Saving the Farm in Chesterfield Township

Where many saw impending suburban sprawl and rapidly disappearing open space, rural Chesterfield Township saw a rare opportunity. It is creating a brand-new town center that will help preserve the historic village of Crosswicks plus the hamlets of Sykesville and Chesterfield. When done, the township will have managed growth while effectively protecting and supporting farming as a cherished way of life in the region.

Protecting What's Important

Northern Burlington County is one of the most important and agriculture-rich areas of the Garden State's "farm belt." Chesterfield Township lies near the crossroads of I-295, Route 130 and the New Jersey Turnpike. This combination presents a highly desirable target for developers, whose office parks, retail complexes and upscale suburban tracts promise tenant and homeowners "best of both worlds" locations. But Chesterfield Township's Master Plan showed other ideas — namely to "promote the industry of farming while providing...a reasonable level of development, including low- and moderate-income housing" and to "safeguard the heritage of the township." Piloting a unique program — Transfer of Development Credits (TDC's) — township planners allowed landowners to transfer the development potential of their properties into areas of the town slated for growth. The goal? A private-market mechanism to accomplish farmland preservation, to complement the publicly funded farmland preservation program.

Enhancing Quality of Life

Chesterfield's new town center is designed to attract a diverse population of residents and businesses — then keep them there, with pedestrian-oriented walkable neighborhoods, diverse housing and an array of local businesses and services. Nearby resources will minimize car trips and maximize walking, bike-riding and person-to-person interaction. It's compact land-use planning at its best, including commercial, office, public, and recreational uses. Will it work? To find out, Chesterfield Township commissioned a first-of-its-kind traffic study, which indicated substantially fewer car trips than equivalent development under existing zoning — making many of those trips short enough to become walking trips. And the surrounding communities of Chesterfield, Sykesville and Crosswicks? Village or hamlet designations will help them maintain their historic character well into the future, while benefiting from the new town center's amenities.

Creating a Positive Economic Impact

It's one thing to preserve farmland. Chesterfield plans to go one step further by creating a demand for the business of agriculture. The town center creates a mix of retail and service businesses that will provide markets for local agricultural produce, providing opportunities in both farm and non-farm employment. By 2020, the town center project will create an estimated 457 new jobs in businesses that are commercially viable within the village, keeping property taxes balanced for the projected 3,950 new residents. Finally, the housing planned for the town center will create a healthy and sustainable neighborhood, while helping the township to meet affordable housing goals.

How Smart Growth Helped

The Chesterfield Town Center idea took root before the existence of the State Plan — putting planners in the unique position to make "before and after" comparisons. Previously on their own to contact state agencies and navigate government agency paperwork and approvals, the State Plan suddenly brought multiple state agencies together under common goals. The township has enjoyed a close, ongoing working relationship with the Office of Smart Growth. Also, the "town center" designation led to a state Smart Growth grant. All of this effort is helping the township to encourage location of commercially viable businesses into the town center. In Chesterfield, the State Plan stands as testimony to sustainable development that encourages economic prosperity while enhancing quality of life for New Jersey residents.