If you believe Paramus should protect its last remaining farmland and green space before it disappears forever, please sign and share this petition.

Vision means holding the past while embracing the future — without erasing it.

Paramus once had thousands of acres of farmland. Today, almost all of it is gone.

Our town spans just 10.5 square miles — about 6,700 acres. Not long ago, 4,000 to 5,000 of those acres were farmland. Nearly seven square miles of open agricultural land have since been replaced by asphalt, rooftops, and retail corridors.

Today, virtually no true farmland remains. Over 85% of Paramus is already developed.

Now we are debating the fate of the final fragments — parcels of just five, eight, or nine acres at a time.

They may seem small.

But they are the last pieces of breathing room in a town that once had thousands of acres of it.

Once these final parcels are paved, Paramus will never get them back.

At the same time, Paramus is one of the strongest retail economies in New Jersey. The borough’s malls and commercial corridor generate an estimated $5–6 billion in annual retail sales. That commercial success contributes heavily to the town’s tax base.

Paramus collects roughly $180 million each year in property tax revenue, and nearly half of the tax base is supported by commercial properties and retail development.

In other words, Paramus already benefits enormously from commerce.

We are not a town struggling to survive.

We are financially strong.

We have the ability to protect land.

The real question is whether we have the will.

Residents are growing tired of learning about major projects only after decisions feel inevitable. They are tired of traffic studies that never seem to reflect reality, tired of watching wooded areas disappear, and tired of hearing that every remaining parcel must become “something else.”

In recent years we have seen land changes along Winters Avenue during institutional expansion, housing proposals behind neighborhoods near the Duck Pond, wooded areas cleared, and development discussions affecting Soldier Hill — an area many residents have long viewed as natural open space for walking and passive recreation.

Paramus already has approximately 8,800 housing units, including the recently added residential complex at Paramus Park. Housing continues to expand.

This petition is not anti-housing.

It is not anti-business.

It is about balance.

When nearly seven square miles of land have already transitioned to development, continuing to build over the last remaining green parcels is not growth.

It is erasure.

Instead of losing the last remaining farmland and nursery land, Paramus could transform it into something meaningful for the entire community — a living park that honors the past while serving the future.

Imagine preserved green space with walking paths through trees, quiet wooded trails, community gardens, and agricultural learning areas where students can learn how food is grown and how nature works. The nursery itself could remain a place of life and learning, supported by volunteers, students, and residents who care about agriculture and the environment.

Farmers markets could bring neighbors and local growers together. Seasonal festivals and community gatherings could take place in open fields. Students could help maintain portions of the land through agricultural and environmental programs, learning practical skills while caring for something meaningful in their own town.

The park could also include places of reflection and remembrance — perhaps a beautiful pond, quiet seating areas, and a memorial wall or walking path honoring residents who served in war or those lost too soon. Names engraved along a pathway would allow families to walk beside the memory of loved ones and remember the people who shaped this community.

Maintenance of the park could be supported through volunteer stewardship, student participation, donations, and community partnerships. Many towns successfully care for preserved land this way — not only through municipal funding, but through residents who care deeply about protecting nature.

Preserving land also does not need to harm Paramus’ budget. With $180 million in annual property tax revenue, a modest investment in land preservation represents only a small fraction of the borough’s financial capacity.

Parks and recreation facilities often generate their own activity and revenue through events, lessons, markets, rentals, and programs. Protecting green space is not a financial burden — it is a long-term investment in quality of life, property values, and community health.

At the same time, Paramus does not need to sacrifice recreation or economic opportunity to preserve green space. Large existing commercial buildings along Route 17 — including spaces such as the former Stop & Shop and Kmart locations — could be repurposed into something the community truly needs.

Instead of another warehouse-style retail development, these buildings could become a family recreation center with a roller skating rink, an indoor ice rink, youth recreation areas, and an arcade where families and teens can gather safely.

These facilities could support school programs, youth athletics, and community events, giving students places for skating lessons, physical education partnerships, competitions, and after-school activities.

They would also create jobs for instructors, maintenance workers, event coordinators, food vendors, and youth program leaders while giving residents a place to spend time together.

Facilities like roller rinks and ice rinks can also contribute economically. A well-run rink can generate over $1 million annually through admissions, lessons, birthday parties, leagues, concessions, and events.

Sometimes it only takes a small opportunity to change a life. A local rink could inspire the next great athlete. Imagine that a small community rink in Paramus might help create the next Olympic skater, hockey player, or champion who first learned here.

Parks inspire creativity as well. A quiet bench by a pond, a trail through trees, or a place to sit and sketch could inspire the next great artist or designer. Someone drawing under a tree today might one day become an architect, fashion designer, sculptor, or entrepreneur — blending creativity, nature, and business in ways we cannot yet imagine.

Spaces like these do more than entertain. They nurture talent, encourage imagination, and create opportunities that benefit both the community and the wider world.

Paramus is known across New Jersey as a retail destination. But we are more than shopping centers and parking lots.

We are neighborhoods.

We are families.

We are children riding bikes.

We are seniors walking trails.

We are residents who invest in this town every year.

Once these final parcels are developed, they will never return. No future council will be able to recreate open land once it is gone.

Progress does not mean paving everything.

Progress means knowing when to stop.

Paramus has already transitioned the majority of its land. Now we stand at a decision point.

Do we preserve what remains — or do we allow the last pieces of our town’s identity and history to disappear one lot at a time?

Residents invest here.

We raise families here.

We pay here.

If we do nothing now, we cannot ask later why the last green spaces disappeared.

And the decisions made today will shape Paramus for generations — a responsibility that residents, voters, and community leaders will all remember.

Before it’s gone — save what’s left of Paramus.