The Pennington Planning Board moved closer to final adoption of the borough’s updated Master Plan during a more than two-hour meeting on April 8, advancing key elements that will shape the borough’s approach to growth, housing, and infrastructure in the years ahead.
The full Master Plan is expected to be adopted at the board’s May 13 meeting.
The discussion centered on the Framing Plan and Land Use Plan — two core components that outline the borough’s long-term vision — along with updates to mobility, open space, and other elements.
Framing Plan sets the foundation
The Framing Plan, which serves as an introduction and guide to the broader Master Plan, received unanimous conditional approval with little debate.
Prepared by the borough’s Master Plan Committee (MPC) with assistance from planner Jim Kyle of Kyle + McManus Associates, the document includes the plan’s guiding principles, a timeline of public engagement, and an outline of how the plan will be implemented.
“The MPC feels like this shouldn’t be contentious,” said committee vice chair Andy Jackson. “It introduces the plan, but doesn’t have any goals per se.”
The Framing Plan is required under New Jersey’s Municipal Land Use Law and is intended to make the overall plan more accessible to residents.
Land Use Plan outlines zoning and housing direction
The Land Use Plan — a more detailed and consequential element — also received unanimous conditional approval following extensive discussion.
Developed with input from approximately 75 residents and informed by a 2025 survey of more than 550 community members, the plan includes recommendations related to zoning, housing, climate resilience, and historic preservation.
Among the key proposals:
- Expanding the borough’s Town Center designation along Main Street
- Eliminating the Town Center buffer zone to simplify zoning
- Consolidating several zoning overlays along Route 31 into a single mixed-use district
- Introducing the potential for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Kyle said the zoning changes are intended to simplify existing regulations while better reflecting how properties are currently used.
“The first part of this is to extend the town center zone,” Kyle said, describing a proposal that would bring additional properties along Main Street — including some currently zoned residential — into the Town Center designation.
At the same time, the plan recommends eliminating the Town Center buffer zone entirely, instead incorporating those properties into existing residential zoning.
Housing drew particular attention, especially the potential introduction of Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs — smaller secondary living spaces within existing homes, such as basement apartments, converted garages, or accessory structures.
“One of the recommendations was to include Accessory Dwelling Units,” Kyle said, noting that any implementation would require a formal approval process.
Jackson emphasized that inclusion in the Master Plan does not immediately change zoning.
“This is the vision for the borough,” he said. “The circumstances are to be determined.”
Board members also raised questions about architectural consistency as new development occurs. Kyle noted that outside of the borough’s historic district, design standards would largely remain advisory rather than strictly enforceable, with the Historic Preservation Commission continuing to play a central role in those decisions.
Mobility plan highlights infrastructure concerns
The board also approved updates to several Master Plan elements, including Mobility, Open Space, Utilities, and Community Facilities.
Discussion of the Mobility Plan focused heavily on aging infrastructure — particularly bridges — and how those conditions affect safety and long-term planning.
Jackson noted that multiple bridges in Pennington are in “fair” or “poor” condition, with concerns ranging from structural deficiencies to pedestrian safety and flooding risks.
One of the most significant concerns is the Pennington-Rocky Hill Road bridge over Stony Brook, which is prone to flooding. The bridge’s current deck height sits below typical flood levels, a vulnerability highlighted during major storm events such as Tropical Storm Ida.
Other bridges discussed included:
- The North Main Street bridge over CSX tracks, where widening could improve pedestrian and cyclist safety
- The West Delaware Avenue bridge, where guardrails do not meet current safety standards
- The bridge over Broemel Place, where concerns have been raised about maintenance and inspection oversight
Several of these bridges fall under county or railroad jurisdiction, adding complexity to potential upgrades or repairs.
Beyond bridges, the Mobility Plan includes updates such as incorporating new regional transportation data, improving sidewalk connectivity, and considering the creation of a Mobility Advisory Committee.
Open space and trail connections
Updates to the Open Space and Recreation element focused on improving pedestrian and trail connectivity throughout the borough.
Among the proposed improvements is extending sidewalks along East Delaware Avenue, where current infrastructure stops short of connecting to Federal City Road. Completing that link would create a more direct connection between the borough center and the Lawrence Hopewell Trail.
The plan also reflects ongoing efforts to integrate local trails into a broader regional network, while correcting and updating references to existing projects such as the South Pennington Connector.
Board members also revisited earlier proposals for bicycle routes through the borough, noting that some improvements have been completed while others remain long-term goals.
Refining other Master Plan elements
The Planning Board also approved revisions to several additional elements of the Master Plan, including Utilities, Community Facilities and Services, and Green Buildings and Environmental Sustainability.
Jackson said the updates were largely intended to make the plan less prescriptive and more flexible.
“We wanted to make some of the solutions to various problems less prescriptive to allow for flexibility during implementation,” he said.
One recommendation in the Utilities element includes exploring opportunities to share services with neighboring Hopewell Township. Other updates included minor adjustments to language and long-term planning goals, including continued exploration of converting the borough landfill into usable green space.
Affordable housing and engineering changes
In other business, Planning Board attorney Edwin Schmierer reported that the borough’s fourth-round affordable housing plan has received conditional approval from the courts.
“A court order was tendered on February 18,” Schmierer said. “The order said that the fourth-round plan of the housing element is acceptable to the court and to the Fair Share Housing Center.”
Mayor Jim Davy also announced that Colliers Engineering has been selected as the borough’s new engineering firm following a competitive review process that included seven applicants.
“We interviewed three firms and selected Colliers,” Davy said. “We were looking at how comprehensive their service was… and their familiarity with the borough was a plus.”
The appointment is expected to be finalized as a three-year agreement.
What comes next
Residents have until April 22 to submit comments on the Master Plan before final adoption.
The Planning Board is scheduled to meet May 13 via Zoom to consider adoption of the full plan, which will serve as the borough’s guiding document for future development, land use decisions, and infrastructure planning.
