SAHANA KUMAR,
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Golda brings a background in municipal planning and project management, providing her with the expertise to ground complex projects with effective designs to meet multiple bottom lines. She is Topology’s in-house regulatory expert with a proven track record for statutory compliance. Golda’s expertise includes cross-teams training and support on general operations of the firm, and to prepare staff planning reports on technical reviews of subdivisions, site plans, redevelopment plans, affordable housing plans, master plan review, and zoning code ordinances. Golda is also a certified Planning and Zoning Board Administrator and has her Project Management Professional Certification.

Golda has worked at Topology since 2018. Previously, she served as a Project Manager for the City of Jersey City’s Department of Housing and Economic Development. Before this, Golda spent several years as Community Development and Zoning Administrator for the City of New Brunswick. 

Golda is affiliated with the American Institute of Certified Planners, the New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association and the Project Management Institute. She is a graduate from the New Brunswick Leadership Training Program sponsored by John J. Heldrich Institute for Leadership Development. In her free time, Golda enjoys snowboarding and video editing.

Notable Project Highlights:

1.     Land Use Application Review (Site Plan, Subdivision, Interpretations): Golda reviews, provides technical reports and/or provide expert testimony for both the public and private sector before Land Use Boards / Public Agencies. In this capacity, Golda supported over 200 applications and have appeared at over 30 different Land Use Board / Public Agencies to provide such technical guidance for Board members and Commissioners to understand land use, variances, and technical regulations. 

2.     Land Use Ordinances: Golda has prepared various municipal ordinance amendments to legislative codes that include zoning maps amendments, parking ordinances, cannabis ordinance, zoning district ordinances, design ordinances, and other general zoning and administration amendments. 

3.     Affordable Housing Negotiations, Housing Element Plans, and Trust Fund Spending Plans: Golda is trusted to provide guidance for the provision of affordable housing for multiple communities to satisfy their legally mandated requirements. Services provided include expert testimony at court fairness hearings, preparation of Master Plan Housing Elements, and preparing fiscal affordable housing trust fund spending plans for Morristown, South Orange, Rockaway Borough, Caldwell Borough, and Elmwood Park. 

Education: 

  • Master’s Degree, City and Regional Planning

    Rutgers University

  • Bachelor’s Degree, Planning & Pubic Policy; Political Science

    Rutgers University

  • Urban Design (Study Abroad – Ankara, Turkey)

    Bilkent University