Open Space Element Readington Township Master Plan Hunterdon County, NJ

Adopted | February 13, 2018

Clarke Caton Hintz | 100 Barrack Street, Trenton, NJ 08608

Open Space Element Readington Township Master Plan

Hunterdon County, NJ Adopted February 13, 2018

Planning Board Ronald P. Monaco, Chair John Albanese, Vice-Chair M. Elizabeth Duffy, Township Committee Betty Ann Fort, Township Committee Mayor’s Designee Julia C. Allen Jerry Cook Cheryl Filler Alan Harwick Christopher John

Open Space Advisory Board Juergen Huelsebusch, Chairman Julia Allen, Vice Chair John Klotz Sandy Madon Robert Becker Neil Hendrickson Chris John Jay Kelly Jonathan Heller Anne Owen

Michael Sullivan, ASLA, AICP Township Planner

Clarke Caton Hintz Prepared By:

Architecture Planning Landscape Architecture Michael F. Sullivan, ASLA, AICP New Jersey Professional Planning License No. 5153 100 Barrack Street Trenton NJ 08608 Tel: 609 883 8383 Fax: 609 883 4044 Emily R. Goldman, PP, AICP New Jersey Professional Planning License No. 6088

A signed and sealed copy is on file with the Planning Board office.

Clarke Caton Hintz | 100 Barrack Street, Trenton, NJ 08608

READINGTON TOWNSHIP

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...... 1 HISTORY OF OPEN SPACE AND FARMLAND PRESERVATION IN READINGTON ...... 4 EVOLUTION OF READINGTON’S OPEN SPACE STRATEGY ...... 13 1979 Open Space Master Plan ...... 13 1981 Master Plan...... 13 1990 Master Plan ...... 14 Greenways Plan of 1995 ...... 14 1998 Master Plan ...... 15 Environmental Resource Inventory, April 2001 ...... 15 Characteristic Flora and Fauna, April 2001...... 16 Critical Habitats of Readington Township, April 2001 ...... 17 2001 Master Plan Amendment ...... 17 2009 Master Plan ...... 18 GOALS, VISION AND POLICIES ...... 19 PRESERVATION PRIORITIES ...... 20 Cushetunk and Round Mountain ...... 20 Readington Village Historic Area ...... 24 Rockaway/Lamington River Watershed Area ...... 25 Holland Brook, Chambers Brook and Pleasant Run Stream Corridors ...... 27 South Branch of the Raritan ...... 28 The Village of Stanton ...... 29 IMPLEMENTATION ...... 30 Prospective Open Space ...... 30 Open Space Preservation Mechanisms ...... 34 POLICY GUIDANCE BEYOND READINGTON ...... 38 New Jersey’s Open Space and Environmental Policies ...... 38 Hunterdon County Open Space Preservation Policies...... 49 Relevant Literature ...... 54

Appendices

Appendix A: Open Space Inventory Appendix B: Farmland Preservation Inventory Appendix C: Green Trust Planning Inventive Project Grant Status Appendix D: Status of Green Trust Loans, 2017 Appendix E: 2009 Master Plan Figures

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Introduction

This open space plan replaces the 2001 Parks Recreation and Open Space Plan Element, and amends the 1990 Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan Element of the Master Plan. This update continues to be inspired by the 1995 Greenways Plan and Environmental Commission documents produced in 2001, namely the Readington Township Environmental Resource Inventory and its amended reports; the Water Quality Report and those entitled Critical Habitats and Flora and Fauna, as well as the State of New Jersey’s Landscape Project. These documents contain inventory, analyses and recommendations relating to open space and natural resources, providing direction for land use policies, and emphasizing the relationship between open space preservation and conservation objectives. Open Space Plans based on furthering these objectives have targeted specific geographic areas and tracts for open space preservation. Over these last several decades, the Township Committee has been actively working to implement these recommendations, including both acquisition and, more recently, the expansion of passive recreational opportunities. Fortunately, because of the slow pace of development over the last 16 years, natural resources existing in 2001 have not been appreciatively disturbed, so much open land still remains in Readington that if preserved would help the Township meet its conservation objectives. Readington Township has long recognized that the preservation of open spaces provides essential benefits to its residents. Conservation of appropriate open spaces protects Readington’s rural character and serves as an alternative to suburban sprawl. It helps to buffer the Township’s historical, agricultural and environmental resources. It serves to protect the Township’s water quality, including that of its streams and rivers and the ground water wells that residents depend on for their drinking water. Preservation of open spaces is vital to the protection of critical wildlife habitat, native plant species, mature woodlands, fertile farmlands, riparian areas and beautiful viewsheds. The preservation of Readington’s open spaces provides recreational opportunities and enhances the Township’s enviable quality of life. An inventory of preserved open space and recreational lands is provided in Appendix A. The “Existing Open Space” figure illustrates the geographic location of the existing preserved open space and recreational lands within Readington. This Master Plan amendment contains an updated history of open space preservation efforts thus far and an updated inventory of open space and recreational lands. Recognizing that farmland is also a component of an open space network, an updated

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inventory of preserved farmland is included. The inventory is followed by a series of open space preservation goals. Finally, specific parcels are identified for preservation in order to meet these goals. The Open Space Plan includes the following components:

 History of Open Space and Farmland Preservation in Readington  Evolution of Readington’s Open Space Strategy  Goals, Vision and Policies  Preservation Priorities  Implementation  Policy Guidance Beyond Readington

Public Process

Pursuant to the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law, the Planning Board is responsible for the creation and adoption of the Master Plan, of which the Open Space Plan is a component. In preparing this Open Space Plan, the Planning Board relied on an advisory committee that was composed of members drawn from key boards and committees within Readington Township, including:

 Township Committee (governing body)  Planning Board  Open Space Advisory Committee  Farmland Preservation Committee  Historic Preservation Commission

This advisory committee served as a pivot point for collection and dissemination of information related to the development of the Open Space Plan, among their respective committees. Furthermore, this committee generated substantial content, including data, imagery, policy development and descriptions that, ultimately, was woven together in this 2018 Open Space Plan. The advisory committee held five (5) meetings, open to the public, over four (4) months to develop the Plan. Additionally, the Planning Board held public hearings on the Open Space and Recreation Plan prior to adoption as a Master Plan element on December 19, 2017 and on February 13, 2018.

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D R 02 Y K 2 A US W Township Open Space (2149.9 Acres) O D N O R I B R R K B O O 0LD Y R Y Z

A L State Open Space (865.4 Acres) E T V S T 3 A 1 D R S 6 R R E E T D Y E T B V N A L O TE R I L HI D E O N I B W R R C R U V A B ILR O S County Open Space (751.5 Acres) N OA C I D A VE N G O G I D G H OL R DF E IN T C N H U L H A Private Open Space (195 Acres)

Board of Education (107 Acres) 4567613

Flemington Borough Total: 4068.8 Acres Farmland Preserved Farmland (4852 Acres) Hillsborough Township

Sources:

Open Space and Preserved Farmland (2017) ° 0 8,000Ft Readington Township & Clarke Caton Hintz Parcels of Hunterdon County, (2017) Originator: Hunterdon County Division of GIS Publication Date: 08/28/14

New Jersey Real Estate MOD-IV Tax List Search Plus Database, 2016 Clarke Caton Hintz Originator: NJ Office of Information Technology (NJOIT), Open Space Office of Geographic Information Systems (OGIS) Originator: NJ Department of the Treasury, Division of Taxation Architecture Publication Date: 07/13/16 Planning LOCATION: DATE: Landscape Architecture Readington Township, Hunterdon County, NJ December 2017 Readington Township

History of Open Space and Farmland Preservation in Readington

Efforts to preserve Readington’s farmland and open space date back a full forty years, to the fall of 1977 and the beginning of a true “grassroots” movement. At that time in Readington Township, and in all of Hunterdon County, small historic villages predominated. They were connected by quiet country roads and surrounded by rolling hills of open land. There were many large dairy farms, pristine trout streams, and impressive hardwood forests on Cushetunk and Round mountains. New homes along some paved roadways accommodated new families “moving out” to enjoy the rural lifestyle of the countryside. Suburban sprawl, characterized by large residential developments built on cul-de-sacs had effectively transformed vast areas of Somerset County and developers were starting to look towards Hunterdon for cheaper land. Aging farmers understood their “last crop” would be houses and even those not happy with the idea knew that this was the inevitable future for their farms. About this time, the Hunterdon County Democrat ran a story about a developer proposing a 99 lot subdivision on a 200-acre tract of land on Barley Sheaf Road. A handful of “newcomers” joined by some “old timers” came to Township Committee meetings asking what could be done to save the countryside. They predicted that if nothing is done, this entire 48 square mile township would be consumed by wall to wall development. In response, an Open Space Advisory Committee was appointed, and in November 1978, on the advice of this Committee, Readington Township held the State’s first municipal Open Space Referendum. Voters were asked if they favored bonding for $1,000,000 to preserve farmland and open space, and they overwhelmingly approved. The Open Space Committee went on to write an Open Space Master Plan, which advocated preserving open space and farmland to protect the historic, environmental and agricultural resources of the countryside, and stated that “Traditional zoning and planning techniques in New Jersey result in complete development of all agricultural and open land…We, in Readington…. can commit ourselves to a more sensible alternative. The community has the opportunity to balance development with the preservation of appropriate open spaces…” The plan, approved in 1979, included a report outlining strategies for preservation, which Readington went on to utilize, most notably, clustering of development, fee simple acquisitions, purchase of easements, and accepting donations.

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Active Recreation To accommodate a growing population, Readington’s earliest priority was the acquisition of parkland suitable for active recreation. In the early 80’s, Readington purchased land for Pickell Park and Hillcrest Park. Land for Summer Road Park was purchased in the mid 90’s. The “Active Recreation” figure identifies all of the existing active recreational parks.

Active Recreation in Readington Township, December 2017 Block Lot Name Acres 13 54 East Whitehouse Park 31.33 21.12 94 Brown-Ingrahm Athletic Fields 8.45 21.13 2 Cushetunk Lake Park 9.58 25 35 & 35.01 Pickell Park 22.57 35 14 Ballfields at Whitehouse School 6.80 46 5.99 Cornhuskers Ball Fields 38.83 48 20 Ballfields at Readington Middle School 23.40 48 21.01 Ballfields at Holland Brook School 46.18 55 1.91 Roosevelt Road Ballfields 14.00 55 23.03 Hillcrest Park 51.52 72 31 Deerpath Park 104.23 75 18 Summer Road Park 48.46 93 61 Ballfields at Three Bridges School 8.50 Total 413.85

Farmland Preservation The State Farmland Program began in the mid 80’s, and Readington took full advantage. The Township preserved its first farm in 1987. By 2001, a little more than a decade later, Readington had preserved 30 farms, totaling 3,000 acres, with an additional 350 acres under contract. An inventory of preserved farmland is provided in Appendix B. The “Preserved Farmland” figure identifies all of the farms preserved to date within the Township. Clustering to Preserve Open Space

Over a period of thirty years, Readington used cluster zoning as an effective tool that preserved large amounts of open space. During the 80’s, with the construction of many large lot residential developments, the Township’s three-acre rural zoning allowed clustering on two acre lots with one third of the tract reserved for open space. Developers were happy to use this option. In the decades to follow, a variety of cluster

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Other Preserved Land Hillsborough Township

Sources:

New Jersey Real Estate MOD-IV Tax List Search Plus Database, 2016 Clarke Caton Hintz Originator: NJ Office of Information Technology (NJOIT), Active Open Space Office of Geographic Information Systems (OGIS) Originator: NJ Department of the Treasury, Division of Taxation Architecture Publication Date: 07/13/16 Planning LOCATION: DATE: Landscape Architecture Readington Township, Hunterdon County, NJ December 2017 ROC KA W A Y R D Tewksbury Township

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4567613 Legend Flemington Borough Preserved Farmland (4852 Acres)

Open Space (4068.8 Acres) Hillsborough Township

Sources:

New Jersey Real Estate MOD-IV Tax List Search Plus Database, 2016 Clarke Caton Hintz Originator: NJ Office of Information Technology (NJOIT), Preserved Farmland Office of Geographic Information Systems (OGIS) Originator: NJ Department of the Treasury, Division of Taxation Architecture Publication Date: 07/13/16 Planning LOCATION: DATE: Landscape Architecture Readington Township, Hunterdon County, NJ December 2017 Readington Township

provisions resulted in the preservation of over 35 tracts of open space, with about 700 acres deeded to Readington Township and several hundred additional acres retained by homeowner’s associations.

Clustering to Preserve Farmland

Cluster was also used to preserve agriculture. In the mid 80’s, Readington allowed homes to be clustered on 20% of the tract, with 80% reserved as a privately owned preserved farm. In 1988, to stem the loss of prime farmland in the Township’s designated Agricultural Development Area, this clustering provision became mandatory. In 1992, it was revised to mandate a 67% set aside for agriculture. Developments using these agricultural cluster provisions created 5 preserved farms totaling 385 acres.

Clustering to Protect Natural Resources

In 1998, Readington again revised its land use ordinances, lowering overall development density, and favoring open space preservation. A mandatory cluster required a 70% open space set aside in low density residential areas. Readington’s final cluster revision, in 2009, focused on protecting the townships natural resources, particularly its water resources and critical habitats. With a lower overall density, the ordinance mandates an 80% conservation set aside in the Township’s Special Resource and Agricultural Residential zones, and a 50% set aside in the rural and village residential areas.

Readington’s Greenways Initiative

In 1992, the Readington Township Environmental Commission surveyed township resident’s preferences for the preservation of open space and 83% of respondents gave high marks to strict open space protection and strong preservation actions. The Commission formed an ad-hoc group of interested citizens known as the Greenways Work Group, which concluded that the promotion of Greenways, made up of contiguous parcels of open space assembled to create corridors of undeveloped land, should be used to preserve the Township’s natural resources and protect rural character in the context of new development. In November of 1994, Township voters passed a referendum that set aside $0.02 of assessed valuation for the purchase of open space. The workgroup produced the Readington Township Greenways Plan, which was adopted by the Planning Board as an addendum to the Master Plan in 1995, along with The Readington Township Open Space Inventory and Recommendations for Preservation. The Plan, adopted as part of the 1996 Reexamination Report, set out Greenways goals that

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would guide preservation efforts for next 20 years. Information pertaining to the Greenways Initiative is provided in Appendix C.

Green Acres Planning Incentive Program

The Greenways planning documents provided the basis for an application submitted in 1996 for a Green Trust Planning Incentive Project Grant. Readington learned in 1997 that it was awarded an initial $3-million-dollar grant (25%) and low interest loan (75%), followed a year later with a $2 million grant (50%) and low interest loan (50%). In subsequent years, the Program shifted its funding strategy to offer 50% grants, requiring a 50% local match. Grants are made available to municipalities on an annual basis to purchase conservation and recreational lands which implement their Plan. To maintain eligibility, the municipality must have an updated Open Space Plan which is being actively implemented. As of 2017, Readington has been participating in this Program for 2 decades. It has received 15 grant awards totaling $7,525,000, and two low interest loans totaling $3,250,000. Readington’s local matching funds are listed as $5,225,000. The local match for acquisitions has come either from the Readington Township Open Space Fund, from a Hunterdon County’s Open Space Trust Fund grant, or from municipal bonding. Readington’s current Green Trust Planning Incentive Project Grant status is included in Appendix D.

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Preservation Partnerships

In the late 90’s Readington benefited from a partnership with the private nonprofit conservation organization known as The Trust for Public Land (TPL). TPL was awarded a half million-dollar State Green Acres grant to assist with Readington’s Greenways Project. These funds were applied to the purchase of conservation easements and land on three properties; the Renda Farm on the Rockaway Creek, the Knocke Farm on the Holland Brook and the Lane Farm on the Pleasant Run. Between 2001 and 2004, Readington received low interest loans from the NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust for three additional Greenways projects, two along the Holland Brook and one along the Pleasant Run.

Fee Simple Purchase of Large Tracts

To facilitate preservation, Readington Township, on four separate occasions, purchased large tracts of open land, selling them, in turn, to the State DEP for conservation purposes. In each instance, Readington sold the land for the exact amount it paid. Two of the tracts make up the 500-acre South Branch Wildlife Management Area, and another 230-acre tract has become the Lamington Greenway Wildlife Management Area. An additional 31-acre tract on Cushetunk Mountain was purchased by DEP to buffer the State’s Round Valley Recreation Area. On a number of projects, Readington moved quickly to purchase large tracts in fee, then divided the land, preserving a portion using Farmland Preservation Funds and preserving the balance using a combination of State Green Acres and local funding. Two notable examples of this type of project were the former 183 acre Romano property on Cole Road in 1999 and the 310-acre Toll Brothers/Daniels Tracts on Summer Road and Route 202 in 2009.

