Nj Highlands

Front 1

The Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act was signed into law on?

Back 1

August 10, 2004

Front 2

The Highlands Act regions covers how many square miles and includes?

Back 2

It covers a 1,250 square mile area: The region stretches from Phillipsburg in the southwest to Ringwood in the northeast, and lies within portions of seven counties and includes 88 municipalities.

Front 3

Seven counties in the Highlands Act region?

Back 3

Hunterdon, Somerset, Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, and Bergen

Front 4

What is the designated purpose of the NJ Highlands Act?

Back 4

Primarily adopted to protect the state’s drinking water, other considerations also come into play, such as: natural resources, open space conservation, recreation, economic development and tourism.

Front 5

Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council is comprised of?

Back 5

The Act calls for a 15 governor appointed members that make up the Council, 5 of whom must be municipal officials from the Highlands Region and 3 of whom must be county officials from the Highlands Region.

Front 6

The Highlands Council is charged with?

Back 6

Carrying out the provisions of the Act, including the development of a regional master plan (“RMP”) for the Highlands Region within 18 months of its first meeting

Front 7

Highlands Regional Master Plan

Back 7

1) “Seeks to evaluate how best to protect the natural and cultural resources of the Highlands Region while striving to accommodate a sustainable economy”
2) Primary goals involve protection of water, forest, habitat, slopes, agriculture, historic and cultural resources
3) Relies on multi-layered GIS to inform “Land Use Capability Maps” (LUCM) that guide policy and development

Front 8

Highlands region is divided into two parts, what are there names?

Back 8

- Preservation Area (development largely excluded, TDR sending area)
- Planning Area (focused development and infrastructure allowed)

Front 9

Preservation Area and Planning Area each layered with additional zones, what are they?

Back 9

- Protection Zone (“lands…which contain the highest quality resource value lands which are essential to maintaining and enhancing water quality and quantity and preserving ecological function.”)
- Conservation Zone (“lands of significant agricultural importance and associated natural resource lands which are adjacent to, or in common ownership with, land used for agricultural purposes.”)
- Existing Community Zone (“areas characterized by existing development with comparatively fewer natural resource constraints than the Protection and Conservation Zones…currently or more easily served with public infrastructure.”)

Front 10

Plan Conformance

Back 10

- All communities wholly or partly within the Preservation Area must amend local plans/codes to conform with the RMP standards
- Lands outside the Preservation Area MAY conform to RMP standards
- Communities wholly or partly outside the Preservation Area MAY seek OSG Plan Endorsement as an alternative to Highlands Plan Conformity
- In the Planning Area (i.e., outside the Preservation Area) both Plan Conformity and Plan Endorsement are optional (but strongly encouraged)

Front 11

Benefits of Plan Conformity:

Back 11

- Strong presumption of validity (burden of proof on the plaintiff )
- Legal representation
- Planning grants

Front 12

"Final” Highlands Regional Master Plan was released in?

Back 12

December 2008

Front 13

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) exists between the Highlands Commission and?

Back 13

State Planning Commission on consistency and process.