Great Places in NJ

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Great Places in New Jersey celebrates neighborhoods, streets, and public spaces of exemplary character, quality, and planning.  These places represent the gold standard in terms of having a true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow.  Know of a street, neighborhood or public space you think merits designation as a Great Place in New Jersey? Nominate it! Nominations received by July 31, 2012 will be considered for designation in 2012. 

The American Planning Association-New Jersey Chapter (APA-NJ) will:

• Announce the Great Streets, Great Neighborhoods, and Great Public Spaces.
• Issue news releases statewide and locally about the designations.
• Feature the designations in presentations by APA-NJ, in an issue of The Jersey Planner, on the APA-NJ website, and on posters and other printed materials prepared to celebrate Community Planning Month in October.
• Coordinate attendance of APA-NJ representatives at local designation ceremonies in communities choosing to hold such events.
• Hold local educational activities such as tours and presentations throughout Community Planning Month.
• Recognize each designated Great Place at the New Jersey Planning Conference.
• Work with representatives of each designated Great Place who seek to nominate their Great Place under APA’s 2013 Great Places in America program.

What Makes a Great Place?

Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be — not only to visit, but to live and work every day. New Jersey’s great streets, neighborhoods and public spaces are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community activity.  Consider the following descriptions as the guiding principles upon which APA-NJ will base its review, rather than a checklist of mandated characteristics:

Great Street.  A street comprises the entire three-dimensional visual corridor, including how it relates to the adjacent development. Submissions should document the street’s character, form, and function. Streets of different types are eligible, ranging from pedestrian to arterial roadways, but each should have definable characteristics. Special emphasis is placed on streets that service and take into account all users — whether auto, pedestrian, bicycle, or transit riders.  Characteristics of a Great Street include:

1. Balances the competing needs of the street — driving, transit, walking, cycling, servicing, parking, drop-offs, etc. with that of adjoining land uses.
2. Capitalizes on natural features and the context in which it resides.
3. Design and architectural features that create an atmosphere.
4. Encourages social activity.
5. Employs hardscape and/or landscape to create ambiance and atmosphere.
6. Promotes safety of pedestrians and vehicles and promotes use over the 24-hour day.
7. Is well maintained, and capable of being maintained without excessive costs.
8. Has a memorable character.
9. To the extent feasible, promotes sustainability through minimizing runoff, reusing water, ensuring groundwater quality, minimizing heat islands, and responding to climatic demands.

Great Neighborhood. Neighborhoods of different types are eligible — downtown, urban, suburban, exurban, town, small village.  Characteristics of a Great Neighborhood include:

1. Has a variety of functional attributes that contribute to a resident’s day-to-day living (i.e. residential, commercial, or mixed-uses).
2. Accommodates all modes of transportation (i.e. pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers).
3. Has design and architectural features that are visually interesting.
4. Encourages social activity.
5. Provides and maintains a safe, secure environment. 
6. Promotes sustainability and responds to climatic demands.
7. Has a memorable character.

Great Public Space.  A public space may be a gathering spot or part of a neighborhood, downtown, special district, waterfront or other area within the public realm that helps promote social interaction and a sense of community. Examples include such spaces as plazas, town squares, parks, marketplaces, public commons and malls, public greens, piers, special areas within convention centers or grounds, sites within public buildings, concourses, or public spaces within private buildings. Characteristics of a Great Public Space include:

1. Promotes social activity.
2. Is safe, welcoming, and accommodating for all users.
3. Has design and architectural features that are visually interesting.
4. Reflects the local culture or history.
5. Relates well to surrounding areas and uses.
6. Is well maintained.
7. Has a unique or special character.

All Great Place Categories.  A Great Place should reflect the outcome of good plans and planning, either in its design and development or by sustaining its character over time.  In addition, a Great Place should contribute to the municipality’s social, economic, and environmental well-being for the long term.

Program Rules

Great Places of New Jersey is an initiative of APA-NJ.  Nominations open on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 and close on Tuesday, July 31, 2012.

APA-NJ will accept questions regarding the Great Places program until July 7, 2012.  Submit questions to GreatPlaces@njplanning.org.  APA-NJ will post responses to these questions on the Chapter website at www.njplanning.org no later than July 17, 2012.

All entrants grant to APA-NJ the right to use any and all information related to the competition, including information on nominations obtained through the competition, for marketing purposes or any other purpose, unless prohibited by law. 

Officers, employees, consultants, and agents of municipalities in which nominations are located are not eligible to serve as judges.

APA-NJ reserves the right to limit the number of Great Place designations based on the quality of the nominations received. 

The party submitting the nomination for each Great Place designated, by acceptance of the designation, agrees to release APA-NJ, its officers, employees, and agents from all liability, claims, or actions of any kind whatsoever for injuries, damages, or losses to persons and property which may be sustained in connection with the receipt, ownership, or use of the Great Place designation.