The intention of the Green Building and Sustainability Element is to: ![]() The New Jersey Legislature amended the MLUL in 2008 to give municipalities the option of including a Green Building and Sustainability Element (referred to in this toolkit as “sustainability element”) in their master plans. Counties can be key actors in addressing issues that extend across municipal borders and can provide technical support to municipalities. Like municipalities, counties should work to incorporate sustainability and resilience into master plans. County master plans can also extend beyond these basic considerations to include any county programs or services, such as farmland preservation, social services, and others. State law also allows counties to establish a planning board and adopt a master plan to guide decisions related to the extent and timing of county capital facility improvements (such as roads and parks). ![]() In addition, there are a number of optional elements a municipality may include, such as housing, circulation, utilities, and others. Plans must include an “element” (chapter) on land use. Adopted master plans must establish objectives, principles, assumptions, policies, and standards that form the basis for proposals for a community’s physical, economic and social development. New Jersey municipalities prepare master plans under New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL) to guide future development. In this respect, the master plan creates a solid foundation for advancing sustainability and resilience. Documenting goals, objectives, and strategies enhances a community’s ability to pursue implementation and tap into federal, state, and private sector funding opportunities. An effective master planning process and planning document fosters transparency in municipal and county policies and decision-making. The master plan serves as the legal basis for a municipality’s or county’s land use and development regulations. Even as we work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we must adapt our communities to the inevitably of a changing climate. Some minority and low-income populations are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and deserve special consideration in resilience planning. Changes to climate and resultant weather patterns are expected to continue throughout this century and will have serious consequences for our communities, infrastructure, and environmental resources. ![]() Average temperatures and sea levels are rising and precipitation is increasing, due to climate change caused by human activity.īroad consensus has emerged that climate resilience is a critical aspect of ensuring a sustainable future. Hurricane Irene in 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012 resulted in widespread flooding, property and infrastructure damage, and loss of life throughout the state. The importance of preparing for environmental “shocks and stresses” across the TNJ region has become increasingly clear over the last decade. Resilience is “the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses, and systems within a city to survive, adapt, and grow no matter what kind of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience” ( 100 Resilient Cities 2017). Local plans and policies should avoid further negative impacts to those who have experienced disproportionate levels of harm in their community due to environmental burdens, such as exposure to high levels of air pollution. The emphasis here is on promoting a healthy environment in order to create and maintain well-paying jobs in the region’s key industries and to ensure that people of all backgrounds reap the ensuing benefits of a cleaner, more sustainable environment. While this toolkit focuses specifically on environmental sustainability, the “Three E’s” are inextricably intertwined. The United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Local communities around the world have adopted this definition – or variants – as a workable concept of sustainability.Įnvironment, economy, and equity form the “Three E’s” of a sustainable society.
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