State Planning
Where and how we grow is fundamental to New Jersey’s economic prosperity, environmental health and social equity.
In 1986, recognizing the critical role the state must play in directing future growth and aligning resources accordingly, New Jersey adopted the State Planning Act — a groundbreaking effort to coordinate land-use planning among state agencies and different levels of government. The act mandated the creation of the State Development and Redevelopment Plan (the “State Plan”), as well as the formation of the State Planning Commission and its staff, now housed at the Office of Planning Advocacy in the Department of State.
But 20 years’ experience with state planning has produced mixed results. The State Plan vision for strong communities and preserved open lands is widely shared and has helped shape development patterns. But, for a variety of reasons, the Plan has not been fully implemented by either state agencies or municipalities. In response, in early 2011 the Christie administration began a process that culminated in October 2011 in the release of a proposed a new State Plan update called the State Strategic Plan.
See the latest information on the State Strategic Plan, including the latest draft of the Plan, statements from New Jersey Future, press coverage and analysis, and links to upcoming meetings and to state agency implementation steps.
Gov. Christie’s Sandy Recovery Action Plan doesn’t include funds, or a requirement, for long-term resiliency planning. Without those, New Jersey’s rebuilding efforts will not prepare the state sufficiently for the next major weather disaster.
Concerns over Gov. Christie’s Sandy Recovery Action Plan include insufficient funds for planning, too little assistance for low-income renters.
Four innovative projects and three visionary plans comprise the list of winners of New Jersey Future’s 2013 Smart Growth Awards.
The Rebuilding a Resilient New Jersey Shore conference brought together a diverse group including university professors, planners, engineers, attorneys, FEMA employees, architects, local and state officials and others concerned with the future of the New Jersey coastline.
The State Planning Commission delayed its vote on the proposed State Strategic Plan in order to allow time for public comment and to consider addressing issues of shore development in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.
New Jersey has 243 transit facilities, ranging from small single-track stations to major multi-line hubs. The unique characteristics of each station, of its immediate neighborhood, and of its surrounding municipality mean that a wide variety of development strategies should be brought to bear in order to maximize each location’s potential. This report shows how data assembled by New Jersey Future can be used to make decisions on how to target various kinds of transit-oriented development efforts. September 2012.
Four innovative projects, two visionary plans and a statewide policy are winners of New Jersey Future’s 2013 Smart Growth Awards. Diane Sterner receives the Cary Edwards Leadership Award.
Nov. 20, 2012: The State Strategic Plan is a framework, a guiding document of only 41 pages that promotes sound planning but doesn’t attempt to do the actual planning work. Any changes in it to address the need for resiliency should remain high-level and provide the parameters within which to make changes, but not prescribe the actual changes.
A comprehensive policy, along with a strong outreach effort, is helping the State of New Jersey and its municipalities re-envision streets in order to consider the needs of all users.
Jan. 17, 2012 — Today’s State of the State message offers Governor Christie an opportunity to make a forceful statement about fulfilling his administration’s pledge to promote targeted economic growth, effective planning for vibrant regions, preservation and enhancement of critical state resources and tactical alignment of government through implementation of the State Strategic Plan.
See all Future Facts and Articles in this category »
Reports, Presentations and Testimony
- Targeting Transit -- New Jersey Future
- 01/17/2012: Reaction to State of the State Address
- 04/02/2012: NJFuture Comments to State Planning Commission on Draft State Strategic Plan
- Wastewater Planning County Fact Sheets
- State Strategic Plan Public Hearings Announcement 8-3-12
- Innovation Districts as Economic Growth Strategy 9-12 (Intern Report)
- 11/09/2012: Statement on Final Draft State Strategic Plan
- Somerset County Investment Framework 1-13 (Intern Report)
- 11/30/2011: Coalition Statement on Grow NJ Bill
- BBzik State Strategic Plan Somerset County Perspective 11-4-2011
- Smart Growth NJ August 2011 Poll Report
- DKennedy State Strategic Plan APA-NJ 11-4-2011
- 11/11/2011: Statement: Recommendations to the State Planning Commission
- 11/14/2011: State Planning Act-State Strategic Plan Consistency Review
- Executive Order-78
- Best Practices in State and Regional Planning 5-11 (Intern report)
- 03-05-2010 Statement to Housing Opportunity Task Force
- Presentation: New Jersey's State Plan: Where We Are and What's Next 11-09
- Planning Ahead 11-09
- Where Are We Growing? State Plan Forum summary 10-09
- Presentation: Proposal for State Planning Commission 10-09
- 06-11-2009 Letter to Gov Corzine re State Plan and Planning Commission
- 04-22-2009 Letter to State Planning Commission on Draft State Plan
- 04-13-2009 Letter re Spending of Stimulus Funds
- 04-07-2009 Common Ground Statement of Principles on Federal Stimulus
- Getting to Work 11-08
- Property Tax Reform and Land Use 07-06
- Affordable Housing Policy 10-04
- Race to the Middle: The Homogenization of New Jersey's Population Density
- Smart Conservation: The "Green" Side of Smart Growth
- Realistic Opportunity? The Distribution of Affordable Housing and Jobs in New Jersey
