Master plan for the Township of Washington, Bergen County, New Jersey

Less than twenty years ago, Washington Township was a rural community numbering some 500 persons. Three major developments changed Washington from a remote town in the New York metropolitan area to a built-up, suburban community, closely tied to Newark and New York: 1) the construction of the Garden State Parkway through Washington; 2) the vast increase in private automobile ownership; and 3) industrial expansion and growing employment opportunities in Bergen County. The result of these three developments has been the fourfold increase in township population since the end of World War II. Washington's growth has been swift. This growth has also been accompanied by problems. Until recently, the problems presented by growth and change could be effectively handled on an individual basis. Now, because of the built-up nature of the community, new development in one section has its impact on the entire community. It has become increasingly important to insure coordination in the use of land, in the location of public facilities, and in the development of an adequate road system. In the summer of 1960, the Washington Planning Board, with technical aid from its consultant, undertook the preparation of a master plan. This report is a culmination of over 18 months study of the township's social, economic and physical characteristics. During this period, several detailed planning studies were carried out as part of the planning process. These detailed studies were reviewed by the Planning Board and are incorporated into this master plan. The Master Plan consists of: Land Use Plan: A plan showing the amount and location of land to be reserved for residential, commercial and public uses. Traffic Plan. A plan for the improvement of traffic circulation within the township related to regional as well as local needs. Community Facilities Plan. A plan which analyzes the adequacy of existing schools, parks, playgrounds and public buildings and recommends a program for their improvement and expansion. In addition to the above elements, the Master Plan contains a program for its effectuation through the Capital Improvements Program and the Regulatory Controls. Because Washington is largely built-up this Master Plan is primarily intended to act as a guide to major decisions on public improvements (provision of open space, for example), to establish a framework within which to review new subdivision activity and to provide the basis for the updating of the Zoning Ordinance.The preparation of this report was financed in part through an urban planning grant from the Housing and Home Finance Agency, under the provisions of Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954, as amended. The remainder has been financed by local funds and by an appropriation of the State of New Jersey as part of the expanded state and regional planning program.There was not an exact publication date listed, but date was estimated based on data from 1961 listed in the document and the Rutgers accession date 1963 stamped on the cover