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 implemented fully 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.
The State Strategic Plan went through a series of public hearings, but was never adopted, leaving New Jersey to be guided by the most recent update of the State Development and Redevelopment Plan, which was adopted in 2001.
New Jersey Future Executive Director Peter Kasabach has been named a co-chair of the Waterfront Alliance’s new Coastal Resiliency Task Force. The task force will work to build consensus around needed resiliency measures, and issue a recommendations report.
New Jersey Future submitted comments on proposed changes to the NJDEP’s stormwater management rules, praising the emphasis on green infrastructure and offering recommendations for making the rule clearer and more effective.
A group of 18 mayors and organizations concerned with how New Jersey grows and develops has sent a letter to Gov. Murphy urging him to renew focus on the State Plan.
New Jersey Future applauds the Legislature’s Jan. 31, 2019, passage of the Clean Stormwater, Flood Reduction Act, and encourages the governor to sign it.
Smart Growth America’s new report on pedestrian fatalities shows New Jersey isn’t the most dangerous place to walk, but there is still work to do to make it safer.
An interim report, three years after Hurricane Sandy, on New Jersey Future’s groundbreaking local recovery planning manager program, including lessons learned and recommendations. October 2015.
A redevelopment of a landmark downtown building; several projects designed to spur homeownership in historically disinvested areas; an urban farm; and a bold resiliency plan are the winners of New Jersey Future’s 2016 Smart Growth Awards. Al Koeppe is the recipient of the Cary Edwards Leadership Award.
A redevelopment of a historic urban park; the expansion of an anchor institution in our capital city; a “complete” redesign of a major urban street; a landmark multi-use building that serves as a community anchor; two plans to revitalize neighborhoods near transit; and a pioneering collaborative effort to improve urban neighborhoods prone to stormwater flooding are the winners of New Jersey Future’s 2015 Smart Growth Awards. Anne S. Babineau Esq. wins the Cary Edwards Leadership Award.
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.
Three types of housing developments; two plans to revitalize fading downtowns; an industrial riverfront transformed into an urban asset; a project that will serve as an anchor of hope to its community; and a regional plan for smart economic growth are all winners of New Jersey Future’s 2014 Smart Growth Awards. Joe Maraziti Jr. Esq., receives the Cary Edwards Leadership Award.
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Reports, Presentations and Testimony
- 06/05/2019: Statement on Proposals To Reform Tax Incentives
- 04/17/2019: Comments on Proposed New C1 Stream Designations
- 02/11/2019: Testimony on Economic Development Incentives
- 01/31/2019: Letter to Gov. Murphy re State Plan
- 01/30/2019: Testimony on CAFRA Center Extension
- 01/08/2019: Testimony on Stormwater Rule Proposal
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report Appendix 6
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report Appendix 4
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report Appendix 3 Figures
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report 2017
- New Jersey Future Demographic Trends by Age September 2017
- 09/15/2017: Comments on Proposed Changes to Coastal Zone Management Rules
- Jersey Water Works Water Infrastructre Funding Report 06-2017 (Intern Report)
- New-Jersey-Future-Assessment-of-the-NJLIHTC-program
- New Jersey Future 2017 Gubernatorial Platform
- New Jersey Future report to NJDEP re Liberty State Park 02-04-15
- NJFuture-In-Deep-10-15-WEB
- Sea Bright exposure analysis
- Somerset County Investment Framework 1-13 (Intern Report)
- Targeting Transit -- New Jersey Future
- Innovation Districts as Economic Growth Strategy 9-12 (Intern Report)
- State Strategic Plan Public Hearings Announcement 8-3-12
- Wastewater Planning County Fact Sheets
- DKennedy State Strategic Plan APA-NJ 11-4-2011
- BBzik State Strategic Plan Somerset County Perspective 11-4-2011
- Smart Growth NJ August 2011 Poll Report
- Best Practices in State and Regional Planning 5-11 (Intern report)
- Presentation: Proposal for State Planning Commission 10-09
- Where Are We Growing? State Plan Forum summary 10-09
- Presentation: New Jersey's State Plan: Where We Are and What's Next 11-09
- Smart Conservation: The "Green" Side of Smart Growth
- Race to the Middle: The Homogenization of New Jersey's Population Density
- Realistic Opportunity? The Distribution of Affordable Housing and Jobs in New Jersey
- Getting to Work 11-08
