THE HIGHLANDS INITIATIVE
In September of 2003, Governor McGreevey created the Highlands Task Force to examine the State’s drinking water supply within the Highlands and propose methods to increase preservation of open space and natural resources, and to increase farm land preservation within the region.
The New Jersey Highlands is a 1,250 square mile area that stretches across the Northern Western part of the State. The Highlands region is almost 800,000 acres in size and extends from Phillipsburg, New Jersey in the Southwest to Mahwah, New Jersey in the Northeast. Portions of the Highlands fall within seven (7) counties (Hunterdon, Somerset, Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic and Bergen) and ninety (90) municipalities.
The Task Force, which concluded that population growth within the Highlands region is increasing at a rate nearly fifty (50%) percent faster than the state wide rate, supported a regional approach to controlling future development and rejected the notion of continuing to rely on the current system of Local Land Use Planning.
The Task Force recommended to the Governor and Legislature that they take the following steps:
- Identify a preservation area in the Highlands.
- Enhance environmental protections in the preservation area.
- Create a Highlands drinking water protection and Regional Planning Council.
- Enhance the land preservation program in the Highlands.
- Mobilize state agencies into concerted action to protect the Highlands.
- Collaborate with the other Highlands’ states; and
- Take immediate action on these recommendations.
In response to the Task Force’s report, legislation was introduced to substantively change the way development occurs in the Highlands. The Legislation is entitled, “The Highlands Water Protection & Planning Act” and establishes a comprehensive approach to the protection, preservation and future development of the natural resources, drinking water and land within the New Jersey Highlands region. The initiative has moved quickly through the legislative process and has passed both houses of the legislature.
Our Government Affairs and Land Use, Planning and Zoning Departments have been actively engaged in the discussions and deliberations concerning the affects this precedent setting initiative will have on our clients and their land use. We have been participants in public and private discussions where substantive changes to the legislation have resulted.
Below is a link to an overview of the legislation which will provide you with the core components of the legislation and additional links to up to date substantive amendments that have occurred.
In addition, Courter, Kobert & Cohen, P.C. will be providing a series of in-house training and information seminars explaining the practical impact of the legislation and will be providing periodic updates to this site as well.
Should you have additional questions concerning this legislation, feel free to contact Murray E. Bevan or Richard A. Giuditta, Jr. from our Government Affairs Group.
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