Township of Lower, NJ Design Standards

Storm sewers, open channels, bridges and culverts, unless otherwise directed by the Township Engineer, shall be designed for minimum flow capacities as follows:

		Design Capacity
	Drainage systems^a	25 years
	Drainage structures^b	100 years
	Open channels	As determined by Township Engineer

	NOTES:
	^aThe term "drainage systems" refers to the composite of all drainage infrastructure improvements.
	^bThe term "drainage structures" refers to particular drainage infrastructure improvements such as bridges and culverts.

For retention or detention basins, soil borings shall be provided at the rate of one boring per 5,000 square feet of basin surface area. For all linear trenches such as perforated pipe trenches, borings shall be required at a rate of one boring per 100 linear feet of trench. Boring depth shall extend as a minimum to the seasonal high water and to the water table if possible. Boring logs shall be shown on the site plan and shall include:

Soil texture as described in the USDA Soil Texture classification;

Soil color as described in the Munsell Color Chart; and

Estimated depth to seasonal high water.

The location of any system that incorporates infiltration shall have a minimum two-foot clearance between the invert of the system and the seasonal high water table.

The materials used in the construction of storm sewers, bridges and other drainage structures shall be in accordance with specifications of the Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction of the New Jersey State Highway Department, current edition, and any supplements, addenda and modifications thereof. Modification or change of these specifications may be affected only with the knowledge and written consent of the Township Engineer and Planning Board.

Lots shall be graded to secure proper drainage away from buildings and to prevent the ponding of stormwater except where retention or detention basins are provided.

Drainage structures which are proposed to be located on state or county highway rights-of-way shall be approved by the state or county highway engineer's office, and a letter from that office indicating such approval shall be directed to the administrative officer and shall be received prior to the granting of final approval. Drainage structures proposed on a brook or stream with a drainage area of 1/2 square mile (320 acres) or greater shall be approved by the New Jersey Division of Water Policy and Supply, and a letter from that office shall be directed to the administrative officer.

Where a lot or tract is traversed by a watercourse, surface or underground drainageway or drainage system, channel or stream, there shall be provided and dedicated a drainage right-of-way easement to the Township conforming substantially with the lines of such watercourse, and such further width or construction or both as will be adequate to accommodate expected stormwater runoff in the future, based upon reasonable growth potential in the Township and, in any event, meeting any minimum widths and locations shown on any adopted Official Map or Master Plan. Such easement dedication shall be expressed on the plat as follows: "Drainage and utility right-of-way easement granted for the purposes provided for and expressed in the development ordinance."

§ 400-47 Lighting.

Streetlighting of a type supplied by the utility and of a type and number approved by the Township Engineer shall be provided for all street intersections and along all arterial, collector and local streets and anywhere else deemed necessary for safety reasons. Wherever electric utility installations are required to be underground, the applicant shall provide for underground service for streetlighting.

All parking areas and walkways thereto and appurtenant passageways and driveways serving commercial, public, office, industrial, apartment or other similar uses, having common off-street parking and/or loading areas, and building complexes requiring area lighting shall be adequately illuminated for security and safety purposes. The lighting plan in and around the parking areas shall provide for nonglare, color-corrected lights focused downward. The light intensity provided at ground level shall be a minimum of 0.3 footcandle anywhere in the area to be illuminated, shall average a minimum of 0.5 footcandle over the entire area, and shall be provided by fixtures with a mounting height not more than 25 feet measured from the ground level to the center line of the light source spaced a distance not to exceed five times the mounting height. Any other outdoor lighting such as building and sidewalk illumination, driveways with no adjacent parking, the lighting of signs and ornamental lighting shall be shown on the lighting plan in sufficient detail to allow determination of the effects to adjacent properties, traffic safety and overhead sky glow. The objective of these specifications is to minimize undesirable off-premises effects. No light shall shine into windows or onto streets and driveways in such manner as to interfere with or distract driver vision. To achieve these requirements, the intensity of such light sources, the light shielding and similar characteristics shall be subject to site plan approval. The Planning Board reserves the right to physically inspect the lighting so as to insure compliance with the intent to insure that light pollution does not occur.

§ 400-48 Natural features.

[Amended by Ord. No. 84-4]

Natural features such as trees, hilltops and views, natural terrain, open waters and natural drainage lines shall be preserved whenever possible in designing and development containing such features.

No topsoil shall be removed from areas intended for lawn or open space. Topsoil moved during the course of construction shall be redistributed so as to provide at least six inches of cover to all such areas, which shall be stabilized by the approved seeding and/or planting.

