On April 28, 2004, the New Jersey State Planning Commission approved the release of the Preliminary State Development and Redevelopment Plan (State Plan) and the Preliminary State Plan Policy Map. This action launched the third round of Cross-acceptance.

Cross-acceptance is a bottom-up approach to planning, designed to encourage consistency between municipal, county, regional, and state plans to create a meaningful, up-to-date and viable State Plan (N.J.S.A. 52:18A-202.b.).

This process is meant to ensure that all New Jersey residents and levels of government have the opportunity to participate and shape the goals, strategies and policies of the State Plan.
Through Cross-acceptance, negotiating entities work with local governments and residents to compare their local master plans with the State Plan and to identify potential changes that could be made to achieve a greater level of consistency with statewide planning policy.

Cross-acceptance concludes with written Statements of Agreements and Disagreements supported by each negotiating entity and the State Planning Commission. The State Planning Commission will incorporate the negotiated agreements into the Draft Final State Plan.
Cross-acceptance is, by definition, a negotiating process. The State Plan and the State Plan Policy Map are intended to represent the input of counties, municipalities and the public so that we can all work together to create a State Plan that makes sense for all of New Jersey.