Town Seeks Input On Open Space Plan
- Hillsborough launched a survey to collect resident input on identifying and protecting open space for its Master Plan update. - The survey focuses on prioritizing conservation, recreation, and land-protection strategies across the township. - Public feedback will guide planning decisions and preservation efforts in coming years (patch.com).
Hillsborough has opened a new public survey on which land should count as open space and how the township should protect it. (hillsboroughnj.gov) The survey went live on April 16, 2026, as the next phase of Hillsborough’s Master Plan update. Township officials said earlier surveys covered the plan’s goals and land use, and this round focuses on open space. (hillsboroughnj.gov) On the survey site, Hillsborough says the work is part of its Open Space & Recreation Plan, a section of the Master Plan that maps existing open land, weighs future acquisitions, and sets protection strategies. The form closes May 17, and all questions are optional. (engagehillsboroughnj.org) Residents are being asked what “open space” means to them, with choices that include forests, wetlands, farmland, parks, trails, scenic land, and privately owned undeveloped parcels. The survey also asks how often people visit parks, trails, or other open-space properties. (engagehillsboroughnj.org) In New Jersey planning, a master plan is the town’s long-range policy document for growth, land use, transportation, farmland, and preservation. Hillsborough’s Planning & Zoning Department says keeping that plan current is one of its core responsibilities. (hillsboroughnj.gov) The township has been building this public-input process since at least August 2024, when it launched the Engage Hillsborough platform for master-plan surveys, updates, and meetings. Mayor Robert Britting Jr. said then that public participation was a central part of the planning process. (hillsborough-nj.org) Open-space policy has also been tied to development fights in Hillsborough. In October 2023, the township announced a $9.5 million deal to acquire two parcels totaling about 28.7 acres after warehouse applications had been filed on both sites. (hillsborough-nj.org) Township officials said that purchase would be paid from the Open Space Trust Fund rather than the general tax levy, and they cast it as a way to add land to the open-space inventory while blocking warehouse construction. (hillsborough-nj.org) After the open-space survey closes on May 17, Hillsborough says it plans to open another survey focused on recreation. For now, the town is asking residents to define what land should stay open before those choices are folded into the next version of the Master Plan. (engagehillsboroughnj.org)
