TRENTON, N.J. –Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Susan Bass Levin today awarded a $20,000 “ReSTORE New Jersey” Smart Future Planning Grant to Plumsted Township in Ocean County. With its grant, Plumsted will prepare a historic preservation plan for the township, with particular focus on the New Egypt Town Center.

“Our communities represent our past, present and future,” Commissioner Levin said. “Smart Future Planning Grants give towns like Plumsted the tools they need to preserve their past, plan for a better future and create more livable neighborhoods for residents and visitors.”

With its grant, the township will partner with the Plumsted Historical Society to inventory the township’s critical historic resources, prepare a historic preservation element in the Plumsted Master Plan, and ensure implementation by incorporating the plan into the New Egypt Redevelopment Plan and the township’s Master Plan and ordinances. 

“This grant will help Plumsted Township grow and prosper in a way that will shape the future of downtown New Egypt without sacrificing the character and charm of the area’s historic past,” said Plumsted Mayor Ron Dancer. 

Smart Future Planning Grants are part of the Smart Future Initiative, which promotes smart growth planning between municipalities and counties throughout New Jersey. The seven categories for Smart Future Planning Grants are:

Design Guidelines for Creating Places dedicates funds to produce design guidelines that will enhance redevelopment, rehabilitation or historic areas;

ReSTORE New Jersey assists in revitalizing neighborhood businesses and commercial districts;

Go Green! encourages municipalities to incorporate green building concepts into their local government infrastructure;

Park & Go encourages innovative ways of dealing with various parking problems, creating alternatives and developing creative financing options;

Transfer of Development Rights allows a municipality to transfer the development potential of historic sites, farmland or environmentally sensitive areas into a receiving area that can accommodate growth;

Charrettes are intense, collaborative meetings that involve a diverse mix of professional experts and stakeholders in order to address various issues including land use, transportation, environment and recreation;

Greyfield Redevelopment encourages the redevelopment of areas that are already built up but in various phases of physical decline and/or economic underutilization that are not contaminated, such as shopping centers, strip malls and office parks.

Smart Future Grants are funded through DCA’s Office of Smart Growth, which is leading the effort to promote sustainable development, protect the environment, preserve open space and revitalize older communities.  Applications for the next round of funding are due Feb. 15, 2006.  Detailed information and applications are available on the web at www.state.nj.us/dca/osg/resources/grants

DCA is dedicated to making smart investments across the State, to create strong and vibrant communities where people want to raise families and build businesses. These investments support local governments, protect the environment, provide housing, and advocate for women and minorities to improve the quality of life for all New Jersey residents.