Preserving Community Character
In New Jersey, municipalities may include community design plans in their master plan and land use ordinances. A Community Design Element in the master plan provides the necessary vision that a community needs for a comprehensive community design program. Land use ordinances may then be adopted to implement the vision.

The Hunterdon County Planning Board has outlined a step by step community design process in its publication, "Preserving Community Character in Hunterdon County: A Community Design Handbook." The Handbook was prepared in response to concerns expressed by local officials and County residents that new development in the County has been undermining the character of their communities. The Handbook provides guidance for establishing objective and predictable design standards, emphasizing that with such standards a community can work successfully with developers to achieve their land use goals.