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Past Projects
Emanating from Smart Choices Leadership Training Institute in March 2007, MLUC extended an offer to continue its relationship with Asbury Park including underwriting a portion of services by Project for Public Spaces (PPS).
In July 2007, MLUC and PPS conducted a site visit in Asbury Park. The Asbury Park Mayor, Planning Director and Community evelopment Director joined MLUC/PPS on the tour of the site to point out the areas where improvements were needed. PPS was asked to focus its attention on Memorial Drive, the road behind the train station.
Recommendations have been made in that regard including the following: 1) slowing down traffic; 2) creating bicycle lanes; 3) clean-up of railroad right-of-way; 4) induce upgrade of buildings along track and Memorial Drive; and 5) improvements to rail station to make it more attractive to train passengers.
In September 2007, PPS provided Technical Memo to Asbury Park with its recommendations.
Englishtown is a municipality at a crossroads—less than 600 residential properties and a declining business downtown must shoulder the fiscal needs of the municipal government. Compounding the problems are the impacts of rapidly growing Manalapan Township which surrounds and spills over into the Borough. In 2007, MLUC was instrumental in obtaining a grant from the NJ Department of ommunity Affairs’ Office of Smart Growth (OSG) to help Englishtown create a vision that would preserve its quaint historic character while improving its financial health.
In addition, MLUC provided the support that enabled Englishtown to be selected for participation in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) program for 2007. On October 22 – 25, 2007, the AIA brought in a team of five national architectural experts to conduct a planning charrette with the goal of helping the borough achieve a sustainable future. MLUC provided support to the project Steering Committee to successfully orchestrate this community engagement process. The Jersey Shore AIA and Monmouth County Planning Department were engaged and supported this project.
Municipalities & Counties:
- Cranbury
- East Brunswick
- East Windsor
- Hightstown
- Jamesburg
- Monroe
- Plainsboro
- South Brunswick
- Washington Township
- Middlesex County
- Mercer County
The region adjacent to NJ Turnpike Exit 8A has become a major inland port interspersed by numerous age-restricted residential villages. Municipalities seek relief from truck traffic congestion. NJDOT identified this situation as a major land use concern and not exclusively a transportation issue. The dramatic increase in warehouses and distribution centers is directly related to the transformation of New Jersey’s economy, its relationship to the global economy and impacts on local jurisdictions. This study, which took approximately 18 months from December 2005 through June 2007, consisted of interviews with public sector state and local government officials from the 9 participating municipalities and 2 counties, private sector representatives and also included 9 public forums conducted within the NJ Turnpike Exit 8A region between December 2005 and December 2006. Integral to this project was the development of an internet mapping tool and website to facilitate and enhance data sharing and planning with respect to this region. Next steps should include more aggressive deployment of this still underutilized planning tool. In addition, presentations of the findings have been made to the American Planning Association – NJ Chapter, the American Planning Association National Convention, the Trans-Action Conference – April 2007, the NJ Turnpike Strategic Planning staff, NJ Department of Transportation State Plan Implementation Team, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission – “Planning at the Edge” Forum, and most recently to the North Jersey Transportation Authority’s Freight Committee. Findings were shared on October 19, 2007 at a Conference on Goods Movement in the Northeast at the University of Delaware. Next steps for MLUC will require additional consultation with NJDOT and NJTPA that is ongoing.
Future of New Jersey Transit Villages
MLUC conferred with representatives of NJTRANSIT as well as the NJDOT manager of the “transit village” program to explore potential MLUC involvement in the promotion of transit-oriented development. At those meetings MLUC pointed to the numerous municipalities in which it was currently engaged where transit-related issues were important to municipal concerns, e.g., Asbury Park, Middlesex Borough, Toms River, West Orange/Orange. NJTRANSIT and NJDOT representatives cited others in which MLUC might become involved, e.g., formerly proposed Transit Village applications that were rejected for a variety of reasons. NJTRANSIT and NJDOT representatives expressed enthusiasm for MLUC support.
MLUC will be following up to explore the possibilities through meetings with selected municipalities.
The NJ Sustainable State Institute (NJSSI) provides guidance to Hillsborough Township for this project with support from the MLUC. The project Steering Committee meets bi-monthly to refine goals, targets, strategies and actions for their sustainability plan. At the last meeting Steering Committee members were asked to prioritize goals and strategies. The project website is at www.sustainablehillsborough.org. MLUC continues to support and facilitate aspects of this project in addition to the initial “Building Livable Communities” grant that partially underwrites this effort.
