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How we got to this point
The campaign is summarised here. It represents a major lobbying effort lead by the Highlands Coalition but involving many environmental organizations including the Trail Conference. One of the apparent political tradeoffs is the passage of Fast Track legislation outside the planning area.
Status
- The legislation has been passed by the legislature but has still not been sign by the governor as of 7/23/2004.
- The Fast Track legislation has been passed and signed by the governor.
- It is not clear if either or both of these will be ammended in the near future to correct what some perceive as defects. There are also potential legal challenges.
Summary of legislation
- DEP Guidance for the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act 8/30/2004
- Summary of the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act
- S1/A2635 legislation the full bill as passed
- Highlands Preservation Area Map
- Fast Track Bill
- Fast Track Map courtesy of The GIS Center 7/23/2004
The map highlights the Planning Areas 1&2, State Plan Centers, Urban Enterprise Zones, Pinelands Regional Growth Areas, and Hacksensack Meadowlands boundaries as defined to be the smart growth areas in the fast track legislation. The language used in the bill are embedded in below. "Areas determined to be in need of redevelopment" and designated growth centers in endorsed municipal plans are also in the law but not shown on the map. Additional areas unmapped Urban Enterprise Zones may also exist.
The information used to produce this map comes from the NJ Office of Smart Growth, NJ Dept of Commerce, Hackensack Meadowlands Commission, NJ Pinelands Commission, NJDEP and NJDOT. The map has not been verified or authorized by those agencies but members of this coalition who have reviewed the legislation indicate these are the areas that will be affected by the new bill.
"Smart Growth Area" means an area designated pursuant to P.L.1985, c.398 (C.52:18A-196 et seq.) as Planning Area 1 (Metropolitan), Planning Area 2 (Suburban), a designated center, or a designated growth center in an endorsed plan; a smart growth area and planning area designated in a master plan by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission pursuant to subsection (i) of section 6 of P.L.1968, c.404 (C.13:17-6); a growth area designated in the comprehensive management plan prepared and adopted by the Pinelands Commission pursuant to section 7 of the "Pinelands Protection Act," P.L.1979, c.111 (C.12:18A-8); an urban enterprise zone designated pursuant to P.L.1983, c.303 (C.52:27H-60 et seq.) or P.L.2001, c.347 (C.52:27H- 66.2 et al.); an area determined to be in need of redevelopment pursuant to sections 5 and 6 of P.L.1992, c.79 (C.40A:12A-5 and 40A:12A-6) and as approved by the Department of Community Affairs; or similar areas designated by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Opinions
- Highlands Coalition 7/21/2004
"We do not expect the Highlands legislation to be amended, nor do we expect any legal challenges to be successful."
- Trail Conference 7/23/2004
"Fast Track does not affect our current or proposed trail corridors, so we don't currently have a position on Fast Track."
- Signon Letter to McGreevey 7/26/2004
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