Shrewsbury recently received a $5,368 matching grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, or ANJEC, to help revise the borough's Master Plan to include a sustainability element, the association recently announced

As part of the Sustainable Land Use Planning Grant for Municipalities, members of the borough's Environmental Commission, Planning Board and Borough Council will work with qualified professionals to create zoning ordinances and design standards for alternative energy sources for residential and commercial properties within the Borough, a release read.

The group will also update and revise existing ordinances to simplify the approval process for alternative energy use, such as solar, wind turbine and geothermal energy systems.

The planning will help encourage greater use of alternative energy sources. 

"The Borough of Shrewsbury is sincerely dedicated to the sustainability of its community," Jill Gwydir, Chair of the Shrewsbury Environmental Commission, said in the release. "We recently received a Bronze certification from Sustainable New Jersey in recognition of our efforts to preserve resources for future generations. This project is part of our effort to maintain that certification, and to ensure that the borough continues moving forward when it comes to sustainability issues."

A public information session about developing the 2012 Sustainable Land Use Plan will be held in January 2013. Shrewsbury residents and businesses are encouraged to check the Borough's website, for further information regarding the session and the development of the project.