BRICK TOWNSHIP — Brick Township Mayor Lisa Crate and the township council reinforced a 2014 pledge to slam the brakes on over development.
This time, the township is hoping to stay true to the original pledge introduced 11 years ago.
The resolution passed by the Brick Township Council shows that local leaders formally committed to advancing sustainable land use practices more than a decade ago—an initiative that included goals related to open space protection, transportation options, housing diversity, and regional planning.
Resolution 254-14, adopted on June 10, 2014 and renewed at July’s meeting declared support for a statewide “Sustainable Land Use Pledge” and outlined specific commitments to incorporate sustainability principles into municipal planning and zoning decisions. The resolution emphasized the connection between land use and broader societal issues such as mobility, housing affordability, greenhouse gas emissions, and natural resource degradation.
In the resolution, the mayor and council pledged to integrate sustainability into the township’s next master plan revision and update zoning ordinances accordingly. They also committed to coordinating with neighboring municipalities on regional land use impacts.
The document outlined several specific goals, including:
- Promoting transportation choices through a “complete streets” approach and reconsidering parking requirements to encourage shared or structured parking solutions.
- Protecting natural resources, with a plan to complete a Natural Resources Inventory when feasible and link protection efforts to open space planning and carrying capacity analysis.
- Using zoning power to support mixed-use development in appropriate areas such as downtown centers.
- Encouraging a diverse mix of housing types and income levels using zoning and revenue tools.
- Incorporating green design and renewable energy in public buildings and development requirements.
- Considering walkability, transit access, and proximity to open space when locating municipal facilities.
Brick Township’s stated long-term goals to manage growth sustainably and protect environmental resources could intersect with or clash against newer policies proposed by the Murphy administration to force towns to build high-density, affordable housing complexes.
Republicans in Brick, led by development industry lobbyist, Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore have opposed the measure.
