TRENTON – Senator Stephen M. Sweeney, the Senate sponsor of the Smart Growth Law, today vowed to fight the attacks of “wisdom-resistant, no-growth zealots” who have misinformed some of his legislative colleagues about the law’s impact.
“There’s no way I will roll over and let them try to ‘fast track’ the repeal of a good law,” Senator Sweeney said.
“In time, I am confident that New Jersey residents will see the compatibility of preservation, protection and desired development,” said Senator Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland. “The Smart Growth Law will combine these desired goals for the environmental and economic benefits of all New Jersey.”
Senator Sweeney said he continues to defend the law, co-sponsored by Senate President and Acting Governor Codey, as one that does not pre-empt local zoning ordinances. He said that in his legislative district, he distributes an opinion he received last month from the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Services which found nothing “to lead one to conclude that local zoning powers had been preempted or overridden….”.
“I can’t believe I still hear the environmental anarchists claiming the (Smart Growth) Law overrides local zoning decisions,” Senator Sweeney said. “That’s a willful distortion of reality.”
CLICK HERE TO READ A LETTER TO SENATOR SWEENEY FROM THE OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES