Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Local Planning Services
"Turning ideas into plans and plans into actions"
Local Planning Services (LPS), an office within DCA, provides the services of licensed Professional Planners to assist municipalities with achieving municipal land use and planning goals.
Qualifying municipalities include those that:
- Have a designated Urban Enterprise Zone, Brownfield Development Area, or Main Street New Jersey program;
- Are eligible for Urban Aid, Transitional Aid, or NJRA Financing; or
- Have been impacted by a disaster or temporary unanticipated fiscal distress
HSS - Housing Support Services
Please direct NJ Fair Housing Act inquiries to:
Gina Fischetti
Box 813
Trenton, NJ 08625
Gina.Fischetti@dca.nj.gov
GPS - General Planning Services
Please Contact Our Director to Discuss Your Planning Needs:
Keith Henderson
(609) 292-3000
LPSmail@dca.nj.gov
LPS can help your municipality with a variety of planning services, such as:
Master Plans and Redevelopment Plans: Assist municipalities in the development, drafting and re-examination of Master Plans, including Master Plan Elements. Prepare plans for designated areas in need of redevelopment and rehabilitation.
Land Use and Mapping: Review existing studies and plans, analyze census and other demographic data, create GIS maps, facilitate public focus group meetings, draft land use ordinances, and propose recommendations.
Economic Development Plans: Analyze municipal demographic trends including housing conditions, characteristics of residents, neighborhood assets, property values and employment data to create a plan that promotes economic development in the municipality.
Special Municipal Projects: Provide assistance to implement special municipal projects.
For more information and a comprehansive list of services provided, please click on LPS Planning Projects.
Bayonne City - 8th Street Station Rehabilitation Area Plan
Irvington Township - Transit Village Application and Streetscape Improvement Plan
Jackson Township - Hotel Venue Development Plan
Kearny Town - Redevelopment Assessment Report
Lincoln Park Borough - Master Plan-Re-Examination Report and Downtown Revitalization Action Plan
Linden City - Social Justice Complex Redevelopment Plan
Passaic City - Economic Development Element
Paterson City - Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice
Perth Amboy City - Master Plan Recreation Element
The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) is pleased to provide the non-binding calculations of municipalities’ present and prospective need for affordable housing using the formulas outlined in P.L 2024, Chapter 2. DCA carefully analyzed the data sources contained in the law and produced an analysis that provides a fair and accurate presentation of the affordable housing responsibilities established by the legislation that Governor Murphy signed in March 2024.
The Department’s publication of the calculations by the October 20, 2024 deadline reflects DCA’s commitment to providing all 564 municipalities with the data, information, and support they need to meet their affordable housing responsibilities under the law. The calculations give municipalities and developers more certainty, which enables smarter planning around where housing should be built.
Click here to view the affordable housing calculations and a description of the methodology employed to produce the numbers. A live spreadsheet is also available in the Related Links here
The DCA calculations serve as guidance for municipalities as they plan for affordable housing development during the next decade.
June 17, 2019 Adopted MSNJ Regulations
Click here for more information on MSNJ
The training consists of five contact hours within the same calendar day. Areas of study include: the roles and responsibilities of planning and zoning board members under the MLUL, understanding the master plan and sub-elements and its relationship to other local, regional and state planning documents and the local development application review process. Each participant will complete a simple standardized test at the end of the course. All board members are required to satisfactorily complete this course.
The purpose of the course is to provide a uniform educational experience for all planning and zoning board members throughout the state and to provide the basic practical information they will need to fulfill their responsibilities. The course is offered regionally and frequently. Both the instructors and their course schedules are subject to change. It is best to contact the course providers directly for the most up to date information. Their contact information is listed below.
Learn More for information on Planning/Zoning Education
Learn more about the Statewide & Regional Resiliency Planning Resources
Learn more about the Strategix Recovery Planning Reports
As of November 1, 2018, the Long Term Tax Exemption-Urban Renewal Entities program is now part of the Office of Local Planning Services. This program provides for the review of certificates of incorporation, limited partnership, or formation of urban renewal entities formed under the Long Term Tax Exemption Law (NJSA 40A:20-1 et seq.). DCA approval is required before such documents can be filed with the State Treasurer or a County Clerk.
Learn more for information on Long Term Tax Exemption-Urban Renewal Entities
A completed application is necessary to process a request for Local Planning Services assistance. Please complete the electronic form below by filling in all the blanks. Supporting documentation such as previous reports, studies or approvals may be uploaded as part of the application. An incomplete application may delay processing.
Questions may be directed to LPSmail@dca.nj.gov or contact Keith Henderson, LPS Acting Director at 609-913-4450.
LPS Application Form:
Municipal Land Use Law - Please note that, to ensure the most up-to-date version of the law is available, this link connects to the New Jersey Permanent Statutes Database maintained by the Office of Legislative Services. To access the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL), please navigate to the upper left corner of the page, conduct a "Simple Search" by typing or cutting and pasting the phrase 40:55D-1 "Short Title" and then click the "search" button.
Local Redevelopment and Housing Law - Please note that, to ensure the most up-to-date version of the law is available, this link connects to the New Jersey Permanent Statutes Database maintained by the Office of Legislative Services. To access the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (LRHL), please navigate to the upper left corner of the page, conduct a "Simple Search" by typing or cutting and pasting the phrase 40A:12A-1 “Short Title” and then click the "search" button.
New Jersey Community Asset Map
Office Phone: (609) 292-3000
Office Fax: (609) 633-6056
Email: lpsmail@dca.nj.gov
Keith Henderson, Acting Director
Gina Fischetti, Chief Counsel
Pamela Weintraub, Principal Planner
Robert Tessier, Project Specialist
Ramond Joseph, Senior Planner
Simran Riar, Senior Planner
Melania Verzbickis, Assistant Planner
Joseph Naylor, GIS Specialist
-
Please Contact Our Director to Discuss Your Planning Needs:
Keith Henderson
Director
(609) 292-3000
LPSmail@dca.nj.gov