Newark Residents to Have Say in City's Master Plan

Newark residents will have a say in the city's future development as Newark’s master plan undergoes the first "comprehensive revision" in 20 years, officials said.

Residents are welcome to attend public workshop meetings on the master plan starting this month, said city officials, who announced the meetings last week in a press release.

The master plan revision will look into various elements of the city such as urban design, land use, businesses, industry, open space, utility service and infrastructure, and cultural resources, according to city officials. It will be a thorough holistic guide to Newark's development and growth in the coming years with "individual neighborhood plans" as well.

The last comprehensive master plan was done in 1990, according to city records. Newark zoning laws date back to 1956 and have not gone through a top to bottom update since then.

The aims of the master plan update are "creating jobs for residents, fostering healthy and safe neighborhoods, and enhancing Newark as a city of choice," according to the press release. Besides the workshops already planned this month, work sessions and two task forces, one made up of residents and civic leaders and the other of technical advisers, will guide the approximately one-year process.

"The master plan process will be a comprehensive effort driven by the aspirations and concerns of Newark residents, and the completion of the final report will represent a true milestone for the city," said Newark Mayor Cory Booker in a statement. "The recommendations in the revised master plan will guide Newark's continued growth and development for decades to come, and will help ensure that Newarkers continue to enjoy new opportunities and to experience an enhanced quality of life."

The plan is being spearheaded under the office of Stefan Pryor, the city’s deputy mayor for economic and housing development.

"The goal of the master plan is to establish the context for the continued production of new jobs for our residents and a continued upward trajectory for Newark," said Pryor in a statement. "An updated plan and corresponding land use policies will create new opportunities for Newark to benefit from its world-class infrastructure and workforce. The plan will also ensure that Newark's development will take place in a rational manner that maximizes quality of life and amenities for Newark's residents and businesses."

The city has scored development coups since its 2009 Master Plan Re-examination report, which outlines a way to revise the outdated master plan, according to the document. An example, city officials said, is the Courtyard by Marriott at the Prudential Center, which is under construction.

Two public meetings have already been held in the Mount Pleasant Avenue and Roseville neighborhoods and will continue July 18 in Forest Hill, according to a city press release. These initial meetings will conclude  July 27 in the Central Business District and University Heights.

Master Plan Workshop Meetings:

• July 18, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. — Forest Hill and North Broadway, Cherry Blossom Welcome Center, Branch Brook Park.
• July 19, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. — Weequahic and Dayton, Weequahic Park Fieldhouse, #92 (Accessible through Meeker Street entrance to Weequahic Park.)
• July 20, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. — Fairmount, Upper Clinton Hill and West Side: Martin Luther King, Jr. School, 108 S. 9th St.
• July 21, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. — Belmont/Springfield, Lower Clinton Hill, South Broad/Lincoln Park: Prince Hall Masonic Lodge, 188 Irvine Turner Blvd.
• July 26, 5:30 p.m. 7:30 p.m. — Upper Vailsburg, Lower Vailsburg, Ivy Hill: UVSO, 40 Richelieu Terrace.
• July 27, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. — Central Business District and University Heights: Newark Public Library, 5 Washington St.

Helpful Links on Master Plan

• City's master plan and the 2009 Master Plan Re-examination report
• Newark Master Plan website
• Newark Master Plan Facebook Page