Background Report for Somerset County Regional Center Strategic Plan July 2018 Background Report for the Somerset County Regional Center Strategic Plan PREPARED FOR THE REGIONAL CENTER PARTNERSHIP OF SOMERSET COUNTY Prepared By: ________________________________________ Joseph J. Layton, PP, AICP N.J. Professional Planners License # 33LI00144300 Maser Consulting, PA Assisted By: Maser Consulting, PA Deborah Alaimo Lawlor, FAICP, PP Austin Bejin and Somerset County Planning Division Staff: Walter Lane, PP, AICP, Director of Planning James Ruggieri, PP, AICP, Principal Community Planner Galina Chernikova, Senior Planner for GIS Adopted by the Regional Center Partnership of Somerset County as part of the Somerset County Regional Center Strategic Plan July 18, 2018 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Bridgewater Township Mayor and Council Bridgewater Township Planning Board Raritan Borough Mayor and Council Raritan Borough Planning Board Somerville Borough Mayor and Council Somerville Borough Planning Board Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders Somerset County Planning Board Regional Center Partnership of Somerset County Somerset County Business Partnership Somerset County Park Commission Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 1 KEY COMPONENTS OF THE BACKGROUND REPORT ................................................................................... 4 THEMES AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BACKGROUND REPORT ........................................................ 6 Health and Wellness Theme ..................................................................................................................... 6 Resiliency Theme ...................................................................................................................................... 7 Embracing the Raritan River Theme ......................................................................................................... 8 Job Growth and Private Sector Investment Theme .................................................................................. 8 Downtowns and Main Streets ................................................................................................................. 9 Redevelopment Areas, Economic Development and Community Design ............................................ 9 Train Station Areas .................................................................................................................................. 10 Neighborhoods and Housing................................................................................................................... 10 Circulation ............................................................................................................................................... 10 Recreation, Open Space, Greenways and Natural Landscapes ........................................................... 10 Shared Services, Community Facilities, and Historic and Cultural Resources ..................................... 11 ABOUT THE PLANNING PROCESS AND IMPLEMENTATION ......................................................................... 12 VISION ......................................................................................................................................................... 16 OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS .......................................................................................................... 20 Competitive Strengths ............................................................................................................................ 20 Obstacles ................................................................................................................................................. 22 KEY ISSUES ................................................................................................................................................... 24 Land Use .................................................................................................................................................. 24 Development Activity .............................................................................................................................. 26 Residential Development ........................................................................................................................ 28 Nonresidential Development .................................................................................................................. 29 Redevelopment ....................................................................................................................................... 31 Community Design .................................................................................................................................. 34 Infrastructure .......................................................................................................................................... 36 Housing ................................................................................................................................................... 36 Circulation ............................................................................................................................................... 38 Roadways ............................................................................................................................................ 38 Bicycling .............................................................................................................................................. 41 Walking ............................................................................................................................................... 43 Public Transportation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….45 Goods Movement ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..48 Environmental Resources ..................................................................................................................... 489 Recreational Opportunities ..................................................................................................................... 51 Community Facilities ............................................................................................................................... 54 Historic Resources ................................................................................................................................... 55 Cultural Resources .................................................................................................................................. 61 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.............................................................................................................................. 63 Health and Wellness………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….63 Resiliency…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..63 Downtowns and Main Streets ................................................................................................................. 63 Redevelopment Areas, Economic Development, and Community Design ............................................. 64 Train Station Areas .................................................................................................................................. 66 Neighborhoods and Housing................................................................................................................... 66 Circulation ............................................................................................................................................... 67 Roadways ............................................................................................................................................ 67 Bicycling ............................................................................................................................................. 68 Walking .............................................................................................................................................. 69 Public Transportation ......................................................................................................................... 70 Goods Movement .............................................................................................................................. 70 Transportation Planning ......................................................................................................................... 70 Recreation, Open Space, Greenways, and Natural Landscapes ............................................................. 71 Shared Services, Community Facilities, and Historic and Cultural Resources................................... 71 LIST OF PRIORITY PROJECTS ........................................................................................................................ 72 LAND USE AND ZONING ALONG MUNICIPAL BORDERS ............................................................................. 79 Other Joint Planning Initiatives…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..80 UPDATING THE STRATEGIC PLAN ................................................................................................................ 82 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANNING EFFORTS .......................................................................................... 83 COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE OF THE REGIONAL CENTER……………………………………………………………………………..87 Appendix