[Amended 9-7-2005 by Amendment 26]
Where required below, uses and activities established
after the effective date of this chapter shall comply with the following
standards.
[Amended 9-7-2005 by Amendment 26]
A. Applications for site plans and major subdivisions
shall include maps delineating the natural and historic resources
defined within this chapter, including watercourses, streams and stream
corridor protection buffers, one-hundred-year floodplain, lakes, ponds,
freshwater wetlands and wetland transition areas, topography, steep
slopes by category, ridge lines and ridge line protection areas, soils,
Class I, II and III agricultural soils, woodlands, and historic or
cultural sites as identified in the Township Master Plan or as listed
on the State or National Register of Historic Places.
B. These maps shall include summary tables indicating, for the tract and each lot to be created, the following: the area, in acres and percentage, of each natural resource specified in §
115-26B below; the required natural resource protection ratio for each natural resource; the maximum allowed disturbance area, in acres or square feet, for each natural resource; and the proposed disturbance, in acres or square feet, of each natural resource.
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Total Tract
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Lot
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Lot
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Acre
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%
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Acre
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%
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Acre
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Natural resource A
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Natural resource B
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Total Tract Disturbance
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Lot Disturbance
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Lot Disturbance
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Allowed
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Proposed
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Allowed
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Proposed
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Allowed
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Proposed
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Natural resource A protection ratio
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Natural resource B protection ratio
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[Amended 4-12-1995 by Amendment 9; 9-7-2005 by Amendment 26]
A. Every new residential lot developed without public
sewer shall have a contiguous area of not less than 1.5 acres exclusive
of watercourses, streams and stream corridor protection buffers, one-hundred-year
floodplain, lakes, ponds, freshwater wetlands and wetland transition
areas, slopes over 25%, and any other areas precluded from development
by easements, protective covenants or other restrictions. Within this
buildable area, it must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the
Board that a dwelling, well and area for two septic fields may be
located and tested (with passing results) in conformance with local,
county and state regulations.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-7]
B. A map showing the areas of exclusion and indicating
the location and size of the buildable area of each lot to be developed
shall be included in all subdivision applications.
[Amended 4-12-1995 by Amendment 9; 9-7-2005 by Amendment 26]
A. General.
(1) The natural resource restrictions herein shall apply
to all uses.
(2) Site alterations, regrading, filling or clearing of
vegetation prior to subdivision or site plan approval by the Planning
Board shall be a violation of this chapter. However, this section
shall not prohibit any land management practices that may be necessary
for the ecological improvement of any stream, pond, lake or wetland
or for forest production, provided that all applicable permits have
been obtained from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
(3) Areas with natural resources restrictions should,
to the greatest extent possible, be left undisturbed and not occupied
by structures, driveways, on-lot septic systems or other improvements.
Preservation of critical environmental features will take precedence
over prime agricultural soils in designing the location of development
within a property.
B. Requirements.
(1) One-hundred-year floodplain. All lands within the one-hundred-year floodplain shall only be used in compliance with §
115-29.
(a)
Where the one-hundred-year floodplain has not
been delineated on flood maps that have been published by, prepared
by, or accepted by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection,
the one-hundred-year floodplain shall be determined as follows:
[1]
Where the contributing drainage area is 50 acres
or greater, the one-hundred-year floodplain shall be the area within
the stream encroachment lines as established by a stream encroachment
permit issued by the NJDEP; or, the area where the natural grades
are less than 20 feet in elevation above the stream channel bed.
[2]
Where the contributing drainage area is less
than 50 acres, the one-hundred-year floodplain shall be the area within
the stream encroachment lines as established by a hydrologic study
prepared by a licensed professional engineer and reviewed and approved
by the Municipal Engineer; or, the area where the natural grades are
less than 20 feet in elevation above the stream channel bed.
(b)
No structures, filling, piping, diverting or stormwater detention basins shall be permitted within the floodplain, unless the use, activity or development within this area is in strict compliance with §
115-29 and all other applicable regulations.
(2) Lakes, ponds and their shorelines. If not otherwise
regulated, lakes and ponds shall remain as open space. No development,
filling, piping or diverting shall be permitted. At least 70% of the
shorelines of lakes and ponds shall, to a depth of 50 feet from the
shorelines as measured from the permanent pool elevation, be left
in their natural, undisturbed state.
(3) Wetlands and wetland transition areas. All lands within
delineated wetlands and wetland transition areas shall remain in their
natural, undisturbed state. Any use, activity or development within
these areas shall be in strict compliance with NJDEP regulations.
(4) Steep slopes.
(a)
Steep slopes areas shall be divided into areas
with slopes between 15% and 24.99%, within which not more than 30%
of such areas shall be developed, regraded or stripped of vegetation,
and areas with slopes of 25% or more, within which not more than 15%
of such areas shall be developed, regraded or stripped of vegetation.
(b)
Slope shall be measured using the topographic
mapping that is submitted with the application, by calculating the
percent slope between each contour line indicated on the topographic
map and delineating on the natural resources map all of the land areas
within each of the two critical slope ranges (15% to 24.99%, and greater
than 25%).
(c)
Where disturbance and/or construction is proposed
in steep slope areas, the Planning Board may require applicants for
building permits to submit a plot plan for review and approval by
the Township Engineer, detailing the proposed grading within the area
of the disturbance and the methods to be used in addressing any problems
created by slope conditions, including preservation of the natural
watershed and prevention of soil erosion.
(5) Woodlands. All wooded areas shall be shown on the
natural resource mapping. Where disturbance of wooded areas is not
limited by virtue of other restrictions, such as wetlands, wetland
transition areas, stream corridor protection areas or steep slopes,
the following provisions shall apply:
(a)
Within floodplains, no more than 10% of any
wooded area shall be cleared.
(b)
Within the buildable area of a lot, as defined
in this chapter, the entire area, not to exceed 1.5 acres, may be
cleared; provided, however, that no more than 1.5 acres of woodland
shall be cleared for development purposes on any lot.
(c)
The remaining woodland areas shall be protected
during construction from root compaction by equipment and materials;
and development plans shall include a tree protection plan.
(d)
Should tree removal exceed the allowed percentage
or if trees subject to protection under an approved tree protection
plan are damaged, the developer shall replace the damaged or removed
trees as follows:
[1]
In areas of excessive cutting, trees shall be
replaced at a ratio of five trees (two to 2 1/2 inches' caliper)
for every tree removed, based either on the specific number of trees
six-inch and over caliper removed or, if a specific count cannot be
made, on the average number of such trees found within a similar,
adjacent area on site.
[2]
In tree protection areas, damaged trees shall
be replaced at a ratio of five trees (two to 2 1/2 inches' caliper)
for every six- to ten-inch caliper tree removed; eight trees (two
to 2 1/2 inches' caliper) for every ten- to fifteen-inch caliper
tree removed; and 10 trees (two to 2 1/2 inches' caliper) for
every fifteen-inch and over caliper tree removed.
(6) Agricultural soils. In areas of prime agricultural
soils, as listed in the Soil Survey of Hunterdon County, New Jersey
(1974) or as determined by the County Agricultural Development Board,
the following shall apply:
(a)
With the exception of B-16 subdivisions, no
residential subdivision shall include more than 35% of Class I, II
or III agricultural soils within the proposed building lot areas of
a subdivision, including any associated roads, drainage or other improvements.
[Amended 9-13-2006 by Amendment 30]
(b)
In such subdivision, a minimum of 65% of the
Class I, II or III agricultural soils shall remain undisturbed; that
is, 65% of these soils shall be outside of the proposed building lots
and those additional areas, used for associated improvements, that
will not be available for cultivation.
(c)
Where more than one class of prime agricultural
soils is located on a tract, priority shall be given to preserving
the higher class soil(s) by locating lots and other areas of disturbance
in areas of the lower class soils.