Planning and Preservation

We provide staff to the Morris County Planning Board and are responsible for programs that preserve farmland, open space, historic resources, assist in the buyout of flood-prone residential properties and fund trail construction projects. We also:

  • Develop county master plan, review subdivisions of land and site plans, advise commissioners on planning matters, and provide information for individual citizens, industries, public service groups, and government officials
  • Maintain aerial photographs of the county and acts as the depository for U.S. Census data
  • Manage the various and diverse planning related programs conducted by the County

Programs

More Information

Latest News

2021 Open Space Recommendations

2021: Four (4) applications were recommended for approval.

2020 Census Summary

The US Census Bureau released the 2020 population figures for Counties. The data was released in raw form with the more formalized and formatted data to be released on or about September 30th. Morris County’s population increased by 3.5%, from 492,276 in 2010 to 509,285 in 2020.  This places Morris County right in the middle of the state’s 21 counties for percentage growth from 2010 to 2020.  New Jersey’s population increased by 5.7%.

The top three Morris County municipalities with the largest numerical population increase are:

  1. Parsippany, up 2,924 (5.5%)
  2. Morristown, up 1,769 (9.6%)
  3. Rockaway Township, up 1,185 (4.9%)

The top three Morris County municipalities by percentage growth are:

  1. Mount Arlington, up 17.0% (859)
  2. Riverdale, up 15.4% (548)
  3. Morris Plains, up 11.2% (621)

Map showing population change over the last decade. Washington, Chester Twp, Roxbury, Long Hill, East Hanover, Jefferson and Kinnelon lost population.

2020-2010_PopulationChange.pdf(PDF, 525KB)

 
2020 Municipalities - Morris County
Total Population
 Municipality 2010 2020 Change (numeric) Change (percent)
Boonton 8,347 8,815 468 5.6%
Boonton Twp. 4,263 4,380 117 2.7%
Butler 7,539 8,047 508 6.7%
Chatham Boro. 8,962  9,212 250 2.8%
Chatham Twp. 10,452 10,983 531 5.1% 
Chester Boro. 1,649  1,681  32  1.9% 
Chester Twp. 7,838  7,713  -125  -1.6% 
Denville 16,635 17,107  472  2.8% 
Dover 18,157  18,460  303  1.7% 
East Hanover 11,157  11,105  -52  -0.5% 
Florham Park 11,696  12,585  889  7.6% 
Hanover 13,712  14,677  965  7.0% 
Harding 3,838  3,871  33  0.9% 
Jefferson 21,314 20,538  -776  -3.6% 
Kinnelon 10,248  9,966  -282  -2.8% 
Lincoln Park 10,521  10,915  394  3.7% 
Long Hill 8,702  8,629  -73  -0.8% 
Madison 15,845  16,937  1,092  6.9% 
Mendham Boro. 4,981  4,981  0  0.0% 
Mendham Twp. 5,869  6,016  147  2.5%
Mine Hill 3,651  4,015  364  10.0% 
Montville 21,528 22,450  922  4.3% 
Morris Twp. 22,306  22,974  668  3.0% 
Morris Plains 5,532 6,153  621  11.2% 
Morristown 18,411  20,180  1,769  9.6% 
Mountain Lakes 4,160 4,472  312  7.5% 
Mount Arlington 5,050  5,909  859  17.0% 
Mount Olive 28,117  28,886  769  2.7% 
Netcong 3,232  3,375  143  4.4% 
Parsippany 53,238  56,162  2,924  5.5% 
Pequannock 15,540  15,571  31  0.2% 
Randolph 25,734  26,504  770  3.0% 
Riverdale 3,559  4,107  548  15.4% 
Rockaway Boro. 6,438  6,598  160  2.5% 
Rockaway Twp. 24,156  25,341  1,185  4.9% 
Roxbury 23,324  22,950  -374  -1.6% 
Victory Gardens 1,520  1,582  62  4.1% 
Washington 18,533  18,197  -336  -1.8% 
Wharton 6,522  7,241  719  11.0% 
Morris County 492,276  509,285  17,009  3.5% 
New Jersey 8,791,909  9,288,994  497,085  5.7% 
SOURCE:

U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (P.L. 94-171) Redistricting Data Summary Files
https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/data/01-Redistricting_File--PL_94-171/New_Jersey/

U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census
https://www.morriscountynj.gov/files/sharedassets/public/departments/planning-amp-preservation/pop-estimates-2019.xlsx


As this data is continued to be processed, additional charts and maps will be posted to the Office of Planning and Preservation web page under the Data section. The following are links to the posted materials:

Special Meeting on Diversion Requests – July 14, 2021

The Morris County Open Space Trust Fund Committee will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, July 14, 2021 at 7:00 PM remotely via WebEx. Public comment will be permitted at the beginning of the meeting.

The special meeting will be held for:

  1. Formal adoption of a resolution memorializing Committee action on a Major Diversion on a portion of the Glen Alpin property (Block 34, Lot 1) in Harding Township. The Township has posted information on its website under Quick Links Glen Alpin Disposal/Diversion Application - Green Acres.
  2. Continued discussion on an application by Parsippany-Troy Hills Township for a Minor Diversion on a portion of the Smith Road Sheep Farm property (Block 736, Lot 9.01) in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township. Information is posted on the Parsippany-Troy Hills Water Utility website.

Both properties were acquired as open space and financed in part utilizing dollars from the Morris County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland, and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.

 Agenda for the meeting(PDF, 195KB).

The meeting can be accessed at the web address and phone number listed below:

Should there be any technical difficulties with the WebEx application, the meeting will be held via conference call at the phone number listed below:

  • 1-201-546-5293
  • Guest Passcode: 842856#

Parsippany Water Utility Minor Diversion Information

The following documents and links pertain to the Morris County Preservation Trust Fund diversion for the Smith Road Sheep Farm property in the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills.

Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Water Utility website: “Replacement Well 20 Green Acres Project Notification”

 

Glen Alpin Diversion Information

The following documents and links pertain to the Morris County Preservation Trust Fund diversion for the Glen Alpin property in the Township of Harding.

Harding Township Website Quick Link: “Glen Alpin Disposal/Diversion Application” 

 

The Greatest Generation – Morris County in WWII

September 2, 2020 was the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, the official end to World War II. The Office of Planning and Preservation has released a cultural resources survey, a compilation of the names of our 3,075 WWII veterans. Search the list for your loved ones who served in the Greatest Generation.

 

 

Contact Us

Phone

(973) 829-8120

Fax

(973) 326-9025

Location

Schuyler Annex Building
30 Schuyler Place, 4th floor
Morristown
07960
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Mailing Address

County of Morris
Office of Planning & Preservation
PO Box 900
Morristown, NJ 07963-0900

Email Us

Fill out our feedback form to send us an email.

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