New Jersey Future Webinar December 3, 2013

Made possible with generous support from The Bunbury Company

Noncontiguous Clustering New Jersey’s New & Improved

Planning Tool

And our Partners: New Jersey Department of Agriculture │ New Jersey Association of Counties

Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission │ Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions New Jersey County Planners Association │ New Jersey Farm Bureau │ New Jersey Planning Officials

Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association │ Sustainable Jersey │ Together North Jersey

Today’s Agenda & Speakers

1. Introductions Angela Clerico PP AICP, LEED-AP Natural Systems Utilities and APA-NJ

2. Clustering Introduction and Applications

Chris Sturm, senior director of state policy, New Jersey Future Nicholas Dickerson, planning and policy analyst, New Jersey Future

3. Building Compact Neighborhoods or Centers

Robert Sheehan AICP, Township Administrator, Plainsboro Township

4. Resources and Getting Started Emily Costello AICP, Senior Planner, Delaware Valley Regional Planning

Commission 6. Planning Grant Announcement

7. Questions

A few “housekeeping” details

• To ask questions, please type them in using the “chat box” on the lower left of your screen

• If you are having technical problems, call

732-742-6713

• A follow-up email will provide links to today’s presentations and other resources

About New Jersey Future

Smart Growth research, policy and advocacy

www.njfuture.org

IN A NUTSHELL…

Conventional Development

• “Large Lot Zoning”

• Uniform Lot Sizes

• Development covers most, or all, of the site

Contiguous Cluster Development

• Development is concentrated on a portion of the site

• Remaining land is permanently preserved as open space or farmland

Noncontiguous Cluster

Development

Two or more non-adjacent parcels are treated as a single site for the purpose of clustering.

What does it do?

Puts development where it makes the most sense

Achieves preservation using private funds

What can it be used to preserve?

What types of growth can occur?

How does noncontiguous

clustering work?

• Municipality designates areas that are eligible for growth and preservation under noncontiguous cluster.

• Permissive! Underlying zoning remains in place, so landowners have the option to participate

• “Deal” between landowner and developer

POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS OF NONCONTIGUOUS CLUSTERING

Development on Septic

and

Farmland Preservation

Rural Setting:

(3 Acre Lots)

(6 Acre Lots)

(3 Acre Lots)

(6 Acre Lots)

(3 Acre Lots)

(6 Acre Lots)

(3 Acre Lots)

(6 Acre Lots)

Rural Setting #2:

Hamlet Development (With Sewers)

and

Forest Preservation

Clarke Caton Hintz Photo

(5 Acre Lots)

(3 du/Acre Lots)

Infill Setting:

Abandoned Strip Mall Redevelopment

and

Park Creation/Flood Management

DVRPC Photo

DVRPC Photo

WHEN IS NONCONTIGUOUS CLUSTER A GOOD CHOICE?

Noncontiguous Clustering

Benefits: Municipalities • Affordably achieve

community preservation and development goals

• Preserve land or historic sites with private funds

• Encourage walkable, compact growth, which has lower costs for infrastructure and services

Noncontiguous Clustering

Benefits: Developers

• Opportunity to build compact development that meets market demand

• Lower costs for roads and other infrastructure

• Investment in preservation builds community support

Noncontiguous Clustering

Benefits: Property Owners • Preservation Area:

– Paid to keep land preserved

– Land equity retention

– Another alternative to selling to a developer

• Growth Area: – Another option for

selling or developing land.

Implementation in New Jersey

Ten towns with ordinances: • Delaware • Hillsborough* • Hopewell • Middle • Monroe* • Mt. Olive* • North Hanover • Ocean • Plainsboro* • Robbinsville* * Five towns with noncontiguous cluster developments

How Was the Tool Improved?

• August 2013 legislation improved authorization for cluster programs

• More municipal control over growth and preservation

• Easier for developers and landowners to implement

Other Preservation Tools

• Acquisition

– Pro: Full preservation

– Con: Very Expensive

• Contiguous clustering

– Useful on a single parcel

• Transfer of development rights

– Pro: More control

– Con: Greater costs/regulation

Clarke Caton Hintz Photo

When is Noncontiguous

Clustering right for you? Pro: • A municipality should choose

noncontiguous clustering to: – Achieve compact growth – Encourage preservation at little

to no public cost

• A municipality should chose noncontiguous clustering when it lacks: – the means or resources to

undertake a TDR program – The funds to buy all the land it

wants to preserve

• Noncontiguous clustering requires minimal costs to implement.

Con: • Limited control over outcomes • Depends upon voluntary participation • May need to offer density bonus

Clarke Caton Hintz Photo

Noncontiguous Clustering: New Jersey’s New & Improved Planning Tool

• Utilizes existing infrastructure

• Preserves natural and cultural assets

• Fosters “walkable” neighborhoods

Resources

New Jersey Department of Agriculture

• http://www.state.nj.us/agriculture/smartgrowth

plan.pdf

• Agricultural Smart Growth Plan for New Jersey

“Productive farmland helps keep municipal taxes

down, increases property values, benefits the

environment, adds to a community’s character, is part

of New Jersey’s heritage, and ensures that New

Jersey residents continue to have access to an

abundant supply of locally produced fresh food and

agricultural products.” Contact: Monique Purcell (609) 292-5532 or monique.purcell@ag.state.nj.us

Resources

New Jersey Future

• www.njfuture.org/cluster

• Case study report

• Legislation

• Powerpoint

presentation

• Webinar recording

• Grant opportunity!

Contacts: Chris Sturm 609-393-0008, ext. 114 or csturm@njfuture.org

Nick Dickerson 609-393-0008, ext. 109 or ndickerson@njfuture.org

Resources

DVRPC

• Municipal Implementation

Tool #023: Land

Preservation through

Noncontiguous Parcel

Clustering in New Jersey

(coming soon!)

• Ordinance Writing Service

(coming soon!)

Contact: Emily Costello (215) 238-2865 or ecostello@dvrpc.org

NONCONTIGUOUS CLUSTER GRANT OPPORTUNITY

Grant Basics

• $5,000 competitive planning grant

– Feasibility study

– Noncontiguous cluster ordinance adoption

– Existing noncontiguous cluster overhaul

• $5,000 match required ($2,500 can be in-kind)

• All New Jersey municipalities are eligible

• Counties may apply on behalf of multiple municipalities

• Deadline: February 28, 2014

Details

• Grantees have one year to use funding

• Access grant application and instructions: www.njfuture.org/cluster

• Electronic submission is encouraged

• Contact Nick Dickerson with questions: – 609.393.0008 ext. 109 or

ndickerson@njfuture.org

Questions and Answers

Send them in using the chat window on the lower left of your screen