Acting on Opportunities

Throughout the previous decades, Readington has developed a very meaningful open space network. There is no question that Readington’s success can be attributed to its willingness to act quickly when opportunities have presented themselves. To accomplish this, Readington utilized short term, low interest notes to raise money for municipal “pre-purchasing” of land and easements, cost effectively bridging the gap between acquisition and the receipt of state and county preservation funding. In the past, in order to help preservation projects succeed by enabling a quick closing, Readington Township has purchased a property or an easement using short term, low interest, municipal notes. These notes are then reimbursed using preservation funds or auction proceeds as they become available. Often, entire projects were completed without the use of long term municipal bonding and without the long-term expenditure of any municipal funds. Two examples follow:

1. Forest Hill Preserve, 20 Acres on Case Boulevard in Three Bridges: Purchased by the Township for over $500,000 but all funds were reimbursed by the State Green Acres Planning Incentive Grant Program, the County Municipal Grants

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Fund Program, and the proceeds from auctioning a house divided from the property on a one-acre lot.

2. Lamington Greenway Wildlife Management Area– A parcel of 230 acres was purchased by Readington Township and was sold within one year to the State of New Jersey, Department of Environmental Protection, for use as a State Wildlife Management Area. Readington was reimbursed for 100% of the purchase price, and significant riparian habitats were preserved along the Rockaway Creek and the Lamington River.

The Garden State Preservation Trust

Readington took full advantage of New Jersey’s unprecedented funding for Open Space and Farmland preservation in the decade between 1999 and 2009. In 1999, then Governor Christie Whitman, a Hunterdon County resident, signed the Garden State Preservation Act, which established a stable source of preservation funding and authorized the expenditure of one billion dollars over ten years. The State’s goal was to preserve one million acres, and Readington became one of the leading municipalities to use local initiatives and take full advantage of generous State funding to further its Open Space and Farmland Preservation goals.

Shifting gears during the “Great Recession”

Beginning in 2009, the Readington Township Committee shifted its focus. Readington had borrowed money in order to take full advantage of State funding opportunities that required a local match during the previous 10 years. For the last nine years, now, the Township has been repaying this debt using all of the proceeds from Readington Township’s Open Space Tax, approximately one half million dollars annually, towards the payment of debt service. During this time, the Township has continued to pursue key parcels and smaller projects, helping to build on past initiatives, while using County Trust Fund grants to satisfy the requirement for a local match.

Trail Development Over the last eight years, Readington’s nine- member Open Space Advisory Board has concentrated on stewardship of Open Spaces and the development of a Township wide trail network. The Board’s goal has been to make the Township’s Public Open Spaces more accessible to township residents. In a relatively short period of time, the Township has successfully developed over 20 miles of improved trails, serving all regions of this 48 square mile Township. Most impressively, this has been accomplished predominately using volunteer labor and funding from grants. Trail development used the

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combined efforts of the Open Space Advisory Board members, local Boy Scout troops, dozens of Eagle Scout Candidates, local neighborhood volunteers, along with the support of the Readington Trail Association and the Township’s Department of Public Works. Open Space Walks, scheduled for the third Sunday of each month have helped introduce residents to these new trails and to the Township’s beautiful and interesting open spaces.

Where We Are Today Readington’s preservation efforts over the last 40 years have not, by any means, stopped development, but they have successfully balanced development with appropriate open spaces. Readington, through its land preservation efforts, has successfully preserved both its precious natural resources and its enviable quality of life. In 2017, Readington Township can and should reflect on its impressive accomplishments. Readington boasts approximately 4,000 acres of preserved Open Space and close to 5,000 acres of preserved farmland. Preserved land makes up 29% of the township’s 30,000-acre land mass. Despite these successes, however, Readington’s preservation goals have not yet been met. A review of Readington’s newly updated plans reveal that continued efforts are needed to further implement Readington’s long standing preservation goals.

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Evolution of Readington’s Open Space Strategy

Readington’s earliest Master Plan documents spoke of protecting Readington’s rural character and its natural resources. In the late 70’s, seventy-five percent of Readington’s land mass was either in agriculture or was undeveloped woodland. Planning documents written 40 years ago, however, assumed that a wave of suburban sprawl would inevitably bring wall to wall development to Readington Township, and the zoning ordinances at the time supported that prediction. Rapid growth had just consumed whole municipalities in Somerset County and was beginning to move into Readington, a 48 square mile township on the eastern edge of Hunterdon County. Readington simply planned for providing increased services and minimizing negative effects. A review of later planning documents reveals a shift in the Township’s priorities, and an evolution of its goals and objectives. In the decades to follow, the preservation of open spaces and the protection of rural resources became the highest priority. Realistic strategies to accomplish these new goals and objectives were put forward, and subsequently utilized, to successfully contain growth and balance more moderate growth with preservation.

1979 Open Space Master Plan

Readington’s first “Open Space Master Plan” put forward a new goal, which was to protect the special historic and environmental resources of the countryside through land preservation. The plan included three distinct elements that explained the advantages of preserving land for Agricultural, Environmental and Recreational purposes. It stated that open space preservation was a useful strategy in “shaping and containing development”, thereby combating suburban sprawl, and was an important tool for stabilizing the tax base, alluding to the very real expense of providing infrastructure to accommodate rapid growth. It stated that open space preservation was a tool for buffering and protecting Readington’s historic, natural and agricultural resources and protecting its scenic vistas. A report, attached to the plan, outlined various strategies to accomplish the preservation.

1981 Master Plan

Municipal objectives included: The “preservation of …rural residential character “as well as the “Preservation of agricultural lands and protection of streams, woodlands, and environmentally sensitive areas.” Clustering was recommended, and shortly thereafter, rural residential zoning density was revised, from one and three quarter

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acre density to three-acre density with a cluster option allowing two acre lots and a 1/3 open space set aside.

1990 Master Plan

Goal: Preserve farmlands and encourage their continued use recognizing that farming is an important component of the economy…and that agricultural lands are an irreplaceable resource. Policies: Coordinate local agricultural land use preservation guidelines with those of the State, County and adjoining municipalities. -Preserve large agricultural areas free from the intrusion of residential and other uses. Goal: Protect environmentally sensitive areas, preserve the natural environment, and ensure a compatible balance between economic and environmental interests. Polices: Conserve and protect as many environmentally sensitive areas as possible. - Encourage the development of a township-wide “greenbelt” system, incorporating natural areas, stream corridors, environmentally sensitive areas and areas of scenic beauty, in order to connect various parts of the township through an open space network. The township should sponsor studies to identify areas that should be preserved.

Greenways Plan of 1995

The Greenways Plan served as the foundation of the 1998 Parks, Recreation and Open Space element and has been used to guide the funding and acquisition of open space since it was adopted. In order to facilitate an understanding of the diverse characteristics and open space needs of the Township, the Greenways Plan divided the Township into a number of geographic regions, known as geographic sub areas. These regions were based on unique natural and cultural features. In addition to providing descriptions of these sub-areas, the plan contains several Open Space Goals formulated to guide open space preservation and stewardship of the sub-areas and natural resources. These continue to provide valid guidance to Readington’s open space planning and preservation efforts: Greenways Goals Maximize buffer areas along river and stream corridors, including the Lamington River, the Rockaway Creek, Chamber’s Brook, Holland’s Brook, the Pleasant Run, and the South Branch of the Raritan River.

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Protect and preserve historic districts and villages in the Township, including East Whitehouse, Readington, Stanton, Three Bridges and the Pleasant Run Historic District. Ensure the integrity of these areas through greenbelting. Protect and preserve remaining mature woodlands and steep slopes to augment protection of wetlands and floodplains in the Township. Complement existing farmland preservation program, trying to link open areas and buffer agriculture from encroaching development. Protect and preserve scenic vistas or other unique areas. Create open space linkages between natural, cultural, and recreational resources and promote connections with other Township, county, and state open or preserved lands. Provide opportunities for active and passive recreation where appropriate.

1998 Master Plan

Development continued at a swift pace through the 1990’s, with the addition of 1,200 residential dwelling units, bringing the growth rate to 25% over the decade. Agricultural land under farmland assessment declined from 16,519 acres in 1982 to 14,442 in 1998. The township reacted with a concerted effort to preserve farmland and open space, and the 1998 Master Plan supported the creation of the Agricultural Residential land use category providing for larger minimum lot sizes and larger open space/agricultural set-asides. The township, which first required mandatory clustering in 1988 in the Township’s Agricultural Development Area, continued this requirement with a 6-acre gross density and 70% set-aside for tracts over 40 acres. The 1998 changes were coincidental with the 1998 NJ Preservation Bond Act which increases funding for open space and farmland preservation considerably.

Environmental Resource Inventory, April 2001

This document is a comprehensive update to the 1974 Natural Resource Inventory, containing a series of maps with accompanying text. The Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI) was commissioned in order to provide documentation of the significant natural resources within the Township and to serve as a tool with which to plan for the preservation and conservation of remaining resources. It contains a summary of current resource protection information, an inventory of resources and a resource protection plan. Findings regarding threats to resources are paired with recommendations to reduce threats. On April 23, 2001 the Planning Board adopted the ERI as a supplement to the Master Plan. It is incorporated by reference herein. Findings (p. 6)

 Readington Township contains 3,888 acres of priority grassland habitat, 3,987 acres of priority forested habitat, and 818 acres of priority wetlands (NJDEP, Landscapes Program).

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Guiding Principles & Primary Resource Preservation Goals (P. 7)

 Maintain large, intact patches of native vegetation and preventing fragmentation.  Establish and implement priorities for species and habitat protection.  Maintain connections among habitat by protecting corridors for movement.  Maintain significant ecological processes in protected areas.  Contribute to the regional persistence of rare species by protecting their habitat locally. Primary Resource Protection Action Items (p.7)

 Develop riparian corridor greenways fostering conservation of riparian buffers and passive recreation and implementing programs recommended by the Readington Township Greenways Work Group.  Utilize funding from governments and private foundations to continue preserving historic districts and villages in the Township,  Continue to obtain additional funding to purchase and maintain open space areas identified as valuable habitat  Opportunities to preserve diminishing farmland should continue to be actively pursued.  Balance the opportunity for recreation by the public with the habitat needs of wildlife.  To the extent possible, steeply sloping land should be left in its natural condition or maintained in grass or tree cover.  Steps should be taken to ensure that development does not jeopardize the aquifer’s ability to recharge and supply the Township with the necessary potable water.

 The township should consider additional development standards to restrict and eliminate disturbance in all critical/vulnerable areas.  Additional open space set asides should be considered, particularly in vulnerable areas noted in the ERI.

Characteristic Flora and Fauna, April 2001

This report, prepared by the Readington Township Environmental Commission, contains an inventory of the wildlife species within Readington. It is organized according to habitats, containing a profile of the species that are associated with each habitat, including mature forest, agricultural landscapes, grasslands, wetlands, streams, rivers, and successional and suburban habitats. The Planning Board appended this report to the Master Plan on May 14, 2001, and it is incorporated by reference

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herein. This inventory complements the report entitled Critical Habitats of Readington Township.

Critical Habitats of Readington Township, April 2001

This report, prepared by the Readington Township Environmental Commission, addresses the importance of the various of habitats within Readington and emphasizes the need to preserve those habitats in order to facilitate the conservation of wildlife species. It contains maps and photographs describing a range of critical habitats, including mature forest, agricultural landscapes, grasslands, wetlands, streams, rivers, and successional and suburban habitats. The Planning Board appended this report to the Master Plan on May 14, 2001, and it is incorporated by reference herein. Critical Habitats identifies threats to habitat and recommends strategies to reduce those threats. These are useful in formulating open space planning priorities and strategies, and are therefore incorporated within this plan element: Habitats:

 Mature Forest  Agricultural Landscape  Grassland Habitat  Lowland Habitats (wetlands, streams and rivers)  Successional Vegetation  Suburban Wildlife Habitat Primary threat: Loss and fragmentation through development Secondary threats:

 Agricultural practices unfavorable to habitat protection  Degradation of surrounding habitats  Physical disturbances Possible solutions:

 Acquisition and proper management of high quality habitats  Acquisition of large contiguous tracts of unique habitats  Upland buffering lowland habitats  Preserve remaining agricultural landscapes through Farmland Preservation  Tighten zoning restrictions on land containing important habitat

2001 Master Plan Amendment

This Master Plan Amendment, adopted by the Planning Board in July of 2001, prioritized Environmental Protection, including the preservation of critical habitats, and added the following policies:

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Policy: Actively conserve and protect critical wildlife habitats, such as mature woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and stream corridors, through various mechanisms of open space preservation, including land acquisition. Policy: Lands identified as critical wildlife habitats and Natural Heritage Priority Sites should be considered the highest priority sites for preservation.

2009 Master Plan

This Master Plan update supported changes to the land use plan in light of new State regulations regarding water quality and wastewater management and the release of revised habitat data. This document took a fresh look at allowable densities because of the need to protect water resources, as well as the release of revised NJDEP Landscapes Project Habitat Data. It recommended density reductions in response to existing sewer capacity, the ability of unsewered areas to accommodate additional septic systems and still meet NJDEP nitrate dilution standards, the need to reduce storm water runoff, and a desire to protect critical habitat for threatened and endangered species. As a result of the Master Plan’s recommendations, the SRR or Special Resource Residential zone was created and the AR or Agricultural zone was expanded. A mandatory 80% open space set-aside was required in both zones and gross development densities became 10 acres for the SRR zone and 8 acres for the AR zone. Figures included within the 2009 Master Plan are provided in Appendix E.

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Goals, Vision and Policies

Readington Township’s Open Space Advisory Board (OSAB) is actively working to maintain Readington’s rural character and preserve appropriate open space aligned with County, State and Non-Profit Partners. The OSAB believes a 2050 goal of preserving 12,000 total acres of land will help accomplish this mission. Given the expected build-out of Readington Township and New Jersey by 20501, it is critical that preservation opportunities be actively pursued whenever lands suitable for preservation, either for natural resource protection, recreation or farmland becomes available. The realization of a goal of 12,000 preserved acres by 2050 would ensure that 40% of the lands of Readington Township would be permanently preserved as Open Space and Farmland Preservation for the benefit of future generations. To achieve this goal, an additional 3,000 acres must be preserved. Beginning in 2018 and continuing over the next 32 years, the goal would be to preserve an average of approximately 90-95 acres of land each year. Success would be dependent on the availability of Township, County, State and Non-Profit open space taxes and other funding sources as well as by opportunities provided by existing landowners willing to preserve their lands. A strategy that utilizes a variety of preservation techniques, including both fee simple and easement purchases, and a variety of funding sources for both conservation and recreation and farmland preservation purposes, would work best to successfully accomplish the Township’s Goal. Readington’s open space plan is consistent with the goals and policies established in the 2001 Master Plan, the 2009 Goals and Policies Element and the 2009 Farmland Preservation Plan and are still relevant today, and should be pursued. These goals, specific to Readington Township, continue to provide relevant and substantive standards for Open Space Preservation.

1 Nature Conservancy Director of Land Protection Jody Alessandrine. Sept 28, 2017 article

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Preservation Priorities

Considerable progress was made since 2001 in implementing the Township’s Greenways Goals. The Greenways Plan of 1995 and the 2001 Parks Recreation and Open Space Element of the Readington Township Master Plan designated geographic sub-areas, containing lands that share common characteristics, to serve as the basis for Open Space Planning goals and actions. These geographic sub-areas are the basis for the Township’s preservation priority areas (see the “Preservation Priorities Areas” figure). Special emphasis has been put on environmental resource conservation, wildlife habitat protection, and the protection of Readington’s rural character. Emphasis has also been put on the acquisition of key parcels that improve the connectivity of our open spaces and the Township’s trail system. These remain as valid themes with which to organize our future open space planning efforts. Readington’s preservation priorities reflect a strong desire to protect the township’s remaining agricultural, environmental, and recreational resources. In 2017, the benefits of Readington’s successful Open Space Preservation are very clear. Agriculture remains an important part of the community, thanks to the ongoing effort to preserve family farms and prime farmlands. Readington’s water resources, including its drinking water, are being effectively protected. Critical wildlife habitats, requiring large contiguous blocks of open space, still remain intact, as do much of the townships’ mature woodland areas. Public open spaces forming Greenways have expanded passive recreation opportunities. It makes good sense to continue these efforts. The “Unpreserved Farmland and Preserved Land” figure illustrates existing open space, preserved farmland, and farmland assessed properties that identifies the potential open space connections. The “Unpreserved Farmland and Wildlife Habitat” figure illustrates the Landscape Project habitat classifications and the assessed farmland properties within the Township to identify important resources and habitats for protection.

Cushetunk and Round Mountain

Round Mountain and Cushetunk Mountain are home to Readington’s largest unbroken mature forests. On Round Mountain, Readington Township and Hunterdon County have preserved over 500 acres of mature forest habitat and a significant portion of this unique native woodland ecosystem. There are, however, key woodlots and two very large wooded tracts, a 124-acre inactive summer camp and a 72-acre tract fronting on West Woodschurch Road that remain important preservation priorities. On Cushetunk Mountain, the entire hardwood forest on the east side of the Mountain,

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Preserved Land Hillsborough Township

Sources:

Open Space and Preserved Farmland (2017) ° 0 8,000Ft Readington Township & Clarke Caton Hintz Unpreserved Farmland & Parcels of Hunterdon County, (2017) Originator: Hunterdon County Division of GIS Publication Date: 08/28/14

New Jersey Real Estate MOD-IV Tax List Search Plus Database, 2016 Clarke Caton Hintz Originator: NJ Office of Information Technology (NJOIT), Preserved Land Office of Geographic Information Systems (OGIS) Originator: NJ Department of the Treasury, Division of Taxation Architecture Publication Date: 07/13/16 Planning LOCATION: DATE: Landscape Architecture Readington Township, Hunterdon County, NJ December 2017 Tewksbury Township

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Legend Farmland Assessed Parcels (/202 Raritan Township RANK Rank 1 - Habitat specific requirements Rank 2 - Special Concern Rank 3 - State Threatened Rank 4 - State Endangered 4567613 Rank 5 - Federal Listed Flemington Borough Vernal Habitat Type Potential vernal habitat area

Hillsborough Township Vernal habitat area

Sources:

Open Space and Preserved Farmland (2017) ° 0 8,000Ft Readington Township & Clarke Caton Hintz Unpreserved Farmland & NJDEP Species Based Habitat, Skylands Region, Version 3.3 Originator: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Division of Fish Wildlife (DFW), Endangered Nongame Species Program (ENSP) Publication Date: 05/09/17 Clarke Caton Hintz Wildlife Habitat Parcels of Hunterdon County, (2017) Originator: Hunterdon County Division of GIS Architecture Publication Date: 08/28/14 LOCATION: DATE: New Jersey Real Estate MOD-IV Tax List Search Plus Database, 2016 Planning Originator: NJ Office of Information Technology (NJOIT), Office of Geographic Information Systems (OGIS) Landscape Architecture Readington Township, Hunterdon County, NJ December 2017 Originator: NJ Department of the Treasury, Division of Taxation Publication Date: 07/13/16 Readington Township

stretching from Whitehouse Station south to the village of Stanton, is a very important priority for Readington Township. The north end of the mountain has benefited from Hunterdon County’s and Readington’s efforts but there are many undeveloped tracts, both large and small, that should be preserved. Efforts are currently underway to preserve one small undeveloped woodlot, as well as the 40 acre Lorenzen property on Dreahook Road. Because of the vulnerability of this critical habitat, and the benefits of protecting the contiguous woodlands from fragmentation, all undeveloped tracts of land, large and small, on Cushetunk and Round Mountains are a priority for preservation. The Office of Natural Lands Management (ONLM), which is a division of the NJDEP’s Division of Parks and Forestry, identifies the majority of the Cushetunk Mountain lands as a Natural Heritage Priority Site. Action:

 Preservation of the small key tracts on Stanton Road and Foothill Road.  Preservation of a large farm fronting on West Woodschurch Road which includes significant mature woodland.  Preservation of the 123-acre wooded tract fronting on Route 31 and owned by the Irvington Board of Education.  Protection of all of the mature woodland on the northern end of Cushetunk Mountain is a high priority because of their potential for enhancing recreational opportunities near the population center of Whitehouse Station.  Preserve several additional small open space tracts, improving the connection between the Hunterdon County Cushetunk Mountain Preserved and the Township’s Cushetunk Nature Preserve.

Readington Village Historic Area

Readington Village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Although it sits to the west and north of large blocks of totally developed land, it maintains its traditional historic and rural character. This is due, in part, because it is buffered by the open space along the Holland Brook and by the 700 acres of preserved open land currently owned by Solberg Aviation, which is, as of 2017, still serving as a greenbelt. The area, including the open space surrounding the historic Solberg Airport, is the largest remaining open space area in the Township. The ONLM previously designated this area as a Natural Heritage Priority Site2 because it represents one of the best habitats for rare grassland bird species and exemplary natural communities in New Jersey. However, in 2007, ONLM revised the criteria to be designated as a Natural Heritage Priority Site to include only those sites with rare plant species occurrences. As such, this area is no longer designated as a Natural Heritage Priority Site. Instead, the area is included within a Natural Heritage Grid Map. A Natural Heritage Grid Map provides a general portrayal of the geographic locations of rare plant species and rare ecological communities for the entire state without providing sensitive detailed information. The Natural Heritage Grid Map areas should be considered as an open

2 Thomas F. Breden, Supervisor, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management. September 21, 2000. letter and attachments to Suzanne Forbes (Princeton Hydro, LLC).

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space preservation priority. Additionally, the New Jersey MAP Conservation Blueprint designates the Solberg Airport as an area of highest importance for protection of ecological integrity.3 As such, this area is considered top priority for preservation of biological diversity. The area is made up of land in four different Blocks on the Township’s tax map. Four open lots are located Block 48, fronting along the west side of Lightfield Road. Negotiations are underway to preserve the 65-acre tract known as Wales property at the corner of Lightfield and Pulaski Roads. The large contiguous open area includes properties totaling approximately 600 acres within five large open tax lots in Block 56. The area in Block 56 includes the open lands providing buffering around the Solberg Airport. Although preservation efforts to preserve the open lands areas included in the 726 acres Solberg Aviation tract have not been successful to date, its preservation continues to be a priority. The 21 acre James Farm Block, known as 56 Lot 5, has joined the Farmland Preservation Program. This large contiguous open area also includes four properties in Block 57 and 67, to the east of Thor Solberg Road and the south of Harland School Road. Two of the four properties in these Blocks, namely Block 57 Lot 2, the 48 acre Sohl Farm, and Block 57 Lot 13.01, the 53 acre Staats Farm have been preserved. Readington’s decades long effort to preserve this area have not, for the most part, been successful. The preservation of the balance of the unpreserved lands in this large contiguous area of approximately 1,000 acres, would serve to protect this exceptional critical natural habitat, prime farmlands, an expansive viewshed and important water quality benefits of the area. Preservation would also serve to protect the historic integrity of the Solberg Airport and the Village of Readington. These characteristics, and most particularly the extensive grasslands of this area make it unique and a priority for preservation. Action:

 Maintain as much remaining land around Readington Village as possible in order to maintain a greenbelt.  Preserve the Solberg Aviation lands while continuing the airport use.

Rockaway/Lamington River Watershed Area

The watershed area for the Rockaway Creek and the Lamington River, located in the northeastern and northwestern area of the Township includes the Whitehouse Rockaway Creek Greenway, two golf courses and a large contiguous area of farmland and open space. Readington has made significant progress in the preservation of land in this area, but large tracts of land still remain unprotected from future development. A number of these properties, including a large tract fronting on Lamington and Meadow Roads, and along the Lamington River, are designated as priority for preservation particularly because they are threatened by development at this time.

3 The NJ Conservation Blueprint project team is comprised of The Nature Conservancy, New Jersey Conservation Foundation and Rowan University. The NJ Conservation Blueprint MAP is intended to serve municipal stakeholders involved in environmental, land use and sustainable decision making.

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Smaller key parcels in the wooded area north of the village of East Whitehouse, which would help to complete the Greenway along the Rockaway Creek, are also a priority. A number of large family farms, listed as “targeted farms” under the Farmland Preservation Plan, and located on the Rockaway Creek also continue to be a priority for preservation. The NJDEP has designated the North Surface Water Quality Standards Branch Rockaway Creek, the South Branch Stream Classifications Rockaway Creek, and the Lamington River as Category One (C1) waters. Pursuant to C1: Category One water the NJDEP Surface Water Quality FW2: Fresh waters that are not Standards, N.J.A.C. 7:9B-1.4, C1 waters are designated as FW1 or designated as such “for purposes of Pinelands implementing the antidegredation policies set forth at N.J.A.C. 7:9B-1.5(d), for protection NT: Nontrout waters which are from measurable changes in water quality generally not suitable for trout because of their based on exceptional ecological significance, physical, chemical or exceptional recreational significance, biological characteristics, but exceptional water supply significance, or are suitable for a wide variety exceptional fisheries resource(s) to protect the of other fish species aesthetic value (color, clarity, scenic setting) and ecological integrity (habitat, water TM: Trout maintenance waters quality and biological functions).” A portion that support trout throughout of the South Branch Rockaway Creek the year within Readington is classified as a FW2- TP: Trout production waters that TMCI stream; however, just upstream in are used by trout for Clinton Township, it is classified as a FW2- spawning or nursery TPC1 stream. A portion of the North purposes during their first Branch Rockaway Creek is classified as a summer FW2-TPC1 stream. The North Branch Rockaway Creek also serves as the boundary between Readington and Tewksbury Township which is also the boundary of the Highlands Planning Area. A portion of the Lamington River is designated as a FW2-NTC1 within Readington; however, upstream in Tewksbury it is classified as both a FW2-TMC1 and FW2-TPC1 stream. Due to these C1 designations, the Rockaway and Lamington River Watershed Areas are a priority for preservation. This area continues to be rich with historic features. The Whitehouse Mechanicsville Historic District was recently listed in the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Rolling farmland still dominates the landscape, intertwined with pristine stream and river corridors. The Township has now preserved an impressive number of farms and very significant tracts of open space in this area. Despite the Township’s successes, there is still much to be done. The priorities are the completion

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of the green belt to the north of the village of East Whitehouse, the preservation of land that helps to maintain the quality of the watersheds, and the preservation of the remaining large tracts open active farmland. Additionally, there is an increased priority today placed on acquiring small parcels that are important to improving the trail systems in the area.

Action:

 Preserve the Quarry lands along the Rockaway.  Preserve of the last remaining targeted farms within the Whitehouse Greenway.  Improve trail and foot path connections between the major population center of Whitehouse Station and the public open space on Cushetunk Mountain along the South Branch of the Rockaway.  Acquire key properties that provide trail connections in the East Whitehouse/Rockaway Greenway.

Holland Brook, Chambers Brook and Pleasant Run Stream Corridors

The natural and historic character of the Pleasant Run, Chambers Brook and Holland Brook Corridors together make up a major area of the Township, and contribute to Readington’s “sense of place”. The Holland Brook Stream Corridor traverses the center of the Township beginning at the foothills of Cushetunk Mountain, running through the Village of Readington, and on to the Branchburg border to the east. The Pleasant Run stream corridor, like the Holland Brook, traverses the entire Township. From its headwaters west of Route 523, the Pleasant Run traverses the township flowing eastward, eventually crossing the township’s border into Branchburg. Although, by 2017, a large number of the very significant properties have been preserved, there are still several notable properties in each of the corridors that should be preserved if the existing character is to be retained. Preservation of the remaining

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significant properties along Pleasant Run Road, Chambers Brook, and Holland Brook are essential to maintaining the special character of these Corridors and are priorities for preservation. Three examples area: Block 64, Lot 40, 150.48 acres. This property is unique because it is one of the largest remaining contiguous wooded parcels in the township and is located along Pleasant Run Road. It is equally as significant for habitat protection as it is for protection of the Pleasant Run stream corridor. It is contiguous to a preserved farm (to the west) and to Green Acres land. The preservation of this parcel would help secure a significant large block of open space and provide valuable protection to aid with control of storm water and water quality in Pleasant Run. Block 75 Lot 30, 151.7 acres. This well managed organic farm located on Pleasant Run Road would score high in the State Farmland Preservation program and its preservation would serve to protect both an important agricultural operation and the major stream corridor. It is adjacent publicly owned Greenway properties. Block 46 Lot 20, 103 acres. This family farm is listed as a “targeted farm” under the Farmland Preservation Program. It is located on Holland Brook Road and along the Holland Brook. Its preservation would not only further the goals of the Farmland Program, it would also further important water quality and habitat conservation goals. Action:

 Preserve three farms with direct frontage on the Holland Brook that are on the Farmland Preservation list of Targeted Farms.  Preserve several small, wooded open space parcels along the Holland Brook upstream of Readington Village that if preserved would enhance the integrity of the corridor.  Protect the headwaters of the Chambers Brook through the preservation of the 65-acre Bruce Wales tract on Lightfield Road and three open lands tracts surrounding the Wales tract.  Preserve environmentally sensitive parcels in the Chambers Brook watershed, including three wooded parcels south of the railroad tracks and one north of the Peters Farm.  Preserve the 260-acre Lackland tract.  Preserve the fully operational organic farm, known as Profeta Farms, located on 360-acres straddling the Pleasant Run and included on the Township’s Farmland Preservation list of Targeted Farms.

South Branch of the Raritan

The South Branch of the Raritan River forms the southern boundary of our Township and includes Three Bridges Village. Recent attention has been paid to the need to proceed with the historic effort to protect open lands directly contiguous to the South Branch of the Raritan. In recent years planning efforts on both sides of the River were discussed with Raritan Township, with the common goal of establishing an unbroken Greenway along the river frontage. The majority of the unprotected open land along the river is located downstream of the County Route 523 bridge, continuing down to

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the Somerset County border. Preservation of lands along the river would provide both a water quality and ecological benefit and a passive recreational benefit, including improved public access to the river for fishing, and for a long planned hiking trail along the river. Such efforts are both a Hunterdon County priority and municipal priority. Action:

 Preserve the lands along this major river corridor.  Acquire additional public access to the river frontage, particularly near the village of Three Bridges.  Extend the “Rail to Trail” westward connecting the trail to Main Street in Three Bridges.  Preserve targeted farms and small key open space parcels in Three Bridges to assure the historic rural character of the village will be preserved.

The Village of Stanton

This village is virtually unspoiled and is surrounded on all sides by beautiful vistas. It is one of the most scenic villages in Hunterdon County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It contains mature woodlands, historic homes, and open spaces. Thanks to the successful preservation accomplished over the last two decades, important progress toward the Greenways Goal of green belting Stanton has been made. The former Dobozynski, Ammerman, and Burgher farms were preserved, as were key tracts of open space including the Stickney and Bloys properties.

Action:

 Preserve the wooded tracts on the south side of Stanton Road.  Preserve the 70-acre farm just to the west of the village and included on the Township’s Farmland Preservation list of Targeted Farms.

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Implementation

While this Open Space Plan highlights a number of important priorities and identifies areas throughout the township suitable for preservation, the implementation of this plan should remain flexible. Readington’s impressive success in preserving its open spaces over the last four decades can be attributed, in large measure, to its flexibility in the application of these priorities to reflect the opportunities for preservation as they arise. There is not a single formula that will work for all cases, but the methods described herein provide a suitable menu of different tools for achieving open space preservation goals.

Prospective Open Space

Readington has identified specific tracts that would facilitate implementation of the goals and objectives for open space preservation contained herein. It should be noted that this constellation of sites represents an ideal vision for open space preservation in Readington Township, and that it may be altered as situations evolve without amending this entire element.

