A week ahead of the unveiling of the county’s new park expansion plans, Gov. Jim McGreevey said Hudson County’s model meets the criteria he had set for his state plans to limit sprawl.
“This is an important issue for Hudson County,” McGreevey said during a telephone interview.
Earlier this year, County Executive Tom DeGise announced what he called “a second front” on the governor’s war on sprawl in an effort to provide more green space for residents in Hudson County.
The governor’s anti-sprawl movement was designed to limit development of pristine, undeveloped land throughout the state and encourage redevelopment of land that was once previously developed but has fallen into disuse over time.
“This is a challenge,” said McGreevey. “It is something that is necessary to maintain a high quality of life for people in New Jersey.”
McGreevey said he had a goal of creating 200 new parks throughout the state.
DeGise, who is expected to unveil a proposal at the end of June, will seek to help the governor meet that need by creating a variety of green spaces that include neighborhood pocket parks. These would provide overcrowded neighborhoods with breathing space they currently lack.
“I’ve spoken with the county executive and the Hudson County delegation, and he fully understands the importance of these spaces,” McGreevey said. “This is a strategic investment in the future.”
The anti sprawl campaign is not merely about providing open space, but also transportation nodes that will help reduce traffic congestion. McGreevey said New Jersey Transit’s Transit Village proposal for the south end of Secaucus also fits in with such plans, allowing development to center on transportation hubs so that people do not have to drive to the trains or to work, but can live and work within walking distance of public transportation.
“We want to focus development where there is infrastructure,” McGreevey said. “This is true throughout New Jersey. But it is clearly very important for Hudson County. People spend too much time in cars.”
McGreevey also said, “We have to come to understand that we cannot carry on as we have over the last 25 years. Otherwise we will leave nothing for our children but sprawl. We must make a commitment to open space and make certain that our children have as good a quality of life as we had growing up here.”
McGreevey pointed to waterfront development in Hudson County as prime example of smart growth.
“But we need to find funding for cleanup of these sites, and for recreation resources, and this must be part of a thoughtful economic development balance,” he said.
McGreevey said the state is in the process of establishing an open space bond that will commit $100 million to these issues over the next three years.
DeGise’s plan in Hudson County would create a $2.9 million “Open Space Trust” that would ask for a one cent levy per $1,000 of assessed property to fund the park proposal here. The proposal is expected to be put onto a referendum on the November ballot. This way, DeGise hopes to double open space in Hudson County.
Counties with open space levies are entitled to 75 percent state matching funds for Green Acres Projects. Currently, Hudson County only receives 50 percent of such projects from the state.
“The idea behind Smart Growth is for us not to just protect farmlands, but to make certain there is open space in downtowns as well,” McGreevey said.
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, which oversees development and preservation along the Hackensack River estuary, also contributed to this open space plan, McGreevey said, with its commitment to purchase land for preservation as well as its recent agreement to have a private company seal several landfills for the development of golf courses.
McGreevey said places like Liberty State Park become vital links for people in urban areas like Jersey City, where open space is at a premium.
“Within the next two years,” he said, “we will be working in closely with the county executive and the mayors of each town to make certain that families have open space where they can bring their children and senior citizens can go.”
“Speaker (Albio) Sires has been tremendous in providing invaluable strong leadership in moving forwards with this park legislation,” McGreevey said.
Seeking space Governor celebrates Hudson County’s park expansion program
