By Steve Sears

The Township of Pequannock announced recently the development of a new Master Plan.

“The Master Plan is the guiding document for the Township for the next 10 years, and we want it to reflect the community’s values and ideas” says Adam Brewer, Township of Pequannock Manager. “I encourage everyone to participate as much as they can, and to let their friends and family know through social media and word of mouth about the development of the Master Plan. A saying has been developed thus far, ‘Participate So Your Voice Can Be Heard!’”

Per New Jersey state law, municipality Master Plans must be reexamined every ten years. For Pequannock, this was completed was in 1995, and then reexamined in 2009. The Township of Pequannock must complete a new Reexamination Report or Master Plan by the end of 2019. “The Township Council and Planning Board realize that the way people live, travel, shop, and do business has changed tremendously in the last 25 years, and it is necessary to have a Master Plan that reflects current and future trends in land use, development, transportation, and environmental issues to guide the Township’s policies and actions,” adds Brewer. “As a result, the Township determined the best course of action was to do more than just reexamine the last Master Plan, and to draft an entirely new Master Plan to reflect current conditions.”

When adopted by the Planning Board, the new Master Plan will replace the current that was completed in 1995. Included are separate elements related to Land Use, Transportation, Economic Development, Parks and Open Space, Housing, Sustainability, Community Facilities, Historic Preservation, Utilities, and Recycling. Also, a new demographic analysis for the Township is being completed and new Master Plan Goals and Objectives will be included. The consultant team has begun all of this work and will be conducting community workshops and meeting with the Township committees in the immediate future, and all of these aspects will be consolidated into one document for adoption at the end of 2019.

A community workshop was held on Wednesday, May 1, the purpose of which was to engage residents directly to discuss their concerns, issues, and ideas and integrate those results. A booth for the Master Plan will be set up at this year’s Family Hoedown on September 14th, and a third meeting will be scheduled near the end of the planning process to get feedback on the Master Plan’s recommendations.

Brewer encourages further public involvement. “There are a number of ways our residents can get involved. We have a project website at www.publicinput.com/Pequannock where people can find out more about the plan and take a survey for the Master Plan. The information collected in the survey will provide valuable information towards the development of the Master Plan. There are also hard copies of the survey located in the Townships Library, Municipal Building, and Senior Center.”

Further information on the Township of Pequannock’s new Master Plan or the Master Plan process may be obtained by contacting. Brewer at 973-835-5700, ext. 133 or abrewer@peqtwp.org. Comments or ideas can also be emailed topequannock@publicinput.com, or mailed to the office of the Township Manager, 530 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444.