679 Washington Street w P.O. Box 768 Hackettstown, New Jersey 07840 (908) 850-1216 m Fax (908) 850-1334 MASER SOSINSKI & ASSOCIATES, F?A. Township of Washington Warren County, New Jersey PROTECTED OPEN SPACE INVENTORY Township of Washington Environmental Commission December 1992 MS4 Project No. G91037 This document was prepared with the aid of a grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, Offke of Environmental Services. Consulting, Municipal and Environmental Engineers Planners m Sweyors
&ASSOCIATES, PA. TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON Warren County, New Jersey The Township of Washington Environmental Commission received a matching grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Environmental Services to conduct an inventory of all known protected open spaces in the Township. This project builds upon the Environmental Resources Inventory previously prepared by the Environmental Commission with the aid of funding from the Office of Environmental Services. The information collected will be used in the review of new development proposals to identify potential open space linkages and also as background data for the Conservation and Open Space Plan Element of the updated Township Master Plan. The Protected Open Space Inventory consists of three overlay maps depicting various categories of protected open space as well as a listing of open space parcels including, block and lot numbers and acreages Protected open space was categorized and mapped as follows: Overlay fl A. Public Dedicated Open Space (Parkland) Overlay #2 B Farmland Preservation Parcels C Conservation Easements 1
& ASSOCIATES, PA. Overlay #3 D 0 Public Lands not Dedicated as Open Space E Semi-Public Lands F 0 Rights-of-Way and Utilities The identification of each property (Block and Lot Number) depicted on each of the three overlays appears in the Appendix to this report. The above categories can be described as follows: A 0 Public Dedicated ODen 8pace (Parkland) - Ownership of this land is by a public entity and its primary purpose is for recreation and/or preservation of natural resources and habitats. B Farmland Preservation Parcels - These properties have had their development rights purchased or purchase has been approved as part of the New Jersey State Farmland Preservation Program. They are to remain as Farmland under this program. C Conservation Easements - Less than full fee ownership or a right to enforce easements or rights. Easements or restrictions related to drainage, stream corridors, wetlands, or other important resources including the Morris Canal have been mapped. Only drainage easements associated with stream channels were mapped as part of this project. D 0 Public Lands not Dedicated as Open 8pace - Ownership is by a public entity for primary uses other than as parkland. Lands have limited development and restricted uses and are not necessarily accessible to the general public. Uses include schools, state institutions, and other state, county, or municipal facilities. 2
8i ASSOCIATES, PA. E Semi-Public Lands - Ownership is by charitable or nonprofit organizations. Land uses include churches and associated residences, cemeteries, camps, recreation areas, and conservation lands. Properties are tax exempt. F 0 Ricrhts-of-Way and Utilities - Ownership is by state or public utilities. These lands consist of easements for such utilities as electric, gas and water as well as land owned by utilities. The above lands were identified through a review of municipal tax records including tax maps and the tax assessment book, as well as through a thorough review of Township Planning Board Files. Planning Board Files for the period 1956 through mid 1992 were reviewed for subdivision and site plan applications that included dedication of open space or conservation easements. Over 780 files were reviewed as part of this effort. All plans in these files were reviewed for dedications and easements that met the criteria to be included in and mapped as part of this study. The subsequent mapping includes subdivisions which have been built as well as those with preliminary approval only. Many of the conservation easements appear on applications approved in recent years which have only preliminary approval at this time. All applications with final approval have proceeded to construction. A differentiation is made on the map of conservation easements between those that have been accepted (deeded) and those that have only received preliminary approval. A great number of drainage easements were identified during the course of the study. Many of them are not associated with stream courses but are for stormwater sewers or detention basins. Most of these easements were of very limited length and provided no 3
& ASSOCIATES, F?A. linkages with other easements or stream corridors. Consequently, only those drainage easements associated with stream courses were mapped since they represent an opportunity to create linked stream corridor greenways. Abandoned railroad rights-of-way were also reviewed for inclusion in this study. A decision was made not to map these rights-of-way since all of them have been fragmented by the transfer of the right-of-way to private property owners. Much of the publicly owned open space and conservation easements currently in existence in Washington Township are associated with stream corridors. This is not by accident but by design. As subdivisions have been approved, sensitive wetland and floodplain areas adjacent to streams have been set aside for conservation during the site plan review process. Major areas proposed for or dedicated to conservation lie along Pohatcong Creek and the Musconetcong River and their tributaries. Some of this land adjacent to Pohatcong Creek has been dedicated to the Township. The State of New Jersey has also recently purchased land adjacent to the Musconetcong River as part of its greenways program. Because of their importance as a natural resource, stream corridors should be the focus of a conservation plan element in Washington Township. Preservation of stream corridors in Washington Township will offer flood protection, preserve wetlands, help maintain surface water quality, provide wildlife habitat, establish a system of "Greenways,1t and aid in aquifer recharge. The report on the Musconetcong River Watershed prepared in 1989 by the North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc. (NJRCDA) notes that )I ea there is an intimate hydraulic interaction between the river and the important carbonate bedrock aquifer...** (page 8). 4
& ASSOCIATES, P.A. Also, the report states that "wetlands have basic intrinsic values, especially for water quality and wildlife. Most of the wetlands are associated with trout streams. These areas are very important to trout production and maintenance. Trout are very sensitive to any activity which degrades water quality. In addition, there are a number of endangered or threatened wildlife species whose ranges extend into the study area. Protection of grassed buffer areas such as hayfields, pastures and unmowed grass strips next to the streams and wetlands would provide important habitat for these species I* (pages 26 and 27). Support for stream corridor preservation is also embodied in the policies of the State Development and Redevelopment Plan. A publication of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, "Keeping Our Garden State Green," contains the following recommendations for buffer widths to serve various functions related to protection of surface water quality: Suqqeshd Buffer Widths for Surface Water R8sOUrC8S Function Streambank Stabilization Sediment Control Nutrient Removal Food Energy Temperature Control Fish Cover Wildlife Habitat Buffer 25-50 feet 65450 feet 65-150 feet 25-50 feet 50-80 feet 25-50 feet 100-300 feet Because of the environmental sensitivity of stream corridors and the existing conservation easements already in place along major 5
& ASSOCIATES, P.A. Township streams, it is recommended that conservation easements, dedications and fee purchases of stream corridor lands be continued at the local, County and State levels to build upon the existing base as identified in this report. In addition to stream corridor and farmland preservation, the Township should also seek to preserve large areas of undisturbed woodland. The largest such area (approximately 400 acres) is located on Montana Mountain in the northwestern portion of the Township and is owned by New Jersey American Water Company. This tract is heavily wooded and steep and contains Brass Castle Creek and several tributaries. It is an excellent parcel to be retained as open space for woodland preservation and passive recreation use. G91037-12/17/92
& ASSOCIATES, PA. APPENDIX List of Properties Shown on Overlay Maps
MASER SOSlNSKl 8( ASSOCIATES,!?A. OVERLAY 1 Public Open SDace A-1 State of New Jersey, BL. 74, Lot 1 A-2 Lake Marguerite, BL. 4, Lots 19 & 21 A-3 Meadow Breeze Lane, BL. 17, Lot 5 A-4 Bowerstown Road, BL. 28, Lot 1 A-5.Pohatcong Creek, BL. 38, Lots 18.02 & 21 A-6 Bodine Wildlife Sanctuary, BL. 46, Lot 7.08 A-7 Springtown Road, BL. 48, Lot 76.46 A-8 State of New Jersey, BL. 95, Lot 1 & BL. 96, Lot 1 27.44 AC. 22.24 AC. 26.00 AC. 13.26 AC. 90.96 AC. 1.17 AC. 19.58 AC. 7.98 AC.
MAW? SOSINSKI & ASSOCIATES, F?A. OVERLAY 2 Farmland Preservation B-l Caputo, BL. 71, Lot 3 B-2 Schnetzer, BL. 71, Lot 8 B-3 Schnetzer, BL. 72, Lot 1 B-4 Jelliff, BL. 71, Lot 2 B-5 Schnetzer, BL. 70, Lot 5 145 AC. 46 AC. 22 AC. 80 AC. 4 AC. Conservation Easements C-l c-2* c-3* c-4* c-5 C-6 c-7 C-8 c-9* c-10 c-11 Morris Canal, BL. 15, Lot 8.02 Morris Canal, BL. 18, Lot 6.04 Pohatcong Creek, BL. 27, Lot 15 Pohatcong Creek, BL. 68, Lot 12 Drainage, BL. 67, Lot 570A6 Drainage, BL. 66, Lot 1.06 Drainage, BL. 71, Lots 4, 4.05, 4.0211 Drainage, BL. 66, Lots 20.06, 20.07, 20.10 Conservation, 81;. 65, Lot 2 Conservation, BL. 48, Lot 74 Drainage, BL. 48, Lot 72.01 c-12 Drainage, BL. 44, Lot 6.02 c-13 Conservation, BL. 82, Lot 19.19 c-14 Conservation, BL. 82, Lots 19.03, 19.05 c-15* Conservation, BL. 82, Lot 17 * Preliminary Site Plan Approval only.
& ASSOCIATES,!?A. OVERLAY 3 Public Lands State D-l NJ Dept. of Corrections, BL. 3, Lot 1 8.55 AC. TownshiP D-2 Washington Township Police, BL. 17, Lot 5 D-3 Washington Twp. Municipal Offices, BL. 23, Lot D-4 Old Port Colden School, BL. 43, Lot 8 D-5 Washington Twp. Garage, BL. 43, Lot 10.01 D-6 Washington Twp. Fire Co,, BL. 19, Lots &, 8, 9 D-7 Washington Twp. Fire Co., BL. 51, Lot 10 D-8 Foreclosed Properties, Various Locations lo+ AC. 12 2.4 AC. 0.45 AC. 3.8 AC. 1.3 AC..25 AC. School D-9 Regional Board of Education, BL. 5, Lot 22 D-10 Warren Hills High School, BL. 38, Lot 17 D-11 Brass Castle School, BL. 18, Lot 9 D-12 Port Colden School, BL. 43, Lot 10 5.21 AC. 46.85 AC. 11.77 AC. 13.13 AC. Other D-13 Washington Boro - Mill Pond, BL. 67, Lot 66 17.183 AC. D-14 Washington Boro - Landfill, BL. 48, Lot 78 8.05 AC. D-15 Washington Boro Bd. of Educ., BL. 40, Lot 87.03 15.0 AC.
& ASSOCIATES, PA. OVERLAY 3 Semi-Public Lands E-l Washington Grange, BL. 20, Lot 1 E-2 St. Joseph's Cemetery, BL. 30, Lots 31, 32.01 E-3 Hiram Unity Temple, BL. 30, Lot 2 E-4 Abilities of Northwest Jersey, BL. 40, Lot 25 E-5 E-6 ' E-7 E-8 E-9 E-10 E-11 E-12 Utilities St. Luke% Evangelical Lutheran Church, BL. 40, Lot 13 Washington Assembly of God, BL. 22, Lot 3 Ave Maria Institute, BL. 68, Lot 39, BL. 70, Lot 1 Washington Cemetery, BL. 67, Lots 3,4 Presbyterian Cemetery, BL. 66, Lot 11 Pohatcong Home Post 670, BL. 48, Lots 1 6; 2 Port Colden Methodist Church, BL. 43, Lot 7 Hampton Bible Chapel, BL. 79, Lot 7.02 E-13 New Jersey American Water Company, BL. 1, Lot 1; BL. 3, Lots 9 & 17; BL. 12, Lot 1; BL. 13, Lots 1 & 3; BL. 14, Lot 39 (400 Acres total) G91037.12/17/92