at 100 Parsons Pond Road, Block 2607, Lot 1 on the Borough’s Tax Map. (the “Cigna Re-Development” or the “Cigna Property”)

At this point, 100% of our resources are devoted to mitigating the potential negative impacts of the Cigna Re-Development on our Town. We anticipate that as support for this organization grows, we will be able to turn our attention to other threats and hope that when the time comes, we will be ready to oppose and perhaps stop the redevelopment of other sites such as Becton Dickinson’s headquarters, which we believe to be an eventuality given the development environment and pressures coming from the state level including the Mt. Laurel doctrine.

With respect to the Cigna Re-Development, our current goal is mitigating the worst potential impacts on our Town. We do not believe it is possible to completely stop the Cigna Re-Development for several reasons. We respect the fact that this parcel is private property and the current ownership and prospective purchaser have certain rights, as do all property owners within our Town. We acknowledge that the current proposal by S. Hekemian Group must be viewed within the context of Mt. Laurel and the resultant State level oversight of our local planning and zoning officials.

At present time our primary goals are i) to alleviate the worst possible impacts of the Cigna Re-Development, which we perceive to be the re-zoning of the Cigna Property inclusive of unfettered industrial use and the potential for logistics type warehouses, and ii) to further reduce the density of the multi-family/residential component of the project as much as possible.

No, FLR4RD is a non-partisan organization. We do not support or endorse any political parties, elected officials or candidates for public office at the municipal, county, state or federal level.

Since FLR4RD's inception in May 2023, our efforts have been focused on fundraising and organizing. Our initial fundraising drive raised over $20,000.00 from concerned residents and we have more donations coming in daily.

In early June 2023 we retained a prominent land use attorney to represent the interests of the FLR4RD, and to  advise and opine as to the best course of action to achieve our goals.

Subject to the advice of counsel, FLR4RD will attempt to influence the Cigna Re-Development any way we can to achieve the above goals. This may involve taking legal action such as challenging a municipal action in the Superior Court of New Jersey. It may also involve obtaining our own impact studies (traffic, environmental, etc) for purposes of challenging those relied upon by the Developer. We are also exploring U.S. District Court challenges based on potential violations of federal law.

Our intention is to be guided by the advice of our experienced legal counsel wherever possible. As we have seen, this process is a marathon and not a race. There are many moving parts and factors to take into account (ie, as of this writing, we are observing this degree of complexity in action by way of the Fair Share Housing Center’s opposition to the settlement entered into between the Town and the Developer). If counsel so advises, for the time being we will continue to monitor developments, focus on fundraising and take action when the time is right, possibly during the site plan phase.

We have a relatively small level of administrative costs, allowing most funds to be used for counsel fees, litigation expenses (ie, expert witnesses) and impact studies.

We have aspirations to achieve some form of beneficial tax exempt status. For the time being, an LLC is the quickest and most efficient vehicle to get our organization off the ground.

The Cigna Re-Development has the potential to negatively impact the entire Town, depending on the type(s) of uses that will ultimately be approved by the Mayor and Council.   Increased density of the residential component will negatively impact schools and traffic, and stretch our public safety resources thin (police, fire, EMS, etc.), all of which will likely negatively impact property values and quality of life across all of Franklin Lakes.

You can help us by attending Mayor and Council meetings, staying up-to-date on ongoings and progress, and by donating to our organization.

Donations may be made through the website or by sending a check to:  Franklin Lakes Residents for Responsible Development, LLC, P.O. Box 40,

Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417.

You can stay updated by visiting our website frequently at www.flr4rd.us for updates, ongoing progress and key dates/deadlines.