A conscious effort shall be made to preserve all worthwhile trees and shrubs which exist on the site. Stripping trees from a lot or filling around trees on a lot shall not be permitted unless it can be shown that grading or construction requirements necessitate removal of trees, in which case those lots shall be replanted with trees to reestablish the tone of the area in conformance with adjacent lots. All newly planted shade trees shall be of nursery stock. Deciduous trees shall have at least a one-and-one-half-inch caliper at planting, evergreen trees shall be at least five feet tall, and shrubs shall be at least two feet tall. All trees shall be of a species approved by the Board and shall be balled and burlapped. In all cases, a sufficient number of shade trees shall be provided and planted to insure a minimum of eight trees per acre of lot area.

§ 400-49 Off-street parking, loading areas and driveways.

Lighting. Lighting used to illuminate off-street parking areas shall be arranged to reflect the light away from residential premises and streets and be in accordance with § 400-47.

Surfacing and curbing.

Off-street parking lots and loading areas together with their access aisles, driveways and fire lanes shall not occupy more than 35% of the lot area, except in the R-6 and HR District, the percentage will be increased to 60%. All parking and loading areas and access drives shall be paved as outlined below or the equivalent, as determined by the Township Engineer and approved as part of the development application approval. All parking areas, regardless of size and location, shall be suitably drained and maintained.

Areas of ingress and egress, loading and unloading areas, major interior driveways or access aisles and other areas likely to experience similar heavy traffic shall be paved with not less than three inches of compacted base course of plant-mixed bituminous, stabilized base course, over a six-inch gravel base course. A minimum two-inch-thick compacted wearing surface of bituminous concrete (FABC) shall be constructed thereon in accordance with Division 3, Section 10, of the aforesaid New Jersey State Highway Department Specifications and amendments thereto.

Parking stall areas and other areas likely to experience similar light traffic shall be paved with not less than six-inch gravel base course. A minimum two-inch-thick compacted wearing surface of bituminous concrete (FABC) shall be constructed thereon in accordance with Division 3, Section 10, of the aforesaid New Jersey State Highway Department Specifications and amendments thereto.

Where subbase conditions of proposed parking and loading areas are wet, springy or of such a nature that surfacing would be inadvisable without first treating the subbase, the treatment of the subbases shall be made in the following manner: The areas shall be excavated to a depth of six inches to 12 inches below the proposed finished grade and filled with suitable subbase material as determined by the Township Engineer. Where required by the Township Engineer, a system of porous concrete or PVC pipe subsurface drains shall be constructed beneath the surface of the parking area and connected to a suitable drain. After the subbase material has been properly placed and compacted, the parking area surfacing material, as described heretofore, shall be spread thereon.

All off-street parking lots shall have adequate designations to indicate traffic flow and parking spaces.

Curbing shall be provided along the perimeter of all off-street parking and loading areas as well as along all traffic aisles providing access to said parking and loading areas or shall have an equivalent design as approved by the Township Engineer as part of the development application approval.

§ 400-50 Public utilities.

All public services shall be connected to an approved public utilities system where one exists. The developer shall arrange with the servicing utility for the underground installation of the utilities' distribution supply lines and service connections in accordance with the provisions of the applicable standard terms and conditions incorporated as part of its tariff as the same are then on file with the State of New Jersey Board of Public Utility Commissioners and the developer shall provide the Township with four copies of a final plan showing the installed location of the utilities. The developer shall submit to the Board, prior to the granting of final approval, a written instrument from each serving utility which shall evidence full compliance or intended full compliance with the provisions of this section; provided, however, lots which abut existing streets where overhead electric or telephone distribution supply lines and service connections have heretofore been installed may be supplied with electric and telephone service from these overhead lines, but any new service connections from the utilities' overhead lines shall be installed underground. In cases where extensions of service are needed to existing buildings or new buildings in established subdivisions, industrial parks or shopping centers, the present method of service may be continued. In the case of existing overhead utilities, however, should a road widening or an extension of service or other such condition occur as a result of the development and necessitate the replacement or relocation of such utilities, such replacement or relocation shall be underground.

In large-scale developments, easements along rear property lines or elsewhere for utility installation may be required. Such easements shall be at least 20 feet wide and located in consultation with the companies or Township departments concerned and, to the fullest extent possible, be centered on, or adjacent to, rear or side lot lines. Easement dedication shall be expressed on the plan in accordance with the provisions of § 400-46G of this chapter.

§ 400-51 Sanitary sewers and septic systems.

