For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases,
words and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein
unless their use in the text of this article clearly demonstrates
a different meaning. When not inconsistent with the context, words
used in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural
number include the singular number, and words used in the singular
number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory
and not merely directory. The definitions below are the same as or
based on the corresponding definitions in the Stormwater Management
Rules at N.J.A.C. 7:8-1.2.
CARBONATE ROCK AREA
An area where rock consisting chiefly of calcium and magnesium
carbonates such as limestone and dolomite, has been identified.
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
COMMUNITY BASIN
An infiltration system, sand filter designed to infiltrate,
standard constructed wetland, or wet pond, established in accordance
with N.J.A.C. 7:8-4.2(c)14, that is designed and constructed in accordance
with the New Jersey Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual, or
an alternate design, approved in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:8-5.2(g),
for an infiltration system, sand filter designed to infiltrate, standard
constructed wetland, or wet pond and that complies with the requirements
of this article.
CONTRIBUTORY DRAINAGE AREA
The area from which stormwater runoff drains to a stormwater
management measure, not including the area of the stormwater management
measure itself.
CORE
A pedestrian-oriented area of commercial and civic uses serving
the surrounding municipality, generally including housing and access
to public transportation.
COUNTY REVIEW AGENCY
An agency designated by the County Commissioners to review
municipal stormwater management plans and implementing ordinance(s).
The county review agency may either be:
[Amended 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
A.
A county planning agency; or
B.
A county water resource association created under N.J.S.A. 58:16A-55.5,
if the ordinance or resolution delegates authority to approve, conditionally
approve, or disapprove municipal stormwater management plans and implementing
ordinances.
CURRENT DEFICIT AREA
Any United States Geological Survey fourteen-digit Hydrologic
Unit Code subwatershed area that is identified in the Highlands Regional
Master Plan as having negative Net Water Availability, meaning that
existing consumptive and depletive water uses exceed the capacity
of the groundwater supply to sustain.
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
DEPARTMENT
The Department of Environmental Protection.
DESIGN ENGINEER
A person professionally qualified and duly licensed in New
Jersey to perform engineering services that may include, but not necessarily
be limited to, development of project requirements, creation and development
of project design and preparation of drawings and specifications.
DESIGNATED CENTER
A State Development and Redevelopment Plan Center as designated
by the State Planning Commission such as urban, regional, town, village,
or hamlet.
DEVELOPMENT
The division of a parcel of land into two or more parcels,
the construction, reconstruction, conversion, structural alteration,
relocation or enlarge-enlargement of any building or structure, any
mining excavation or landfill, and any use or change in the use of
any building or other structure, or land or extension of use of land,
for which permission is required under the Municipal Land Use Law,
N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq. In the case of development of agricultural
land, "development" means any activity that requires a state permit,
any activity reviewed by the County Agricultural Board (CAB) and the
State Agricultural Development Committee (SADC), and municipal review
of any activity not exempted by the Right to Farm Act, N.J.S.A. 4:1C-1
et seq.
DISTURBANCE
The placement or reconstruction of impervious surface or
motor vehicle surface, or exposure and/or movement of soil or bedrock
or clearing, cutting, or removing of vegetation. Milling and repaving
is not considered disturbance for the purposes of this definition.
DRAINAGE AREA
A geographic area within which stormwater, sediments, or
dissolved materials drain to a particular receiving water body or
to a particular point along a receiving water body.
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSTRAINED AREA
The following areas where the physical alteration of the
land is in some way restricted, either through regulation, easement,
deed restriction or ownership, such as: wetlands, floodplains, threatened
and endangered species sites or designated habitats, and parks and
preserves. Habitats of endangered or threatened species are identified
using the Department's Landscape Project as approved by the Department's
Endangered and Nongame Species Program.
ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL AREA
An area or feature which is of significant environmental
value, including but not limited to stream corridors, natural heritage
priority sites, habitats of endangered or threatened species, large
areas of contiguous open space or upland forest, steep slopes, and
wellhead protection and groundwater recharge areas. Habitats of endangered
or threatened species are identified using the Department's Landscape
Project as approved by the Department's Endangered and Nongame Species
Program.
EROSION
The detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by
water, wind, ice, or gravity.
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
A stormwater management measure that manages stormwater close
to its source by:
A.
Treating stormwater runoff through infiltration into subsoil;
B.
