Franklin EC to draft comments calling state redevelopment plan too general and urging specific references to existing plans

The Franklin Township Environmental Commission decided to draft and submit formal comments on the draft State Development and Redevelopment Plan, saying the draft is too general and lacks concrete mapping and measurable targets.

Commissioners said the plan — which staff noted has been in development since 2001 — includes broad goals (access to healthy food, open space, tree canopy) but lacks the mapping, targets and cross‑references to existing state plans (for example the state energy master plan and greenhouse gas goals) that would make it actionable. One commissioner urged the commission to recommend that the state reference adopted municipal and state plans and set measurable targets where appropriate.

The commission asked staff to prepare a draft comment letter that references the township’s energy and open‑space programs, suggests inclusion of mapping and targets, and highlights rails‑to‑trails conversions and tree‑canopy actions as examples of programmatic follow‑through. Staff said the state will accept comments, will publish a revised draft, then hold in‑person meetings in six counties before finalization.

Commission members said they would circulate the draft comment to the commission and to related township committees (open space, trails, shade tree) for concurrence; staff suggested having the letter co‑signed by commission leadership before submission.