If a public treatment and collection system is accessible or planned, the developer shall construct facilities in such a manner as to make adequate sewage treatment available to each lot and structure within the development from said treatment and collection system.

Any treatment plant and collection system, including individual on-lot septic systems, shall be designed in accordance with the requirements of the State Health Department or ordinances enforced by the County Board of Health, whichever are more restrictive, and shall be subject to approval by the Township.

§ 400-52 Streets, curbs and sidewalks. [1]

[Amended by Ord. No. 84-4]

Streets.

All developments shall be served by paved public streets with an adequate crown. The arrangement of streets not shown on the Master Plan or Official Map, as adopted by the Township, shall be such as to provide for the appropriate extension of existing streets and should conform to the topography as far as practicable.

When a new development adjoins land susceptible of being subdivided, suitable provisions shall be made for optimum access of the remaining and/or adjoining tract to existing or proposed streets. Any proposed development shall utilize existing access provisions from adjacent developments wherever possible and feasible.

Local streets shall be so planned and identified with appropriate signs so as to discourage through traffic.

In the event that a development adjoins or includes existing streets that do not conform to widths as shown on the adopted Master Plan and/or Official Map or the street width requirements of this chapter, additional land along either or both sides of said street, sufficient to conform to the right-of-way requirements, shall be dedicated for the location, installation, repair and maintenance of streets, drainage facilities, utilities and other facilities customarily located on street rights-of-way. The necessary deeds of ownership shall be furnished, and the dedication shall be expressed as follows: "Street right-of-way granted permitting the entrance upon these lands for the purposes provided for and expressed in the Development Ordinance of the Township." This statement shall in no way reduce the developer's responsibility to provide, install, repair or maintain the facilities in the area dedicated by ordinance and/or as shown on the plan and/or as provided for by any maintenance or performance guarantees. If the development is along one side only, 1/2 of the required extra width shall be dedicated. Additionally, that portion of the existing street or road adjoining or included within a site plan or major subdivision shall be improved, including excavation, grading, base courses and surfacing in accordance with the road improvement standards of this chapter.

The minimum public street right-of-way for Township streets shall be as approved by the Planning Board, but in no case shall any municipal street have less than a fifty-foot right-of-way. Concerning streets under Cape May County jurisdiction, the county recommends the following rights-of-way for certain of its streets:

	Name of Street	Right-of-Way
	Bay Shore Road	66 feet right-of-way (33 feet from center line of road)
	Fishing Creek Road	66 feet right-of-way (33 feet from center line of road)
	Fulling Mill Road	50 feet right-of-way (25 feet from center line of road)
	Jonathan Hoffman Road	50 feet right-of-way (25 feet from center line of road)
	New England Road	50 feet right-of-way (25 feet from center line of road)
	Ocean Drive	86 feet right-of-way (43 feet from center line of road)
	Seashore Road	66 feet right-of-way (33 feet from center line of road)
	Shun Pike Road	86 feet right-of-way (43 feet from center line of road)
	Sunset Boulevard	66 feet right-of-way (33 feet from center line of road)
	Stimpson Lane	50 feet right-of-way (25 feet from center line of road)
	Tabernacle Road	50 feet right-of-way (25 feet from center line of road)
	Town Bank Road	66 feet right-of-way (33 feet from center line of road)

(6)

Street intersections shall be as nearly at right angles as is possible and in no case shall be less than 60º, and approaches to all intersections shall follow a straight line for at least 100 feet. No more than two streets shall meet or intersect at any one point, and the center lines of both intersecting streets shall pass through a common point. Measuring from this common point, two intersections shall be spaced a sufficient distance to permit a minimum of two lots between the two street right-of-ways. Any development abutting an existing street classified as an arterial or collector shall be permitted only one new street connecting with the same side of the existing street except where the frontage is sufficient, more than one street may intersect the arterial or collector street, provided the streets shall not intersect with the same side of the existing street at intervals of less than 800 feet. The block corners at intersections shall be rounded at the curbline with the street having the highest radius requirement as outlined below determining the minimum standard for all curblines:

Arterials: 40 feet.

Collectors: 35 feet.

Local streets: 30 feet.

(7)

A tangent at least 200 feet long shall be introduced between reverse curves on arterial and collector streets. When connecting street lines deflect from each other at any one point, they shall be connected by a curve with a radius conforming to standard engineering practice so that the minimum sight distance within the right-of-way shall be 350 feet for a local street, 500 feet for a collector street and 800 feet for an arterial street.

