Sustainable Economic Development Plan
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SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN Township of Vernon Sussex County, New Jersey March 13, 2019 SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN VERNON TOWNSHIP, SUSSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: MAYOR LAND USE BOARD Mayor Harry Shortway Martin Theobald, Chairman Richard Spoerl, Vice Chairman TOWNSHIP COUNCIL Harry Shortway, Mayor Jean Murphy, Council President John Auberger, Council Liaison John Auberger, Council Vice-President Andrea Cocula Dan Kadish Angela Erichsen Sandar Ooms Kelly Mitchell Mark Van Tassel Paul Mele Willard McPeek Kristi Raperto Craig Williams Michael Whitaker Mark Vizzini PROFESSIONAL STAFF Glenn C. Kienz, Esq., Board Attorney Cory Stoner, P.E., C.M.E., Board Engineer Jessica C. Caldwell, P.P., A.I.C.P., Board Planner Casey Wolf, Project Planner PUBLIC OUTREACH Vernon Police Athletic League Vernon Chamber of Commerce Vernon Greenway Action Advisory Committee Vernon Economic Development Advisory Committee Grant funding was provided for this Plan by the New Jersey Highlands Council The original of this report was signed and sealed in accordance with N.J.S.A. 45:14A-12 ___________________________________________________________ Jessica C. Caldwell, New Jersey Professional Planner, License #5944 J. Caldwell & Associates, LLC 145 Spring Street Suite E Newton New Jersey 07860 Cover photo: © Miguel Vieira Vernon Township | March 2019 2 Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 4 Overview ................................................................................................................................. 4 History and Town Center Concept ..................................................................................... 4 Public Input and Findings ...................................................................................................... 6 Goals and Objectives ......................................................................................................... 10 Socio-Economic Analysis .................................................................................................. 14 Background .......................................................................................................................... 14 Population ............................................................................................................................. 14 Population Projection .......................................................................................................... 16 Age ........................................................................................................................................ 16 Gender .................................................................................................................................. 17 Race and Ethnicity .............................................................................................................. 17 Income .................................................................................................................................. 18 Household Size ..................................................................................................................... 18 Market Tapestry Segmentation .......................................................................................... 19 Employment.......................................................................................................................... 21 Industry .................................................................................................................................. 24 Commuting ........................................................................................................................... 25 Businesses, Organizations, and Events ............................................................................. 27 Chamber of Commerce ..................................................................................................... 27 Shop Vernon ......................................................................................................................... 28 Events ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Built Environment Analysis ................................................................................................. 29 Land Use ................................................................................................................................ 29 Economic Development Zoning Districts .......................................................................... 31 Infrastructure ......................................................................................................................... 33 Historic, Cultural, Scenic, and Recreational Resources.................................................. 35 Sustainable Agriculture ....................................................................................................... 37 Market Analysis .................................................................................................................. 38 Residential Market Demand .............................................................................................. 38 Retail Market Demand ........................................................................................................ 43 Placemaking ....................................................................................................................... 51 Recreation and Relaxation ................................................................................................ 51 Mobile Vendors and Pop-up Shops .................................................................................. 52 Public Art and Outdoor Entertainment ............................................................................. 52 Wayfinding ............................................................................................................................ 52 Strategies............................................................................................................................... 53 Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 54 References .......................................................................................................................... 55 Appendix: Implementation Schedule Template .............................................................. 56 SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN Introduction Overview The Sustainable Economic Development Plan was prepared to explore ways to maximize the Township of Vernon’s economic assets to improve the overall vitality of the Township. Vernon Township is approximately two-thirds Highlands Preservation Area and approximately one-third Highlands Planning Area. The focus of the Sustainable Economic Development Plan is to encourage a thriving sustainable economy within the Township that supports agricultural and eco-tourism while maintaining the unique environment within the Township. History and Town Center Concept Vernon’s business districts, like many others in the State of New Jersey, experienced a fundamental transformation in the latter part of the 20th century. Founded in 1793 when it separated from Hardyston Township, Vernon has grown from under 2,200 people in 1860 to nearly 24,000 in 2010. Vernon covers around 70 square miles, with just over two square miles of lakes. Historically, settlements in Vernon began as small villages, including McAfee, Glenwood, and the Village of Vernon, which grew primarily around farming communities and mining operations. In the 1930s, resort communities began to develop around the lakes as summer bungalow communities. From the 1950s on, suburban residential growth took hold in the Township, much as it did across the United States. Suburbanization spawned fairly rapid growth as Vernon’s population grew 17 times larger from 1950 to 2000. Today, Vernon is the largest municipality in the County by both population and size. Resort development accelerated in the 1970s, with the development of Vernon Valley, Great Gorge North, and Hidden Valley ski resorts. The preservation of open space has tempered growth and development in the Township, with over half of the municipality being preserved as open space. With the passage of the Highlands Act in 2004, approximately two-thirds of the Township was placed in the Highlands Preservation Area, which strictly limits development. As a result, the remaining one-third of the Township, designated as Highlands Planning Area, will need to accommodate nearly all of the Township’s future growth. Vernon Township | March 2019 4 SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN Figure 1: Highlands Preservation and Planning Areas Vernon Township | March 2019 5 SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN The center concept for the Vernon Town Center includes the Vernon Core, which is a mixed-use center surrounding the intersection of NJSH Route 94 and County Route 515, and the Mountain Creek Core, which is further south along NJSH Route 94 and encompasses a commercial recreation center surrounding the Mountain Creek Resort. The Vernon Core is intended to serve as the Township’s downtown, an area that provides local services, retail, housing, and governmental services. The Mountain Creek Core is intended to bolster the Township’s commercial tourism industry, which