“Sustainable Lawrence” has been moving forward with a robust list of taskforces and educational learning circles over the past year, in part, funded by the MLUC “Building Livable Communities” grant. Speakers brought to the community have included Judy Wicks of Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE), Miriam MacGillis of Genesis Farms Earth Literacy Center, and Kevin Lyons of Rutgers University Purchasing Department. Study circles on “The Natural Step” and other sustainability approaches and issues are ongoing in the municipality. Newer task force initiatives are focusing on the establishment of a large scale solar power system to serve homes in Lawrenceville.
Information about Lawrence’s initiatives can be found on its website, www.sustainablelawrence.org. MLUC is continuing to support and facilitate aspects of this effort.
Middlesex Borough expressed its vision at the Smart Choices Leadership Training Institute to create a transit village around a railroad station with an integrated bicycle and pedestrian roadway along Lincoln Boulevard. It sought to use its MLUC “Building Livable Communities” Grant to enlist a consultant to assist it in developing this vision. In June 2007, work on the grant was initiated after T&M was enlisted as the Middlesex Borough consultant. T&M met with NJTRANSIT and refined the scope of work. T&M submitted a preliminary draft report to the Borough in November 2007 and the Borough is taking steps to expedite the work and determine an anticipated completion date.
Representatives of the Environmental Commission worked with the Borough Administrator to prepare an RFP for energy audit services for all municipal facilities as well as the public schools in Milltown.
NJDOT Corridor Initiatives - Ethnographic Research
MLUC authored a “white paper” related to the five corridor initiatives conducted by NJDOT over the past three years. (Refer to the project entitled: NJ Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Corridor Initiatives – Analyzing the Lessons Learned from NJDOT Corridor Initiatives.) The white paper served as the basis for conducting qualitative research that was designed to discover how individuals and groups think about issues relating to transportation, growth, and land use, and what factors make them most – and least – receptive to new or different ideas. MLUC hired the consulting firm, Innovation Focus, to conduct ethnographic research of key stakeholders who were involved in, or affected by, NJDOT’s transportation corridor initiatives and to create a communications tool to help NJDOT leadership and staff mobilize and engage stakeholders.
Over four months, Innovation Focus interviewed 30 individuals. The first 12 were NJDOT engineers and planners to learn about their experiences in interacting with different types of stakeholders, and what engineers and planners needed in a toolkit.
After interviewing NJDOT engineers and planners, Innovation Focus conducted 18 interviews with local citizens, government officials and interest groups regarding their perceptions, concerns and attitudes about NJDOT initiatives around the state. Six major themes were identified as overarching messages that capture what respondents expressed in the interviews. They are:
1. Tap into local stakeholder knowledge first
2. Gather a diverse group of stakeholders
3. Involve stakeholders early
4. Put what is learned into action
5. Build constructive relationships
6. Maintain community involvement
The themes create the framework for the toolkit which is comprised of an illustrated guide and two DVDs that are searchable, portable and web-accessible.
NJDOT Municipal Form-Based Code Initiative
MLUC is currently negotiating to finalize a two-year contract with NJDOT to launch a program to implement a public educational and training program that will ultimately result in the transformation of municipal zoning codes in approximately five to ten municipalities. The municipalities will be selected in consultation with NJDOT. The project contemplates in addition to public education, outreach and training, support for the redrafting of master plan elements and municipal zoning ordinances.
MLUC will be providing facilitation and project management services for the demonstration municipalities.
Mobility and Community Form Tutorial
The Orange/West Orange/HANDS Team submitted a proposal for additional PPS/MLUC technical assistance following the Smart Choices Leadership Training Institute. The Project Team needed assistance in various areas including the following: 1) making the Valley an arts and entertainment destination; 2) creating public spaces that people can use immediately; 3) designing pedestrian and biking options through the neighborhood; 4) creating a "center" around Memorial Triangle, a vest pocket park; and 5) influencing NJTRANSIT to improve its Highland Avenue station including opening the station building to the public.
MLUC/PPS, along with the director of HANDS, a non-profit housing developer, and the Orange planning director conducted a site visit in July 2007. On September 15, 2007, PPS held a public workshop at the Settlement House in West Orange. The workshop was attended by 25 -30 people. The participants were divided into three groups and each group was given a site to evaluate based on PPS concepts of what constitutes “a great public space,” which are: the site’s potential for access and linkages; comfort and image; uses, activities and sociability. The groups identified community "places" and short and long-term ideas for improvement.
PPS provided a report with recommendations and “next steps” to MLUC and the Team in November 2007.
MLUC provided the funding for the project as well as placing a TCNJ student intern in Orange, paid by that City, throughout the summer of 2007.
Princeton Borough and Princeton Township
Princeton Borough and Princeton Township are working to address three needs common to both municipalities, which are: To increase energy efficiency and thereby reduce costs; to develop sustainable criteria to be added to local purchasing guidelines; and to educate the public, local officials and staff about sustainability issues.
