The Township of Scotch Plains will be working with the community to create a Master Plan - and ALL are invited to contribute. We interviewed Tom Strowe, Director of Redevelopment and Mayor Josh Losardo to learn more. :
What is a Master Plan?
A Master Plan is a document that establishes a long-term vision for the development of the community and guides how the Township will address current and anticipated future conditions. But this is not done in a vacuum - it is thoughtfully prepared with feedback from stakeholders and a thorough analysis of existing and projected demographic, land use and environmental factors. It is a roadmap to the future.
Stakeholders: Who does this include?
Primarily local residents and business owners - but we want to hear from anyone and everyone that visits Scotch Plains and cares about how it evolves. This means residents in neighboring towns, families of residents that visit here and future residents. We hope everyone takes the survey - and shares it with others as well.
What do you do with the feedback and analysis?
A Master Plan develops a set of goals and objectives and proposes courses of action to achieve the overall vision of the Township. It is really the cornerstone document for determining future development and land use decisions in the Township.
When was our last Master Plan completed?
In New Jersey, the Master Plan must be reexamined every 10 years. The original Master Plan for the Township of Scotch Plains was written in 1975 and the most recent one in 2021. That means the last comprehensive Master Plan for Scotch Plains was more than two decades ago, when over 32% of the Township's current population wasn't even born yet. Since that time, there have been amendments and reexamination reports, with the most recent being 2025. However, the world is a very different place since 2001, and a new Master Plan is necessary to bring Scotch Plains forward in the upcoming decades.
Tell me more about the Survey
Sure. The Survey is 30 questions long and takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. Questions range across several topics including basic demographic info, current sentiments, and improvement priorities. Basically - What do YOU want the town to look like in the future?
How else can residents learn about the Master Plan?
The Scotch Plains Master Plan Subcommittee is working on setting up and scheduling a public meeting where information about the Master Plan process can be shared in-person, and we can hear from you. Please keep an eye out for meeting information on the Township website. Feel free to also send thoughts to our official email: Masterplan@scotchplainsnj.com or visit our Website at scotchplainsnj.com
Take the survey by scanning the QR code on Page
What do YOU want The Township of Scotch Plains to look like in the future?