The State Strategic Plan Steering Committee was established by Governor Christie's Executive Order No. 78 on October 20, 2011. The Office for Planning Advocacy serves both the State Strategic Steering Committee and the New Jersey State Planning Commission.

The order states that the Committee will "…work closely with the SPC and OPA to ensure that relevant State departments and agencies incorporate the goals, objectives, and values of a new SPC adopted State Plan into Department Strategic Plans..."

The New Jersey State Planning Commission and the Office of State Planning (now the Office for Planning Advocacy) were established by New Jersey State Planning Act(N.J.S.A.52:18A-196 et seq.; available for reference at the New Jersey Legislature) which was signed into law on January 5, 1986. The Act called for a State Development and Redevelopment Plan to be prepared through a statewide planning process called cross-acceptance.

In the Act, the Legislature declared that the State of New Jersey needs sound and integrated "statewide planning" to "…conserve its natural resources, revitalize its urban centers, protect the quality of its environment, and provide needed housing and adequate public services at a reasonable cost while promoting beneficial economic growth, development and renewal."

The Act authorizes the State Planning Commission to adopt formal rules and procedures to govern its actions.

The process of planning in New Jersey is also governed by these other statutes:

• New Jersey Fair Housing Act
• New Jersey County Planning Act
• New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law
• New Jersey Brownfield and Contaminated Site Remediation Act
• Smart Growth Ombudsman Act
• Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA)
• Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Act

For further information on any New Jersey State laws and pending legislation, including status reports and full text retrieval, see the New Jersey Legislature Web site or call the Legislative Information and Bill Room toll-free (in New Jersey) at 800-792-8630.

Documents

• State Planning Act Text
• Smart Growth Ombudsman Act
• Permit Extension Act

Rules

• Proposed in the August 7 NJ Register. Public comment period ends on October 6.
• State Planning Rules 01/02/24
• BPU Extension Letter 03/24/10

New Jersey Register

• SPC Related Entries 09/21/09
• Permit Extension Act Related Entries
• REMA Proposal

Statutes & Rules Office of Planning Advocacy

The State Planning Act created the New Jersey State Planning Commission and the Office of State Planning.

The Act established the following mandates for the Commission:

• prepare and adopt within 36 months after the enactment of the Act, and revise and re-adopt at least every three years thereafter, a State Development and Redevelopment Plan which shall provide a coordinated, integrated and comprehensive plan for the growth, development, renewal and conservation of the State and its regions;
• prepare and adopt as part of the State Plan a long-term infrastructure needs assessment, which shall provide information on present and prospective conditions, needs and costs with regard to State, county and municipal capital facilities;
• develop and promote procedures to facilitate cooperation and coordination among State agencies and local governments;
• provide technical assistance to local governments;
• periodically review State and local government planning procedures and relationships;
• review any bill introduced in either house of the Legislature which appropriates funds for a capital project; and
• take all actions necessary and proper to carry out the provisions of the Act.

The State Development and Redevelopment Plan defines a comprehensive strategy to achieve the goals enumerated in the State Planning Act. The Act instructs the State Planning Commission to prepare, adopt, revise and update the State Plan in consultation with local governments. The Plan should establish statewide planning objectives, coordinate planning activities and guide policies concerning economic development, urban renewal, natural resource preservation, land use, other infrastructure improvements and capital expenditures. It should also identify areas for growth, limited growth, agriculture, open space conservation and other appropriate designations. In addition, the Plan is to promote development and redevelopment in a manner consistent with sound planning and where infrastructure can be provided at private expense or with reasonable expenditure of public funds.

The Office of State Planning is required to publish an annual progress report on achieving the goals of the State Planning Act. It should include a discussion of the State Plan's effectiveness in promoting consistency among municipal, county and State plans, and an accounting of the State's capital needs and progress towards providing housing where such a need is indicated.