Treating stormwater runoff through filtration by vegetation
or soil; or
C.
Storing stormwater runoff for reuse.
HIGHLANDS OPEN WATERS
All springs, wetlands, intermittent and ephemeral streams,
perennial streams and bodies of surface water, whether natural or
artificial, located wholly or partially within the boundaries of the
Highlands Region, but shall not mean swimming pools.
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
HUC 14 or HYDROLOGIC UNIT CODE 14
An area within which water drains to a particular receiving
surface water body, also known as a "subwatershed," which is identified
by a fourteen-digit hydrologic unit boundary designation, delineated
within New Jersey by the United States Geological Survey.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACE
Any structure, surface, or improvement that reduces or prevents
absorption of stormwater into land, and includes porous paving, paver
blocks, gravel, crushed stone, decks, patios, elevated structures,
and other similar structures, surfaces, or improvements. To be considered
an impervious surface, the structure, surface or improvement must
have the effect of reducing or preventing stormwater absorption.
[Amended 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
INFILTRATION
The process by which water seeps into the soil from precipitation.
KARST
A distinctive topography that indicates solution of underlying
carbonate rocks (such as limestone and dolomite) by surface water
or groundwater over time, often producing surface depressions, sinkholes,
sinking streams, enlarged bedrock fractures, caves, and underground
streams.
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
LEAD PLANNING AGENCY
One or more public entities having stormwater management
planning authority designated by the regional stormwater management
planning committee pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:8-3.2 that serves as the
primary representative of the committee.
MAJOR DEVELOPMENT
A.
An individual development, as well as multiple developments
that individually or collectively result in:
(1)
The disturbance of one or more acres of land since February
2, 2004;
(2)
The creation of 1/4 acre or more of regulated impervious surface
since February 2, 2004;
(3)
The creation of 1/4 acre or more of regulated motor vehicle
surface since March 2, 2021; or
[Amended 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
(4)
A combination of Subsection
A(2) and
(3) above that totals an area of 1/4 acre or more. The same surface shall not be counted twice when determining if the combination area equals 1/4 acre or more.
B.
Major development includes all developments that are part of a common plan of development or sale (for example, phased residential development) that collectively or individually meet any one or more of Subsection
A(1),
(2),
(3), or
(4) above. Projects undertaken by any government agency that otherwise meet the definition of "major development" but which do not require approval under the Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq., are also considered "major development."
MITIGATION
An action by an applicant providing compensation or offset
actions for onsite stormwater management requirements where the applicant
has demonstrated the inability or impracticality of strict compliance
with the stormwater management requirements set forth in N.J.A.C.
7:8, in an adopted regional stormwater management plan, or in this
article, and has received a waiver from strict compliance from the
municipality. Mitigation shall include the implementation of the approved
mitigation plan within the same drainage area where the subject project
is proposed, or a contribution of funding toward a municipal stormwater
control project, or provision for equivalent treatment at an alternate
location, or any other equivalent water quality benefit as approved
by the municipality.
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
MOTOR VEHICLE
Land vehicles propelled other than by muscular power, such
as automobiles, motorcycles, autocycles, and low-speed vehicles. For
the purposes of this definition, "motor vehicle" does not include
farm equipment, snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, motorized wheelchairs,
go-carts, gas buggies, golf carts, ski-slope grooming machines, or
vehicles that run only on rails or tracks.
MOTOR VEHICLE SURFACE
Any pervious or impervious surface that is intended to be
used by motor vehicles and/or aircraft, and is directly exposed to
precipitation, including, but not limited to, driveways, parking areas,
parking garages, roads, racetracks, and runways.
MUNICIPALLY IMPORTANT GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AREA
Preserved or constrained lands that cannot be developed or
built upon under current regulations. These areas have recharge rates
above the median recharge rate for the subwatershed in which they
are located; meaning they provide 40% or greater total recharge volume
for the subwatershed. Constrained lands are comprised of undeveloped
lands within the Highlands Open Water buffer as well as moderately
and severely constrained steep slopes. Preserved lands are those that
are permanently preserved by local, county, state, federal or nonprofit
entities.
