Patrick M. Gillespie, the deputy director of the NJ Senate Democrats, will serve as state’s next smart-growth ombudsman, the Governor’s office announced last Tuesday. The cabinet-level position was created by last year’s controversial "fast-track" development legislation to help oversee smart growth efforts in the departments of Community Affairs, Environmental Protection, and Transportation. Its power includes the ability to review any regulations proposed by the agencies for their impact on the State Plan, among others.

Despite the larger controversies surrounding the Permit Streamlining in Smart Growth Areas Act—which was rammed through the legislature last summer in four days with little public debate—Gillespie is widely viewed as a popular choice for the position due to his experience with environmental and land use issues. Gillespie is a veteran of the NJ Senate Democrats and has served as a councilman in Old Bridge. 

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