Borough of Woodcliff Lake Bergen County, New Jersey
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MASTER PLAN REEXAMINATION REPORT BOROUGH OF WOODCLIFF LAKE BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY Prepared for the Planning Board of the Borough of Woodcliff Lake by PHILLIPS PREISS GRYGIEL LEHENY HUGHES LLC Planning & Real Estate Consultants | Hoboken, NJ | July 22, 2019 PROPOSED Master Plan Reexamination Report Borough of Woodcliff Lake Bergen County, New Jersey July 22, 2019 Prepared for the Planning Board of the Borough of Woodcliff Lake Prepared by: Phillips Preiss Grygiel Leheny Hughes LLC Planning & Real Estate Consultants | Hoboken, NJ _____________________ Richard M. Preiss, P.P. License # 3460 Master Plan Reexamination Report Borough of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey July 22, 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 2 II. Major Problems and Objectives of the 2008 Master Plan Reexamination Report ............................... 3 A. Objectives .......................................................................................................................................... 3 B. Major Problems ................................................................................................................................. 4 III. Extent to which Problems and Objectives have been Reduced or Increased .................................. 6 A. Objectives .......................................................................................................................................... 6 B. Major Problems ............................................................................................................................... 11 IV. Changes in Assumptions, Goals and Policies Since the 2008 Master Plan Reexamination Report 17 A. Changes at the Local Level .............................................................................................................. 17 B. Changes at the County Level ........................................................................................................... 26 C. Changes at the State Level .............................................................................................................. 27 D. Other Relevant Factors ................................................................................................................... 30 V. Recommended Changes to the Master Plan ...................................................................................... 32 A. A New Comprehensive Master Plan ............................................................................................... 32 B. Changes in Land Use Regulations ................................................................................................... 34 VI. Recommendations Regarding Redevelopment Plans ..................................................................... 35 1 Master Plan Reexamination Report Borough of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey July 22, 2019 I. INTRODUCTION Under the Municipal Land Use Law (N.J.S.A. 40:55D‐89), a general reexamination of a municipality’s master plan and development regulations is required every ten years. The Planning Board is responsible for completing the reexamination, and preparing and adopting by resolution a report on the findings of the reexamination. Specifically, the MLUL mandates that a periodic reexamination report address the following: a. The major problems and objectives relating to land development in the municipality at the time of the adoption of the last reexamination report. b. The extent to which such problems and objectives have been reduced or have increased subsequent to such date. c. The extent to which there have been significant changes in the assumptions, policies and objectives forming the basis for the master plan or development regulations as last revised, with particular regard to the density and distribution of population and land uses, housing conditions, circulation, conservation of natural resources, energy conservation, collection, disposition and recycling of designated recyclable materials, and changes in State, county and municipal policies and objectives. d. The specific changes recommended for the master plan or development regulations, if any, including underlying objectives, policies and standards, or whether a new plan or regulations should be prepared. e. The recommendations of the planning board concerning the incorporation of redevelopment plans adopted pursuant to the “Local Redevelopment and Housing Law,” P.L. 1992, c. 79 (C.40A:12A‐1 et al.) into the land use plan element of the municipal master plan, and recommended changes, if any, in the local development regulations necessary to effectuate the redevelopment plans of the municipality. The Borough of Woodcliff Lake last adopted a full Master Plan on December 9, 2002, which included a land use plan element. The Borough subsequently adopted a reexamination report of the 2002 Master Plan on December 8, 2008. Since the adoption of the 2008 Master Plan Reexamination Report, the Borough has also adopted several master plan amendments. Namely, the Borough completed Phase 1 of the Broadway Corridor Study in 2008 and Phase 2 in 2012, and formally adopted the study as an amendment to the master plan on September 24, 2012. The Broadway Corridor Study sets forth guidelines for design and redevelopment of the Broadway Corridor Area, a key commercial corridor. The Borough has also adopted several updates to its Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, most recently on June 11, 2018. The 2018 Housing Element and Fair Share Plan addressed the Borough’s Third Round Prospective and Rehabilitation obligations in accordance with the settlement agreement reached between the Borough and the Fair Share Housing Center. The foregoing Master Plan Reexamination Report constitutes a reexamination of the 2008 Reexamination Report. The report represents an on‐going effort on the part of the Borough of Woodcliff Lake to ensure that its planning policies, goals and objectives, and development regulations remain current and effective in addressing the issues facing the Borough. The following five sections address each of the state‐ mandated items described above. 2 Master Plan Reexamination Report Borough of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey July 22, 2019 II. MAJOR PROBLEMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE 2008 MASTER PLAN REEXAMINATION REPORT This section outlines the major problems and objectives relating to land development set forth in the 2008 Master Plan Reexamination Report. Notably, the 2008 Master Plan Reexamination Report reaffirmed all of the goals and objectives of the 2002 Master Plan and established several additional goals to reflect municipal policies on sustainable development. In terms of major problems, the 2008 report indicated that a number of issues from the 2002 Master Plan had been addressed in the intervening years, but others remained relatively static. Many of these problems represent long‐range planning concerns that necessitate implementation through phases and periodic review by the Borough. A. Objectives The land use goals of the previous master plan for the Borough of Woodcliff Lake were as follows: 1. To reaffirm and enhance the existing residential character of the municipality which consists primarily of detached single family residential development. 2. To limit multi‐family development to only those sites serving as part of the Borough’s Housing Plan. 3. To ensure that development within the Borough preserves the natural features of the land to the greatest extent possible. 4. To preserve mature vegetation and wooded areas in Woodcliff Lake, which is an integral part of the aesthetic character of the community. 5. To encourage uniform landscaping in new subdivisions where the rear yard of a lot has frontage on an existing roadway. 6. To encourage improvements to the Broadway business district and strengthen its linkage to the Woodcliff Lake Train station. 7. To improve the appearance of the causeway across the Woodcliff Lake reservoir and acknowledge its unique feature as the east‐west link to public rail transportation and the Broadway business corridor. 8. To encourage improvements to New Jersey Transit’s Woodcliff Lake train station. 9. To evaluate whether there are appropriate sites for age restricted housing in the Borough. 10. To continue the process for recreation planning in the Borough and develop an action plan to prioritize the recreation and open space needs of Woodcliff Lake’s residents. 11. To encourage the preservation of the Woodcliff Lake reservoir as a desirable physical and visual amenity for Borough residents. 3 Master Plan Reexamination Report Borough of Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey July 22, 2019 12. To update the Borough’s land use ordinances so that they are consistent and current. 13. To adequately address stormwater runoff impacts from development. 14. To encourage a thorough roadway design in new residential developments to ascertain the most appropriate design given the unique features of sites within the community. 15. To encourage the construction of sidewalks along appropriate roads within the Borough of Woodcliff Lake where a compelling safety issue exists, and examine those roads where a reduction in speed limits could improve safety for pedestrians. 16. To promote the protection of water quality and address water capacity issues. 17. To support the overall philosophy of the State Development and Redevelopment Plan (SDRP) to provide growth management on a statewide basis while retaining the principles of