Celeste Keen |
Planning/ Zoning Clerk |
856-769-3737 ext. 121 |
Development pressures on South Harrison have been quite substantial until the recent real estate downturn. This
economic slowing has provided a window of opportunity for South Harrison to
review where future growth should occur and where traditional land use must be
protected, and to develop its Master Plan accordingly. South Harrison Township
has taken advantage of this time to chart its course for the future. The OSRP
supports and enhances that vision, which includes retaining South Harrison's
rural way of life.
South Harrison Township's Open Space Committee oversaw the development of the Open Space and
Recreation Plan (OSRP), which was prepared by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) with funding from
the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC), South Harrison Township , and DVRPC. The
draft OSRP document includes information about existing preserved land in South Harrison Township , township
open space and recreation needs, and resources for protecting land. It lays out
a system of open space that connects larger areas of environmentally important
land through greenway corridors. It also identifies farmland that is contiguous to preserved farms and should be a focus for
future township preservation efforts.
The purpose of the Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP) is to identify areas of the township where local efforts
to acquire land will supplement preservation efforts by the county and state.
The OSRP enables South Harrison Township to enter into a Planning Incentive
Grant agreement with Green Acres for specific funding for these "pre-approved" areas. Strategies that the
township can take to finance this preservation, in conjunction with Gloucester County and the
state funding, are identified in the Plan. The document also articulates
specific township actions such as developing bike trails and promoting
stewardship that would further support protection of land for active and passive
recreation in the community.
As stated by Marc Nagtegaal, then Chair of the Township Planning/Zoning Board, "Forests and farms in South
Harrison Township are a major component of the township's economic well-being as
well as a major part of its identity. We need to balance growth of residential
areas with a strong program of preserving our high-value natural lands and
allowing our farmers to thrive. The Open Space and Recreation Plan is a major
step to that end and one that will enable South Harrison to expand the resources
it has available for this effort."
Downloadable "Information Only" copies of
available Planning and Zoning Agendas and Minutes are available on the
Documents Page
[click
here] |
|