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
NEW JERSEY STORMWATER BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMP) MANUAL
or BMP MANUAL
The manual maintained by the Department providing, in part, design specifications, removal rates, calculation methods, and soil testing procedures approved by the Department as being capable of contributing to the achievement of the stormwater management standards specified in this article. The BMP Manual is periodically amended by the Department as necessary to provide design specifications on additional best management practices and new information on already included practices reflecting the best available current information regarding the particular practice and the Department's determination as to the ability of that best management practice to contribute to compliance with the standards contained in this article. Alternative stormwater management measures, removal rates, or calculation methods may be utilized, subject to any limitations specified in this article, provided the design engineer demonstrates to the municipality, in accordance with §
119-4F. of this ordinance and N.J.A.C. 7:8-5.2(g), that the proposed measure and its design will contribute to achievement of the design and performance standards established by this article.
[Amended 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
NODE
An area designated by the State Planning Commission concentrating
facilities and activities which are not organized in a compact form.
NONEXEMPT PROJECT
Any project not eligible for an exemption from the Highlands
Water Protection and Planning Act Rules, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:38-2.3.
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
NUTRIENT
A chemical element or compound, such as nitrogen or phosphorus,
which is essential to and promotes the development of organisms.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm,
association, political subdivision of this state and any state, interstate
or federal agency.
POLLUTANT
Any dredged spoil, solid waste, incinerator residue, filter
backwash, sewage, garbage, refuse, oil, grease, sewage sludge, munitions,
chemical wastes, biological materials, medical wastes, radioactive
substance [except those regulated under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954,
as amended (42 U.S.C. § 2011 et seq.)], thermal waste, wrecked
or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, industrial, municipal,
agricultural, and construction waste or runoff, or other residue discharged
directly or indirectly to the land, groundwaters or surface waters
of the state, or to a domestic treatment works. "Pollutant" includes
both hazardous and nonhazardous pollutants.
PRESERVATION AREA
Lands within the Highlands Region that are located in that
portion designated by the Highlands Act as the "Preservation Area"
(see metes and bounds description at N.J.S.A. 13:20-7b).
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
PRIME GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AREA
Lands with the best groundwater recharge rates within a HUC14
subwatershed, as indicated by GSR-32 analysis, that provide the top
40% of the total recharge volume for the subwatershed.
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
RECHARGE
The amount of water from precipitation that infiltrates into
the ground and is not evapotranspired.
REGIONAL MASTER PLAN
The Highlands regional master plan or any revision thereof
adopted by the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council pursuant
to N.J.S.A. 13:20-8.
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
REGULATED IMPERVIOUS SURFACE
Any of the following, alone or in combination:
A.
A net increase of impervious surface;
B.
The total area of impervious surface collected by a new stormwater
conveyance system (for the purpose of this definition, a "new stormwater
conveyance system" is a stormwater conveyance system that is constructed
where one did not exist immediately prior to its construction or an
existing system for which a new discharge location is created);
C.
The total area of impervious surface proposed to be newly collected
by an existing stormwater conveyance system; and/or
D.
The total area of impervious surface collected by an existing
stormwater conveyance system where the capacity of that conveyance
system is increased.
REGULATED MOTOR VEHICLE SURFACE
Any of the following, alone or in combination:
A.
The total area of motor vehicle surface that is currently receiving
water;
B.
A net increase in motor vehicle surface; and/or quality treatment
either by vegetation or soil, by an existing stormwater management
measure, or by treatment at a wastewater treatment plant, where the
water quality treatment will be modified or removed.
SEDIMENT
Solid material, mineral or organic, that is in suspension,
is being transported, or has been moved from its site of origin by
air, water or gravity as a product of erosion.
SITE
The lot or lots upon which a major development is to occur
or has occurred.
SOIL
All unconsolidated mineral and organic material of any origin.
STATE PLAN POLICY MAP
The geographic application of the State Development and Redevelopment
Plan's goals and statewide policies, and the official map of these
goals and policies.
STORMWATER
Water resulting from precipitation (including rain and snow)
that runs off the land's surface, is transmitted to the subsurface,
or is captured by separate storm sewers or other sewage or drainage
facilities, or conveyed by snow removal equipment.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT BMP
An excavation or embankment and related areas designed to
retain stormwater runoff. A stormwater management BMP may either be
normally dry (that is, a detention basin or infiltration system),
retain water in a permanent pool (a retention basin), or be planted
mainly with wetland vegetation (most constructed stormwater wetlands).