Preservation Primary Farmland Block Lot Location Acres Priority Area Habitat Preservation 1 1 Rockaway Rd 40 NB Rockaway Wetland/stream/wooded 2 7 Halls Mill Road 189 NB Rockaway Wooded/Agricultural 3 1 Taylors Mill Rd 15 NB Rockaway Wetland/stream/wooded 4 93 Rte. 523 33 NB Rockaway Agricultural/stream 9 23 Mill Rd 72 Rockaway Agricultural/stream Targeted 9 24 Mill Rd 19.57 Rockaway Agricultural/stream Targeted 10 16 Mill Road 29.7 Rockaway Agricultural Targeted 10 18 Landlocked 15 Rockaway Wooded 11 10 Meadow Rd 33 Rockaway Wooded/Wetland Targeted 12 16 Meadow Rd 100 Lamington Riv. Agricultural Targeted 12 16.01 Lamington Rd 4.93 Lamington Riv. Wetland/river 13 4 Mill Rd 56 Rockaway Agricultural Targeted 13 5 Mill Rd 24 Rockaway Agricultural Targeted 13 6 Mill Rd 9 Rockaway Wetland/stream 13 24 Old Hwy 7 Rockaway Stream/wooded 13 58 Mill Rd 27 Rockaway stream Targeted 13 59 Meadow Rd 26 Rockaway Wetland/stream 13 59.01 Lamington Rd 13 Rockaway Wetland/stream 13 60 Meadow Road 13.6 Rockaway Wooded/stream 14 2 Lamington Rd 22 Rockaway Wetland/stream

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Preservation Primary Farmland Block Lot Location Acres Priority Area Habitat Preservation 14 3 Lamington Rd 19 Rockaway Wetland/stream Targeted 14 3.01 Lamington Rd 14 Rockaway Agricultural 14 3.02 Lamington Rd 9.7 Rockaway Agricultural Targeted 14 51 Lamington Rd 85,5 Rockaway Agricultural Targeted 15 1.01 Lamington Rd 15 Lamington Riv. Wetland/stream 15 6 Island Road 31.59 Rockaway Agricultural Targeted 20 1 Route 22 69 SB Rockaway Agricultural/Wooded 21 15 Mountain Rd 8 SB Rockaway Wooded 21 17 Railroad Ave 15.53 SB Rockaway Wetland/stream 21.13 12 Lake Drive 30 SB Rockaway Wetland/stream 22 1 Mountain Rd 19.6 SB Rockaway Agricultural 22 2 Mountain Rd 18.3 SB Rockaway Agricultural 22 3 Mountain Rd 25 SB Rockaway Agricultural 25 7 Mountain Rd 20 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 25 17 Mountain Rd 40 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 25 38 Creek Road 64.84 Cushetunk Mt Wooded/agricultural 25 59 Landlocked 4 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 25 50.01 Round Valley Rd 10 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 36 43 Landlocked 31 Chambers Brook Wetland/stream 38 38.01 Coddington Rd 28 Chambers Brook Wooded/wetland 39 10 Ridge Road 35.6 Chambers Brook Wooded/wetland 39 50 County Line Rd 22.23 Chambers Brook Wooded/wetland 42 23.01 Pulaski Rd 55.7 Chambers Brook Agricultural 42 24 Old Farm Rd 20 Chambers Brook Agricultural/wooded 44 4.01 Dreahook Rd 19 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 4.02 Dreahook Rd 49 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 5 Dreahook Rd 5 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 7 Landlocked 8 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 10 Dreahook Rd 60 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 10.01 Dreahook Rd 11.3 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 10.02 Dreahook Rd 12.24 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 14 Dreahook Rd 24 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 15 Landlocked 3 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 16 Landlocked 4 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 17 Landlocked 2 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 18 Landlocked 5.79 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 24 Landlocked 10.31 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 50 Landlocked 11.35 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 53 Dreahook Rd 9 Cushetunk Mt Wooded 44 54 Stanton Mt Rd 56.7 Cushetunk Mt Agricultural/Wooded Targeted 46 7 Rte 523 60 Holland Bk Agricultural/stream Targeted 46 20 Holland Bk Rd 103 Holland Bk Agricultural/stream Targeted 48 22.03 Lightfield 50 Chambers Brook Agricultural Targeted 48 23 Lightfield 72.6 Chambers Brook Grasslands/stream 48 24 Lightfield 65.66 Chambers Brook Agricultural/wooded Targeted

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Preservation Primary Farmland Block Lot Location Acres Priority Area Habitat Preservation 48 25 Pulaski Road 10 Chambers Brook Wooded 49 2 Stanton Road 48 Stanton Agricultural Targeted 50 1 Dreahook Rd 19 Stanton Agricultural Targeted 50 16 Pleasant Run Rd 18 Pleasant Run Agricultural Targeted 50 17 Pleasant Run Rd 9 Pleasant Run Wetland/stream 50 31 Springtown Rd 19 Pleasant Run Agricultural/stream 52 24 Edgewood Rd 64.2 Holland Brook Agricultural Targeted 52.01 23 Edgewood Rd 5 Pleasant Run Wooded 55 10 Roosevelt Rd 12.41 Holland Bk Agricultural/stream 55 17.01 Pinebank Rd 16.6 Holland Bk Wooded/stream 55 21.01 Hillcrest Rd 37 Holland Bk Agricultural Targeted 55 33 Readington Rd 23.6 Holland Bk Wetland/stream 55 34 Readington Rd 5 Holland Bk Wetland/stream 56 1 Pulaski Rd 64.65 Chambers Brook Grasslands 56 3 Lightfield Rd 371 Airport Grasslands Airport/Holland 56 6 Readington Rd 70.66 Grasslands Bk 56 8 Thor Solberg Rd 29 Airport Grasslands 57 12 Readington Rd 62.6 Chambers Brook Agricultural Targeted 61 5 Route 31 37 SB Raritan River Wooded/stream 62 5 W. Woodschurch 34 Round Mt Agricultural Targeted 63 2 Foothill Rd 14,22 Round Mt. Wooded 63 6 State Hwy 31 117.74 Round Mt Wooded 63 9 W. Woodschurch 72 Round Mt Wooded 63 15 W. Woodschurch 17 Round Mt Wooded 63 19.01 W. Woodschurch 19.3 Round Mt Wooded 63 20 Landlocked 5.89 Round Mt Wooded 63 23 Landlocked 10 Round Mt Wooded 63 47 Stanton Rd 11 Round Mt Wooded 63 48 Stanton Rd 15.3 Round Mt Wooded 63 52 Pleasant Run Rd 20 Round Mt Wooded 64 26 Barley Sheaf 109 Pleasant Run Agricultural/wooded Targeted 64 31.03 Barley Sheaf 27.56 Pleasant Run Agricultural Targeted 64 40 Pleasant Run Rd 150.5 Pleasant Run Agricultural/Wooded Targeted 64 51 Pleasant Run Rd 21 Pleasant Run Agricultural/stream 65 7 Barley Sheaf 23 Pleasant Run Agricultural/stream Targeted 65 25.01 Pleasant Run Rd 2.81 Pleasant Run Wetland/stream 66 31 Hillcrest Road 29,27 Holland Brook Agricultural Targeted 66 42 Pinebank Rd 21 Holland Bk Wooded/stream 66 43 Landlocked 6 Trail Connection Wooded 66 46 Pinebank Rd 15.8 Holland Bk Agricultural/stream 66 61 Landlocked 1.3 Trail connection Wooded Airport/Holland 67 2 Thor Solberg Rd 36.5 Grasslands Brook 72 28 Landlocked 10 Deerpath Park Wooded 73 18 Landlocked 11.7 Raritan River Wetland/Wooded Targeted

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Preservation Primary Farmland Block Lot Location Acres Priority Area Habitat Preservation 73 19 Landlocked 15 Raritan River Wetland/stream 73 21 Rockafellow Mill Rd 13.15 Raritan River Wetland/river 73 22 Landlocked 50.41 Raritan River Wetland/river Targeted 73 25 Rockafellow Mill Rd 10 Raritan River Wetland/river 74 4 Rockafellow Mill Rd 104 Raritan River Agricultural Targeted 74 37 Barley Sheaf Rd 19.29 Raritan River Agricultural 75 19 Route 202 81.28 Raritan River Agricultural Targeted 75 30 Pleasant Run Rd 152 Pleasant Run Agricultural Targeted 75 30.02 Pleasant Run Rd 110.7 Pleasant Run Wetland/stream Targeted 76 5 Route 202 21 Pleasant Run Agricultural 81 2 Route 202 9.3 Raritan River Agricultural 83 1 Main Street 14 Raritan River Agricultural Targeted 83 2 Main Street 50.12 Raritan River Agricultural/river Targeted 93 3 Main Street 26.4 Raritan River Wetland/river Targeted 93 5 Landlocked 12.35 Raritan River Agricultural/river Targeted 93 6 Landlocked 27.24 Raritan River Agricultural/river Targeted 93 10 Landlocked 1 Raritan River Trail Connection 93 11 Landlocked 1 Raritan River Trail Connection 93 200 Landlocked 7.9 Raritan River Trail Connection 93 202 Landlocked 0.66 Raritan River Trail Connection 93 203 Landlocked 0.895 Raritan River Trail Connection 94 7 River Road 22.59 Raritan River Agricultural 96 4 Old York Road 26.69 Raritan River Agricultural Targeted 97 1 Summer Road 49.31 Raritan River Agricultural Targeted 98 7 Higginsville Rd 13.65 Raritan River Trail Connection/river 98 9 Higginsville Rd 18.31 Raritan River Trail Connection/river 98 200 Landlocked 5.15 Raritan River Trail Connection/river Total Acreage 4625.75

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Open Space Preservation Mechanisms

The following tools have been used in the designation of open space within Readington. It is recommended that the Township continue to employ these mechanisms as appropriate.

Active Recreation Purchases Readington has made three land purchases without the benefit of Green Acres Funds. Since siting of active recreation can be difficult because of neighborhood concerns and the need for level land for playing fields, Readington reacted quickly when appropriate pieces became available at a reasonable price. Between 20 and 30 years ago, the Township purchased three separate sites specifically for active recreation, the 20 acre Pickell Park, the 54-acre Hillcrest Park, and the 48-acre Summer Road Park.

Green Acres Grants The State Green Acres Program, has for 60 years, been the primary source of funding for Open Space Preservation. The Program requires land be permanently set aside for recreational and conservation purposes and it must allow public access. Since 1997, Readington has been approved for the State Green Acres Green Trust Planning Incentive Project Program, available only to municipalities that have a dedicated open space tax and are actively pursuing implementation of an approved Open Space Plan. Readington has been an active participant now for 20 years. The township has received funding awards in 15 of those 20 years, and has used these funds, totaling $10,275,000, to preserve 30 properties totaling approximately 1,000 acres. The Township has recently been approved for an additional $500,000 for future, as yet undesignated, projects. The program funds eligible projects at 50% of certified value and the municipality is responsible for a 50% local match. At various times, Readington’s Open Space Trust Fund, which is replenished each year by a dedicated Tax of 0.02/$100 of assessed valuation, has provided this match, however for the last decade, Readington has been using all of the proceeds of its dedicated Open Space Tax to pay off accrued debt, including the balance of its low interest Green Trust Loans. Readington can use funds from the County’s Open Space Trust Fund’s Municipal Grants Program or Cooperative Program to satisfy the 50% local funding requirement or supplement its 50% share with municipal bonding.

Open Space Cluster Ordinance Readington’s various open space cluster ordinances have resulted in over 700 acres of land being donated to the Township, as part of the subdivision process. The majority of the land is being held for conservation and passive recreation purposes, with two

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sites being used for active recreation. The cluster ordinance has been revised several times over the last three decades in many of the township’s residential zones in order to improve its effectiveness in furthering the Townships goals of protecting rural character, conserving natural resources and providing recreational opportunities. The Cluster ordinances have been used to effectively preserve large tracts of land in areas designated as desirable by the open space plan.

Private Land Trusts In the late 90’s, the Trust for Public Lands received Green Acres grant approval for a project known as “Readington Greenways” which ultimately preserved significant lands along three major stream corridors. Readington funded 50% of the costs. This project demonstrated how Private Land Trusts can be very effective partners in preserving the township’s Open Space. In recent years the Hunterdon Land Trust worked with Hunterdon County to preserve two key wooded parcels on Round Mountain. Readington has recently been communicating with both the NJ Conservation Foundation and the Hunterdon Land Trust to interest them in working jointly on new opportunities in Readington.

Outright Donations Readington has accepted at least 6 outright donations of Open Space Land. Two of these are adjacent to the Raritan River and total 40 acres, one is a three-acre woodlot on Dreahook Road on the side of Cushetunk Mountain. The remaining three are along the North Branch of the Rockaway Creek, a six-acre lot on Taylors Mill Road, donated by the Renda Family, and two 38 acre tracts donated by Merck. Readington is presently in the process of accepting another donation of land, a 5-acre woodlot on the side of Cushetunk Mountain, from the Duke Foundation.

NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust Readington has received funding for land acquisition in the form of low interest 20 year loans from the NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust, whose mission it is to protect our State’s water quality. Three tracts of Open Space have been preserved since 2001, using these loans for funding. Two serve to protect the headwaters of the Holland Brook, a 55-acre property on Dreahook Road and the 20 acre woods divided from the Silver Bit and Spur Farm on Route 523. One 18 acre wooded parcel, divided from the D’Urso Farm on Pleasant Run Road, serves to protect the Pleasant Run stream corridor. Agriculture and active recreation are not allowed on these properties as they must be kept in their natural state.

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Farmland Preservation Program Where appropriate, farmland Preservation is an excellent method of contributing to open space preservation by preserving natural vistas and providing a buffer for other preserved areas. Farmland Preservation results in larger parcels of appropriate size, location, and soil quality being dedicated to agricultural use. Readington should continue to cooperate with the Hunterdon County Agricultural Development Board and the NJ State Agriculture Development Committee to reach out to farm owners and interest them in the Program. Readington presently has approximately 72 preserved farms totaling about 4,852 acres.

Purchase of Land in Fee When a large tract of land comes up for sale at a reasonable price, Readington has, on at least five different occasions, acted quickly and purchased the tract outright, using low interest, short term borrowing. In the case of the 500 acre Illva Saranno Lands, Readington’s reimbursement plan included auctioning 3 separate farms from the property, totaling approximately 150 acres, then being reimbursed for the easements through the farmland program. The balance of the property was sold to the State DEP for use as a Wildlife Management Area. In the case of both the 144 acre Fallone Tract and the 230 acre YES tract, both were sold entirely to the DEP for additions to existing Wildlife Management Areas, one on the South Branch and one on the Lamington Rivers. In 1999, Readington purchased the 183 acre Romano tract on Cole Road and created and auctioned a 110 acre preserved farm and a 73-acre conservation area, with the help of Farmland Preservation and Green Acres funding. In 2009, Readington purchased a 310-acre tract from Toll Brothers, divided off three preserved farms which were auctioned, and received both State Green Acres Funding and County Open Space Trust Funding to pay for the remaining 144 acres, kept open for passive recreation and conservation, an area now known as the Lazy Brook Greenway.

Purchase of a Conservation Easement In some instances, the purchase of an easement on a small portion of a privately owned property in a key location is desirable, even though it would not be eligible for any type of outside funding. An instance where this may advisable would be when an area

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would be critical to a Greenway, help to protect a stream or river corridor, or provide a key trail linkage.

Lease with Option to Buy Readington is presently negotiating a lease agreement on open space lands owned by with Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G), a public utility that is not presently interested in an outright sale. Under the agreement, Readington will have the use of the property for conservation and passive recreational purposes, and will be given a right of first refusal, should PSE&G decide to sell the properties in the future. This proposal illustrates that lease agreements can provide a mechanism to protect open lands and expand passive recreational opportunities.

Protection of Environmentally Sensitive Features by Regulation Sensitive features include steep slopes, flood plain, wetlands, and State Open Waters. Township Ordinances were reviewed in 2001 as part of the Environmental Resources Inventory (ERI) to determine if they were giving these environmentally sensitive features adequate protection. The 2009 Master Plan update stressed the need to protect both the surface water and the groundwater quality in the Township. Subsequently, Readington updated its zoning ordinances to assure adequate protection. Where possible, environmentally sensitive lands should be subject to a conservation easement, either at the time they are included in an Open Space Acquisition or inclusive of a parcel undergoing major subdivision or site plan approval.

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Policy Guidance Beyond Readington

A number of documents have been produced by the State of New Jersey and Hunterdon County that identify relevant policies related to open space and farmland preservati0n. Readington’s open space plan is consistent with these guiding policies.

New Jersey’s Open Space and Environmental Policies

Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-2 The intents and purposes of the Municipal Land Use Law provides the basis for open space planning and preservation:

c. To provide adequate light, air and open space;

e. To promote the establishment of appropriate population densities and concentrations that will contribute to the well-being of persons, neighborhoods, communities and regions and preservation of the environment;

g. To provide for sufficient space in appropriate locations for a variety of agricultural, residential, recreational, commercial and industrial uses and open space, both public and private, according to meet the needs of all New Jersey residents;

i. To promote a desirable visual environment through creative development techniques and good civic design and arrangements;

j. To promote conservation of historic sites and districts, open space, energy resources and valuable natural resources in the State and to prevent urban sprawl and degradation of the environment through improper use of land;

p. To enable municipalities the flexibility to offer alternatives to traditional development, through the use of equitable and effective planning tools including clustering, transferring development rights, and lot-size averaging in order to concentrate development in areas where growth can best be accommodated and maximized while preserving agricultural lands, open space, and historic sites;

1998 Governor’s Commission on New Jersey Outdoors This report served as the basis for the statewide open space funding referendum in 1998. The referendum, which has begun the funding of approximately $1.5 billion in open space acquisitions, passed by a two-thirds majority of New Jersey voters. The following findings and recommendations that were included in the report support open space preservation:

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Open Space People want to be able to visit beautiful, interesting, affordable, educational, and enjoyable parks and open spaces… all manner of outdoor recreation pursuits, by all manner of able and disabled persons, are in demand and the supply is inadequate. The Governor’s Council agrees that more recreational areas are needed in all areas of New Jersey and recommends preserving 200,000 acres of open space for outdoor recreation.

Greenways Greenways, or connecting pathways and waterways between open spaces, gives the opportunity for people to travel longer distances among changing landscapes and habitat types…Wildlife need corridors too…It is not enough to preserve isolated parcels of unconnected open spaces. New Jersey’s open spaces should be woven together to preserve the natural links upon which both plant and animal species rely. The Council recommends that 200,000 acres of greenway linkages be created through preservation of open space or purchase of easements and rights-of-way throughout the state.

State Development and SDRP Statewide Goals Redevelopment Plan (State Plan 1. Revitalize the State’s Cities and or SDRP) Towns In 1986, the New Jersey Legislature passed 2. Conserve the State’s Natural the New Jersey State Planning Act, which Resources and Systems created the State Planning Commission 3. Promote Beneficial Economic and required the preparation and adoption Growth, Development and of the SDRP. The first SDRP, adopted in Renewal for All Residents of NJ 1992, was the product of a statewide 4. Protect the Environment, planning process, which involved counties Prevent and Clean Up Pollution and municipalities, which formulated a 5. Provide Adequate Public series of policies intended on shaping Facilities and Services at growth within New Jersey. The first major Reasonable Cost update and revision of the 1992 SDRP was 6. Provide Adequate Housing at a initiated in 1997 and culminated in the Reasonable Cost adoption of the second SDRP on March 1, 2001. The policies and objectives set forth 7. Preserve and Enhance Areas in the SDRP include recommendations with Historic, Cultural, Scenic, Open Space and Recreational regarding environmental protection, rural Value areas, open space and farmland preservation. Readington’s open space 8. Ensure Sound and Integrated plan is consistent with the vision, goals, Planning and Implementation policies and strategies of the 1986 State Statewide Planning Act and the SDRP.

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Statewide Policies of the State Plan: Open Space & Farmland Preservation

Goal #7: Preserve and Enhance Areas with Historic, Cultural, Scenic, Open Space and Recreational Value. Strategy:

“Enhance, preserve and use historic, cultural, scenic, open space and recreational assets by collaborative planning, design, investment and management techniques. Locate and design development and redevelopment and supporting infrastructure to improve access to and protect these sites. Support the important role of the arts in contributing to community life and civic beauty.”4 As part of the discussion of this statewide goal and strategy, the State Plan articulates a statewide vision of open space and scenic resources for the year 2020: Vision of New Jersey in the Year 2020 - Scenic, Open Space and Recreational Resources:

“Children in all the state’s cities and older towns SDRP Statewide Policy Categories can walk to playgrounds in their neighborhoods. The goal, established by Governor Whitman and 1. Equity the Legislature and affirmed by the voters in 2. Comprehensive Planning 1998, has been achieved. Nearly two million 3. Public Investment Priorities acres of open space and farmland has been 4. Infrastructure Investments preserved. State, local and private funding has helped build a multi-purpose regional system of 5. Economic Development facilities integrating recreation and open space 6. Urban Revitalization planning with land use and other infrastructure 7. Housing planning. Like the trail system, development of 8. Transportation new open space and recreation facilities is 9. Historic, Cultural and Scenic planned to reinforce other goals, especially urban Resources revitalization and beneficial economic growth. 10. Air Resources The value that New Jersey places on everyday 11. Water Resources vistas can be seen from roads and sidewalks all 12. Open Lands and Natural over the state. Billboards have been controlled, Systems wildflowers have replaced grasses, and the jumble 13. Energy Resources of signs, entrances and parking lots along the 14. Waste Management, Recycling state’s highways have been redesigned to become and Brownfields more attractive, as well as safer, for motorists and 15. Agriculture 5 businesses.” 16. Coastal Resources In order to achieve the vision of New Jersey 17. Planning Regions Established by Statute in the year 2020, the State Plan contains 18. Special Resource Areas the following statewide policies pertinent to 19. Design open space and farmland preservation:

4 “The New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan”, New Jersey State Planning Commission, March 1, 2001, pp. 87. 5 Ibid, pp. 88.

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Statewide Policy #12 Open Lands and Natural Systems The State Plan has identified priorities for the acquisition of open space. These include critical environmental lands, greenways, land containing areas of significant agricultural value, recreational value, scenic value or with environmentally sensitive features and land in agricultural production that achieves other open space goals. Readington’s open space plan is consistent with the acquisition priorities of the State Plan, as excerpted below:

 Policy 1: Open Space Acquisition Priorities

Funds for the acquisition of open space and farmland retention, should be used for the following features (not listed in order of priority):

 Critical Environmental Sites;  greenbelts that define Centers;  greenways;  land containing areas of significant agricultural value, recreational value, scenic value or with environmentally sensitive features;  land in agricultural production that achieves other open space goals;  land needed to meet existing and future needs for active recreation; and  parks, plazas and public spaces in urban areas that enhance community character and support redevelopment efforts. P. 152

Statewide Policy #15 Agriculture Preservation of farmland contributes to the creation of large contiguous open lands, thereby supporting the preservation of scenic corridors, greenways and wildlife habitat. Readington’s open space plan is consistent with the State Plan statewide policies regarding agriculture, as excerpted below:

 Policy 1: Agricultural Land Retention Program Priorities

Funds for farmland retention should be given priority in the following order, unless a county or municipal farmland preservation plan has been prepared and approved by the State Agriculture Development Committee (in which case, priority shall be based on said plan):

(1) Rural Planning Area; (2) Fringe and Environmentally Sensitive Planning Areas; (3) Metropolitan and Suburban Planning Areas. P. 160

 Policy 2: Preservation of the Agricultural Land Base

Consider the expenditure of public funds for preservation of farmland as an investment in public infrastructure and thereby emphasize the public’s interest in maintaining long-term agricultural viability. P. 160

 Policy 3: Coordinated Planning

Coordinate planning efforts of all levels of government to ensure that policies and programs promote agriculture. P. 160

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 Policy 4: New Development

Plan and locate new development to avoid negative impacts on agriculture. P. 160

 Policy 5: Creative Planning and Design Techniques

Encourage creative land planning and design through tools such as clustering, phasing and density transfers, purchase and donation of development rights, agricultural enterprise zones and districts and the provision of self-contained community wastewater treatment systems to serve Centers, to accommodate future growth in ways that maintain the viability of agriculture as an industry, while avoiding conflict with agricultural uses. P. 160

Statewide Policies of the State Plan: Natural Resource Protection

Goal #2: Conserve the State’s Natural Resources and Systems Strategy:

Conserve the State’s natural systems and resources as capital assets of the public by promoting ecologically sound development and redevelopment in the Metropolitan and Suburban Planning Areas, accommodating environmentally designed development in Centers in the Fringe, Rural and Environmentally Sensitive Planning Areas, and by restoring the integrity of natural systems in areas where they have been degraded of damaged. Plan, design, invest in and manage the development of Centers and the use of land, water, soil, plant and animal resources to maintain biodiversity and the viability of ecological systems. Maximize the ability of natural systems to control runoff and flooding, and to improve air and water quality and supply. p. 36 Goal #4: Protect the Environment, Prevent and Clean Up Pollution Strategy:

Develop standards of performance and create incentives to prevent and reduce pollution and toxic emissions at the source, in order to conserve resources and protect public health. Promote the development of businesses that provide goods and services that eliminate pollution and toxic emissions or reduce resource depletion. Actively pursue public/private partnerships, the latest technology and strict enforcement to prevent toxic emissions and clean up polluted air, land and water without shifting pollutants from one medium to another, from one geographic location to another, or from one generation to another. Promote ecologically designed development and redevelopment in the Metropolitan and Suburban Planning Areas and accommodate ecologically designed development in Centers in the Fringe, Rural and Environmentally Sensitive Planning Areas, to reduce automobile usage, land, water and energy consumption, and to minimize impacts on public health and biological systems, water and air quality. Plant and maintain trees and native vegetation. Reduce waste and reuse and recycle materials through demanufacturing and remanufacturing. p.62 The State Plan contains the following statewide policies pertinent to natural resource protection: Statewide Policy #11 Water Resources Protect and enhance water resources through coordinated planning efforts aimed at reducing sources of pollution and other adverse effects of development, encouraging designs in hazard- free areas that will protect the natural function of stream and wetland systems, and optimizing sustainable resource use. p. 147

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 Policy 18: Stream Corridor Protection and Management

Protect, establish and maintain appropriately vegetated buffers along streams, rivers, wetlands, reservoirs and scenic waterways to protect the natural functions and quality of surface water resources. p.150

Environs

The Environs are the preferred areas for the protection of large contiguous areas, including the preservation of farmland, open space and large forest tracts. The Policy Objectives for the Fringe, Rural and Environmentally Sensitive Planning Areas specifically call for protection of the Environs from development. Strategies for preserving the Environs include density transfers into Centers, purchasing or donating easements, restricting the extension of capital facilities and adopting ordinances that limit development. p. 253

 Linkages Within the Environs

Greenways — regionwide linear corridors of permanently preserved public or private land linking New Jersey’s urban, suburban and rural areas — can be an important part of the Environs. p. 253

Strategies for capital facilities and services in the Environs should follow the Planning Area Policy Objectives to ensure beneficial growth in Centers and the protection of the Environs. p. 253

New development that cannot be transferred to Centers should be sensitive to the prevailing local conditions and should not compromise local character. p. 253

Design and planning techniques should be used to ensure that any new development enhances the character of the area by preserving open space, retaining scenic vistas, and maintaining natural systems. p. 253

Statewide Policies of the State Plan: Habitat Preservation

Open space planning is intertwined with the goals of habitat preservation. Coordination of open space policies with habitat preservation strategies can advance the maintenance of biodiversity, preservation of critical habitats and wildlife corridors. The State Plan indicates specific policies to effectuate the preservation of wildlife and their habitats that may also serve as a guide in open space planning. Statewide Policy #12 Open Lands and Natural Systems - Biological Diversity

 Policy 16: Contiguous Open Space

Preserve and restore the functional integrity of natural systems, including large contiguous tracts of forest, grasslands and other natural land, to protect biological diversity. P. 154

 Policy 17: Corridors

Connect large contiguous tracts of forest, grasslands and other natural lands with stream and river corridors by corridors and greenways so as to enhance their functional integrity for biological diversity. P. 154

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 Policy 18: Critical Habitats6

Identify Critical Habitats during the preparation of municipal plans to ensure coordination of planning efforts and to support State and local resource-protection efforts. P. 154

 Policy 19: Resident and Migratory Threatened and Endangered Species

Identify and protect the habitats of resident and migratory threatened and endangered species. Manage the character, location and magnitude of growth and development in and adjacent to such habitats to avoid direct or indirect negative impacts on threatened or endangered species or their habitat. P. 154

Statewide Policies of the State Plan: Scenic and Historic Resources

Statewide and design policies within the State Plan also support the preservation of scenic and historic resources, which may be accomplished through open space planning. Readington’s open space plan incorporates these policies: Statewide Policy #9 Historic, Cultural and Scenic Resources

Protect, enhance, and where appropriate rehabilitate historic, cultural and scenic resources by identifying, evaluating and registering significant historic, cultural and scenic landscapes, districts, structures, buildings, objects and sites, and ensuring that new growth and development is compatible with historic, cultural and scenic values. p.144

 Policy 11: Development Patters and Design to Support Scenic and Historic Values

Manage development and redevelopment to maintain, complement and enhance scenic and historic values within identified and delineated scenic and historic corridors. P. 145

 Policy 12: Protection and Preservation of Scenic and Historic Corridors

Protect scenic and historic corridors by appropriate means and preserve them by using easement purchase, density transfers, fee simple purchase and other innovative and effective mechanisms. P. 145

Policy #19 Design

Mix uses and activities as closely and as thoroughly as possible; develop, adopt and implement design guidelines; create specifically defined, visually appealing and functionally efficient places in ways that establish an identity; design circulation systems to promote connectivity; maintain an appropriate scale in the built environment; and redesign areas of sprawl. p. 174

 Policy 10: Respecting Local Context and its Vernacular

6 Critical Habitat means areas that are critical to maintaining New Jersey’s Biodiversity, including those containing: (1) habitats of endangered or threatened plant or animal species, as determined by DEP and USEPA, (2) pristine waters designated by DEP as Category 1 waters and their watersheds within and above their pristine water segment, and trout production and trout maintenance waters and their watersheds, as designated by DEP (N.J.A.C. 7:9 et seq.), (3) coastal and freshwater wetlands as defined by DEP (N.J.A.C. 7:7A-1.4 and N.J.A.C. 7:7E-3.27) (4) prime forested areas, including mature stands of native species, (5) ridgelines, gorges and ravines, (6) grasslands, and (7) staging areas for migratory species., NJSDRP

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Acknowledge and incorporate local history, climate, ecology, topography, building materials, building practices and local scale into the design of the built environment and the protection of the natural environment, where practicable and cost-effective. P. 178

 Policy 17: Managing Corridors

Design corridors, including rivers, greenways, transit and roadways, to connect communities in ways that preserve rights of way, protect viewsheds, and encourage gateways and distinct transitions between communities. P. 179

State Plan PA-4 Rural Planning Area: Open Space & Farmland Preservation

The Rural Planning Area extends over 31% of Readington Township. Within the Rural Planning Area, the State Plan expresses a distinct preference for the retention of farmland and open space for the purpose of retaining rural character and promoting agriculture as a viable business:

In the Rural Planning Area, the State Plan’s intention is to:

 Maintain the Environs as large contiguous areas of farmland and other lands;  Revitalize cities and towns;  Accommodate growth in Centers;  Promote a viable agricultural industry;  Protect the character of existing, stable communities; and  Confine programmed sewers and public water services to Centers. p.208 The State Plan recommends protecting the rural character of the area by encouraging a pattern of development that promotes a stronger rural economy in the future while meeting the immediate needs of rural residents, and by identifying and preserving farmland and other open lands. p. 208 Specific policies recommended for the Rural Planning Area are intended to effectuate farmland and open space preservation:

(1) Land Use: Enhance economic and agricultural viability and rural character by guiding development and redevelopment into Centers. In the Environs, maintain and enhance agricultural uses, and preserve agricultural and other lands to form large contiguous areas and greenbelts around Centers. Development and redevelopment should use creative land use and design techniques to ensure that it does not conflict with agricultural operations, does not exceed the capacity of natural and built systems and protects areas where public investments in farmland preservation have been made. Development in the Environs should maintain or enhance the character of the area. p. 209

(5) Natural Resource Conservation: Minimize potential conflicts between development, agricultural practices and sensitive environmental resources. Promote agricultural management practices and other agricultural conservation techniques to protect soil and water resources. Protect and preserve large, contiguous tracts and corridors of recreation, forest or other open space land that protect natural systems and natural resources. p.210

(6) Agriculture and Farmland Preservation: Guide development to ensure the viability of agriculture and the retention of farmland in agricultural areas. Encourage farmland retention and minimize conflicts between agricultural practices and the location of Centers. Ensure the availability of adequate water resources and large, contiguous tracts of land with minimal land use conflicts. Actively promote more intensive, new-crop agricultural enterprises and meet the needs of agricultural industry for intensive packaging, processing, value-added operations, marketing, exporting and other shipping though development and redevelopment. p. 210

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(7) Recreation: Provide maximum active and passive recreational and tourism opportunities at the neighborhood and local levels by targeting the acquisition and development of neighborhood and municipal parkland within Centers. Provide regional recreation and tourism opportunities by targeting parkland acquisitions and improvements that enhance large contiguous open space systems and by facilitating alternative recreational and tourism uses of farmland. p. 210 Implementation Strategy:

Maintaining and enhancing the rural character of Planning Area 4 will require considerable attention by all levels of government, as well as the private and non-profit sectors. With significant market pressures, the Rural Planning Area is often viewed as prime real estate for new development. p. 211

Even techniques like larger lot zoning and lot size averaging, while beneficial in some aspects, have the effect of destroying the large contiguous areas of farmland and habitat that are so vital to the sustainability of rural areas and may consume land at a faster rate. p. 211

Use investment tools, such as: a long-term capital plan; density transfer strategies including transfer of development rights where appropriate; public land banking to acquire sites for future growth and density transfers; acquisition of targeted farmland and other open spaces; agricultural enterprise districts, use assessment and inheritance and transfer tax relief; purchase of development rights programs; permanent and stable source of funding for land and capital assets on the municipal, county and State levels; privately coordinated multi-tract development; development rights bank; impact fees; rehabilitation or revitalization grants or loans; special improvement district; community wastewater utility and pre- approved designs for localized standalone wastewater treatment systems to bring down the cost and ensure a limited number of new hookups compatible with maintaining the rural character; and expanded, reactivated or new public transportation systems within and between Centers. p. 213

State Plan PA-3 Fringe Planning Area: Open Space & Farmland Preservation

Twenty-five percent (25%) of Readington Township lies within the Fringe Planning Area. The intents and policies of the Fringe Planning Area support open space and farmland preservation. This designation includes much of the environs around the existing villages of Whitehouse Station and Readington. Both are existing centers depicted on the State Plan Policy Map. Readington’s open space plan is consistent with the policies of the Fringe Planning Area:

In the Fringe Planning Area, the State Plan’s intention is to:

 Accommodate growth in Centers;  Protect the Environs as open lands;  Revitalize cities and towns;  Protect the character of existing stable communities;  Protect natural resources;  Provide a buffer between more developed Metropolitan and Suburban Planning Areas and less developed Rural and Environmentally Sensitive Planning Areas; and  Confine programmed sewers and public water services to Centers. p. 201

In the Environs, [those areas outside of centers], the landscape should contain limited free-standing residential, commercial and industrial development, including activities that may be required to meet the needs of the region and which cannot meet acceptable performance standards for Centers. All such development should be designed to enhance the character of the area by preserving open land, retaining scenic vistas and maintaining natural systems. p. 202

In addition, uncontrolled development in these areas will exacerbate conflicts with agricultural and environmental resources. p. 202

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Policy Objectives:

(1) Land Use: Focus development and redevelopment in appropriately located and designed Centers to accommodate growth that would otherwise occur in the Environs. Protect the Environs primarily as open lands. Development and redevelopment in the Environs should not exceed the carrying capacity of natural or built systems and should maintain or enhance the character of the Environs. p. 202

(5) Natural Resource Conservation: Strategically acquire open space to define Centers and to maintain contiguous open space corridors that link to other Planning Areas and Centers. p.203

(6) Agriculture: Guide development to ensure the viability of agriculture and the retention of productive farmland in strategically located agricultural areas and in other adjacent Planning Areas. Encourage farmland retention and minimize conflicts between agricultural practices and the location of Centers. Actively promote more intensive, new-crop agricultural enterprises and meet the needs of agricultural industry for intensive packaging, processing, value-added operations, marketing, exporting and other shipping through development and redevelopment. p.203 Implementing Strategy:

Prepare a targeted open space and/or farmland preservation program in cooperation with the county and/or county agricultural development board and the SADC and/or Green Acres. p.204

NJ Natural Heritage Readington’s Environmental Resource Inventory7 identifies several threatened and endangered species that have been sighted within the Township. These include birds, reptiles and plants. As of March 2007, the Office of Natural Lands Management (ONLM), within the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, has classified 343 sites in New Jersey that are critically important to the conservation of biological diversity within the State as a Natural Heritage Priority Site. The ONLM has specifically identified the Cushetunk Mountain as a priority site for conservation and protection of rare and endangered species and natural communities. The purpose of cataloguing these areas is to provide a resource for developers, local officials and conservation agencies to utilize in making decisions regarding such sites. Natural Heritage Priority Sites represent some of the best remaining habitat for rare plant species and exemplary natural habitats in the State. The ONLM expresses a clear policy recommendation for the disposition of Natural Heritage Priority Sites: These areas should be considered the top priorities for the preservation of biological diversity in New Jersey. If these sites become degraded or destroyed, we may lose some of the unique components of our natural heritage. 8

7 Readington Township Environmental Commission. 2001. The Readington Township Natural Resource Inventory. Princeton Hydro, LLC. 8 New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management, Frequently Asked Questions About Natural Heritage Priority Sites, informational flyer, May 17, 2007.

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The site of the Solberg Airport was formerly identified as a Natural Heritage Priority Site9. However, around 2007, ONLM revised the Natural Heritage Priority program to only designated sites with rare plant species as Natural Heritage Priority Sites.10 The majority of the lands associated with Solberg Airport (Block 56 Lots 1, 3 & 6 & Block 67 Lot 2) are now identified within a Natural Heritage Grid Map. A Natural Heritage Grid Map provides a general portrayal of the geographic locations of rare plant species and rare ecological communities for the entire state without providing sensitive detailed information. The Natural Heritage Grid Map areas should be considered as an open space preservation priority. Additionally, NJ MAP designates the Solberg Airport as an area of highest importance for protection of ecological integrity.11

The Landscape Project Landscape Project v.3.3 Spatial Components In 1994, the New Jersey Division of Fish, Game & Wildlife’s (DFW) Endangered . Species-based Habitat and Nongame Species Program (ENSP) Identifies imperiled and adopted a landscape level approach to special concern wildlife endangered, threatened and special habitat, with the exception of concern species conservation by freshwater mussels. developing the Landscape Project. The Landscape Project uses documented . Freshwater Mussel Habitat species location data and land-use/land Identifies those stretches of cover as well as species life history streams that serve as habitat information to produce maps that depict for endangered, threatened habitat for endangered, threatened and and special concern freshwater special concern wildlife species mussel species. throughout the state. The goal of the . Vernal Habitat project is: Identifies vernal and potential “…to provide a tool that fosters protection vernal pools but also the of New Jersey’s biological diversity by surrounding habitat that facilitating the recover and sustainability allows for the successful of endangered, threatened and special breeding, dispersal, foraging, overwintering, and migration of species that use vernal pools.

9 Thomas F. Breden, Supervisor, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry, Office of Natural Lands Management. September 21, 2000. letter and attachments to Suzanne Forbes (Princeton Hydro, LLC). 10 Prior to 2007, Natural Heritage Priority Sites were designated for sites that contained both rare plant and animal species or habitat. With the development of the Landscape Project data, ONLM removed those Natural Heritage Priority Sites so designated for rare animal species or habitat and only designated those sites with rare plant species as Natural Heritage Priority Sites. Instead, the NJDEP relies on Landscape Project mapping for rare animal species and habitat. 11 NJ MAP was created by The Nature Conservancy, New Jersey Conservation Foundation and Rowan University with funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the William Penn Foundation. NJ MAP is intended to serve municipal stakeholders involved in environmental, land use and sustainable decision making.

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concern wildlife populations within healthy, functioning ecosystems.”12 The Landscape Project was designed to provide a sound basis for planning and land management at the State, County and local government levels. In order to achieve this goal, the Landscape Project has focused on the larger “landscapes”, or unique ecoregions within the State (Readington lies within the “Skylands” landscape region). The delineation of the state into regions serves as a spatial framework for management and conservation of species and their habitats. Within each of these regions, ENSP has identified and mapped habitat for endangered, threatened and special concern wildlife utilizing an extensive database that combines species occurrence information with Land Use/Land Cover classification data and species habitat requirements. The resulting Landscape maps provide an accurate, reliable and scientifically sound basis for habitat projection within each region. Areas of critical habitat are lands that support rare species in the State and that are adjacent to critical habitats that have already been preserved. Benefits that are anticipated to be realized through the preservation of such lands, according to the New Jersey DFW, include provision of habitat for the conservation of rare species, provision for more open space for outdoor recreation, reduction in the potential for flooding, biodegradation of contaminants and ground water recharge. Readington’s open space plan seeks to incorporate the information derived from the Landscape Project for open space planning and preservation.

Hunterdon County Open Space Preservation Policies

Hunterdon County Open Space, Farmland, and Historic Trust Fund Plan, 2015 The Hunterdon County Board of Chosen Freeholders adopted the Hunterdon County Open Space, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund Plan on March 15, 2016. The Open Space, Farmland, and Historic Preservation Trust Fund Plan permits the Freeholder Board to supplement existing resources, both from the County as well as

12 New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. 2017. New Jersey Landscape Project, Version 3.3. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Endangered and Nongame Species Program. pp. 5.

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from preservation partners, thereby leveraging funding for aggressive preservation campaigns. “Readington Township was the first community within Hunterdon County to hold an Open Space Referendum and has since lead the county in open space and farmland preservation. To accomplish this, the Township has utilized numerous techniques to preserve both farmland and open space through the State, Green Acres funding, partnerships with nonprofit organizations, and municipally-acquired easements.”13 Readington continues to pursue partnerships with the State, County, and nonprofit organizations to leverage funding to preserve both farmland and open space. Throughout Hunterdon County, governments and private entities are continuing to plan in earnest to achieve their respective land preservation goals. Goals include expansion of existing preserved areas, linkages between existing and future preserved areas, expansion of exemplary natural areas, active and passive recreation, and of course, farmland preservation. p. 33 Readington’s open space plan is consistent with the goals of the Hunterdon County Open Space, Farmland and Historic Trust Fund Plan:

Open Space Preservation

Goal: Strengthen open space and parks planning through interdepartmental coordination and shared services management. Future open space and parks planning initiatives may benefit from increased coordination between the Planning Department, the Parks Division and the Division of GIS. p. 38 Recommendation: County departments responsible for County Open Space and Parks Programs should convene periodically to review program needs and issues, and to offer recommended changes to the Freeholder Board as necessary. Create and maintain systems for data sharing among all government and private entities engaged in open space and farmland preservation planning.

13 “Hunterdon County Open Space, Farmland, and Historic Trust Fund Plan”, Hunterdon County Planning Board, March 15, 2016, pp. 27.

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Farmland Preservation

Goal: Continue to support the Farmland Preservation Program administrated by the County Agriculture Development Board. The Farmland Preservation Program represents perhaps the most successful preservation program in Hunterdon County. Development rights, or easements, are far less costly than lands purchased in fee. Furthermore, local and County contributions are modest for the return for the return that the program is able to provide. The State absorbs the lion’s share of the purchase price, which is indexed to easement values and averages about 60 percent per acquisition. p.34 Recommendation: Allocate the available funding to appropriate match the funding levels available from Preservation partners.

Strategies for Managing Growth

Goal: Support the County’s economic growth through open space initiatives Open space and recreational opportunities are essential parts of the overall economic health of the county. The Open Space Trust Fund can aid in funding open space purchases and improvement initiatives that will draw people to Hunterdon County to enjoy our open spaces for recreation or in choosing to make Hunterdon County their home. p. 37 Recommendation: Support the open space and recreation action items discussed and outlined in farmland, parks, and open space planning documents. Goal: Determine the overall preservation goals of the County and develop a long-term strategy to address stewardship. Since its inception, the County Open Space Trust Fund has been utilized solely for the preservation of open space, farmland and historic properties; however, as more properties and easements are acquired, stewardship responsibilities also increase. Just as future acquisitions should be planned for, so should the role of stewardship so that a proper balance between acquisition and stewardship is achieved. p. 39-40 Recommendation: Complete and adopt a Strategic Parks and Open Space Plan to solidify the County’s direction in regard to total open space spending and to provide a structure for implementation.

Leveraging Funding

Goal: Support the continued expansion of the County Park System by seeking not only Green Acres funding, but also municipal contributions, nonprofit support and/ or other potential funding sources. Some County parks have been acquired through a combination of funding sources, however County funds are also stretched much further as the County partners with municipalities and/or nonprofit organizations. p. 35

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Recommendation: Allocation of available funding amongst the numerous recommended Open Space Trust Fund programs should be determined on an annual basis to meet the funding needs of each program and use. Goal: Continue the support of no-profit organizations pursuing land preservation projects that are consistent with the County’s park, open space, and farmland preservation goals. Hunterdon County has entered into many successful partnership arrangements with nonprofit land conservation organizations that have requested County support on specific land preservation projects. p. 36 The benefits of entering joint funding arrangements can be significant. Non-profit organizations typically secure funding from a variety of sources on a given project. This reduces the amount that any single participating partner must provide. p. 37 Recommendation: Continue to encourage non-profit open space preservation activity within the County as a way to leverage funds for the preservation of natural resources.

Hunterdon County Comprehensive Farmland Preservation Plan, 2008 The Hunterdon County Comprehensive Farmland Preservation Plan, adopted December 4, 2008, provides an overview of the County’s farmland preservation program, offers recommendations for meeting future demands as well as improving the current program, and satisfies the State requirements for a county comprehensive farmland preservation plan. Agricultural land uses stabilize property taxes because farms require less governmental services than residential developments and they maintain clean air by generating little traffic, provides fresh local produce, and offices attractive vistas. Farmland also provides groundwater recharge areas that allow rain water to filter back into the ground; thus contributing to the conservation of water. The Township’s open space plan is consistent with the following Hunterdon County Agricultural Board program objectives identified in the Comprehensive Farmland Preservation Plan:

 Create critical masses of preserved farmland  Preserve farms characterized by soils of prime and statewide importance  Promote agribusiness opportunities through education and advocacy

Growth Management Plan, 2007 On December 13, 2007, the Hunterdon County Planning Board adopted the 2007 Hunterdon County Growth Management Plan. This plan includes a vision for Hunterdon County that identifies the protection of the County’s land and natural resources of prime importance to residents. This plan contains a number of policies, strategies and actions related to open space and farmland preservation programs that are particularly relevant to Readington, supporting the historic and present actions of

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the Township in pursuing acquisition of private lands to ensure preservation of those lands in perpetuity.

Building Greener Communities – Planning for Woodland Conservation, 2003 Woodland conservation means the retention of priority woodland areas for the benefit of the community. Priority woodlands are those trees stands identified through a planning process to have special qualities warranting preservation. In the summer of 2000, the Hunterdon County Planning Board and North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council received a grant from the United States Forest Service to fund a two-year planning project, entitled “Addressing Sprawl – Innovative Community Forestry Strategies” that resulted in the publication of “Building Greener Communities – Planning for Woodland Conservation”. This plan stresses the importance of prioritizing resources for protection within a conservation program. Regional greenway systems, open space connections, bikeways, trail systems, and other recreational opportunities should be considered as part of the process of developing priorities for conservation to connect to adjacent municipal greenways and corridors. Readington Township has included woodland protection within this open space plan to facilitate the preservation of trees, woodlands and forests.

Community Character in Hunterdon County14 In 1998 the Hunterdon County Planning Board held a design workshop to address many of the quality of life concerns of the residents that had surfaced during a process of gathering public input since 1992. The purpose of the workshop was to explore methods of incorporating community character protection into new residential and commercial development. The design handbook includes planning tools and techniques that were explored at the workshop. While not all of the techniques discussed in the handbook are relevant to open space planning, the following objectives that do relate to open space support Readington’s open space plan:

1. Open space should be designed and located to protect the most important natural features of site identified in the municipal open space plan. Open space preservation should protect the most critical natural features of a site. These may include prime agricultural soils, steep slopes, ridgelines, scenic vistas, stream corridors, woodlands, significant land forms (such as rock outcrops, limestone areas, etc.) and important habitats. P.38

2. Large contiguous areas of open space should be preserved. Open space parcels less than three acres in size are discouraged unless they are designed specifically for recreational purposes or connect to other adjoining open spaces. Large contiguous areas of open space provide multiple community and environmental benefits, including active recreational areas, important habitats, soil erosion control, and scenic views. Generally, isolated pockets of open space that are scattered randomly within a site have

14 Hunterdon County Planning Board. 1999. Preserving Community Character in Hunterdon County: A Community Design Handbook

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less ecological value, are more difficult to maintained manage, are inaccessible and fail to provide important linkages to other open space areas. Large areas of open space should be preserved. P.38

Relevant Literature

Habitat Protection Current literature speaks to the interrelationship between habitat preservation and open space planning. For example, the methodologies advanced by the American Planning Association (APA) regarding maintenance of biodiversity are consistent with the approach of the Landscape Project and with the policies of the New Jersey State Plan. The APA has compiled a guidebook15 on the preservation of species habitat. This text includes a discussion of the benefits of habitat protection, identifies threats to habitat conservation and describes steps that public agencies may take to effectuate meaningful habitat protection. Included among the discussion is a list of principles for habitat protection at the landscape scale:

1. Maintain large intact patches of native vegetation by preventing fragmentation of those patches by development. 2. Establish priorities for species protection and protect habitats that constrain the distribution and abundance of those species. 3. Protect rare landscape elements. Guide development toward areas of landscape containing “common” features. 4. Maintain connections among wildlife habitats by identifying and protecting corridors for movement. 5. Maintain significant ecological processes in protected areas. 6. Contribute toward the regional persistence of rare species by protecting some of their habitat locally. 7. Balance the opportunity for recreation by the public with the habitat needs of wildlife. P.11

Readington’s Open Space plan incorporates these principles.

Greenways and Corridors Randall Arendt, in Rural by Design, identifies the need for comprehensive planning of greenways and corridors within communities. Greenways are the visual screens between land uses or protective buffers along watercourses that can also be used to link open spaces together creating longer open space networks and trail systems and reducing habitat fragmentation. It is important to prioritize greenways due to the amount of time it takes to implement a greenway network. Greenway planners have prioritized greenway preservation as follows:

15 American Planning Association Planning Advisory Service. 1997. Habitat Protection Planning: Where the Wild Things Are.

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1. Areas most subject to change or development and/or critical linkages not easily replicated; 2. Areas that could be easily incorporated into the greenway network at a minimal cost or effort; and 3. Areas where development threat is the lowest or areas that would require extensive negotiations with the landowners.16 Readington’s Open Space plan incorporates these principals as discussed in more detail in the next section.

