Thursday, April 24, 2008

Coastal Monmouth Plan to be discussed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 24, 2008

Coastal Monmouth Plan to be discussed
at a public meeting and open house on April 30

FREEHOLD – A public meeting and open house to update the progress on the Coastal Monmouth Plan, which addresses open space, redevelopment and impact of future growth, will be held at 6:30 p.m. April 30 at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library in Shrewsbury.

The objective of the plan is to establish a set of planning alternatives that will help 30 coastal municipalities – both individually and from a regional planning perspective – manage development, conserve open space, explore redevelopment opportunities and address the impacts of future growth on infrastructure, the natural environment and overall quality of life.

Initiated by the Monmouth County Planning Board, the Coastal Monmouth Plan was launched at a meeting Nov. 20, 2006 at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft.

“The future of housing, the economy, transportation and the environment concerns all of us, especially those who live and work in the coastal region,” said Freeholder John D’Amico Jr., liaison to the Planning Board. “I encourage everyone to attend the public meeting to learn what those issues entail and how the county is proposing to deal with them to promote economic and sustainable growth, while protecting the environment and maintaining the area’s unique coastal character.”

The project is being undertaken by the Monmouth County Planning Board in consultation with Maser Consulting, P.A.

Plan participants include a long list of regional stakeholders – representatives from each of the 30 municipalities, as well as county and state officials and community stakeholders – who have been attending meetings and workshops regularly for the last 18 months. Completion of the final plan is targeted for winter 2009, with a draft version ready by this coming fall. The plan, when adopted, will become part of the county’s master plan, the Growth Management Guide.

“The public meeting is designed to open up the process even further by providing local citizens and members of the public who have not yet become involved in the planning effort the opportunity to hear about progress to date, voice concerns and submit comments or suggestions for consideration and possible inclusion in the final plan,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, member of the Planning Board. “We are studying some vitally important issues.”

The Monmouth County Library is located at 1001 Route 35, Shrewsbury. The public meeting and open house is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. and conclude about 8:45 p.m. Upon arrival, attendees will have an opportunity to view a number of project display boards. A half-hour formal plan overview presentation will start at 7 p.m., and from 7:30 to 8:45, the meeting will open for comments.

For more information about the meeting or the project, contact the county project director Joe Barris at (732) 431-7460 or the consultant project manager Marcia Shiffman, Maser Consulting, at (908)-238-0900; or visit the Coastal Monmouth Plan project web page through the link located on the Monmouth County Planning Board website at www.monmouthplanning.com

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