Hugo Neu Corporation Sustainability Seminar Series: Sustainability in Land Use Planning

ABSTRACT

Land Use Planning in New Jersey is regulated by the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL), which includes the preparation of master plans and zoning regulations. As per the MLUL, any regulations adopted by a municipality have to be consistent with their master plan. A master plan consists of different elements such as land use, circulation, housing, green buildings and environmental sustainability, etc. The MLUL sets forth the requirements to prepare individual plan elements. Furthermore, the MLUL requires that a land use plan element include environmental sustainability and climate change-related hazard vulnerability assessment. We will discuss the statutory requirements of the master planning process and discuss how policies are made to include sustainable development in municipalities. Given the presence of environmental resources, New Jersey is a highly regulated state. We will examine the mandatory state environmental regulations and how they influence local policies, which will help provide an understanding of planning in New Jersey. We will use real-life projects to illustrate examples of how the above-referenced policies get implemented.

BIOGRAPHY

Ms. Chavan is a professional planner with more than 30 years of professional experience, which has included seven years as an architect managing projects in her native India before pursuing her graduate degree in urban planning. She has more than 23 years of experience providing comprehensive land use planning services to both private and public sector clients in New Jersey and New York.

Sanyogita holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Sir J. J. College of Architecture, University of Mumbai, and a Master of Urban Planning from the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She also serves on the Redevelopment Committee of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association.

As a planning consultant, she has helped her municipal clients to guide development by preparing master plans, redevelopment and affordable housing plans, historic preservation plans, zoning ordinances, design guidelines, neighborhood and site analysis for rezoning, etc. She has also served in the capacity of a Professional Planner to Planning and Zoning Boards of Adjustments in various municipalities throughout New Jersey and has managed professional teams working on long and short-term planning projects. In addition, Sanyogita has served private sector clients by providing professional testimony as an expert witness, designing streetscapes and park projects, and preparing environmental impact analyses, quantitative and fiscal impact analyses, concept plans and design services.

Zoom Link:

https://stevens.zoom.us/j/95230825698

Website:

https://www.stevens.edu/sustainability-seminar-series

Jointly Sponsored by:

HUGO NEU Corporation
Geosyntec Consultants
WSP
Brown and Caldwell
H2M Architects and Engineers
Catalyst Group
Lozier Inc.
Dewberry

Contact:

Dr. Dibs Sarkar