By Jon Hurdle, NJ Spotlight
New Jersey’s top planning officials this week released a draft of the state’s first State Development and Redevelopment Plan in at least 23 years, updating goals around major issues like economic development, transportation, housing and urban revitalization.
Long in the making, the new document would guide state policy on infrastructure and land use statewide, and has new proposals for counties and towns on managing public assets in light of climate change and the demand for equity.
The plan, if finalized over the next year, will be the first to be adopted by the State Planning Commission since 2001 even though a 1980s law that enables it called for a review every three years.
As the overarching statement of state policy on planning and infrastructure, officials said the plan would provide a framework for infrastructure planning over the next 25 years, while recognizing the needs to adapt to climate change and to ensure equitable treatment for underserved communities — neither of which was included in the last report almost a quarter-century ago.
“This is immensely historic,” said Tom Dallessio, vice president of policy for the New Jersey chapter of the American Planning Association. “New Jerseyans as taxpayers are stockholders in this public corporation called New Jersey. Who owns stock in a private corporation that doesn’t have a plan, let alone a plan that’s 24 years old?
If you like this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for a full month.
