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Watershed Association Wins Planning Award for Municipal Work “The
Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed
Association’s work in partnership with municipalities to improve
local ordinances protecting the environment should become a model for
use throughout the state,” said Joseph Doyle, the Executive Director
of the New Jersey Planning Officials, presenting an Achievement in
Planning Award to the Watershed Association on April 30.
NJPO is a state association of officials who serve on zoning and planning boards, and also includes elected officials and professionals working on land use issues. The Watershed Association was honored at NJPO’s annual dinner for our Municipal Assessment program. Working
directly with municipalities to understand their vision for the future,
Watershed Management staff compare existing municipal laws and practices
to that vision, identify areas where improvements could be made to
achieve this vision, and then provide practical implementation advice,
including model ordinance packages, public education and expert
testimony. Louise Wilson, Mayor of Montgomery Township, nominated the
Watershed Association for recognition. “As
a result of this partnership with Stony Brook, Montgomery was able not
only to clarify and build consensus around a vision for the Township’s
future, but also to see clearly what needed to be done to get us
there,” said Wilson. “We reviewed our own laws, policy and practices. We saw problems and gaps, and we set about fixing the problems and closing the gaps. Stony Brook’s staff is experienced, knowledgeable, and positive in their approach. They gave us great advice and support. Working with them is a pleasure,” Wilson added. “Being
nominated by Louise Wilson is high praise,” said Noelle MacKay, Deputy
Director of the Association and chief architect of the Municipal
Assessment process. “I
can only hope that every local leader and municipality embrace the
proactive stance toward the environment that Mayor Wilson and Montgomery
have done. We can provide a comprehensive framework to understand the
issues, but success ultimately resides in the courage of local
leadership,” Mackay observed. The
Municipal Assessment program was initiated in 2001 with funding from the
Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. Since
then, the Watershed Association has completed assessments for six
municipalities, and has started four more.
Completed assessments can be reviewed on the Association’s
website. “Protecting
water quality and natural resources takes an enormous amount of
planning,” said Angela Clerico, Senior Watershed Planner. “Planning
for preservation of open space is important, but much of our area is
already developed, or will be developed to meet community needs.
Planning and carrying out development on these lands in a way
that is least detrimental is even more important,” said Clerico,
summarizing the underlying theory that guides the Watershed Management
program. “We
are demonstrating that an environmental group and municipal officials
can work together to achieve common environmental goals, and I am
enormously proud of our team here at the Watershed Association, and for
the leadership we have at the local level,” said Executive Director
George Hawkins, who accepted the award for the Watershed Association.
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