[Added 10-21-2024 by Ord. No. 2041]
For the purpose of this chapter, 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.
CAFRA CENTERS, CORES OR NODESMeans those areas with boundaries incorporated by reference or revised by the Department in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:7-13.16.
CAFRA PLANNING MAPMeans the map used by the Department to identify the location of Coastal Planning Areas, CAFRA centers, CAFRA cores, and CAFRA nodes. The CAFRA Planning Map is available on the Department's Geographic Information System (GIS).
COMMUNITY BASINMeans 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.
COMPACTIONMeans the increase in soil bulk density.
CONTRIBUTORY DRAINAGE AREAMeans the area from which stormwater runoff drains to a stormwater management measure, not including the area of the stormwater management measure itself.
COREMeans a pedestrian-oriented area of commercial and civic uses serving the surrounding municipality, generally including housing and access to public transportation.
COUNTY REVIEW AGENCYMeans an agency designated by the County Commissioners 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.
CURRENT DEFICIT AREAMeans any United States Geological Survey 14-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 ground water supply to sustain.
DEPARTMENTMeans the Department of Environmental Protection.
DESIGN ENGINEERMeans 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 CENTERMeans a State Development and Redevelopment Plan Center as designated by the State Planning Commission such as urban, regional, town, village, or hamlet.
DEVELOPMENTMeans the division of a parcel of land into two or more parcels, the construction, reconstruction, conversion, structural alteration, relocation or 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.
DEVELOPMENT, MAJORMeans an individual "development," as well as multiple developments that individually or collectively result in:
a. The disturbance of one or more acres of land since February 2, 2004;
b. The creation of one-quarter acre or more of "regulated impervious surface" since February 2, 2004;
c. The creation of one-quarter acre or more of "regulated motor vehicle surface" since March 2, 2021; or
d. A combination of paragraphs b and c above that totals an area of one-quarter acre or more. The same surface shall not be counted twice when determining if the combination area equals one-quarter acre or more.
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 paragraphs a, b, c and d 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." |
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. |
DISTURBANCEMeans 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 AREAMeans 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.
EMPOWERMENT NEIGHBORHOODSMeans neighborhoods designated by the Urban Coordinating Council "in consultation and conjunction with" the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority pursuant to N.J.S.A. 55:19-69.
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSTRAINED AREAMeans 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 AREAMeans 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.
EROSIONMeans the detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice, or gravity.
GREEN INFRASTRUCTUREMeans 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 DESIGNATED CENTERMeans an area within a Highlands conforming municipality, within the Planning Area, for which the Highlands Council has approved a petition for Highlands Center Designation, in accordance with the Highlands Council center designation procedures as found at https://www.nj.gov/njhighlands/planconformance/guidelines/centers.html. A Highlands Designated Center is developed through a planning process that addresses development/redevelopment needs, while maintaining consistency with the Regional Master Plan with regard to resource protection standards.
HIGHLANDS OPEN WATERSMeans 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.
HUC 14 or HYDROLOGIC UNIT CODE 14Means an area within which water drains to a particular receiving surface water body, also known as a subwatershed, which is identified by a 14-digit hydrologic unit boundary designation, delineated within New Jersey by the United States Geological Survey.
IMPERVIOUS SURFACEMeans 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.
INFILTRATIONIs the process by which water seeps into the soil from precipitation.
LEAD PLANNING AGENCYMeans 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.
MAXIMUM EXTENT PRACTICABLEMeans designing stormwater management systems so that all reasonable opportunities for using non-structural stormwater practices are exhausted and a structural BMP is implemented only where absolutely necessary.
MITIGATIONMeans 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 chapter, 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.
MOTOR VEHICLEMeans 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 SURFACEMeans 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.
MUNICIPALITYMeans any city, borough, town, township, or village.
MUNICIPALLY IMPORTANT GROUND WATER RECHARGE AREAMeans 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 non-profit entities.
NEW JERSEY STORMWATER BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMP) MANUAL or BMP MANUALMeans 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 §
29-4f of this chapter 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.
NODEMeans an area designated by the State Planning Commission concentrating facilities and activities which are not organized in a compact form.
NON-EXEMPT PROJECTMeans 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.
NUTRIENTMeans a chemical element or compound, such as nitrogen or phosphorus, which is essential to and promotes the development of organisms.
PERSONMeans any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, political subdivision of this State and any state, interstate or Federal agency.
POLLUTANTMeans 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.
PUBLIC ROADWAY OR RAILROADMeans a pathway for use by motor vehicles or trains that is intended for public use and is constructed by, or on behalf of, a public transportation entity. A public roadway or railroad does not include a roadway or railroad constructed as part of a private development, regardless of whether the roadway or railroad is ultimately to be dedicated to and/or maintained by a governmental entity.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ENTITYMeans a Federal, State, county, or municipal government, an independent State authority, or a statutorily authorized public-private partnership program pursuant to P.L. 2018, c. 90 (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-52 et seq.), that performs a public roadway or railroad project that includes new construction, expansion, reconstruction, or improvement of a public roadway or railroad.
RECHARGEMeans the amount of water from precipitation that infiltrates into the ground and is not evapotranspired.
REDEVELOPMENTMeans land-disturbing activity that results in the creation, addition, or replacement of impervious surface area on an already developed or disturbed site. Redevelopment includes, but is not limited to: the expansion of a building footprint, addition or replacement of a structure, replacement of impervious surface area that is not part of a routine maintenance activity, and land disturbing activities related to structural or impervious surfaces. It does not include routine maintenance to maintain original line and grade, hydraulic capacity, or original purpose of facility, nor does it include emergency construction activities required to immediately protect public health and safety.
REGIONAL MASTER PLANMeans the Highlands regional master plan or any revision thereof adopted by the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council pursuant to N.J.S.A. C.13:20-8.
REGULATED IMPERVIOUS SURFACEMeans 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 SURFACEMeans 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.
SEDIMENTMeans 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.
SITEMeans the lot or lots upon which a major development is to occur or has occurred.
SOILMeans all unconsolidated mineral and organic material of any origin.
STATE PLAN POLICY MAPIs 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.
STORMWATERMeans 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 BMPMeans 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 MEASUREMeans 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 AREAMeans 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 RUNOFFMeans water flow on the surface of the ground or in storm sewers, resulting from precipitation.
URBAN ENTERPRISE ZONESMeans a zone designated by the New Jersey Enterprise Zone Authority pursuant to the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zones Act, N.J.S.A. 52:27H-60 et. seq.
URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AREAIs defined as previously developed portions of areas:
a. Delineated on the State Plan Policy Map (SPPM) as the Metropolitan Planning Area (PA1), Designated Centers, Cores or Nodes;
b. Designated as CAFRA Centers, Cores or Nodes;
c. Designated as Urban Enterprise Zones; and
d. Designated as Urban Coordinating Council Empowerment Neighborhoods.
WATER CONTROL STRUCTUREMeans a structure within, or adjacent to, a water, which intentionally or coincidentally alters the hydraulic capacity, the flood elevation resulting from the two-, 10-, 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 STATEMeans 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 WETLANDMeans 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.