In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, municipalities have "home rule," meaning that municipal governments have decision-making power over many issues that impact the natural environment and quality of life. DVRPC offers planning services and technical assistance to municipalities to assist with their efforts to protect and improve the environment through municipal governance.
Environmental Planning Services
DVRPC offers open space and natural resource planning services to New Jersey municipalities and counties to help them identify the current state of their natural resources, articulate their vision for future stewardship and preservation, and develop specific planning tools to achieve that vision. All planning services are subsidized by DVRPC to reduce expenses to municipalities.
Municipal Water Quality Actions
Using a grant from the William Penn Foundation, DVRPC collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders working in the Delaware River watershed in order to identify which types of technical assistance and support most effectively help municipalities implement water conservation tools and practices, and where they would best be deployed.
Natural Resource Protection Tools
Municipal zoning and planning tools play a critical role in protecting Greater Philadelphia’s precious natural resources. DVRPC assists municipalities with useful maps and surveys related to environmental resources and regulations. Additionally, DVRPC offers sample ordinances that can be used as models by municipalities seeking to protect open spaces and natural resources as they update or adopt new zoning ordinances.