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OVERVIEW The Bergen County Department of Planning and Economic Development is undertaking a county-wide planning effort that will result in the first County Master Plan in some time. The Master Plan will create a unifying vision for the County’s 70 municipalities and help them plan for sustainable growth while protecting environmental resources. Development of the Master Plan will be a collaborative process involving the County, municipalities, regional agencies, public and private sector stakeholders and Bergen County citizens. The Bergen County Department of Planning and Economic Development will be assisted in this effort by Master Consulting and the Regional Plan Association. The Master Plan is scheduled for completion in 2010.
BACKGROUND Bergen County has the most population and most municipalities of any New Jersey County. It is extremely diverse on many fronts including physiography, demographics, and income levels. The County’s development pattern ranges from dense urban enclaves in the southeast along the Hudson River to virtually unpopulated areas in the Ramapo Mountains in the Northwest. In between are a mix of highly developed centers and low density suburban communities. A common element in all cases is local community pride. The County is a center of commerce and serves as a gateway into New Jersey from New York on the County’s major highways and commuter rail lines. Preparing a Master Plan for such a large and diverse constituency will require the input and cooperation of numerous organizations and individuals.
PARTICIPATION A visioning process was undertaken as part of the Master Plan development, which brought together elected officials, citizens, community stakeholders, decision makers, agency representatives and business interests for an intensive "retreat" facilitated by planners, architects and urban designers. The visioning process identified what attributes are important in the municipalities and how they are changing. The visioning process explored how to direct growth or redevelopment in a sustainable manner. Three regional visioning workshops took place, one each for the Northwest, Northeast and Southern areas of the County. See the Meeting Minutes for the summary of a particular visioning workshop.
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EVENTS One-Day Symposium Summary of
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CONTACTS Bergen County Maser Consulting P.A. Regional Plan Association LINKS New Jersey Meadowlands Commission –
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