Long Hill Township Environmental Commission
Year-End Report – 2006
This document is the first in what I hope will become an annual submission from the Environmental Commission. In the short term, the Year-End Report can help provide a smoother transition for new members and new leadership as Commissioners are replaced. Over the long term, the Year-End Reports can become an archival summary of the evolving goals and accomplishments of the EC.
This report is structured within the framework of the Goals for 2006 that were presented to the EC by the Chair in JAN2006:
Goal 1: Improved detail of site plan reviews, especially with respect to stormwater management. Every project should meet no-net requirements.
This is more of a standing policy of the EC rather than a specific goal. We review every project with an eye toward minimizing disturbance, saving trees, and managing stormwater on site. We have developed an excellent working relationship with the Board of Adjustment, where most of this year’s applications were being heard, and have made positive impacts on nearly every application that we reviewed.
The detailed comments from the EC are a matter of public record in the individual files and may be obtained through the Planning Board and Zoning Board Administrator, Dawn Wolfe. Here are some of the approaches and accomplishments of the EC in reviewing these applications for the Planning Board and Zoning Board:
- For several of the applications, the EC offered major revisions of the site plans to reduce impervious cover, save specimen trees, and reduce runoff.
- In nearly every application the EC recommended state-of-the-art nonstructural stormwater BMPs to infiltrate stormwater back into the ground and reduce runoff. We believe that one of these applications incorporated Long Hill’s first rain garden and first rain barrel collection system.
- The EC has been strongly promoting the reduction of driveway and roadway surfaces, the elimination of curbing, and the use of permeable pavers wherever practical.
- The EC has promoted the establishment of conservation easements to protect in perpetuity steep slopes, wooded areas, and open space on the peripheral areas of properties.
The 16 projects reviewed by the EC are listed below:
Application No. 06-03P
Applicant: Pugliese, Patrick
Property: Block 13803 Lots 1 and 1.01 (proposed)
Address: 26 Hickory Tavern Rd., Gillette
Application No. 05-12Z
Applicant: Scott and Pamela Monty
Property: 351 Long Hill Rd, Gillette, NJ (Block 13503, Lot 16)
Application No. 06-04P
Applicant: Stirling Library, LLC (Michael Gurval)
Property: 91 Central Ave, Stirling NJ (Block 13103 Lot 6)
Application No. 05-13Z
Applicant: Katelyn & Kenneth Anastario
Property: 378 Chestnut St, Stirling
Block 13002, Lot 12, Zone R-4
Application No. 03-23Z
Applicant: JAM Realty
Property: Elliot Road, Millington (Block 124, Lot 21)
Application No. 05-08Z
Applicant: Maureen & Elizabeth Cronin
Property: Torbert Rd (Block 13588, Lot 9)
Application No. 06-02Z
Applicant: Charles R. and Janet L. Faig
Property: 159 Cottage Place W, Gillette, New Jersey (Block 13404 Lot 39)
Application No. 06-01Z
Applicant: William & Diane Gurnee and Ralph & Bonnie Naumovitz
Property: 346 Elm Street, Stirling, New Jersey (Block 113004 Lot 30)
Application No. 04-17Z
Applicant: Pietro Maggipinto
Property: 691 Long Hill Road, Gillette (Block 13402, Lot 1.05)
Application No. 06-06Z
Applicant: Peter Matlosz
Property: 28 Stirling St., Stirling NJ (Block 13107, Lot 9)
Application No. 06-04Z
Applicant: James Oliver
Property: Homestead Rd, Gillette (Block 13501, Lot 12; Block 13514, Lot 1)
Application No. 06-05P
Applicant: Parthenon Realty, L.L.C.
Property: Valley Road, Gillette (Block 11301-Lot 4 & 11401-Lot 23)
Application No. 06-08Z
Applicant: Phillip J. Ponturo
Property: 134 E. Springbrook Dr., Gillette, New Jersey (Block 14002 Lot 23)
Application No. 05-14Z
Applicant: Fred W. Schaan
Property: 85 Maple Avenue, Stirling, New Jersey (Block 13107, Lot 1)
Application No. 06-05Z
Applicant: Daniel Von Pache
Property: 23 Midvale Ave, Millington (Block 12001 Lot 5)
Application No. 05-18P
Applicant: Wallace, Deatly & Priestman
Property: 1418 & 1446 Long Hill Rd (Block 12802, Lots 2 & 3.01 Block 14205, Lot 1)
Long Hill Township Town Hall
Informal review of grading and stormwater issues in parking lot.
Goal 2: Review environmental ordinances and recommend revisions to Planning Board.
A comprehensive revision of the Land Use Ordinances related to environmental issues was prepared by the EC and submitted to the Planning Board in February 2006 for review. It has not yet been scheduled on the PB agenda.
Goal 3: Review environmental element of Master Plan and recommend changes to Planning Board.
A comprehensive revision of the Master Plan Conservation Element was prepared by the EC and submitted to the Planning Board in May 2006 for review. It has not yet been scheduled on the PB agenda.
Goal 4: Work to improve Morris County Soil Conservation District’s oversight of development projects.
No action has been taken on this goal yet. Most of our current projects either do not trigger oversight by the MCSCD or the elements that fall under their purview are very broad stroke issues.
Goal 5: Work more closely with Zoning Enforcement Officer on environmental issues.
No action has been taken on this goal yet. Once our Land Use Ordinances have been revised to incorporate more sophisticated BMPs for stormwater management and protection of other resources, we may want to consider developing procedures for the Zoning Enforcement Officer to assist the engineer in monitoring ongoing projects for such routine things as silt fences, area of disturbance, tracking pads, etc.
