Gillespie comes to the job well connected in political circles. He's currently deputy director of the New Jersey Senate Democrats and was previously a senior research analyst for the Senate Democrats. He's also a councilman in his hometown of Old Bridge.

"Pat Gillespie's experience in government…makes him the ideal candidate for this position," Codey says in a statement. "He brings a keen understanding of the principles of smart growth and the need to balance development and redevelopment with efforts to preserve and protect our open spaces."

Pushed quickly through the legislature last summer by the administration of former Gov. James McGreevey, the Smart Growth Act is designed to fast-track the permit process in so-called "green zones," areas on the state growth management map designated for development. Various state agencies are currently drafting the rules for implementing the act.

The act was also an effort to mollify developers, communities and legislators miffed by an earlier law that effectively bars almost all development in the state's Highlands watershed region, by making it easier to get projects done in other parts of the state.

But the fast-track legislation immediately drew howls of protest from environmentalists, a coalition of which is continuing to mount a legislative effort to repeal it. For its part, the Codey administration admits to tinkering with the act via the rulemaking process to "fix" it rather than repeal it.

Gillespie's powers as smart growth ombudsman are broad, including the ability to effectively veto regulations by any state agencies that could have a negative impact on the so-called smart growth process. He will also have the ability to speed up the review and permit process by state agencies, notably the NJ DEP.

Instant Insights /

'Sprawl Czar' Will Have Wide Powers

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