Environmental and Land Use Alert: COVID-19 Crisis: New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Provides Guidance for Virtual Meetings

The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has put forth information for local governments to conduct remote meetings and conferences. The DCA confirms that notice of all hearings and meetings is still required. In addition, local governments must provide information to the public on how the public can virtually “attend” such meetings. The DCA provides information regarding telephonic communications but seems to encourage local governments to use web-based applications and live streaming. There are costs to these applications, although some can be accessed for free to begin. The DCA provides positives and negatives of the various applications so that local leaders can choose the most appropriate option. The DCA also suggests that there be multiple ways for the public to provide comments, suggesting Facebook and Google. Click here for the DCA guidance.