(8)

Culs-de-sac of a permanent nature (where provision for the future extension of the street to the boundary of the adjoining property is impractical or impossible) or of a temporary nature (where provision is made for the future extension of the street to the boundary line of adjoining property) shall be no more than 750 feet in length and shall provide a turnaround at the end with a radius of 50 feet on the curbline plus a utility and planting strip width of 10 feet around the entire cul-de-sac. The center point for the radius shall be on the center line of the associated street or, if offset, offset to a point where the radius becomes tangent to the right curbline of the associated street. (See Plate 3.[2])

[2]

Editor's Note: Plate 3 is included at the end of this chapter.

(9)

No street shall have a name which will duplicate or so nearly duplicate the name of an existing street that confusion results. The continuation of an existing street shall have the same name. Curvilinear streets shall change their names only at street intersections. The Board shall reserve the right to approve or name streets within a proposed development.

(10)

The pavement width of streets and the quality of surfacing and base materials shall adhere to the minimum standards set forth by the Township, county or state engineers when said paving concerns roads under the jurisdiction and where such standards exist. Concerning streets under the jurisdiction of the Township, the following standards shall apply:

The minimum requirements of any new street shall be constructed according to the specifications and procedures as set forth in the New Jersey State Highway Department of Transportation specifications, as amended.

Subgrade. Where fill is required, the underlying ground surface shall be stripped of all brush and trees before filling is commenced. The material used for fill shall be suitable therefor and shall be free from any matter that may decay. The fill shall be formed in successive layers and each layer compacted by operating the construction equipment over it until it is firm and unyielding before the next layer is placed. Before construction of the gravel base is commenced, the subgrade shall be neatly dressed to the proper lines, grades and cross sections. If, during plan review or construction, the Township Engineer determines that underdrains or subbase outlet drains are necessary for subsoil drainage, the developer/subdivider shall have said systems designed by a professional engineer and installed, all in accordance with Division 5, Section 1 of the New Jersey State Highway Department Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, latest revision. The plans for these systems and their construction shall be approved by the Township Engineer.

[1]

The pavement foundation shall consist of six inches of compacted gravel and three inches of bituminous stabilized base. The gravel base course may require a prime coat of asphaltic oil, if so directed by the Township Engineer. The bituminous stabilized base course will require a tack coat of asphaltic oil.

[2]

The gravel base course shall consist of six inches of compacted road gravel, Type 2, Class A or B (Soil Aggregate I-5), conforming to the requirements of the New Jersey State Highway Department Standard Specifications. The finished subbase shall be thoroughly compacted and bound together, hard, smooth and even, free from defects and at the proper grade and contour.

[3]

The bituminous stabilized base course shall comply with the requirements of Division 3, Section 2.A of the New Jersey State Highway Department Standard Specifications, latest revision.

On all Township collector and arterial streets, as defined in the traffic and circulation section of the Land Use Development plan, the base course shall be eight inches.

(d)

No street shall have a paved cartway of less than 30 feet, except that in the R-6 and HR Districts, the minimum paved cartway shall be not less than 36 feet wide.

(e)

Streets shall be permanently paved with two-inch-thick bituminous concrete pavement, Type FABC-1, Mix I-5. The pavement shall be constructed in accordance with the requirements of the New Jersey State Highway Department Standard Specifications, latest revision.

(11)

The approval of any map of land delineating streets by the governing body of the Township shall in no way be construed as an acceptance of any street indicated thereon.

Curbs. Concrete curbing shall be installed along every street and at intersections with existing Township, county or state roads and shall be laid in a manner approved by the Township Engineer. The curbing shall meet the following specifications:

The concrete to be used for curbs shall be Class B concrete as specified in the New Jersey Highway Specifications for Curbs and Gutters.

Expansion joints shall be provided at intervals of 20 feet and shall be sealed as specified by the Township Engineer.

Openings for driveways shall be four feet wider than the width of the driveway it serves. The curb at such driveway openings shall be depressed to the extent that 1 1/2 inches extends above the finished pavement. The rear top corner of this curb shall have a radius of 1/4 inch and the front top corner shall have a radius of 1 1/2 inches.

Concrete curbs for secondary and primary local roads shall be eight inches wide at their base and not less than six inches wide at their top. Their height shall not be less than 18 inches and be constructed to show a vertical face above the roadway pavement of six inches. The rear top corner of this curb shall have a radius of one-fourth-inch, and the front top corner shall have a radius of 1 1/2 inches. (See Plate 4.[3])

[3]

Editor's Note: Plate 4 is included at the end of this chapter.

