With the latest bleak data on new home construction and sales in New Jersey coupled with an already soft office market, it is no surprise that there has been strong, bipartisan support of the Permit Extension Act, which is designed to provide relief for projects that have been stalled due to economic conditions as well as new (NJDEP) or uncertain (COAH) regulatory requirements. The Assembly version of the bill already has 43 co-sponsors and is moving swiftly through the committee process with wide-spread support from a coalition of business, industry, housing, community activists, municipal officials and smart growth advocacy groups called the Smart Growth Economic Development Coalition. The Senate version is expected to be heard in committee on June 12.
According to an article in Monday’s Home News Tribune:
A bill to extend New Jersey’s approved construction permits until the year 2012 would support smart growth, remediate contaminated sites, boost the State’s lagging economy and uphold environmental regulations, according to the Smart Growth Economic Development Coalition.
The proposed legislation before the New Jersey State Legislature has widespread support among business and industry leaders, as well as municipal officials, community groups and housing and community activists, and is receiving bi-partisan support from the Legislature, including at least 43 sponsors within the Assembly, and 15 sponsors within the Senate thus far.
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The Coalition — a collaborative group created in 2007 and consisting of statewide business and industry organizations, plus community groups and elected leaders — supports the Permit Extension Act now before both houses of the Legislature. The Permit Extension Act bill is expected to be heard before Assembly and Senate committees on June 5 and June 12, respectively.
“Unless this legislation is passed, many beneficial projects – including proposed developments on urban redevelopment, transit hub, portfield and brownfield sites – will fail to move forward, and those communities and their residents will pay the price,” said Dianne R. Brake, president of PlanSmart NJ.
However, the environmental community has rallied to fight this basic lifeline to the business community as if it were a bill to abolish the NJDEP. As it is as important to understand the rationale to objections to a proposal as it is to understand the reasons for it, here are a few less than complementary articles that debate the proposal.
From the Home News Tribune - “Just Like Old Food, Old Permits Go Bad” and State DEP Head Not A Fan of Permit Extension Act.
