Planning Board

The Planning Board is responsible under state statute for preparing and adopting a Township Master Plan and for reviewing any and all land use development within the Township of Scotch Plains, including alterations/additions to the schools, utilities and municipal agencies. The Planning Board is charged with approving all subdivisions, site plans, planned development applications and conditional uses which conform to Township land use ordinances. The Planning Board is also responsible for reviewing all ordinances proposed by the Township Coouncil that deal with land use.

The Planning Board is made up of nine members and two alternate members who are all appointed by the Mayor. In addition, the Planning Board hires its own consultants at the beginning of each year when it reorganizes.

What is the Master Plan?

The Master Plan is comprised of a report or statement of land use and development proposals with maps, diagrams and text presenting a statement of objectives, principles, assumptions, policies and standards upon which constituent proposals for the physical, economic, and social development of the municipality are based; a land use plan element taking into account and stating its relationship to the statement above and other Master Plan elements provided for and natural conditions, including but not necessarily limited to topography, soil conditions, water supply, drainage, flood plain areas, marshes and woodlands; showing the existing and proposed location, extent and intensity of development of land to be used in the future for varying types of residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, recreational, educational, and other public and private purposes or combination of purposes and stating the relationship thereof to the existing and any proposed zone plan and any proposed zone plan and the zoning ordinance; and showing the existing and proposed location of any airports and the boundaries of any airport safety zones delineated; and including a statement of the standards of population density and development intensity recommended for the municipality.

The Master Plan which is reviewed every seven years is re-examined at intervals within that time period. The Planning Board holds a public hearing before the adoption of or amendments to the Master Plan by the Township Council.