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT MEASURE
Any practice, technology, process, program, or other method
intended to control or reduce stormwater runoff and associated pollutants,
or to induce or control the infiltration or groundwater recharge of
stormwater or to eliminate illicit or illegal nonstormwater discharges
into stormwater conveyances.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLANNING AREA
The geographic area for which a stormwater management planning
agency is authorized to prepare stormwater management plans, or a
specific portion of that area identified in a stormwater management
plan prepared by that agency.
STORMWATER RUNOFF
Water flow on the surface of the ground or in storm sewers
resulting from precipitation.
WATER CONTROL STRUCTURE
A structure within, or adjacent to, a water which intentionally
or coincidentally alters the hydraulic capacity, the flood elevation
resulting from the two-, ten-, or 100-year storm, flood hazard area
limit, and/or floodway limit of the water. Examples of a water control
structure may include a bridge, culvert, dam, embankment, ford (if
above grade), retaining wall, and weir.
WATERS OF THE STATE
The ocean and its estuaries, all springs, streams, wetlands,
and bodies of surface water or groundwater, whether natural or artificial,
within the boundaries of the State of New Jersey or subject to its
jurisdiction.
WETLANDS or WETLAND
An area that is inundated or saturated by surface water or
groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and
that under normal circumstances does support, a prevalence of vegetation
typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions, commonly
known as "hydrophytic vegetation."
Site design features identified under §
119-4F above, or alternative designs in accordance with §
119-4G above, to prevent discharge of trash and debris from drainage systems shall comply with the following standard to control passage of solid and floatable materials through storm drain inlets. For purposes of this subsection, "solid and floatable materials" means sediment, debris, trash, and other floating, suspended, or settleable solids. For exemptions to this standard, see §
119-7B below.
A. Design engineers shall use one of the following grates whenever they
use a grate in pavement or another ground surface to collect stormwater
from that surface into a storm drain or surface water body under that
grate:
(1) The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) bicycle-safe
grate, which is described in Chapter 2.4 of the NJDOT Bicycle Compatible
Roadways and Bikeways Planning and Design Guidelines; or
(2) A different grate, if each individual clear space in that grate has
an area of no more than seven square inches, or is no greater than
0.5 inch across the smallest dimension.
Examples of grates subject to this standard include grates in
grate inlets, the grate portion (non-curb-opening portion) of combination
inlets, grates on storm sewer manholes, ditch grates, trench grates,
and grates of spacer bars in slotted drains. Examples of ground surfaces
include surfaces of roads (including bridges), driveways, parking
areas, bikeways, plazas, sidewalks, lawns, fields, open channels,
and stormwater system floors used to collect stormwater from the surface
into a storm drain or surface water body.
(3) For curb-opening inlets, including curb-opening inlets in combination
inlets, the clear space in that curb opening, or each individual clear
space if the curb opening has two or more clear spaces, shall have
an area of no more than seven square inches, or be no greater than
two inches across the smallest dimension.
B. The standard in Subsection
A above does not apply:
(1) Where each individual clear space in the curb opening in the existing
curb-opening inlet does not have an area of more than nine square
inches;
(2) Where the municipality agrees that the standards would cause inadequate
hydraulic performance that could not practicably be overcome by using
additional or larger storm drain inlets;
(3) Where flows from the water quality design storm as specified in N.J.A.C.
7:8 are conveyed through any device (e.g., end-of-pipe netting facility,
manufactured treatment device, or a catch basin hood) that is designed,
at a minimum, to prevent delivery of all solid and floatable materials
that could not pass through one of the following:
(a)
A rectangular space 4 5/8 inches long and 1 1/2 inches
wide (this option does not apply for outfall netting facilities);
or
(b)
A bar screen having a bar spacing of 0.5 inch.
These exemptions do not authorize any infringement of requirements
in the Residential Site Improvement Standards for bicycle-safe grates
in new residential development [N.J.A.C. 5:21-4.18(b)2 and 7.4(b)1].
(4) Where flows are conveyed through a trash rack that has parallel bars
with one-inch spacing between the bars, to the elevation of the water
quality design storm as specified in N.J.A.C. 7:8; or
(5) Where the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection determines,
pursuant to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places Rules at N.J.A.C.
7:4-7.2(c), that action to meet this standard is an undertaking that
constitutes an encroachment or will damage or destroy the New Jersey
Register listed historic property.
[Added 3-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-3]
The municipal review agency may grant variances from the design and performance standards in §
119-4O,
P,
Q and
R as set forth in this stormwater control chapter provided that the mitigation standards provided in the Township's Stormwater Management Plan and the following conditions are met.
