SENATE, No. 318

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

 

 

By Senators SCOTT and SACCO

 

 

An Act requiring cross-acceptance of certain regional master plans and supplementing P.L.1968, c.404 (C.13:17-1 et seq.).

 

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

    1. The Legislature hereby finds and declares that:

    a. In enacting the "State Planning Act," in 1985, the Legislature recognized the urgent importance of developing a Statewide plan as a tool for assessing suitable locations for infrastructure, housing, economic growth and conservation;

    b. At that time, the Legislature recognized the vital importance of a cooperative planning process that involves the full participation of State, county and local governments as well as other public and private sector interests to enhance prudent and rational development, redevelopment and conservation policies and the formulation of sound and consistent regional plans and planning criteria;

    c. When the Legislature adopted the "State Planning Act," it was considered prudent to incorporate the master plan of the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission by reference, thereby recognizing the existing planning process in the meadowlands district and preventing a duplication of efforts;

    d. Since the overwhelming majority of New Jersey land use planning and development review occurs at the local level, it is important to provide local officials in this State with the input into regional planning decision making; and

    e. Recognizing the vital importance of local elected and appointed officials in delineating regional growth objectives and identifying strategies to achieve them, and in light of the successful experience with cross-acceptance in developing the State and Redevelopment Plan, it is fitting and appropriate that the Legislature extend the cross-acceptance process to include master plans adopted by the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission.


    2. Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1968, c.404 (C.13:17-1 et seq.) or any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary, upon the preparation and adoption of the master plan by the commission pursuant to section 9 of P.L.1968, c.404 (C.13:17-9), the commission shall negotiate plan cross-acceptance among the planning boards of the municipalities within the district. The process for cross-acceptance shall follow that process set forth in subsection b. of section 7 of P.L.1985, c.398 (C.52:18A-202) for the adoption of the State Development and Redevelopment Plan, except that the agent for cross-acceptance shall be the planning board of each municipality within the district. In the event that there are any areas of disagreement over the plan, the plan shall not be implemented until the areas of agreement have been resolved.

 

    3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall affect any master plan adopted by the commission after January 1, 1995.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

    Recognizing the success of cross-acceptance in developing the State Development and Redevelopment Plan and the vital role played by local officials in developing strategies to guide future land use in the State, this bill establishes a cross-acceptance process for any master plan adopted by the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission after January 1, 1995.

 

 

 

Requires cross-acceptance of Hackensack Meadowlands Development District master plan.