Official Site of The State of New Jersey

A Highlands Center is an area where development and redevelopment is planned and encouraged. Highlands Centers are intended to support balance in the Highlands Region by providing for sustainable economic growth while protecting critical natural and cultural resources.

Highlands Center designation may be incorporated into a municipality’s Petition for Plan Conformance. Municipalities interested in exploring a Highlands Center designation should contact the Highlands Council staff to begin the process. A list of approved Highlands Centers to date is below. Highlands Center mapping is available on the GIS page.

County	Approved Highlands Centers
Bergen	Mahwah Township
Hunterdon	Lebanon Borough
Morris	Chester Borough, Randolph Township, Washington Township, Wharton Borough
Sussex	Byram Township, Hopatcong Borough
Warren	Alpha Borough, Hackettstown, Lopatcong Township, Oxford Township, Phillipsburg, Pohatcong Township, Washington Borough

Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), the Highlands Council has developed a program to authorize municipalities with approved Plan Conformance Petitions to issue determinations regarding certain Highlands Act exemptions, following completion of a training and certification program and adoption of an approved Highlands ordinance. Details regarding this program are provided below.

Exemptions Eligible for Municipal Determination

Descriptions below are only summaries of the seven exemptions eligible for municipal decision. The complete list and full text of all exemptions can be found in the Highlands Act. All local zoning, land use ordinances, state and federal regulations still apply.

Exemption 1	The construction of a single family dwelling for owner’s own use
Exemption 2	The construction of a single family dwelling with conditions
Exemption 4	The reconstruction of any building or structure with conditions
Exemption 5	Any improvement to a single family dwelling
Exemption 6	Any improvement, for non-residential purposes, to a place of worship owned by a nonprofit entity, society or association, or association organized primarily for religious purposes, or a public or private school, or a hospital
Exemption 7	An activity conducted in accordance with an approved woodland management plan
Exemption 8	The construction or extension of trails with non-impervious surfaces on publicly or privately owned lands

Certified Municipalities

County	Certified Municipalities
Bergen	Mahwah Township, Oakland Borough
Hunterdon	Alexandria Township, Bethlehem Township, Califon Borough, Clinton Township, Glen Gardner Borough, High Bridge Borough, Lebanon Township
Morris	Chester Township, Jefferson Township, Montville Township, Mount Arlington Borough, Mount Olive Township, Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, Washington Township
Passaic	Ringwood Borough, West Milford Township
Somerset	Bedminster
Sussex	Byram Township, Hardyston Township, Hopatcong Borough, Sparta Township, Vernon Township
Warren	Allamuchy Township, Franklin Township, Hackettstown, Harmony Township, Lopatcong Township, Oxford Township, Pohatcong Township, Washington Township

Certification Program

Materials are provided here for reference only. Attendance at Highlands Council training is required for certification. Please contact Maryjude Haddock-Weiler, Planning Manager, for more information.

• Highlands Area Municipal Exemption Determination Certification Program Manual (pdf)
• Highlands Area Municipal Exemption Determination Certification Program Presentation (pdf)

Continuing Education: This training program has been approved for one technical contact hour for individuals holding a Rutgers-issued Board Secretary, Zoning Official, and/or Land Use Administrator certification(s). Rutgers Certification is not intended for professional planner and/or professional engineer continuing education requirements. Additional information regarding continuing education can be found in Appendix G of the program manual.

Model Highlands Area Exemption Ordinance

Please note that this ordinance is only for use by municipalities that have completed the training program referenced above. Adoption of this ordinance must occur prior to certification of the municipality.

• Model Highlands Area Exemption Ordinance (pdf)

The procedures below outline the process and requirements for receiving Council designation of Highlands Redevelopment Areas. Such designations are necessary for any project that requires a Highlands Preservation Area Approval under N.J.A.C. 7:38 (the NJDEP Highlands Rules) with a waiver of provisions regarding a brownfield or a site with existing impervious cover of 70 percent or more.

• Highlands Redevelopment Area Designation Procedures (pdf)

• Procedure for Nomination, Evaluation and Inventory of Highlands Regionally Significant Scenic Resources