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A draft Master Plan Reexamination report will be unveiled 7 p.m. Sept. 18 and the public will have an opportunity to ask questions and share comments, officials have announced.

The Master Plan is a comprehensive outline of the city’s long-range land use vision moving forward. The examination was led by a subcommittee comprised of Chair and Planning Board member Barbara Krzak, Yvonne Clayton Jim Henry, Rick Lambert,  Michael Manzella, Mike Sodano, Sara Anne Towery, and Michele Alonso, the City’s director of Planning & Redevelopment.

The report is the result of months of research and public input meetings, held to address everything from land use, urban design, mobility, and economic development to historic preservation, sustainability, open space, community facilities, and the city’s lakes parks and recreation. It also addresses changes made since the 2006 Master Plan went into effect and prior planning efforts.

The 10-year plan aims to provide “a safe and vibrant community with a balance of land uses, diverse housing options, a thriving arts community, a diversified and expanding year round economy, modern and well-maintained infrastructure, expanded community facilities and an outstanding quality of life,” the report says.

The planning goals include the following:

Protect and enhance the quality and enjoyment of the City’s residential neighborhoods through policy and regulation that promotes quality of life and minimizes negative impacts from the City’s tourism and other economic development activities.

Provide for a variety of housing types for all income levels throughout the City.

Promote and enhance the City’s history and reputation as a year round art and culture center and a waterfront destination with a variety of attractions for residents and visitors alike.

Redevelop and/or revitalize the Waterfront Redevelopment Area, Central Business District Redevelopment Area, Springwood Avenue corridor (S.T.A.R.S. and Springwood Avenue Redevelopment Areas), Main Street Redevelopment Area, Washington Avenue Redevelopment Area, Asbury Avenue corridor, Memorial Drive corridor, transit district area, along with scattered site redevelopment areas throughout the City.

Encourage a diverse economic base that relies on year round activities in a variety of economic sectors, including start-ups and entrepreneurship, such as but not limited arts and culture, tourism, retail, healthcare, light manufacturing, and technology.

Encourage art and culture activities and installations in the City’s mixed use and commercial districts that contribute to quality of life for City residents, cultural diversity and economic development opportunities.

Encourage historic preservation to promote the City’s history, maintain the City’s unique character, protect existing historic resources and complement economic development efforts.

Address Asbury Park’s historic racial and socio-economic divisions that continue today through policy and regulation of the built environment with the understanding that the built environment can exacerbate or alleviate such social divisions.

Provide safe and convenient circulation modes, including pedestrian, bicycle, vehicle and mass transit, for users of all ages and abilities in a network that connects neighborhoods and districts throughout and adjoining the City.

Manage vehicle parking throughout the City in a manner that is safe, convenient, protects the character of the area, and can accommodate future changes in the paradigm related to parking and transportation systems [increased mass transit, self-driving cars, etc.].

Renovate the Transportation Center to be better integrated within the City fabric, more user friendly, and to expand mass transit service in the City.

Provide a year-round public jitney/ trolley service that will link the Transportation Center with the waterfront district, Central Business district and other key locations and districts in the City.

Create varied and robust open space and recreation opportunities accessible to all neighborhoods, with particular emphasis on youth and seniors.

Promote a healthy and active community where habits, such as walking, biking, eating fresh foods and spending time outdoors are easy, safe and convenient.

Promote a healthy local ecosystem that contributes to the well being of residents and the City as a whole, and that provides benefits such as habitat for plants and animals, improved water quality, improved air quality, improved appearance of sites and districts, and access to the natural environment.

Promote sustainability that reinforces and advances the City’s character and reduces the environmental footprint of existing and future development and redevelopment.

Create resiliency and adaptation measures to address the impacts of climate change, including but not limited to rising seas, in the City’s physical and social infrastructure.

Modernize municipal facilities for public meetings and employees, particularly the police department and fire department, such that a high level of public service can be provided to the growing population.

The complete 151-page report is available on the City’s website here.

The public meeting will be held 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at City Council Chambers, located at 1 Municipal Plaza.

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