A. The applicant demonstrates that it is technically impracticable to
meet any one or more of the design and performance standards onsite.
For the purposes of this analysis, technical impracticability exists
only when the design and performance standard cannot be met for engineering,
environmental, or safety reasons. The municipality's approval of a
variance shall apply to an individual drainage area and design and
performance standards and shall not apply to an entire site or project,
unless an applicant provides the required analysis for each drainage
area within the site and each design and performance standard.
B. The applicant demonstrates that the proposed design achieves the
maximum possible compliance with the design and performance standards
on site.
C. A mitigation project in accordance with the following is implemented.
(1) The mitigation project may be a project which has been established
by the Township or may be a project proposed by the applicant, provided
it meets the criteria in this article.
(2) The mitigation project shall be approved no later than preliminary
or final site plan approval of the major development.
(3) The mitigation project shall be located in the same HUC 14 as the
area of the major development subject to the variance.
(4) The mitigation project shall be constructed prior to or concurrent
with the major development.
(5) The mitigation project shall comply with the green infrastructure standards in §
119-4O.
D. If the variance that resulted in the mitigation project being required is from the green infrastructure standards in §
119-4O, then the mitigation project must use green infrastructure BMPs in Table 5-1, and/or an alternative stormwater management measure approved in accordance with 119-4G, that meets the definition of green infrastructure to manage an equivalent or greater area of impervious surface and an equivalent or greater area of motor vehicle surface as the area of the major development subject to the variance. Grass swales and vegetative filter strips may only be used in the mitigation project if the proposed project additionally includes a green infrastructure BMP other than a grass swale or vegetative filter strip. The green infrastructure used in the mitigation project must be sized to manage the water quality design storm, as defined at §
119-4Q(4) at a minimum and is subject to the applicable contributory drainage area limitations specified in §
119-4G or §
119-4O(2) as applicable.
E. A variance from the groundwater recharge standards in §
119-4P may be granted if one of the following is met:
(1) The average annual groundwater recharge provided by the mitigation
project must equal or exceed the average annual groundwater recharge
deficit resulting from granting the variance for the major development;
or
(2) Runoff infiltrated during the two-year storm from the mitigation
project must equal or exceed the deficit resulting from granting the
variance from the required infiltration of the increase in runoff
volume from pre-construction to post-construction from the major development.
F. A variance from the stormwater runoff quality standards at §
119-4Q may be granted if the following are met:
(1) The total drainage area of motor vehicle surface managed by the mitigation
project(s) must equal or exceed the drainage area of the area of the
major development subject to the variance and must provide sufficient
TSS removal to equal or exceed the deficit resulting from granting
the variance for the major development; and
(2) The mitigation project must remove nutrients to the maximum extent feasible in accordance with §
119-4Q(6).
G. A variance from the stormwater runoff quantity standards at §
119-4R may be granted if the following are met:
(1) The applicant demonstrates, through hydrologic and hydraulic analysis,
including the effects of the mitigation project, that the variance
will not result in increased flooding damage below each point of discharge
of the major development.
(2) The mitigation project discharges to the same watercourse and is
located upstream of the major development subject to the variance.
(3) The mitigation project provides peak flow rate attenuation in accordance with §
119-4R(2)(c) for an equivalent or greater area than the area of the major development subject to the variance. For the purposes of this demonstration, equivalent includes both size of the area and percentage of impervious surface and/or motor vehicle surface.
H. The applicant shall be responsible for preventive and corrective maintenance (including replacement) of the mitigation project and shall be identified as such in the maintenance plan established in accordance with §
119-10. This responsibility is not transferable to any entity other than a public agency, in which case, a written agreement with that public agency must be submitted to the review agency.
I. Any approved variance shall be submitted by the municipal review
agency to the county review agency and the Department by way of a
written report describing the variance, as well as the required mitigation,
within 30 days of the approval.
This article shall take effect immediately upon the approval
by the county review agency, or 60 days from the receipt of the article
by the county review agency if the county review agency should fail
to act.
If the provisions of any section, subsection, paragraph, subdivision,
or clause of this article shall be judged invalid by a court of competent
jurisdiction, such order of judgment shall not affect or invalidate
the remainder of any section, subsection, paragraph, subdivision,
or clause of this article.