Master Plan
CLICK HERE for Master Plan.
The first formal Master Plan for Tewksbury Township was developed and adopted in 1979. The current Plan which is the 3rd plan was adopted in 2004 after two years' of work by the Planning Board that involved reviewing the Township's geology, hydrogeology, septic dilution capacity, road traffic, consulting with several Township organizations and holding about two dozen public hearings.
Tewksbury has a unique geological, historical and environmental features. A prime consideration in developing the Master Plan was to protect and preserve these unique features. In keeping with this, the Plan adhered to the following goals:
- Respect the natural conditions and environmental constraints.
- Prevent encroachment on sensitive areas such as headwaters, vernal pools, trout production streams, wetlands, floodplains, streams, and habitats of protected and endangered species.
- Retain aesthetic beauty and open spaces.
- Preserve farms and farmland.
- Preserve historic structures, villages and hamlets.
- Protect rural and scenic roads.
- Protect ground and surface water resources.
In keeping with these Goals, some of the Plan recommendations include the following:
- Preserve mature and maturing woodlands and forests through open space preservation and reduction of net density of development in forested areas.
- Use cluster zoning to concentrate development away from critical areas while preserving contiguous open spaces.
- Protect critical slopes from development.
Final zoning recommendations include mixed use districts and 1.5 acre lot sizes, Piedmont district at 5 acres, Farmland Preservation district at 7 acres, Lamington district at 10 acres and Highlands district at 12 acres.