Rolled curbs may be permitted to service detached single-family developments if the applicant can show the Planning Board that there will be no adverse effects from the use of rolled curbs.

Sidewalks.

Sidewalks shall be required on both sides of all streets serving a collector function as stipulated in the adopted Master Plan and/or Official Map of the Township and on local residential streets as required by the Board. Sidewalks in nonresidential developments shall be required, at the Board's discretion, depending upon the probable volume of pedestrian traffic, the development's location in relation to other populated areas, and the general type of improvement intended.

Where required, sidewalks shall be at least four feet wide and located as approved by the Board. Sidewalks shall be concrete or an equivalent approved by the Board and shall be constructed in accordance with Division 5 of the specifications of the New Jersey State Highway Department.

Trees. Street trees should be planted at intervals depending on their types. Along all public rights-of-way, shade trees having a caliper at planting of at least 1 1/2 inches shall be planted 30 feet to 40 feet apart and otherwise conform to § 400-48C.

[1]

Editor's Note: See also Ch. 583, Streets and Sidewalks.

§ 400-53 Support facilities.

Street furniture includes the man-made elements of a municipal landscape such as phone booths, benches, planting boxes, mail and meter boxes, water towers, lighting standards, directional signs, fire hydrants, power lines, fences and walls, water fountains and pools, drinking fountains, trash receptacles, bike racks, sculpture, paving and steps and bus shelters.

Certain street furniture is functional in nature and should be located where the demand is. Bike racks should be located near recreational activities and commercial establishments.

Bus shelters should be required at least at major intersections where bus service exists or is anticipated. It is desirable to provide indentations to accommodate the buses off the main travelled routes. The shelters should be designed to keep rain off those waiting for the buses and to break the wind. They should be entirely enclosed but designed to allow the interiors to be readily observed.

Trash receptacles should be located near recreational activities, at street corners, at entrances and exits to buildings, and where people naturally congregate. Open-weave receptacles should be avoided because the wind blows small bits of paper and debris from them.

§ 400-54 Water supply.

Where public water is accessible, water mains shall be constructed in such a manner as to make adequate water service available to each lot or building within the development. The entire system shall be designed in accordance with the requirements and standards of the local and/or state agency having approval authority and shall be subject to their approval. The system shall also be designed with adequate capacity and sustained pressure.

Where no public water is accessible, water shall be furnished on an individual lot basis. If wells are installed on each lot and the lot also contains its own sewage disposal facilities, the wells shall be of the drilled type with a minimum of 40 feet of casing. Well installation, sealing and testing shall be in accordance with the New Jersey Standards for Construction of Water Supply Systems in Realty Improvements (Chapter 199 of the Public Laws of 1954), as amended. The well will be required to have a production of not less than six gallons per minute as established by bailor tests and certified by the well driller. Before being placed in consumer use, it shall be disinfected by the use of sodium hypochloride or other acceptable solutions and a sample collected by a local or State Health Department representative for bacteriological examination. A copy of the result of the above referred to bailor tests and bacteriological examination and a certificate from the local or State Health Officer that the owner has complied with the applicable local or state health regulations shall be submitted to the Township before the issuance of building permits in connection with each individual lot.

§ 400-55 Rural residential development.

Any person desiring to subdivide property in any residential district may elect to apply to the Board for a major subdivision under the following reduced street improvement requirements. The Board shall examine each request to determine whether it meets the following criteria:

Every lot in the development shall have a minimum of 80,000 square feet.

Each lot shall have a minimum frontage and width of 200 feet and a minimum depth of 300 feet.

The design of the development shall blend with the rural atmosphere of the Township.

The development will not adversely affect the development of adjacent or adjoining property.

The proposed local streets will not interconnect with existing or proposed streets in other classifications to form continuous routes. They will be designed to discourage any through traffic, will have the exclusive function of providing access to properties abutting the street and will follow the contours of the land to the greatest extent possible.

If it is determined by the Board that the proposed development conforms to the criteria established for rural residential development, the following reduction in standards and improvements for the local streets will be allowed:

The right-of-way for all local streets which are entirely within the subdivision shall be 50 feet.

The pavement width for all such local streets shall be reduced to 20 feet, with a stabilized grass shoulder 15 feet in width each side thereof.

Subject to approval by this Board in each specific case, surface stormwater drainage may be carried in open ditches outside the right-of-way of the local streets or other suitable drainage structures within the right-of-way as may be approved by the Township Engineer.

Curbs will not be required except where excessive grades or other conditions require their installation.