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Boonton Council Approves Resolution to Pursue New Jersey Transit Village Designation
Summary
The Boonton Town Council voted to adopt resolution 24272 authorizing an application for New Jersey Transit Village designation, a status the council said could open targeted grant funding and planning resources; supporters urged pursuing pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly improvements beyond the program's minimum requirements.
Boonton's Town Council voted to adopt resolution 24272 on Dec. 18, 2023, authorizing the town to apply for New Jersey Transit Village designation to make the downtown more attractive for housing, employment and grant opportunities.
Supporters told the council the designation could unlock state grant programs for designated Transit Villages and urged the town to pursue the "spirit" of smart-growth principles rather than only meeting the program's minimum requirements. One council member said the pool for designated Transit Villages could be "perhaps, I think, $3 million" in available funds this year.
The resolution is intended to open further grant and planning opportunities that officials said helped the town secure planning grants and other funding in the past. During discussion a council member emphasized prioritizing pedestrian and bicycle improvements and downtown density that aligns with the town's master plan recommendations; the DPW committee was identified as the body that will review proposed capital improvements tied to the designation.
Council member Weissman moved to adopt the resolution; the motion was seconded on the record. The council took a roll call and the transcript records affirmative "yes" responses from members present; the transcript does not list individual vote tallies.
The council directed staff and the DPW committee to review relevant master-plan street improvements from 2018 and to prepare recommendations aligned with smart-growth principles as the town pursues the Transit Village application. The resolution does not itself appropriate funds; it authorizes the application and associated follow-up work. The council closed the hearing after the roll call vote.
The next procedural step is for staff to submit the application and for the DPW committee to present recommended capital improvements tied to the designation, which the council said it would consider during the 2025 budget process.
