Sunday, May 10, 2015

Pinelands Commission Debuts New Website


By MICHELLE BRUNETTI POST Staff Writer
It should be easier to follow the work of The Pinelands Commission, and to submit comments and questions on issues, after the agency website’s first redesign in a decade.

The site, at nj.gov/pinelands, improves the public's ability to find information and the commission’s ability to communicate with applicants and others, said Executive Director Nancy Wittenberg.


Before starting the redesign with the help of the New Jersey Office of Information Technology, staff conducted an online survey to see what the public wanted, said spokesman Paul Leakan.
The public asked that information be easier to find, that meeting dates be displayed more prominently and for a better way to communicate with the commission.


New systems now allow the public to submit formal, written comments on issues, such as pending resolutions or proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Management Plan. The public can also send questions or comments regarding development applications or Commission decisions.
Separate versions have been created for use on desktop computers, as well as for cellphones and for tablets computers, Leakan said

.
The new site includes a library with about 200 photos of Pinelands agriculture, animals, history, landscape and plants, as well as videos.


Applicants can use a fee calculator to determine their development application fee, and commission staff is working on a new interactive mapping system that will enable the public to view zoning, wetlands and other information by block and lot, Leakan said.
Contact Michelle Brunetti Post:
609-272-7219



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