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Pompton Lakes agency hires planner for design standards; master plan re-evaluation possible next year
Summary
The Redevelopment Agency said it has hired a planner (Kristen Russell) to draft design standards for downtown redevelopment and may pursue a fuller master plan re-evaluation later because that process is more costly and time-consuming.
The Pompton Lakes Redevelopment Agency told members it has engaged a planner, Kristen Russell, to develop design standards intended to create a coherent appearance for new downtown buildings without mandating identical designs.
Agency members said the design-standards effort will draw representatives from the redevelopment agency, the planning board and the borough council to craft shared guidance on façades, materials and other design details so that future redevelopment projects ‘‘look the same’’ in style while allowing variation. The planner will focus on design standards rather than seeking immediate changes to height, setback or variance rules.
Board discussion noted that the borough’s 2017 master-plan re-evaluation warned against ad hoc approvals that result in many variances; members said a full master-plan re-evaluation (a more expensive process) might be required in a later year to clarify the borough’s long-term vision. The agency described two options: targeted text amendments (a faster, lower-cost approach used previously) or a full master-plan re-evaluation that would comprehensively update goals and zoning.
Officials said the work this year will concentrate on design standards and that a larger master-plan re-evaluation could follow, likely next year, depending on funding and the borough’s priorities. The planner’s work will inform standards for façade treatments and other design elements that the agency and planning board will use when reviewing redevelopment proposals.
