ABOUT DHM
Defend Historic Mendham (DHM) is a proud member of the New Jersey Highlands Coalition. We are a grassroots organization of concerned Mendham residents dedicated to advocating for the responsible development of the former Daytop site in the Borough of Mendham while protecting the environmental resources, historic character, and quality of life that define our community.
DHM recognizes the Borough's need for affordable housing and supports the thoughtful, rational development of the Daytop site to help meet that obligation. However, we believe the proposed Weichert development is simply too large for the site and would have an unacceptable impact on our community.
The Proposed Plan
147 housing units on the 26-acre property
The current proposal calls for 147 housing units on the 26-acre property, with only 29 of those units designated as affordable housing. Since the Mendham Borough Joint Land Use Board deemed the Weichert application complete on June 16, 2026, the approval process has moved forward under procedures that heavily favor the applicant.
THE IMPACT
According to Rowan University's New Jersey Conservation Blueprint Geographic Information Survey and the New Jersey Highlands Council's Environmental Resource Inventory Mapping System, the Daytop property contains environmentally significant resources, including critical wildlife habitat, endangered species habitat, groundwater recharge areas, regional wildlife movement corridors, and lands identified as high conservation priorities. The property also borders the Schiff Natural Lands Trust.
Defend Historic Mendham believes the proposed 147-unit complex is too large for this environmentally sensitive site and would unfairly burden our town if approved. The development would significantly worsen already-congested traffic along West Main Street during peak commuting hours while increasing traffic impacts on East Main Street and surrounding neighborhood cut-through routes.
GET INVOLVED
LAND USE BOARD MEETING
JULY 21
7:30 PM
Grace Lutheran Church Mendham NJ
PUBLIC LAND USE BOARD MEETING
AUGUST 18
7:30 PM
Grace Lutheran Church Mendham NJ
Protect What Makes Mendham Special
Every donation helps Defend Historic Mendham continue its mission to advocate for responsible development while protecting the environmental resources, historic character, and quality of life that make our community unique.
Your tax-deductible contribution directly supports the DHM mission. Donations help fund independent environmental, traffic, engineering, planning, and property impact reviews—providing the objective analysis our community deserves.
Your support also helps cover legal and professional consulting, public education and outreach, community engagement, research, and the operational costs required to keep residents informed and our advocacy moving forward.
Together, we can ensure that important development decisions are guided by facts, transparency, and the long-term interests of Mendham—not by assumptions.
Your gift, no matter the size, helps give our community an independent voice.
s
