QUIJANO, BURZICHELLI, RILEY & EVANS BILL TO TRANSFORM VACANT URBAN SITES INTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ENGINES NOW LAW
(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Annette Quijano, John Burzichelli, Celeste Riley and Elease Evans to help transform vacant urban sites into economic development engines is now law.
“We want to encourage nonprofit corporations and associations to help transform the vacant properties in our urban areas into vibrant fields of flowers, plants, fruits and vegetables,” said Quijano. “Too often such parcels cannot be sold, blocking economic development, but with this law we’ll help move these neighborhoods in a new direction.”
“Many of our cities – from Newark to Bridgeton – have been working for decades to overcome the problems tied to vacant lots that block job growth and stagnate the economy,” said Burzichelli (D-Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem). “This is an effort to transform those lots, clearing the way for renewed economic development in these areas.”
“Economic development takes many forms, including measures like this that can reinvigorate a neighborhood, leading to increased investment and the job creation that follows,” said Riley (D-Cumberland/Gloucester/Salem). “Urban gardens can help build small businesses, create jobs and turn unproductive properties into centerpieces for an economic revival.”
“We need to ensure economic development occurs in all areas of the state,” said Evans (D-Passaic/Bergen). “Cities have been struggling to overcome vacant properties for years, but if we can allow nonprofits and community associations to take over these sites and turn them into assets, we can benefit everyone.”
Former law authorized municipalities and counties to lease or sell public property not needed for a public use to nonprofit entities
This law (A-2859) adds the cultivation and sale of fresh fruits and vegetables to the list of purposes for which local units may lease or sell public land for nominal consideration.
It also authorizes local units to sell land to nonprofit entities for the provision of gardening services to the general public.
Former law allowed for the long-term lease of excess public land, but not the sale thereof, to nonprofits for gardening purpose.
Recognizing that the transformation of excess vacant public lands into vibrant urban farms is a public purpose, the law affords these lands exemptions from property taxation.
The bill was signed March 1 by the governor.
COUGHLIN, WAGNER & CONNERS BILL TO HELP REDEVELOP contaminated PROPERTIES CONTINUES ADVANCING
Measure to Provide No-Interest Loans for Site Remediation Clears Panel
(TRENTON) – A bill sponsored by Assembly Democrats Craig J. Coughlin, Connie Wagner and Jack Conners to help local governments clean up contaminated properties continues advancing.
The bill (A-3167) would authorize the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to provide a no-interest loan to a municipality, county or redevelopment entity for up to 25 percent of the cost of a remedial action in a Brownfield development area.
It was approved 78-0 by the Assembly in October and released 5-0 Thursday by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee.
“In the current economic environment, with towns everywhere hurting for revenue and credit all but frozen, this is not just a much-needed environmental measure, it’s an economic stimulus measure,” said Coughlin (D-Middlesex) whose 19th Legislative District includes four sites totaling nearly 1,000 acres that would qualify for funding under this bill.
The loans would come from the state’s Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund and be repayable over no more than 10 years.
The state has 31 sites designated as Brownfields redevelopment areas which would qualify for funding under this bill. Altogether, the sites total 3,290 acres.
“This is not only a quality of life issue, but an economic issue. If private developers can’t get access to credit and local governments can’t afford to offer tax abatements, hazardous properties will continue to remain a blight on the community. Redeveloped properties will put people back to work and provide a desperately needed boost to local tax bases,” said Wagner (D-Bergen) whose 38th legislative district includes a 15-acre site in Lodi that would qualify for funding under this bill.
“New Jersey has had a great deal of success in remediating Brownfields properties over the last several decades. But that success has largely been dependent on state and federal assistance, something this bill is mindful of,” said Conners (D-Burlington/Camden), whose 7th legislative district includes a 650-acre site in Pennsauken and a 190-acre site in Palmyra that would qualify for this funding
No comments:
Post a Comment