By Joshua Burd
The two candidates in New Jersey’s upcoming gubernatorial election will soon have the chance to speak directly to planning advocates, land use experts and real estate professionals, who are set to gather next week for PlanSmart NJ’s annual Planning Summit.
The Trenton-based planning advocacy group has invited Republican Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and Democrat Phil Murphy, the former U.S. ambassador to Germany, to speak at the Sept 14 event. Subtitled “Moving Forward in an Uncertain World,” the summit is slated to take place at the Bell Works complex in Holmdel.
“There has been little to no focus on statewide land use planning since 2010,” PlanSmart wrote in a statement on its website. “With the governor and all 120 seats in the New Jersey Legislature up for grabs, we have an opportunity to articulate a land use planning and economic development agenda for all of the candidates to consider.”
Registration begins at 2:30 p.m. The event’s agenda includes a half-hour each for Guadagno and Murphy to discuss their vision for New Jersey, followed by a panel discussion slated to include the following:
- Gene Diaz, principal partner, Prism Capital Partners
- Tim Dillingham, executive director, American Littoral Society
- Devra Goldberg, director of government relations, Canoe Brook Partners
- James Maley Jr., mayor, Collingswood
- Anthony Marchetta, executive director, New Jersey Housing Mortgage and Finance Agency
Following the presentations, PlanSmart expects to open the floor to discuss what the candidates said and share ideas and recommendations. The discussion will be compiled and presented to each of the candidates as a planning and economic blueprint for the future.
For more information, see the event website: http://www.plansmartnj.org/events/summit-2017/
