Flood control, groundwater recharge, and pollutant reduction
shall be achieved through the use of stormwater management measures,
including green infrastructure Best Management Practices (GI BMPs)
and nonstructural stormwater management strategies. GI BMPs and low
impact development (LID) should be utilized to meet the goal of maintaining
natural hydrology to reduce stormwater runoff volume, reduce erosion,
encourage infiltration and groundwater recharge, and reduce pollution.
GI BMPs and LID should be developed based upon physical site conditions
and the origin, nature and the anticipated quantity, or amount, of
potential pollutants. Multiple stormwater management BMPs may be necessary
to achieve the established performance standards for water quality,
quantity, and groundwater recharge.
The purpose of this Ordinance is to establish minimum stormwater
management requirements and controls for "major development," as defined
below in Section II.
A. Applicability.
(1)
This Ordinance shall be applicable to the following major developments:
(a)
Non-residential major developments; and
(b)
Aspects of residential major developments that are not pre-empted
by the Residential Site Improvement Standards at N.J.A.C. 5:21.
(2)
This Ordinance shall also be applicable to all major developments
undertaken by the Township of Hardyston.
B. Compatibility with other permit and ordinance requirements. Development
approvals issued pursuant to this Ordinance are to be considered an
integral part of development approvals and do not relieve the applicant
of the responsibility to secure required permits or approvals for
activities regulated by any other applicable code, rule, act, or ordinance.
In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this Ordinance
shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion of
the public health, safety, and general welfare.
This Ordinance is not intended to interfere with, abrogate,
or annul any other ordinances, rule or regulation, statute, or other
provision of law except that, where any provision of this Ordinance
imposes restrictions different from those imposed by any other ordinance,
rule or regulation, or other provision of law, the more restrictive
provisions or higher standards shall control.
For the purpose of this Ordinance, the following terms, phrases,
words and their derivations shall have the meanings stated herein
unless their use in the text of this Chapter 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.
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 chapter.
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 Board of Chosen Freeholders
to review municipal stormwater management plans and implementing ordinance(s).
The county review agency may either be:
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.
DEPARTMENT
The New Jersey 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.
A.
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 waterbody or to
a particular point along a receiving waterbody.
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
well head 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.
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
A surface that has been covered with a layer of material
so that it is highly resistant to infiltration by water.
INFILTRATION
Is the process by which water seeps into the soil from precipitation.
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
An individual "development," as well as multiple developments
that individually or collectively result in the disturbance of one
or more acres of land since February 2, 2004;
A.
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 result in the disturbance
of one or more acres of land since February 2, 2004. 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."
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.
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 chapter. 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 chapter. Alternative
stormwater management measures, removal rates, or calculation methods
may be utilized, subject to any limitations specified in this chapter,
provided the design engineer demonstrates to the municipality, in
accordance with Section IV.F 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 chapter.
NODE
An area designated by the State Planning Commission concentrating
facilities and activities which are not organized in a compact form.
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, ground waters
or surface waters of the State, or to a domestic treatment works.
"Pollutant" includes both hazardous and nonhazardous pollutants.
RECHARGE
The amount of water from precipitation that infiltrates into
the ground and is not evapotranspired.
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
Is defined as 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 non-stormwater 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 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
ground water 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.
Any person(s) who erects, constructs, alters, repairs, converts, maintains, or uses any building, structure or land in violation of this Ordinance shall be subject to the penalties set forth in the Township's General Penalty Ordinance, Chapter
1, of the Township Code of Ordinances, and each day that the building, structure or land is permitted to remain in violation of this Ordinance shall be considered a separate and distinct offense. The Municipal Court shall have jurisdiction to enforce and collect any such penalty imposed in a summary manner and in accordance with the Penalty Enforcement Law, N.J.S.A. 2A:58-1, et seq.