Goal 6: Reinvigorate Passaic River Nature Trail project.
This project is ongoing but moving slowly because it needs both Township initiatives to obtain remaining easements and funding sources (perhaps Morris County, NJDEP or USACE.) Both Warren Township across the river and Chatham Township downstream have made significant progress in their river trail systems. The overall plan for the trail includes linkages from the new Municipal Complex to the Senior Center and Gillette School.
Goal 7: Improve public education initiatives (ANJEC; Echoes-Sentinel; Library; etc.)
- The EC published an article in the Township newsletter and on our website to encourage residents to undertake better stormwater management practices on their properties:
- The EC presented a month-long exhibit on recycling in the Long Hill Township Public Library and handed out information at the Millington Street Fair.
- In response to a resident’s concerns, the EC put together an information bulletin on procedures to eradicate Japanese Knotweed:
- The EC prepared a brochure that was reviewed and approved by the Planning Board to be included with the packet of application materials for all projects coming before the Planning or Zoning Boards. The brochure is designed to provide easy-to-understand information to help applicants to communicate more effectively about environmental issues when they speak to their engineers or planners:
- The EC recommended that the mayor sign onto the U. S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which is part of the nationwide Cool Cities initiative to undertake local actions that are consistent with the International Kyoto Protocol. In October, Long Hill was honored as being one of three municipalities in Morris County that had entered into the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement:
- The EC has established communication with representatives from the Chatham Township Environmental Commission and the NJ Environmental Federation to learn more about pesticide-free lawn management. We plan to work with the Long Hill Township DPW and schools to promote these improved methods:
- The EC has developed a working document that lists native species, their deer resistance, and preferred habitat:
Goal 8: Encourage and invite additional public input into Environmental Commission.
This is an ongoing policy. The EC website has been upgraded and should soon have agendas and minutes online:
o http://www.longhillnj.us/boards/envirocomm.html
Goal 9: Revisit USACE’s Stirling Flood Control Project with respect to FEMA, PRNT, TMDLs, etc.
The plans for the USACE project are quite far along and may not be amenable to very much that is new. The EC should work closely to communicate with local residents and businesses as the project moves forward. Whether or not the project is constructed, the EC’s position is that Long Hill Township must have the highest standards possible to prevent additional stormwater from being generated as a result of development.
Goal 10: Continue and improve interactions with Open Space Advisory Committee and Historic Preservation Advisory Committee.
This is an ongoing policy, but it needs additional attention.
Goal 11: Work more closely with Morris County to protect our historic roadways.
The Great Swamp Watershed Association shares our interest in this. Then Executive Director, Julia Somers, arranged for Environmental Commission chairs from the towns in the Watershed to meet with the County Engineer and staff in March 2006. The discussion centered on the possibility of eliminating curbs wherever possible, using narrower roadways, designing smaller intersections, and so forth—all nationally recognized as modern BMPs and, in fact, an integral part of the new Statewide Stormwater Standards. Five of the 8 EC chairs were in attendance and the consensus after the meeting was that no progress was made.
On a more local level, Township Engineer Justin Lizza, Township Planner Kevin O’Brien and I met with Morris County Planner Ray Zabihach and staff to consider using modern BMPs for the short section of road widening on Division Avenue in Millington (next to TIFA). We also discussed the two new bridges (White Bridge Rd and Haas Rd) to design these projects to maintain the character of our historic roadways and meet the stormwater goals of no net increase in runoff. Again, no progress was made.
The EC, the Township, the Ten Towns Committee, and the Great Swamp Watershed Association still have a lot of work to do in this area.
Goal 12: Work with Shade Tree Commission to protect and re-establish canopied roadways.
This is an important long-term project that should dovetail with the proposed Master Plan element revisions. The EC chair has already made initial contact with Walter Carell on this issue and will pursue it further. The problem is that utility companies are removing dead trees from along the roadways, which of course is appropriate. But at the same time, they are removing all of the small-caliper trees that are near their lines. Over the next 20 to 40 years, the end result will be that most of our tree-canopied roadways will have disappeared. In addition to the environmental value that inheres in shaded roadways, the visual aesthetic value is one of the major features of our Township.
The EC should continue working with the Shade Tree Committee and the Governing Body to reach a working agreement with our utility companies.
Goal 13: Work with the Ten Towns Committee to take advantage of workshops, educational programs, grants, etc.
The current chair of the EC is the immediate past chair of the TTC, so there is a good line of communication. In the future, there will be a growing need to promote regular reporting and interaction with new members of the EC. Harding, Chatham and Long Hill are key to the continued success of the TTC. We should work more closely with ANJEC and the TTC to develop joint grant applications for protection of our environmental resources.
Goal 14: Work with DPW to help meet Statewide Stormwater Regulations.
This will evolve over the course of the next year or two as the procedures for meeting the requirements become more routine. One important issue that is also a major budget item is the possibility of retrofitting our truck to use brine as opposed to crystalline salt. This has been successful and very cost-effective in New England. We need to work with Township Engineer Justin Lizza on this.
Respectfully submitted,
Leonard W. Hamilton, Ph.D.Chair of Environmental Commission
Members:
- Leonard Hamilton, Chair 2006
- Michael Bergen
- John J. Walsh
- Olga Neville
- Scott Soldan
- Bruce Meringolo
- Joan McCloskey
- Alexandra Hennessy, 2nd Alt.
- William Hopcraft, Township Committee Liaison
- Karen Shear, Secretary
