At a meeting on June 20, 2007, the State Planning Commission (“SPC”) has voted to amend the Plan Endorsement guidelines of the SPC and Office of Smart Growth (“OSG”).  While Plan Endorsement is a voluntary step by a municipality, it will be essential to gain certain types of state grants, low interest loans, tax incentives and streamlined regulatory review as well as certification by the Council on Affordable Housing (“COAH”).

According to the guidelines, the SPC has “linked state laws, regulations and programs to the State Plan and the Plan Endorsement process so that communities that undertake this comprehensive planning effort receive the coordinated financial and technical support from the State.”  The process includes several detailed tasks, including preparing a “build-out” analysis and adopting a “vision statement” that projects a 20-year vision for the community utilizing tools such as focus groups, surveys and mapping exercises, to ensure that municipal planning and zoning are crafted from the State Plan’s perspective.

The guidelines require that a municipality appoint a “plan endorsement advisory committee” which is separate from the local planning board, to take the lead on initial assessment for ultimate consideration by the governing body.