Sandy Causes New Jersey to Rethink Long-Range Planning

New Jersey's long-awaited "State Strategic Plan", which will serve as a master plan for land development throughout the state, and was due for final approval this week, will have to be rethought in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.

1 minute read

November 14, 2012, 2:00 PM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Salvador Rizzo reports that just as it was about to go before the state's Planning Commission for final approval, after more than a year of development, Gov. Chris Christie's "State Strategic Plan" has been "sent back to the drawing board."

"At a news conference today," writes Rizzo, "Christie said the long-awaited plan,
which is intended to replace the guidelines established in 2001, would
take up to six more months to update and complete."

"It made sense for us to put it off and to reconsider it in light of
some of the new challenges that have been presented by the storm and the
aftermath of the storm," the governor said.

Although a revised version of the plan was released last weekend, it has already come in for criticism from Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. "[He] and others have said Christie's plan would weaken measures to
protect land and clean water and loosen regulations for developers."

"The plan promotes development in the wrong places and does nothing
to protect people in the future from flooding, storm surges, sea level
rise, and other consequences of climate change," Tittel said. "We are
glad the plan was held today and hope significant changes are made."

 

Tuesday, November 13, 2012 in NJ.com

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

4 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

6 hours ago - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine