1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Sourland Mountains provide a sixty square mile oasis of contiguous forest, rocky outcrops, forested wetlands, whispering streams, and vernal ponds, in the heart of some of the most rapidly developing areas of New Jersey (Figure 1). In its distance from other forests of a comparable size, it provides an essential refuge for migratory birds and numerous other plants and animals that might otherwise disappear from the area. Yet, in its proximity to some of New Jersey’s busiest highways, it is under increasing pressure for development. Its colorful history, quaint villages, country roads, and stone arch bridges evoke times past, yet the pressures of the present are all too real.

Dutch and British settlers of the 17^th and 18^th centuries coined the term "sauer landt", referring to the inability of the slopes to support crops. Pottery and timber were the main sources of income. Never crowded, the mountains provided an essential human refuge as well, having been home to the Underground Railroad, Playwright Eugene O’Neill, Aviator Charles Lindhberg, and Patriot John Hart. Today, the Sourland Mountains are culturally rich and uniquely charming with numerous historic properties, farmsteads, and narrow country roads. The vast expanse of open areas supports an extensive network of trails and other recreational opportunities.

At the heart of the Sourlands is its unique geology. The Sourlands were formed during the Triassic and Jurassic periods, when lake-bottom shales were pushed upward by molten diabase rock from underground. As the shale wears away, the result is a weathered but impermeable diabase, visible in the many boulder fields characteristic of the mountains. The unique geology has served as a buffer against development, resulting in the largest remaining contiguous forest in Central New Jersey. Strategically positioned along the Atlantic Flyway, New Jersey is world-renowned for its bird migrations. Great numbers and varieties of migratory birds stop over during spring and fall migrations to rest and replenish fat reserves. The New Jersey Bureau of Endangered and Nongame Species Program (ENSP) has identified the Sourland Mountains as the only large, reasonably intact stopover in the region. In addition, numerous non-migratory species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and plants have found a haven of last resort it its unique system of wetlands and vernal pools.

While long defined, and indeed protected by its impenetrable rock and acidic soil, the Sourlands are increasingly vulnerable. Development pressures from all sides are threatening what has been a relatively undisturbed area. Yet, unplanned development can bring rapid changes in land use and increased demands for water. Because of the very low recharge rates on the mountains, very small increases in groundwater use can significantly lower ground water elevations. This in turn can cause wells, ponds, and streams to dry up for extended periods. Similarly, changes to vegetative cover can reduce groundwater recharge, thus contributing to flash flooding and reducing surface water base flow. Further, because of its limited recharge, septic systems can have a greater impact on ground water quality than they might have elsewhere. Thus, only small changes in land use in the Sourlands can have a significant impact on surface and ground water availability and quality, which in turn can increase flooding, impact water supply wells and/or supplies, and destroy critical habitats.

High-quality habitat is being developed at a quickening pace throughout New Jersey, but particularly along the Piedmont and Ridge and Valley regions, including the Sourlands, that lie roughly between southern New York and Philadelphia. Habitat is being lost over a large land area in a piecemeal fashion. The cumulative impact is large-scale fragmentation of once contiguous tracts of land into habitat "islands". The result is a region composed of many small, disturbed habitat patches that are only productive for the few wildlife species that do well in and near suburban areas. Thus, only small changes to the current land uses could have far-reaching and lasting impacts to the environmental resources. Finally, uncontrolled development would have enormous impacts to communities and would most likely result in the destruction of the many scenic vistas, open spaces, and trails that define the Sourlands.

In 1986, the Sourland Planning Council (SPC, originally known as the Sourland Regional Citizens Planning Council) was established to encourage a comprehensive approach to planning and protection of the resources of the Sourland Mountain and its environs. In 1993, SPC undertook an extensive survey of landowners in the Sourland region. Respondents overwhelmingly indicated their appreciation for the natural resources of the Sourland Mountains and support for future coordination and conservation efforts. This year, SPC prepared the presentation "The Sourlands - A Natural Area At The Crossroads" on CD ROM (enclosed), which has been well received by the public in several venues within the participating and adjoining townships.

The Sourland Mountain region is mapped as Planning Area 5, Environmentally Sensitive, according to the State Development and Redevelopment Plan. Further, all of the participating townships and counties have previously identified the Sourland Mountains as an important area for conservation and/or protection. Some townships have actively pursued rezoning, changes to water quality ordinances, and conservation easements as potential methods of controlling growth. Several non-profit organizations have actively supported protection efforts in the Sourland Mountains as well. The Delaware and Raritan (D&R) Greenway has identified the Sourlands as a priority area for conservation efforts. Finally, the StonyBrook Millstone Watershed Association (SBMWA), South Branch (Raritan) Watershed Association (SBWA), and Delaware River Basin Commission) (DRBC) have all identified the Sourlands as an area of concern since tributaries to all these major waterways emanate from the Sourlands. Yet, the Project Participants recognize that individual efforts will only be marginally successful if not coordinated with and supported by adjoining municipalities. The groundwater, forests, and critical species in the Sourland Mountains do not recognize political boundaries.

In 1999, the Planning Boards from East Amwell and Hopewell Townships jointly sponsored a public information program to heighten awareness of the importance of the Sourlands among members of their respective planning boards and citizens. Representatives from SPC, Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space, the D&R Greenway, and SBMWA spoke about the special features, inhabitants and environmental resources of the Sourlands. The program was so well received that it was repeated again that year. This program raised awareness of the Sourland Mountains as a special region, and increased the understanding of the critical and limited nature of the ground water and environmental resources. With the increased recognition of the need to manage the growth and development grew a keen interest in organizing the municipalities who share the Sourland Mountain. With the advent of the Smart Growth Planning Grants, there is, for the first time, an opportunity to treat the mountain region as a whole and to coordinate the planning, management, and conservation efforts of all the participants.

 

 

2. OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the Sourland Mountains Smart Growth Planning and Management Project is to identify policies and land use strategies for conservation which can be implemented in a coordinated manner among the participating municipalities and other agencies, as appropriate. The policies will be structured to promote sustainable development, protect or improve environmental quality, conserve natural resources, improve intergovernmental coordination, and preserve the quality of community life in an environmentally sensitive area. The most significant issues affecting the Sourlands include:

• Protection of a limited water resource. Groundwater recharges very slowly in the Sourlands. Thus residential wells, water quality, and downstream watersheds could all be negatively affected by uncontrolled growth.

• Protection of a fragile ecosystem. The valuable habitat found in the forest canopy and ground cover can be significantly depleted by fragmentation. And the many forested wetlands and vernal ponds are vulnerable if ground water elevations are lowered by over-pumping or if existing vegetative cover is significantly changed.

• Protection of a unique cultural heritage, community, and recreational resource. The Sourlands region is a unique community, tethered by affection for the mountains. Quality of life in the villages and communities would be significantly eroded by unplanned growth. And, unplanned development would fragment open spaces and destroy many of the recreational opportunities in the Sourlands.

Because of the Sourlands unique environmental and cultural resources, the Sourland Mountain Smart Growth Planning and Management Project is particularly important. Because of the proximity of the Sourland Mountains to rapidly developing areas and increased pressures on the mountain, the Smart Growth Project is particularly timely.

1. PROJECT TASKS

The Sourland Mountains Smart Growth Planning and Management Project will be implemented in four interrelated tasks. These include:

Task 1 — Characterization of the Sourland Mountains

Task 2 — Assessment of Current Conditions

Task 3 — Development of a Comprehensive Management Plan

Task 4 — Development of a Plan for Long Term Initiatives

Each is described in more detail below.

 

1. TASK 1 — CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SOURLAND MOUNTAINS

 

The first task of the Smart Growth Planning and Management Project will be to gain a more in-depth understanding of the Sourland Mountains with respect to their water, environmental, and cultural resources. This will be accomplished by collecting and evaluating existing background information, data, policies, and regulations concerning the Sourlands. Specific information to be gathered is discussed below.

 

1. Existing Land Use

A map and accompanying text will be prepared identifying existing land use in the region, using a composite base map for the Sourlands portions of the five municipalities. The land use survey will be based on field analysis and a review of tax records. The following categories will be mapped and analyzed:

• Residential
• Commercial
• Industrial
• Public
• Quasi-public
• Agricultural

Where available, digital tax parcel data will also be incorporated. (It is believed that digital tax parcel information is available in all of the townships with the exception of Hillsborough Township, where digital parcel mapping is expected to be available at the end of 2001. Various options will be explored to fill this gap during the interim. Alternatively, the Plan may be updated after this data becomes available, although this task has not been budgeted.)

1. Surface and Groundwater Resources

 

Available data and information will be assembled regarding the surface and ground water resources in the Sourland Mountains. This includes well water data and other readily available monitoring data. Using this data, a conceptual model of the hydrogeology and geology of the Sourlands will be developed to facilitate a greater understanding of the interrelationships between water usage and groundwater, groundwater and surface water, and septic systems and ground and surface water quality.

 

2. Environmental Resources and Critical Habitats

 

Baseline data will be assembled and managed in layers, using GIS, including data on geology and depth to bedrock, depth to seasonal high water table, topography, surface water and wetlands data, soil types and interpretations, and critical habitats for wildlife and plants. The wildlife work will be conducted by Endangered and Non-game Species Program (ENSP), in coordination with two ongoing projects. As part of The Landscape Project, begun in 1993, population distributions and critical breeding habitats of endangered and threatened species (mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, and invertebrates) were mapped statewide. The Stopover Project is modeled after a successful pilot project in Cape May and involves digitally mapping important migratory stopovers and working with communities and surrounding landowners to create habitat, through backyard habitat projects, and to manage larger parcels for high-quality stopover habitat.

The Landscape and Stopover Projects compliment each other in that migratory bird species generally use the same types of habitats during migration that they require for breeding. Critical breeding areas generally serve well as migratory stopovers. Protecting important breeding areas is crucial for reptiles and amphibians as they are much more vulnerable to degradation or destruction of their habitat. Findings from these two very important State Initiatives will be incorporated into the Sourland Mountains Smart Growth Planning Project as appropriate.

Arc Info and ArcView Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will be used for managing and analyzing data, and presenting results. Land Use/Land Cover interpretations by NJDEP will also be depicted in graphic form, to characterize the aerial extent of these land cover features.

 

3. Historic, Cultural, and Recreational Resources

 

During the preparation of the Comprehensive Management Plan, a summary of the Sourland Mountains history and cultural resources will be assembled, based on work currently in progress by Dr. James Luce, of the Sourland Planning Council. The focus will be on documenting the unique cultural heritage of the Sourland Mountains, particularly as it relates to its natural environs. Also, the results of the survey conducted by SPC in 1993 will be revisited to gain an understanding of the specific features of the Sourlands that contribute most to the sense of community.

 

4. Existing Plans, Ordinances, and Regulations

The following items will be assembled and reviewed during the Smart Growth Planning Project:

• Existing policies, ordinances, regulations, and laws from the local, county, and state levels (including proposed changes to water quality regulations);

• Relevant Plans, including Master Plans, Open Space Plans, Farmland Preservation Plans, Housing Plans and Transportation Plans;

• The State Plan (N.J.S.A. 52:18A-196 et seq.);

• The requirements and implications of a "Special Resource Area" designation and/or the possibility of initiating a legislative agenda;

• The results of the "Crossroads of the American Revolution" Project currently underway by the National Park Service;

• Other plans or ongoing planning efforts potentially applicable including those underway in the Raritan Basin, and in the three participating counties.

The review will include policies regarding public health, land use, roads, utilities, farmlands and woodlands management, or any others considered relevant and will focus on determining the potential implications with respect to future development of the Sourland Mountains.

1. TASK 2 — Assessment OF CURRENT CONDITIONS

The data and information collected during Task 1 will be analyzed to determine the interrelationships among the various study components. For instance, once data is compiled regarding the surface and groundwater resources, an assessment will be made to determine how water availability might change over time under current regulations, and how this, in turn, might affect critical habitats. One very important task during this project will be to refine the definition of the boundaries of the Sourland Mountains. This will be based on physical and environmental characteristics and will serve as the boundaries for future activities under the scope of this project. Other significant tasks to be conducted during this task are listed below.

• Understand specific policies and regulations from each township and county and evaluate how these may differ from each other;

• Evaluate the capacity of current or planned infrastructure (sewer, water, transportation) and natural systems;

• Conduct a build-out analysis for each township (for the Sourlands area) to determine the maximum development potential allowed under current zoning and site plan ordinances;

• Identify likely areas of future development assuming current trends, plans, zoning, infrastructure, etc.;

• Evaluate impact to the ground water quantity and quality based on currently permitted densities and site plan ordinances;

• Evaluate the capacity of natural systems (groundwater quality and quantity);

• Identify indicators which measure the health of the ecosystem;

• Assess future availability of clean water to residential wells, surface water bodies, and downstream water resources (using a nitrate dilution model or similar method) based on currently permitted densities and site plan ordinances;

• Determine the degree to which currently permitted densities and site plan ordinances impact ground water flow to surface water bodies, assess potential changes to surface water quality and impact to critical habitats;

• Assess how changes to land use under current trends impacts water resources, critical habitats, recreational opportunities, and historic and cultural resources;

• Assess adopted plans of the municipalities, counties, and state relative to each other and relative to their promotion of Smart Growth in the Sourlands;

• Analyze existing conservation strategies (farmland, parkland, woodlot management, best management practices etc.) relative to implementation in the Sourlands; and.

• Analyze rural conservation strategies, including land use planning and regulatory strategies and acquisition strategies, including fee-simple, development rights, installment purchases, option agreements buy-leaseback alternatives and conservation easement donations.

GIS will again be used, specifically during build-out analyses, evaluations of aquifer recharge, and during the assessment of potential impacts to critical habitats etc.

1. TASK 3 — DEVELOPMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN

 

A Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP) will be developed for the Sourland Mountains, based on findings from the above tasks. The CMP will describe and incorporate overall goals and objectives for conservation in the Sourlands, will identify locations of critical resources (ground and surface water resources, critical habitats, and cultural resources), and will include recommended changes to existing regulations or new regulations to encourage Smart Growth in the Sourlands. The CMP will include a comprehensive menu of policies to protect vital resources and will consist of three primary components: a Land Use Plan, a Conservation Plan, and an Open Space Plan, each of which are described in greater detail below.

 

1. Land Use Plan

 

A Land Use Plan will be developed for the Sourlands which will outline recommended guidelines for future land use. Recommendations may be made regarding land use, site and building design standards, well and septic regulations, farmland and forest management, maintenance of utility areas and lines and roads, recommendations regarding improvements to infrastructure, and/or designation as a "Special Resource Area". Recommended land use strategies may include modifications to existing ordinances and/or regulations, or new regulations, as appropriate that could be implemented at the State, County, or local level. As described above, major policy issues and recommendations will be described here, including densities, design standards for residential development, testing requirements for well and septic approvals, road and utility line maintenance, scenic corridors, etc. (Sample ordinances will be a later Phase of the project.)

 

2. Conservation Plan

A Conservation Plan will be developed for the Sourlands for use in identifying and prioritizing future conservation efforts. This plan will identify and prioritize key areas for conservation and suggest appropriate resource management standards (such as establishing stream corridor and riparian forest ordinances, woodland and water resource protection areas, conservation programs and easements, etc.).

.

3. Open Space Plan

An Open Space Plan will be developed for use in guiding future conservation/preservation efforts. The plan will indicate previously preserved land, and will provide a method for prioritizing future conservation efforts and open space acquisitions.

 

 

The Comprehensive Management Plan will recommend future intergovernmental coordination and will describe the interrelationship between it and other regional or relevant plans. Individual townships will implement specific recommendations and ordinances at the local level at their discretion, however, through Steering Committee participation (described below) there will be an incentive to each town adopting common policies and regulations to ensure the integrity of the region

To the extent that it is appropriate, the findings above will be coordinated with other similar or relevant planning efforts, including those currently underway in the Raritan Basin, and in the participating counties. GIS will be used extensively in the preparation of final products. Since many of the findings of the project will be location-specific, maps, printed or on-line, will be a critical tool in presenting the results. The digital data sets themselves will also be a useful product for other organizations interested in the region and will continue to be available from The GIS Center

 

2. TASK 3 — DEVELOPMENT OF PLAN FOR LONG TERM INITIATIVES

An important part of the CMP will be the development of a plan for monitoring indicators of health of the Sourland Mountain ecosystem and also continuing public outreach and education. This plan, to be developed but not implemented, as part of the Smart Growth Planning Project could include:

• Identification of key indicators. During the Smart Growth Planning Project, appropriate indicators (such as population counts, water quality parameters, land cover etc.) which could be used to track the success of the Smart Growth Planning and Management Project will be identified;

• Development of a plan to monitor the key indicators identified above (such as the establishment of a volunteer citizen biologist corps to perform baseline surveys and long-term monitoring for birds and herptiles and other plants and animals as appropriate). This will be coordinated with similar efforts already underway in portions of the Sourlands. These data will be provided to individual townships, the State’s Natural Heritage Program database, and elsewhere as appropriate. This portion of the plan will also identify significant land users in the Sourlands and provide voluntary land use guidelines for the creation of "back-yard" habitats or other "Mountain Friendly Programs";

• Additional outreach with the public and educational outreach/public awareness such as coordination with local schools, scouts, non-profit organizations etc. to build awareness of and support for the concept of Smart Growth in the Sourland Region;

• Additional outreach and coordination with individual townships for the passage of specific ordinances as appropriate;

• Additional outreach and coordination with counties regarding updates to their plans, policies, etc. based on the results of the Comprehensive Management Plan;

• Additional outreach with the State regarding specific programs identified as having significant impact to the Sourlands. This may include coordination with the State Plan, open space plans and policies (i.e. farm land preservation plans and policies, etc.), transportation plans and policies, designation of the Sourland Mountains as "Special Resource Area", and/or legislative initiatives; and,

• Identification of possible funding sources for the implementation of the above tasks (additional grants, etc.).

1. PROJECT DELIVERABLES

The following deliverables will be created as part of this project. Specific authors are noted in parentheses:

• Report on Surface Water and Ground Water Resources in the Sourlands Mountains (Project Hydrogeologist with support from GIS Center).

• Report on the Environmental Resources and Critical Habitats in the Sourland Mountains (ENSP with support from GIS Center).

• Report on Historical, Cultural, and Recreational Resources in the Sourland Mountains (Technical Editor with Assistance from Dr. Luce, SPC, and GIS Center).

• Comprehensive Management Plan (Banisch Assoc. and GIS Center); including:
• Land Use Plan
• Conservation Plan
• Open Space Plan

• Plan for Long Term Initiatives (SPC)

• Creation of Centrally Located Environmental Database (GIS Center).

• Creation of Centrally Located Library of Municipal Ordinances and Other Policies (SPC)

• Summary Report for Smart Growth Planning and Management Project, including above reports, project overview and chronology, public relations report, general findings, and conclusions (SPC).

All of these documents will be distributed and/or accessible to the project participants, the DCA, and DEP. The Summary Report will be distributed and/or accessible to the Public.

1. Public PARTICIPATION

An extensive Public Outreach and Participation Program is anticipated for this project. The objectives for public outreach include:

• Raising public awareness of the importance and vulnerability of the Sourland Mountains;

• Informing the public that this project is being undertaken and explaining the objectives of such a study/plan;

• Incorporating the concerns of the public into the plan as appropriate;

• Presenting to the public interim findings and/or results of the Plan as it progresses; and,

• Building public support for possible recommendations that may result from the CMP.

These objectives will be accomplished via a mixture of public meeting, press releases, and dissemination of information as described below.

1. Public Meetings

 

A series of three meetings will be held in each township as described below:

FIRST MEETING — Presentations similar to those previously held in 1999 including presentation of "The Sourlands - A Natural Area At The Crossroads" CD. Introduce the project and describe the Scope of Work for the Smart Growth Planning Project. This meeting may be held only in those townships in which it was not previously held but will occur within the first three months after grant award.

SECOND MEETING -- A progress meeting will held midway through the project to present interim findings as available. It is anticipated that at least one member of the technical staff (i.e. hydrogeologist, biologist, or historian will speak at this meeting). This meeting will be held three to nine months after grant award.

THIRD MEETING — A results meeting will be held after the Smart Growth Plan is available in draft form. The meeting will present the results of the assessment portion of the study and will describe the recommended actions, including contents of the Comprehensive Management Plan, recommended Land Use Strategies, and the findings of the Open Space Plan. This meeting will be held nine to twelve months after grant award.

Through general meetings, SPC will continue to provide informational programs about the Sourland region at all available venues (Rotary and other community organizations, public schools, environmental clubs, etc.).

2. Press Releases

Each of the public meetings described above will be accompanied by a Press Release, distributed to all of the newspapers serving any of the five townships and/or three counties participating in the project, including the larger state-wide newspapers. This same press release will be distributed to the many non-profit organizations either participating in or supporting this project for release in their newsletters as appropriate.

In addition, SPC is currently establishing a web site. This web site will link to participating and other non-profit organizations, relevant State web-sites, and will provide status reports, notices for public meetings, press releases, and copies of draft reports/plans as available. The web site will also include a venue by which the public can provide comments and/or feedback regarding the project.

1. Project Organization

 

This project will be organized and managed in such a manner as to maximize the probability of success (i.e. policy recommendations are coordinated and implemented among all municipalities). This will be accomplished through involvement of a Steering Committee made up of the participating municipalities and counties, direction of the project through a technical advisory group, the use of qualified and experienced planners and technical staff, and participation of key non-profit organizations already working in the Sourland Mountains. Each of these entities is described in more detail below.

 

1. Steering Committee

 

A Steering Committee has been established, consisting of at least one member from each township and county. Members may come from individual governing bodies, Planning Boards, Boards of Health, recreation committees, etc. The Steering Committee has already identified the goals of the plan through regular meetings, will facilitate discussion and coordination among the participants, and will undertake public outreach. East Amwell Township will serve as the lead municipality and will provide for the overall management of the grant and dissemination of funds. Ms. Barbara Wolfe of East Amwell Township is the Chair of the Steering Committee. Mr. Mike Aucott of Hopewell Township is the Vice-chair of the Steering Committee. The East Amwell Treasurer, Jane Luhrs, has extensive experience in managing and disbursing funds for complex projects.

The Steering Committee was organized in July 2000 and met again in October 2000. Steering Committee members have discussed the scope of the Smart Growth Project and the challenge of inter-municipal cooperation. The Steering Committee understands at the conceptual level that there would be real benefits of common environmental protection policies throughout the region. Yet, at the practical level, coordinating policies among five individual local governments is a significant challenge. Therefore, Steering Committee members requested that a $1000 budget for each town be made available. These funds would enable a planner from each town to review the final Comprehensive Management Plan and make specific recommendations about implementation in the municipality. Resolutions of Support for each participating municipality are included as Attachment A. Attachment B includes Letters of Support from each participating County as well as from key non-profit organization supportive of the project.

 

2. Technical Advisory Group

 

A Technical Advisory Group (TAG) has been created to oversee the technical direction of the project and preparation of the plan, to coordinate with DCA and the project staff, and to manage the budget and enforce the schedule. The TAG consists of the Chair and Vice-chair of the Steering Committee, the President of the Sourland Planning Council, and the Executive Directors from SBMWA and the D&R Greenway. The TAG reports to the Steering Committee.

 

3. Technical Staff

 

The Project Team is made up of highly qualified and experienced staff in the area of environmental planning and engineering, water and environmental resources, governmental relations, and GIS work. Ms. Jennifer Bryson, of the Sourlands Planning Council, will act as the Project Director. She will organize Steering Committee meetings, oversee the Technical Staff and assist the Technical Staff in preparation of the Plan. In addition, the SPC will coordinate the public relations and education components of this project with individual townships and will assemble the library of local ordinances. Ms. Bryson reports to the TAG.

Banisch Associates, Inc. will serve as the Principal Planner on the project. Principals of the firm include Frank Banisch and Michael Bolan, who are the planners respectively for East Amwell and Hopewell Townships. They will obtain and evaluate existing relevant plans and ordinances from each Township and County and will develop recommended approaches and/or revisions for the Sourland Mountains. The planners will coordinate very closely with the other Technical Specialists on the project, particularly GIS, and will be the principal authors of the Comprehensive Management Plan.

A hydrogeologist (not yet selected) will collect and review available well and water quality data and evaluate existing regulations as they pertain to well and/or septic installation. S/he will also assist in developing recommended ordinances with respect to ground water use and/or septic systems and appropriate residential densities for long term sustainability. A Scope of Work is being written which will be sent to three highly regarded hydrogeologists. The Steering Committee will review the proposals and select one as the consultant to the project.

Ms. Amanda Dey from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Endangered and Non-Game Species will assist in evaluating critical habitat for migratory birds and herpetological species. She will coordinate her work with New Jersey’s ongoing Landscape Project and Stopover Project. A Botanist (not yet selected) will assist in evaluating critical habitats for plants.

All GIS-related tasks in the project will be performed by The GIS Center at SBWMA. The GIS Center, a joint project of SBWMA and the Upper Raritan Watershed Association, has fully-equipped GIS labs and highly experienced staff in both locations, but this project will be conducted primarily from the Stony Brook location. Mr. Andy Rowan of SBMWA will direct GIS activities including obtaining existing maps and information from the Sourlands area, assembling a master data base, assisting as necessary in the assessments, particularly during the build-out analyses and evaluation of current and projected densities, and in developing policy recommendations.

Each municipality, assisted by the Sourlands Planning Council will coordinate public outreach throughout the project. They will act as a liaison between the Smart Growth Project and the individual townships and counties to ensure that the activities described in Section 5 are accomplished. As needed, they may call upon the volunteer services of members of SPC to facilitate public involvement and outreach.

The D&R Greenway will assist during preparation of the Open Space Plan, particularly in identifying, targeting, and facilitating conservation and/or preservation efforts.

Finally, the services of a technical editor will be used in developing background sections of the Comprehensive Management Plan. Currently, extensive information is being assembled regarding the unique cultural and historic resources of the Sourlands Mountains. This will be incorporated into the overall plan. Resumes of key technical staff are included as Attachment C of this document.

 

 

 

 

 

2. PROJECT SCHEDULE

All project participants have indicated their readiness to proceed immediately. Each of the primary tasks described above (Characterization, Assessment, and Development of CMP) is expected to take approximately three to four months. Thus, a CMP will be available within approximately one year from grant award.

 

3. PROJECT Budget

A total of $245,000 will be necessary to conduct this very important project. However, this will be significantly offset by in-kind contributions. The total request is $210,000. Table 1 provides a detailed breakdown according to individual task leaders, requested amount, and in-kind contribution. The Smart Growth Project Team has general knowledge of other projects in the planning phase or underway that may have some elements of similarity to certain tasks in this proposal. It is the intention that these studies be identified prior to awarding professional contracts. Incorporating the findings from other work into this project will improve consistency, eliminate redundancy, and therefore reduce costs. However, because of the municipal governance structure in the State of New Jersey, policies are implemented only through active municipal government participation, which this project offers.

ATTACHMENT A

RESOLUTIONS OF SUPPORT

To be provided as soon as available.

ATTACHMENT B

LETTERS OF SUPPORT

Letters of support from each of the participating counties, non-profit organizations, and other agencies as appropriate will be provided as soon as available. In addition, numerous other organizations knowledgeable with the Sourlands have indicated their support. Letters of support from each of these organizations will be sought to supplement the grant application and to extend public outreach. These include, at a minimum, the following:

Association of NJ Environmental Commissions (ANJEC)

Borough of Hopewell

Borough of Lambertville

Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC)

Delaware Riverkeeper Network

Friends of Hillsborough

South Branch Watershed Association (SBWA)

Washington Crossing Audubon Society

ATTACHMENT C

RESUMES OF KEY TECHNICAL STAFF