New Master Plan Element to Keep Cranford Green

Cranford presented the conservation portion of its new master plan to the public on September 30. The previous versions of the master plan, first drafted in 1978, did not include a conservation element.

Nelson Dittmar, chairman of the Cranford Environmental Commission, presented the element to members of the planning board and the general public.

“(The conservation plan’s purpose) is to retain and improve the quality and character of the lives of Cranford’s residents,” said Dittmar.

He began by stating the importance of sustainability and the “triple bottom line” of environmental stewardship, economic growth and social equity. Sustainable governing practices, he said, will serve to promote all three.

According to the conservation plan, Cranford’s resource protection needs fall into eight categories: water resources; stream corridors, or the areas around the Rahway River and its various feeder brooks; water quality; stormwater management; floodplains; wetlands; wellhead protection, or guarding against pesticides and pollutants that can seep into underground water supplies of nearby communities, as Cranford has no public wells; and open spaces.

The core of the conservation plan consists of 15 recommendations for sustainable development. The first three concern the Rahway River, which the plan calls “the most significant natural resource in Cranford and many other communities." The plan suggests the town creates a flood buffer zone around the river, promoting cooperation with other towns upstream and downstream from Cranford, and expanding the river greenway by purchasing more riverbank property to convert into parks. At one point, Dittmar mentioned a long-term goal as having all five miles along the Rahway River in Cranford converted to park land.

Some recommendations touched on building practices, such as requiring an environmental impact statement for major developments, assessing township-owned lots for sustainability, limiting the number of trees cut down, and requiring a certified landscape architect to assess the aesthetic and environmental benefits of major developments. One recommendation calls for the Cranford municipal government to set an example for its citizens by creating energy efficient goals for township buildings and vehicles.

The plan also included suggestions such as promoting more bicycle usage by improving bike paths and purchasing new bike racks, preserving open spaces and discussing the viability of an open space tax, and increasing recycling.

Although the crowd on hand was sparse, some residents took to the lectern to express thoughts and concerns with the master plan in general and the conservation portion in particular.

Ed Trusch worried about, among other issues, the viability of implementing so many recommendations.

A Cranford Avenue resident thanked the planning committee for their hard work in putting together a new master plan and stressed the importance of the Green Acres program, a state program that provides grants and loans to acquire land for state parks and wildlife management areas.

“I think it’s comprehensive,” said Dave DesRochers of Columbia Avenue. “I hope the planning committee has the gumption to follow the recommendations,” citing that environmental issues have the potential to be controversial.