Town Seeks Public Input On Open Space
- Hillsborough launched a new survey to gather public input on identifying and protecting open space. - The Master Plan update specifically asks residents where preservation priorities and conservation efforts should focus. - Officials encourage community participation to shape future land-use decisions and funding priorities ( patch.com ).
Hillsborough Township has opened a new public survey asking residents where open space should be protected as the town updates its Master Plan. (hillsboroughnj.gov) The survey went live on April 16, 2026, and focuses on the Open Space and Recreation Plan, a section of the Master Plan that maps existing open land and weighs future preservation targets. (hillsboroughnj.gov) Town officials said the questionnaire covers land already designated as open space, land that could be acquired in the future, and strategies to protect both public and private open land. All questions are optional. (engagehillsboroughnj.org) The Master Plan is the township’s long-range land-use blueprint, and Hillsborough’s Planning & Zoning Department says it guides decisions on development, transportation, farmland, open space and related policies. (hillsboroughnj.gov; hillsboroughnj.gov) This survey is the latest step in a broader update process that began in 2024 under the “Envision Hillsborough” effort, which the township says will set priorities and strategies for future growth. (engagehillsboroughnj.org) Hillsborough has been collecting feedback in stages. A first survey on the plan’s vision and goals closed in 2024, and a second survey on current and future land-use patterns was announced before this open-space phase. (hillsborough-nj.org; hillsborough-nj.org) The township built the process around Engage Hillsborough, an online participation platform launched in 2024 with PublicInput software to let residents follow projects and submit comments remotely. (hillsborough-nj.org) The current survey is scheduled to close on May 17, according to local notices, and another survey on recreation is expected to follow. (tapinto.net; engagehillsboroughnj.org) For residents, the immediate decision is simple: mark which land and conservation priorities should shape Hillsborough’s next planning document before the township turns survey responses into policy recommendations. (patch.com; engagehillsboroughnj.org)