16 Arendt, Randall. Rural by Design: Maintaining Small Town Character, American Planning Association, 1994, pp. 265.

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APPENDIX A Preserved Open Space Inventory

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ROSI, Readington Land Held In Fee Simple for Recreation and Conservation Purposes, 2017

Preservation Priority Block Lot Location Name Acreage Area 1.01 1.90 Taylors Mill Road Taylors Mill 4.01 NB Rockaway 2 7.01 Potterstown Road Twp. Museum 3.23 NB Rockaway 3 3 Taylors Mill Road Merck Donation 38.17 NB Rockaway 3 3.01 Taylors Mill Road Renda 6.42 NB Rockaway 9 1 Co. Rte. 523 Merck Donation 38.13 NB Rockaway 13 21 Old Route 28 Kolozynski,Rockaway Greenwy 19.71 Rockaway 13 31 Old Route 28 Maimone,Rockaway Greenway 26.66 Rockaway 13 34.01 Old Highway Renda 19.09 Rockaway 13 54 Old Route 28 School, Rockaway Greenway 31.84 Rockaway 20 16.01 Railroad Avenue DiGeronimo 2.23 SB Rockaway 21 30 Van Horne Road P.Lomar 101.00 SB Rockaway 21.12 34 Van Horne Road Senior Walkway 6.42 SB Rockaway 21.12 34.02 Railroad Avenue Senior Walkway 5.00 SB Rockaway 21.12 45 Railroad Avenue Open Space 0.60 SB Rockaway 21.13 2 Lake Cushetunk Park Public Park Lake Cushetunk 9.58 SB Rockaway 22 19 4 Seasons Mountain Road Open Space 1.70 SB Rockaway 25 3.02 Mountain Rd.-Backland Open Space 3.00 Cushetunk Mt 25 19 Landlocked Helen Vislocky 3.00 Cushetunk Mt 25 20 Next to Pickell Park Helen Vislocky 79.00 Cushetunk Mt 25 35 Route 523 Pickel Mtn. Park/Mun.Bldg. 1.08 Public Park 25 35.01 Route 523 Pickel Mtn. Park/Mun.Bldg. 21.49 Public Park 25 36 Route 523 Ebersol Hall Museum 3.00 Public Park 25 50 Dreahook Road Stanton Place 106.08 Cushetunk Mt 34 1 Main Street Open Space 0.80 WHS woodland 39 14.02 Chambers Brook Road Estate of Carol Sunderhoff 13.22 Chambers Brook 43 30 Shade Lane Open Space 0.42 Chambers Brook 44 12 Dreahook Road backland Woodlot, Open Space 14.30 Cushetunk Mt 44 39 Dreahook Road Woodlot opposite Stickney 3.00 Cushetunk Mt 45 10.02 Route 523 Silver Bit and Spur 19.66 Holland Brook Preservation Priority Block Lot Location Name Acreage Area 45 26.06 Dreahook Road Bertrand, open field 55.45 Holland Brook 45 26.07 Dreahook Road Bertrand, family cemetary 7.00 Holland Brook 45.02 28.90 Dreahook Road Open Space 7.57 Cushetunk Mt 45.03 28.90 Dreahook Road Open Space 15.68 Cushetunk Mt 46 5.07 Route 523 Open Space, former dump 16.72 Holland Brook 46 5.99 East Dreahook Road Cornhuskers ballfields 38.83 Active Recreation 46 10.99 Connover Drive Open Space 35.84 Holland Brook 46 22.04 Cole Rd Ann Reno, Open Space 10.38 Trail connection 46 24.9 Holland Brook Road Open Space 12.04 Holland Brook 50 13 Stanton Road Bloys 21.45 Pleasant Run 50 14.01 Pleasant Run Road Burgher Farm, Open Space 4.02 Pleasant Run 50 32.01 Springtown Road Open Space 0.50 Pleasant Run 50 41 Stanton Rd./Dreahook Rd. Bouman-Stickney Museum 68.69 Stanton 52.01 13.9 Chamberlain Road Open Space 33.32 Pleasant Run 52.01 14.06 Pleasant Run Road Romano Tract 72.20 Pleasant Run 52.01 22 Edgewood Road Berghold, Open Space 3.08 Cole Road 53 7.9 Holland Brook Road Open Space 47.89 Holland Brook 55 1.90 Roosevelt & Readington Open Space 1.56 Holland Brook 55 1.91 Roosevelt Road Open Space 14.00 Ball Fields 55 1.92 Heath Road Open Space 45.91 Holland Brook 55 7.09 Groendyke Road Open Space 25.09 Holland Brook 55 13.51 Pine Bank Road Lachenmayr Farm 50.55 Holland Brook 55 21.02 Hillcrest Road Knocke, Open Space 15.00 Holland Brook 55 23.03 Hillcrest Road Hillcrest Park 51.52 Holland Brook 63 19 Woodschurch Road Dobozynski Farm 134.27 Round Mt 63 24 Landlocked Woodlot 10.00 Round Mt 63 27 Landlocked Woodlot 6.73 Round Mt 63 49.01 Woodschurch Road Luckett 7.08 Round Mt 63 64 Landlocked Dobozynski Farm 8.03 Round Mt 63 66 Landlocked Yard woodlot 6.22 Round Mt 63 68 Landlocked Yard woodlot 8.21 Round Mt 64 41 Pleasant Run Road Lackland open Space 27.72 Pleasant Run Preservation Priority Block Lot Location Name Acreage Area 66 3 Cole Road Vislocky 10.51 Pleasant Run 66 13 Pleasant Run Road West Jersey Land 65.12 Pleasant Run 66 25.99 Hillcrest and Pinebank Roads Open Space 63.55 Holland Brook 66 49.11 Pine Bank Road Open Space 2.94 Holland Brook 66 53 Landlocked Open Space 5.00 Holland Brook 68 3 Brookview Rd Open Space 8.91 Holland Brook 68 4 landlocked Open Space 6.37 Holland Brook 68 13.44 Brookview Rd Open Space 2.83 Holland Brook 70 42.90 Delaware Rd Open Space 20.13 Holland Brook 72 36.99 Rowlands Rd Deer Path Park to Raritan River 69.32 Trail connection 72.01 34.9 Rowlands Rd Open Space 7.73 Woodland 73 6.14 Ryerson Rd Open Space 25.81 Woodland 73 20.01 Raritan river Donated land 35.37 Raritan River 73 20.02 Raritan River Open Space 0.45 Raritan River 75 15.01 Summer Road Lipka, One Foster Drive 14.12 Pl. Run Greenway 75 16.02 Summer Road Lipka, One Foster Drive 19.40 Pl. Run Greenway 75 17.9 Van Neste Rd Stonebridge Crossing 35.22 Trail connection 75 18 Summer Road Summer Road Park 48.46 Ballfields 75 29 Pleasant Run Rd Open Space 0.25 Pleasant Run 75 32.03 Pleasant Run Rd Lane Farm Trail Connection 5.01 Pleasant Run 76 3 Craig Road Pleasant Run Road and Rte 202 34.18 Pleasant Run 76 3.01 Pleasant Run Road Pleasant Run Road and Rte 202 6.26 Pleasant Run 76 3.14 Craig Road Anderson Road set-aside 1.16 Pleasant Run 83 3 Hwy 202 Open Space 4.50 Raritan River 93 1 Amawalk Three Bridges Park 23.26 Woodlot 94 8 Summer Road/Lazy Brook, Toll Lazy Brook Greenway Summer R 143.66 Raritan River 95 18 Rt. 202 Wooded tract on Rte 202 4.84 Pleasant Run 96 18.03 D'Urso Old York Road Wooded tract on Rte 202 30.62 Pleasant Run 97 2.03 Landlocked Open Space 10.56 open land 2017 Total Open Space* 2,149.93 *As of December 2017 State Owned Open Space

Block Lot Location Name Acreage 13 57.02 Lamington Rd Rockaway Greenway 15.06 14 3.04 Lamington Rd Rockaway Greenway 19.45 14 3.03 Landlocked Rockaway Greenway 16.743 15 27 State Hwy 22 Lamington Greenway WMA 230.35 21.12 46.01 Route 22 Rockaway Greenway 38.22 44 6 Dreahook Rd Cushetunk Mt 30.126 59 5 Route 31 Wetlands mitigation 4.83 60 1 Route 31 Wetlands mitigation 17.027 73 27 Rockafellows Mill South Branch Raritan River WMA 64.62 74 7 Rockafellows Mill South Branch Raritan River WMA 354.3 74 9 Rockafellows Mill South Branch Raritan River WMA 7.51 79.01 11 River Ave. South Branch Raritan River WMA 20.34 79 3 River Ave. South Branch Raritan River WMA 36.34 93 7 Landlocked Raritan River Greenway 10.45 2017 Total* 865.37 *As of September 2017 County Open Space Parcels

Block Lot Location Name Acreage Fee/Easement Developed 46 11.23 Readington Road By Pass Buffer 11.23 Fee 58 1 Landlocked Raritan River Preserve 0.37 Fee 58 4 Landlocked Raritan River Preserve 2.48 Fee 61 5.01 Landlocked Raritan River Preserve 4.68 Fee 61 11 Route 31 Raritan River Preserve 36.74 Fee 61 102 Landlocked Raritan River Preserve 1.36 Fee 61 103 Landlocked Raritan River Preserve 17.85 Fee 72 2 Deerpath Road Raritan River Preserve 88.13 Fee 72 7 Route 523 Raritan River Preserve 0.38 Fee 72 31 West Woodschurch Deer Path Park 104.23 Fee Ballfields 63 14 West Woodschurch Round Mt Preserve 61.11 Fee 63 21 Landlocked Round Mt Preserve 11.45 Fee 63 22 Landlocked Round Mt Preserve 20.58 Fee 63 25 Landlocked Round Mt Preserve 26.94 Fee 63 45 Stanton Road Holman 4.81 Fee 63 53 Foothill Rd Round Mt Preserve 108.51 Fee 63 65 Landlocked Round Mt Preserve 3.5 Fee 63 67 Landlocked Round Mt Preserve 12.9 Fee 25 2 Landlocked Cushetunk Mt Preserve 200.78 Fee 98 8 Landlocked Raritan River Preserve 33.31 Fee 2017 Total* 751.50 *As of December 2017 Privately-owned Open Space

Block Lot Location Name Acreage 21 31 Van Horn Road Lake Cushetunk Woods 21.12 94 James Street Whitehouse Athletic Assoc. 8.45 31 37.03 Whtehouse Ave. Fallone 1.6 31 37.08 Whtehouse Ave. Fallone 1.85 45 25.29 Clubhouse Drive Stanton Ridge 78.12 45 25.59 Clubhouse Drive Stanton Ridge 19.21 51 21.28 Clubhouse Drive Stanton Ridge 46.81 51.03 17 Clubhouse Drive Stanton Ridge 27.14 70 19.23 Dev. Setaside Shurts Road 12 2017 Total* 195.00 *As of September 2017 Property owned by Readington Schools

Block Lot Location Name Acreage 35 14 Whitehouse Ave Whitehouse School 6.8 48 20 Readington Road Read. Middle School 22 48 21.01 Readington Road Holland Brook School 46.186 73 9.01 Route 523 Future School Site 23.25 93 61 Main Street Three Bridges School 8.5 2017 Total* 107.00 *As of September 2017 Readington Township

APPENDIX B Preserved Farmland Inventory

2018 Open Space Plan Element

Preserved Farmland Tracts

FP Funding Easement Fee Ownership Block Lot Location Name Acreage Easement Program Ownership Municipally Owned 12.01 15 Shagbark Lane Emmet 34 Farmland FP 2006 County 13 57 Lamington Rd Renda 69 Green Acres Green Acres State GA 13 62 Meadow Road Hamewith Farm 82 Farmland FP PIG VIII County 14 1 Island Rd E.Schley/John Schley 104 Farmland Donation County 14 1.01 Island Road John Schley 20 Farmland FP 2015 County 14 50 Island Rd J. Schley 87 Farmland FP 2001A County 15 1 Island Rd Reeve Schley 100 Farmland FP 2000 County 15 1.02 Island Rd Reeve Schley 61 Farmland FP 2000 County 15 3, 3.01,3.02 Island Rd Reeve Schley 50 Farmland Township Township 15 4 Island Rd Arnaudy 26 Farmland FP PIGVIII County 20 11 Mountain Rd Csepi 25 Green Acres Green Acres Township 20 16,22,23 Mountain Rd DeGeronimo 68 Green Acres Green Acres Twp/county 22 6 Mountain Rd Jensen 25 Green Acres Green Acres Township 39 14 Chambersbrook Rd. Cuchiaro 25 Farmland FP PIGVIII County 39 49 County Line Road Peters 61 Farmland FP PIG County 45 10 Route 523 Silver Bit and Spur 41 Farmland FP 2003 County 46 22.01 Cole Rd P. Reno 70 Farmland FP PIG 1 County 50 14 Stanton Rd Burgher/Garfield 21 Green Acres Green Acres Township GA 52 10 Pleasant Run Rd Hruebesh 79 Farmland FP 1999 County 52.01, 46 14, 21 Cole Rd Romano/Jon Kowal 110 Farmland FP 2000 County 53 5.02 Holland Brook Rd Holland Brook Realty 23 Farmland FP PIG 2008 Township 53 9 Roosevelt Rd Dolan 21 Farmland PIG II County 53 22 Readington Rd Wade/Nicholson 131 Farmland FP 1998 County 55 21 Hillcrest Road Knocke 22 Green Acres Green Acres Township GA 55 8 Roosevelt Rd Kappus 51 Farmland FP 2004 County 55, 66 12 & 9, 48 Pinebank Rd Wallendjack 93 Farmland FP 1987 County 55 17 Readington Rd Scanlon 41 Farmland FP PIG 1 County 55 17.02 Casper Berger Rd Scanlon 44 Farmland FP PIG 1 County 55 13 Casper Berger Rd Lachenmayr 32 Green Acres Green Acres Township GA 56 5 Readington Rd James 19 Farmland FP PIG II County 57 2 Thor Solberg Rd Pompliano/Schultz 48 Farmland FP PIG 1 County Municipal OS 57 13.01 Harlan School Rd Staats 53 Farmland FP PIG VIII County

Appendix B - Farmland Tracts Preseved September 2017.xls11/27/2017 FP Funding Easement Fee Ownership Block Lot Location Name Acreage Easement Program Ownership Municipally Owned 62 1 Pleasant Run Rd Jackson 33 Farmland FP PIG II County 62 4 & 7 Route 523/Woodschurch Rd Dobozynski/Doyle 231 Farmland State, Fee State 63 13 West Woodschurch Accettola 64 Farmland FP PIG II County 64 8.17 Spring Meadow Rte 523 53 Farmland Cluster Township 64 29 Barley Sheaf Chesla 41 Farmland FP 2008 County 64 44,44.01,44.02 Pleasant Run Rd Bauer-Cole 126 Farmland FP 1994 County 65 12, 12.01 Barley Sheaf Little 32 Farmland FP PIG VIII Township 65 23 Pleasant Run Road Hanna 24 Farmland FP PIG II County 66 2 Cole Rd Ann Reno 52 Farmland FP 2001A County Municipal OS 66 17 Pleasant Run Road Dabrowski 36 Farmland FP PIG II County 66 24 Hillcrest Road Allen 125 Farmland Direct EP State 66 45, 45.01 Pinebank Rd Moore 68 Farmland FP 1995 County 67 12 Readington Road Cole 24 Farmland FP 2015 County 70 38.5 Pleasant Run Rd. Craig Rd. EstEstate of Stewart Keane 88 Farmland FP 2005 County 72 10.02 Route 523 Pagano 33 Farmland FP PIG I County 72 11 Route 523 Schaefer C&C 90 Farmland FP 1999 County 72 23 Woodschurch Rd Schaefer, William & Chris 128 Farmland FP 1999 County 72 5, 5,02 Route 523 Bartles 95 Farmland FP 2001A County 73 17 Governor Rd Vizzoni 124 Farmland Cluster Township 73 26.01 Hoffman Lane Hrynyk 121 Farmland Cluster Township 74 5 Rockafellow Mill Rd Illva Sarronno 12 Farmland Township Township 74 26.01 Lazy Brook Rd Lazy Brook Estates/Leach 51 Farmland Cluster Township 74 27 Lazy Brook Rd Kanach/Illva Sarronno 82 Green Acres Green Acres State GA 75 19.01 Pleasant Run Rica II 39 Farmland FP PIG 1 County Municipal OS 75 33 Pleasant Run Road Hanna Saga 116 Farmland FP PIG VIII County 75 35 & 40 Locust Rd Jones 52 Farmland FP PIG 1 County 75 32 Pleasant Run Rd Lane/Zweerink Farm 49 Green Acres Green Acres Township GA 80 1 River Rd Illva Sarronno 58 Farmland FP PIG VIII County 93 12 Higginsville Rd Miller 41 Farmland FP PIG I County 93 13 Higginsville Rd Burjan 105 Farmland FP 1995 County 93 18, 19, 20 Higginsville Rd/Old York Rd Bill Mason 235 Farmland FP 1998 County 93 28 Old York Rd Burjan 137 Farmland FP 2001A County 94 11 Route 202 Daniel Brothers 53 Farmland FP 2011 Township* 94 17 Summer Road Toll 29 Farmland FP 2010/PIG Township 94 19 Lazy Brook Rd Little Hills Farm 84 Farmland FP 2011 Township*

Appendix B - Farmland Tracts Preseved September 2017.xls11/27/2017 FP Funding Easement Fee Ownership Block Lot Location Name Acreage Easement Program Ownership Municipally Owned 96 2 Summer Road Triple D LLC 45 Farmland FP PIG VIII County 96 18 Route 202/Old York Rd D'Urso 79 Farmland PIG I County 98 3 Higginsville Rd Sam Kanach/Pat Hilton 219 Farmland State, Fee State 95 13 Higginsville Rd/Old York Rd Bill Mason 12 Farmland FP 1998 County 98 2 Higgensville Rd Padavanni 30 Farmland PIG VIII County 2017 Total* 4852.00 *As of September 2017