In addition to the “Building Livable Communities” grant, MLUC supports and facilitates this effort. The NJ Sustainable State Institute (NJSSI) has been working with the project Steering Committee, which was formally created by resolution of the mayors of the two municipalities. The committee has met nearly monthly since last spring to build consensus and understanding on sustainability issues. The official kick-off meeting was held on October 24, 2007. The project website is at www.sustainableprinceton.com
After attending the Smart Choices Leadership Training Institute in March 2007, Raritan Borough submitted a proposal to MLUC for additional technical assistance from the Project for Public Spaces (PPS). In June 2007, MLUC and PPS joined the Mayor and the Borough’s planning consultants on a walking tour of the project sites. Raritan Borough would like to create a center of activity for residents and visitors along Orlando Drive, which runs along the Raritan River and serves as a gateway to the municipality. The Borough would also like to improve Orlando Drive’s connectivity with its “downtown” or business street. The Borough and its planning consultants held a series of public meetings and workshops in May, September and October 2007. The October public meeting included a “place-making” workshop and a presentation on the nearby Somerville mixed-use development proposal. This project appears on-track for substantial completion in 2007.
PPS provided its recommendations to the Borough in November 2007 and these include: identifying and connecting destinations; establishing gateways at the east and west ends of Orlando drive; and creating a vision for the waterfront.
LINK TO PPS RECOMMENDATIONS
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Sustainable Communities Leadership Network
The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation awarded the MLUC a grant to provide technical assistance and tools to support efforts toward more sustainable communities. MLUC and the NJ sustainable State Institute (NJSSI) are partnering to support both the NJ League of Municipalities’ Mayors’ Committee on a Green Future as well as the Sustainable Communities Advisory Group (SCAG). Extensive effort has gone into supporting the creation of an organizational structure for the Mayors’ Committee as well as reconciling organizational boundary issues with strategic partners – NJ Department of environmental Protection and the League of Municipalities.
The first SCAG meeting was held on October 1, 2007 in Lawrence Township. More than 45 representatives from business and industry, mayors, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions participated. The first two tools that are under development will focus on energy audits and environmentally preferable purchasing programs.
In addition, MLUC staff provided assistance and materials on the energy audit process to Freeholder Muoio of Mercer County and the Hopewell Township Engineer and Administrator. Initial planning with Asbury Park Sustainability Committee has begun to support the development of a sustainability plan for the community. Meetings have focused on creating an educational message and outreach process for comprehensive Asbury Park community engagement.
MLUC has received new grant funding from the Dodge Foundation to support the first phase of this planning process throughout 2008.
The College of New Jersey High Meadows Project
MLUC is assisting TCNJ in conducting a feasibility study for the use of sites that TCNJ owns in Hopewell Township and Ewing Township to enhance the quality of life on the TCNJ campus, improve the College’s standing in the two respective municipalities, and to enhance the quality of life in the two townships. After completion of a series of individual interviews and conducting a focus group over the summer 2007, MLUC is working with TCNJ to engage an external consultant to complete the feasibility study.
Technical Assistance - West Orange
MLUC worked with the West Orange Open Space Committee and Council members to assess the municipality’s current and proposed tree ordinances. MLUC initially advised the municipality that its existing tree ordinance had legal and structural flaws, and provided them with examples and models from other municipalities. The municipality did not act to amend its ordinance quickly enough and was subsequently sued and had its ordinance invalidated.
MLUC provided the municipality with state agency and organizational contacts including planners/landscape architect firms with extensive experience in drafting legally sound ordinances. West Orange is in the process of enlisting professional assistance for this purpose.
After attending the Smart Choices Leadership Training Institute, Toms River submitted a proposal for additional technical assistance from MLUC and PPS to help implement its vision. On June 2007, MLUC, PPS, the Director of the Toms River Business Improvement District (BID) and a private developer, walked to the sites in the project area. The tour pointed to concerns about the lack of identity and interconnectedness among the sites. In addition, the municipality’s roadway network created a “hostile” pedestrian environment. The public spaces included a waterfront park, the greenway along the river, and the redevelopment area.
In August 2007, PPS conducted a public workshop which was attended by 30-40 people. The participants were divided into 4 groups. Each group was given a site to evaluate based on PPS concepts of what constitutes a great public space, which are: the site’s potential for access and linkages; comfort and image, uses and activities, and sociability. The groups identified community "places" and short and long-term ideas on ways to improve them. MLUC staff provided assistance by facilitating one of the tour groups.
PPS provided a report with recommendations and “next steps” in November 2007.