Gov. Whitman Slates Faster Permitting, But There's a Catch

TRENTON-New Jersey has a reputation–deservedly so–as being a hard place to get a project done. It has something to do with the lengthy permitting process that filters through the state and local levels. But developers could catch a break in the near future under a new proposal by Gov. Christie Todd Whitman.

There’s a catch, however, you’ll have to do your project where the state wants you to do it. At issue is the state’s growth management plan, which aims to funnel development into what it calls “town centers.” Under Whitman’s proposal, delivered at a recent conference of builders, local officials and environmentalists, developers who play by the rules and target urban sites stand to have the permitting process sped up.