The Legislature finds and declares that as the most densely populated state in the nation, the State of New Jersey is faced with the challenge of accommodating vital growth while maintaining the environmental integrity and preserving the natural resources and cultural heritage of the Garden State; that the responsibility for meeting this challenge falls most heavily upon local government to appropriately shape the land use patterns so that growth and preservation become compatible goals; that until now municipalities have lacked effective and equitable means by which potential development may be transferred from areas where preservation is most appropriate to areas where growth can be better accommodated and maximized; and that the tools necessary to meet the challenge of balanced growth in an equitable manner in New Jersey must be made available to local government as the architects of New Jersey’s future.

The Legislature further finds and declares that prior to the implementation of development potential transfer programs on a Statewide basis, it is necessary to demonstrate its feasibility in a pilot program; that such a pilot program should take place in an area where there is experience with development easement purchase and transfer; that Burlington County served as the program area for the “Agricultural Preserve Demonstration Program Act,” P.L.1976, c.50 (C. 4:1B-1 et seq.), and has participated to a greater extent than any other county in both the pinelands development credit program instituted under the “Pinelands Protection Act,” P.L.1979, c.111 (C. 13:18A-1 et seq.) and the development easement purchase program instituted under the “Agriculture Retention and Development Act,” P.L.1983, c.32 (C. 4:1C-11 et al.); that because of this participation and the familiarity of local government units and the residents of the county with this land use planning technique, it is especially suited and provides the most conducive laboratory to demonstrate the feasibility of such a program.

L.1989,c.86,s.2.