Appendix B - Farmland Tracts Preseved September 2017.xls11/27/2017 Readington Township

APPENDIX C Green Trust Planning Inventive Project Grant Status

2018 Open Space Plan Element

Readington Township

APPENDIX D Status of Green Trust Loans, 2017

2018 Open Space Plan Element

Readington Township

APPENDIX E 2009 Master Plan Figures

2018 Open Space Plan Element

R OCK AW A Y R D

LA N R C D E N RD SO A RI Tewksbury Township

L R

C I E Hunterdon County

T R I MM ER RD

I- I-78 SEC 78 ONDARY

D L

R L I R SH M A A G S BA ` D R K L R E A

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RD T IM S E E L D I G P H R E L A P D R R O A O A L V ILR S IS KL O O S S INE AD T M T BLV H LN OU D C NT S AI N RD D R R D E A N S D I L O R M N Y I T M O N T U G R O N T I T C D AN D E S N D C C ER D OMM ER Y N R O RD A D C L K D AY A N W O A HE D L AD N K Q A A U L O A D RT E D O R R O D D S R R M W D R E D E R N S A G C A A R H L D E C LD F I E R O A K R K A C R U W L H D D P O A R Y E J C M K K D O RO O N O B U F A ER O ND LLE H A F R V A Y RD I D R H S N R B D D R D S

S H N I O N T O K A D Z I P E R U R VE S R N S L S U D A E RD E S A T K N S R CI I I S R H E S D L A D O O M Y A IN K D E G A R T L T T D N R O S N K Y HO A NE U E O D N D M LD U Y N O E D U R S T D O R R C C 3 D C C D E H 2 R D 5 E T I E L S S A R T O N E N Y E O O T R T V M T U D R O E S T O C L D R ER R O W R D D G F O D E N A EL LO A R K S HL D D R N BO E A E R N B M N LA D J R Branchburg Township O O D HN S E T R N K M IL O O IT M O IA M IT H C A RD N HE E E Somerset County R L L D L HU G RD NTE D R DO EM C D R N E O R L CO RY N U O E N DR K T W A V B Y E O 6 I L R E 2 D N O 0 Clinton Township V T S R R R O E D R R G ETT D O N B UR E B NI O RD L H E N D T D E E R E N A I R J R F E Y A L S CT L T L L Hunterdon County R L H D E D O IG O W G H L L R W IL OO R H T D D D BLA E R E S CKBERRY LA L SEL D A C A U T U D O H S T R S H H D E E D R T R U O K F O EP N O SK K L IN T ER E A V R R O D M D A R T A D F S C A R Y K IR T S D L E W S T R E L P A L T R R R V R Y A IN E IE E A D S N D D G G R D D R E O T T B L A W A O O E L O R O J I D O R R U W C N F R T D D Y R O D G L E N E E D W M N R T R U S H H R N D O N R E L D U U B M T R O K A A P 7 T S H I S S N D I O 3 . W D N N N 6 A O E R R P E Y D R I O D Y U S D V H L O T R S S D M A A O E N E E R S L W C T U E C D G A M D O D R R R C I L R E D T L R B F L O E E R R O T S L G Y D S O R I RD R A L N KS E RSO E R RD A E PAT O M B C H O RD R T S R LL I A A D H D P T L S TION RD O R ON STA O A Y NT F N TA I S C R S A WAC O L KHAM ICK R ER H E R B D S WEA M P H VER A IN E S LA H E B PH C AN ER K R DS D LA

D R D R E HY D N O T IL M A H D R E L O C N E V E M I P LT H U N D W U O L A R N A S V O R O T N R R D E I RD N NE E D SC R G BI Y H D M A U O S LU C W N T O I R C Y R C CO A D W H UN A H LO R T R R O IL D Y W R 62 F I L W 9 R F E C L Y D U D N L A N H TO N I LDS L W K FIE U D D T R R B ST S A E LCR R C IL O D H N IV O Y R D J K C K R D T 3 S R R C E 1 O U A D D N L I S T S E T W T R T E E N D VI T E I D B EW RD N C L R S S R K L A O F S O V N T N T IR G O N R R K A O D O N P U A H H W S R R R S C E E A H Y D D H DELAWARE RD E Y N RD D R IT CH N J HUR A ODSC R W W WO K G T 3 W O C

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Vacant (1) Preserved Open Space / Golf Course (from open space plan)

Farm (Qualified/Regular) (3A & 3B) Preserved Farmland (from open space plan) Hillsborough Township Somerset County

Source: Readington Twp. Tax Assessor - 2008 MOD IV Clarke Caton Hintz Field Survey 2008

2,0001,000 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 Feet ° Clarke Caton Hintz Existing Land Use by Property Class Architecture Readington Township, Hunterdon County, NJ June 2009 Planning Landscape Architecture Legend Zone SRR - Special Resource Residential AR - Agricultural Residential

RR - Rural Residential SRR VR - Village Residential Tewksbury Township Hunterdon County HR-Hamlet Residential

R-1 - Residential AR PND - Planned Neighborhood Development SRR PND1 - Planned Neighborhood Development PND/ SCV - Planned Neighborhood Dev./ Senior Citizen Village SRR SC-SeniorCitizen SC-2 - Senior Citizen 2 B-1 - Business 1 RO B - Business VH - Village Hospitality Bedminster Township Somerset County ROM1 - Research Office - Manufacturing ROM1 SRR ROM2 - Research Office - Manufacturing RO VC - Village Commercial RO - Research - Office RR AR PO-1 - Professional Office 1 R-1 PO - Professional Office PND1 PND1 SRR Airsafety and Historic Airport District B ROM1 Historic Airport Sub-Area VC

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Branchburg Township Somerset County Clinton Township Hunterdon County SRR

AR HR

HR AR

Raritan Township Hunterdon County

PND VR

SRR VC

Hillsborough Township Somerset County Source: Readington Twp. Tax Assessor - 2008 MOD IV Clarke Caton Hintz Field Survey 2008 Proposed Land Use revised - May 5, 2009

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Legend This map was developed using New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Geographic Information System digital data, but this secondary product has not been verified by NJDEP and is not state-authorized. Hillsborough Township NJDEP Streams Somerset County Slopes: C1 Streams 300ft Buffer NJDEP Digital Elevation Grid for New Jersey (100 meter), Edition: 2002 Trout Maintenance 150ft Buffer Base Map Source: Hatch Mott MacDonald., February, 2008. Non Trout Streams 100ft Buffer

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E A S IN O L M Y I T M N R U D O TA C D D NN N R ER COMMERCE S Y A R N T RD L D O Y K D T A A N G W O H A IN EA D L D D 523 N K D Q Æÿ A A U O AR L O C TE D D D R O R R S R D O D R O R D M K W D R Z N E S A S A G M C A D IT R F U L L D H E I R I B E K R K D C E R A A N N R W L S D C D O A H YC O O A R K K H M D O S Y FF E R R N D D O H N H O R A E I T R A P D R S U S IN L G D A E M S T A K A S O A I L N R H R D D R O D Y U O E T H S

E IE R R R D D R C I D O P T R D R O A 3 N T U R G 2 E R T E N 5 D P P E E L O IS T E V Y U M O D T T O N E L J R U L R O D D I O E N H R S E N G A R S R R D D D O EN D N L T O R A S L L D L R N E R H D D E C E N T T M M I IL O N M IT O IA C R E M D S N B Y E LA T L CO CK R G N S D O O M R F Branchburg Township EM VE IT ER R H L Y R E DR RD D B 620 E Æÿ L D D A R H T R V O O R U N U D Somerset County T R O K E ET L H R O R T E D D E I E O O E D N RD F S O R C T B O R O U H W N G D D D T I R G N Y L D O R 6 2 E D A 0 L M L T Clinton Township L L C A O D O E H U D U E T N R H V A S S E T T L H E A S H S E R I E R O N S O D P T V F U O Hunterdon County R U I E R I N W O N D K R H G K R T R O D T O D A D O L M R R E W V T A O Y S R N R Y A A R E L C D L F L K 523 I L D A Æÿ R D T A K T I R S D S R R OO I T W R H R D A E A A E I E D D D A N DR Y G R R D R E B R T L E D A W O O O E C I R R L O W JU N D D F L T H Y U R E G U E T E D M N S S A TH A B R D O N M UN P H O R P 7 T S D S 3 O D O . N 6

R U R D D Y D S H R O T E M W D E N E R S U I D TE V G A O R R D A R R C E E D N L B T C E J L S O 3 D L S R I 1 RD R L N E SO R S R R A ATE O FO M E P E R C H TY O C G O T A S R R K O S R D E D N B D R A A R R D I R D P Y L R S C L R I IN D A H NK R C E T A E BA P WE O L PIN AVE FO R O RS L E O S A B C HE M PHE A RD H S L Æ· C D A 31 R D E R D Y N H O T H L ILL I TO M P A LA H D R E L O C M N O E R V N IU I L N A S G R D R S R AY T INE E D W A B R R UM C D W D L I T O R O R H L L R C E IL D F O P W L N Y F R A D U I L V IN H C A W K L N R L D A U D B C T R D R S O R E O L H IV D K Y D L C R I R C R D R T K SU V R D U E N C D S R A W H D E T O R I T E V T E C L N R C IE T E S T D A W S B N R R R N T D IN R K D D O IN E A T O L S R A V F H T I L C S O R D K D N E R R R W U O D K O H P W IC S O S D D P R DELAWARE R R N CH R R D D E HUR H J OODSC N T W W E E I 3 H H W 1 G A M D G I D E IN D M I R R S R A IN T E N K F E R R D LA A R D A T E P E E V H L D S O S PY P R M R R I LA P E N T Y A S S R I G E D R N D D N L O R O R C M T I A T S R V A B M E D A E R N R E F A D C L N A L N D E L E D L E I A R T N E DS R LAN D H L D R A R ROW T E N D I P R R L A A A Y L L R T I R D G H R V U T A S R S T U O C H D R N LO E E C M M RD R GRA A AC F ISS B E HU N R NT E T ER W R D O ON E A N C L S L O COBU R U D L JA N D T R Y R 62 IG D 9 A A R W L I C ND IN Y G Z W AY O HO C FF M SU AN M R ME D R R CL D D A R RK Raritan Township K C T O

O D R R

B E Y T Hunterdon County S D D Z R A E Y R R L N A K L ND R L N O202 I C( O A / R E Y M S Y V 02 D E H 2 L R W IX S S SON U O O O RD N L R L D E F A K C O R

LOTTING P 2 URCHASE RD 20 US

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R T 1 H R S 6 E I E L D B T O D Y L R B V E W I D AV N A T D H ROA E I R AIL E N TE R O R L C U RD R L I Q B O V U C A E S IL N V N R I L AI O A A LR G OA D E D G A R I VE S E A H T C N D U R H E L O I R O

Legend FEMA Flood

This map was developed using New Jersey Department of ZONE Environmental Protection Geographic Information System digital data, but this 100 Year Flood secondary product has not been verified by NJDEP and is not state-authorized. Hillsborough Township 500 Year Flood Flood Areas 100 & 500 year: Somerset County Federal Emergency Management Agency Q3 Flood Data (FIRM), Hunterdon County, NEW JERSEY 1996

Base Map Source: Hatch Mott MacDonald., February, 2008.

1,800900 0 1,800 3,600 5,400 Feet ° 2009 Conservation Plan Element Clarke Caton Hintz Architecture FEMA Floodplains Planning Readington Township, Hunterdon County, NJ January 2009 Landscape Architecture Tewksbury Township Hunterdon County

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Bedminster Township Somerset County

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Æÿ620 Branchburg Township Somerset County Clinton Township Hunterdon County

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This map was developed using New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Geographic Information System digital data, but this secondary product has not been verified by NJDEP and is not state-authorized. Hillsborough Township Legend NJDEP Wetlands of Hunterdon County Somerset County New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Freshwater Wetlands Office of Information Resources Management (OIRM), Bureau of Geographic Information and Analysis (BGIA) - 11/01/1999 50ft Transition Area Buffer

Base Map Source: Hatch Mott MacDonald., February, 2008.

1,800900 0 1,800 3,600 5,400 Feet ° 2009 Conservation Plan Element Clarke Caton Hintz Architecture Freshwater Wetlands Planning Readington Township, Hunterdon County, NJ January 2009 Landscape Architecture Tewksbury Township Hunterdon County

#$!"78

Bedminster Township Somerset County

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Legend This map was developed using New Jersey Department of Slopes Environmental Protection Geographic Information System digital data, but this secondary product has not been verified by NJDEP and is not state-authorized. Hillsborough Township 1% - 5.99% Somerset County Slopes: 6% - 15% NJDEP Digital Elevation Grid for New Jersey (100 meter), Edition: 2002 15% - 25% Base Map Source: 25% Plus Hatch Mott MacDonald., February, 2008.

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H N HO O R A E I T R A P D R S U S IN L G D A E M S T A K A S O A I L N R H R D D R O D Y U O E T H S

E IE R R R D D R C I D O P T R D R O AG 3 N T U R 2 E R T E N 5 D P P E E L O IS T E V Y U M O DR T T O N E L J U L R O D D I O E N H R S E N G A R S R R D D D O EN D N L T O R A L L S D L R N E R H D D E C E N T T M M I IL O N M IT O IA C R E M D S N B Y E LA T L CO CK R G N S D O O M R F Branchburg Township EM VE IT ER R H L Y R E DR RD D B 620 E Æÿ L D D A R H T R V O O R U N U D Somerset County T R O K E ET L H R O R T E D D E I E O O E D N RD F S O R C T B O R O U H W N G D D D T I R G N Y L D O R 62

E D A 0 L M L T Clinton Township L L C A O D O E H U D U E T N R H V A S S E T T L H E A S H S E R I E R O N S O D P T V F U O Hunterdon County R U I E R I N W O N D K R H G K R T R O D T O D A D O L M R ER W V T A O Y S R N R Y A A R E L C D L F L K I L D A R D T A K T I 523 R S D S R R O Æÿ I O T W R H R D A E A A E I E D D D A N DR Y G R R D R E B R T L E D A W O O O E C I R R L O W JU N D D F L T H Y U R E G U E T E D M N S S A TH A B R D O N M UN P H O R P 7 T S D S 3 O D O . N 6

R U R D D Y D S H R O T E M W D E N E R S U I D TE V G A O R R D A R R C E E D N L B T C E J L S O 3 D L S R I 1 RD R L N E SO R S R R A ATE O FOR M E P E C H TY O C G O T A S R R K O S R D E D N B D R A A R R D I R D P Y L R S C L R I IN D A H NK R C E T A E BA P WE O L PIN AVE FO R O RS L E O S A B C HE M PHE A RD H S L Æ· C D A 31 R D E R D Y N H H TO IL IL LT M OP LA HA

D R E L O C M NEV O R N IU I L N A S G R D R S R AY T INE E D W A B R R UM C D W D L I T O R O R H L L R C E IL D F O P W L N Y F R A D U I L V IN H C A W K L N R L D A U D B C T R D R S O R E O L H IV D K Y D L C R I R C R D R T K SU V R D U E N C D S R A W H D E T O R I T E V T E C L N R C IE T E S T D A W S B N R R R N T D IN R K D D O IN E A T O L S R A V F H T I L C S O R D K D N E R R R W U O D K O H P W IC S O S D D P R DELAWARE R R N CH R R D D E HUR H J OODSC N T W W E E I 3 H H W 1 G A M D G I D E IN D M I R R S R A IN T E N K F E R R D LA A R D A T E P E E V H L D S O S PY P R M R R I LA P E N T Y A S S R I G E D R N D D N L O R O R C M T I A T S R V A B M E D A E R N R E F A D C L N A L N D EET L E D L I A R N E DS R LAN D H L D RD A R ROW T E N I P R R L A A A Y L L R T I R D G H R V U T A S R S T U O C H D R N LO E E C M M RD R GRA A AC F ISS B E HU N R NT E T ER W R D O ON E N C L S LA O COBU R U D L JA N D T R Y R 62 IG D 9 A A R W L I C ND IN Y G Z W AY O HO C FF M SU AN M R ME D R R CL D D A R RK Raritan Township K C T O

O D R R

B E Y T Hunterdon County S D D Z R A E Y R R L N A K L ND R L N O I C202 O A E Y R M ( S /

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Farmland Soil - Prime Agricultural Soils / Soils with Statewide Importance: Somerset County Legend Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database for Hunterdon County, New Jersey 06/2004 Prime Agricultural Soils Base Map Source: Soils with Statewide Importance Hatch Mott MacDonald., February, 2008.

2,0001,000 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 Feet ° Clarke Caton Hintz Architecture Farmland Soils Planning Readington Township, Hunterdon County, NJ June 2009 Landscape Architecture