Paramus will revise its master plan. What does that mean for developers in the borough?

A rendering of a proposed redevelopment at Garden State Plaza, provided by the mall’s owner.

Amid a surge of new development, Paramus will reexamine its master plan, the blueprint used by local officials to guide construction and preservation in town.

The Borough Council voted last week to authorize the Paramus Planning Board and borough planner to start the process.

Paramus isn’t required to do so for another two years. But a review of the master plan was a campaign promise of Mayor Chris DiPiazza and fellow Republicans, who hold the majority on the council, the mayor said this week.

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The goal is to “keep Paramus a suburban town and have that suburban feel,” he said.

What is a municipal master plan?

Required for New Jersey municipalities by state law, a master plan is intended to document how a town wants to grow. It sets a vision that can later be used to create zoning policies controlling how specific properties in the borough can be used. The document is typically reexamined by the local planning board every 10 years.

The reexamination comes as developers pursue a trio of large-scale projects in the borough’s Highway Corridor Commercial Zone. Combined, they could bring about 2,200 more housing units and additional retail, hotels and office space to three of the area’s highest-profile shopping destinations: Garden State Plaza, Bergen Town Center and property next to Paramus Park mall.

How you can weigh in

Although the borough has voted to move forward with the reexamination, there is no set schedule yet for the Planning Board’s meetings, the mayor said. That will be posted at a later time and will offer an opportunity for members of the public to give their thoughts on the future vision for the borough.

More: Housing at the malls and a $900M hospital: Major projects coming to Paramus in 2024

How the plan will be revised

According to the nonprofit Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, the process of reexamining a master plan includes four stages:

1. The planning board develops and, after public hearings, adopts a master plan “to guide the use of lands within the municipality in a manner that protects public health and safety and promotes the general welfare,” according to the state’s Municipal Land Use Law.
2. A town’s governing body adopts zoning, site plan, subdivision and other ordinances consistent with the master plan.
3. The planning board and, in some cases, the board of adjustment review and approve proposals to develop parcels of land, in line with the master plan and zoning and development ordinances.
4. The governing body may adopt an official map setting out future areas for preservation, infrastructure and other public uses. Such a map gives the municipality a right of first refusal should these lands be put on the market.

Stephanie Noda is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @snoda11

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paramus will revise its master plan. What does that mean for developers in the borough?