Requires planning board reexamination report to set forth recommendations for the siting of warehouses consistent with State Plan and with warehouse siting guidance policy adopted by State Planning Commission.

S3323

SENATE, No. 3323

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires planning board reexamination report to set
forth recommendations for the siting of warehouses consistent with State Plan
and with warehouse siting guidance policy adopted by State Planning Commission.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning the development of certain warehouses and
amending P.L.1975, c.291.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 76 of P.L.1975,
c.291 (C.40:55D-89) is amended to read as follows:

���� 76.� Periodic examination.�
The governing body shall, at least every 10 years, provide for a general
reexamination of its master plan and development regulations by the planning
board, which shall prepare and adopt by resolution a report on the findings of
such reexamination, a copy of which report and resolution shall be sent to the
Office of Planning Advocacy and the county planning board.� A notice that the
report and resolution have been prepared shall be sent to any military facility
commander who has registered with the municipality pursuant to section 1 of
P.L.2005, c.41 (C.40:55D-12.4) and to the municipal clerk of each adjoining
municipality, who may request a copy of the report and resolution on behalf of
the military facility or municipality.� A reexamination shall be completed at
least once every 10 years from the previous reexamination.

���� The reexamination report shall
state:

���� a.���� The major problems and
objectives relating to land development in the municipality at the time of the
adoption of the last reexamination report.

���� b.��� The extent to which such
problems and objectives have been reduced or have increased subsequent to such
date.

���� c.���� The extent to which
there have been significant changes in the assumptions, policies, and
objectives forming the basis for the master plan or development regulations as
last revised, with particular regard to the density and distribution of
population and land uses, housing conditions, circulation, conservation of
natural resources, energy conservation, collection, disposition, and recycling
of designated recyclable materials, and changes in State, county and municipal
policies and objectives.

���� d.��� The specific changes
recommended for the master plan or development regulations, if any, including
underlying objectives, policies and standards, or whether a new plan or
regulations should be prepared.

���� e.���� The recommendations of
the planning board concerning the incorporation of redevelopment plans adopted
pursuant to the "Local Redevelopment and Housing Law," P.L.1992, c.79
(C.40A:12A-1 et al.) into the land use plan element of the municipal master
plan, and recommended changes, if any, in the local development regulations
necessary to effectuate the redevelopment plans of the municipality.

���� f.���� The recommendations of
the planning board concerning locations appropriate for the development of
public electric vehicle infrastructure, including but not limited to,
commercial districts, areas proximate to public transportation and transit
facilities and transportation corridors, and public rest stops; and recommended
changes, if any, in the local development regulations necessary or appropriate
for the development of public electric vehicle infrastructure.

����
g.��� The recommendations
of the planning board concerning locations appropriate for the development of
warehouses shall be consistent and compatible with the State Development and
Redevelopment Plan adopted pursuant to the "State Planning Act,"
sections 1 through 12 of P.L.1985, c.398 (C.52:18A-196 et al.), and with the
most recent warehouse siting guidance policy adopted by the State Planning
Commission.�

(cf: P.L.2019, c.267, s.2)

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect on the first day of the third month next following enactment and shall
be applicable to planning board resolutions adopting a reexamination report on and
after that date.

STATEMENT

���� The development of industrial-scale
warehousing for goods storage and distribution has undergone rapid change in
recent years, which has caused the State Planning Commission to adopt
Distribution Warehousing and Goods Movement Guidelines for the purpose of
providing municipalities with guidance to follow in the siting of warehouses.�
Previous warehouse types used to be a less conspicuous land use, often limited
to industrial parks in peripheral areas.� Distribution warehouses that are
being developed currently are significantly larger than previous warehouse
types, and their development has often imposed detrimental externalities on
adjacent municipalities and residential neighborhoods.� While recognizing that
the development of distribution warehouses is of Statewide economic importance,
the State will benefit from greater consistency and coordination in the
decision-making that leads to warehouse development approvals.

���� Under current law, every
planning board that has adopted a master plan is required to reexamine its
master plan at least every 10 years.� This bill would require each planning
board�s reexamination report to set forth the planning board�s recommendations
concerning locations appropriate for the development of warehouses, and would
require the recommendations to be consistent and compatible with the State
Development and Redevelopment Plan, and with the most recent warehouse siting
guidance policy adopted by the State Planning Commission.