Flemington awarded economic development grant by Hunterdon County Commissioners to assist master plan upgrade

FLEMINGTON, NJ (Hunterdon County) – Flemington’s Master Plan update designed to take advantage of the borough’s designation as a (state/federal) Opportunity Zone received a boost when the Hunterdon County Board of Commissioners recently approved a $20,000 economic development grant for the $50,000 project.

County Board of Commissioners Director John E. Lanza said, “It is clearly in the County’s interest to assist Flemington, as the county seat, in the community’s effort to leverage the opportunity zone designation; promoting appropriate economic growth and supporting local ratable development, tourism, services, and employment, through its revised master plan.”

“The Hunterdon County Economic Development Grant program has, over the past few years, provided funding to a number of municipalities that are looking to explore, create, or implement programs, policies, or procedures consistent with the goals and objectives of the County’s economic initiative. Municipal grant participants are normally asked to provide 10% of the cost of the project, however, in this case Flemington is providing the other $30,000 for the full $50,000 cost of the plan being developed by planning consultants Kyle and McManus Associates,” Lanza said.

Lanza said the recent interest in the community from developers is being driven significantly by Flemington’s designation as an Opportunity Zone which the County fully supported.

According to Borough officials, proposed changes to the Master Plan elements will, among other things, enable Flemington to identify zoning and development strategies that:

• Concentrate retail, service, and entertainment uses in a manner that best contribute to
  creating a vibrant downtown.
• Identify zoning and development strategies to best use density, a mix of uses, and public open space to attract new development and redevelopment and promote economic development.
• Promote growth in Borough population and nonresidential development and employment.

Flemington Mayor Betsy Driver says she believes achieving these outcomes will ultimately enable the Borough to become a major destination in the County for local and regional tourism, services, and employment.

For more information about the grant program, email Hunterdon County Economic Development & Tourism Director Marc Saluk at msaluk@co.hunterdon.nj.us.