What is a Municipal Master Plan?
A Master Plan is a comprehensive, long-term planning document that guides the development, land use, and growth of a town or city. They are typically written every ten years with input from residents.
Randolph has not completed a new Master Plan since 2006.
Why it matters:
A Town’s Master Plan…
Controls the overall growth pattern of a municipality. Outdated plans can lead to growth that doesn’t fit the needs and character of today’s Randolph
Transportation network design. How people get around changes over the years. For example, more Randolph residents today are driving electric vehicles than in 2006. We should have a plan to suit their needs.
A Master Plan should reflect input from residents. Many residents weren’t in town 20 years ago, and those who were have probably had a lifestyle change or two. We need a plan that prioritizes the needs of current Randolph residents.
We’re Using an Analog Plan for a Digital World
“As confirmed in my correspondence with Mayor Mark Forstenhausler, the draft reexamination does not specifically address data centers. That is a significant omission at a time when communities across New Jersey are confronting proposals for these facilities.”
An outdated foundation for our town planning means Randolph is unprepared to meet modern needs and challenges. For example, the required re-examination of the Master Plan does not intend to address Data Centers despite their growing relevance in public life. Our community deserves pre-emptive protections from these kinds of projects. Randolph Township’s last re-examination of the Master Plan in 2016 ended with minimal changes from the original 2006 document, and we don’t have an indication that 2026 is going to be any different unless we vote for a new voice on the Township Council.
And we can already see the consequences.
Outdated planning means poor opportunities for modern businesses. This puts more of the tax burden on residents and helps explain why the municipal tax rate has risen nearly 20% over the last four years.
The current council keeps kicking the can down the road. They delayed required affordable housing updates as long as they could, and now we have rushed through development on the Sussex Turnpike that will further worsen traffic and road conditions.
Our original Master Plan promised a walkable village center with mixed-use, residential/commercial development around Mount Freedom. Instead, we see vacant storefronts, under-used properties, and a lack of pedestrian friendly infrastrucure.
It’s Time to Plan for Randolph’s Future
