EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT 09/21/2020 DRAFT Report prepared for the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority and the Borough of Raritan by:
Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc. Phillips Preiss Grygiel LLC
The preparation of this report has been financed in part by the U.S. Department of Transportation, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, Inc., Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or its use thereof.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...... 1 ENVIRONMENT...... 61 Introduction...... 61 REGIONAL CONTEXT...... 5 Environmental Assets...... 61 Introduction...... 5 Downtown access to open spaces...... 66 Regional Context...... 7 Environmental Constraints...... 66 PREVIOUS PLANS...... 13 Energy and Climate Change...... 72 Introduction...... 13 Borough Planning Efforts...... 13 LAND USE AND FORM...... 73 Introduction...... 73 County & Regional planning ...... 17 Land Use...... 73 Summary Vision...... 24 Public Realm Analysis...... 81 DEMOGRAPHICS...... 26 Introduction...... 26 REGULATORY...... 92 Introduction...... 92 General Population Characteristics...... 27 Zone Standards...... 92 Study Area Highlights...... 33 Parking...... 98 MOBILITY...... 35 Annual Zoning Board of Adjustment Report...... 100 Introduction...... 35 Affordable Housing...... 101 Commute Patterns...... 35 Transit...... 38 LOCAL CAPACITY...... 102 Technical Capacity...... 102 Roadway Network...... 41 institutional Capacity...... 102 Pedestrian and Bicycle Network...... 47 Financial Capacity...... 103 Parking...... 52
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DRAFT | 09/21/20 INTRODUCTION
This report documents on the existing conditions of Raritan Borough (“the The Vision for Raritan is of a prosperous community with a high quality of Borough”). It was developed as part of the Planning for Emerging Centers: life, stable residential neighborhoods, a vibrant Central Business District, a Borough of Raritan Sustainable Economic Development Plan. diversified economy, extensive parks and open space, modern infrastructure, and a multi-modal transportation system. Raritan will serve as a destination The Borough of Raritan of choice within the Regional Center for a small-town atmosphere, family- The Borough of Raritan is a small developed municipality measuring friendly neighborhoods, and a sense of community. An expanded Raritan River approximately 2.0 square miles in area. The Borough is one of the three Greenway provides additional recreation opportunities, while further streetscape municipalities that comprise the Somerset County Regional Center, improvements, bicycle/pedestrian paths, and an upgraded train station provide which is the residential, commercial, and governmental core of Somerset more transportation options. County. The Borough is characterized as a mature, suburban community with a varied land uses that evolved from its geography, Regional location, NJTPA and development trends. The NJTPA is the federally-funded Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation corridors divide Raritan. The southern portion of the (MPO) for the northern New Jersey Region, home to 6.7 million people and municipality, between the Raritan Valley Rail Line and the Raritan River, covering over one-half of the State’s land area. The NJTPA Board includes was the first to develop and has a strong orientation toward the river. This 15 local elected officials representing 13 counties—Bergen, Essex, Hudson, is also the home of Raritan’s Central Business District and the Borough’s Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, train station and the focus area for this Plan (Figure 1). Sussex, Union and Warren—and the cities of Newark and Jersey City. The Board also includes a Governor’s Representative, the Commissioner of the Borough Vision New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), the Executive Director The 2007 Master Plan identifies the following vision for the community, of NJ TRANSIT, the Chairman of the Port Authority of New York & New which has subsequently been re-affirmed in 2014 and 2017 Re- Jersey and a Citizen’s Representative appointed by the Governor. examinations. The NJTPA conducts comprehensive long-range transportation planning and annually oversees over $2 billion in transportation investments, for one of the most dynamic and complex transportation systems in
- 1 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT the nation. The NJTPA sponsors and conducts studies, assists member planning agencies (known as NJTPA “subregions”), and provides a forum WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY? for inter-agency cooperation and public input into funding decisions. According to the National Planning Association’s Sustainability Project Goals Policy Framework (2016), sustainability can be understood as a The Borough of Raritan applied to the North Jersey Transportation framework thinking about how to manage resources for both Planning Association (NJTPA) Emerging Centers program for technical current and future generations by respecting the environmental, assistance to develop a Sustainable Economic Development Plan for the economic, and social conditions of a certain area. Central Business District and the area surrounding the train station. Sustainability is an important lens through which to evaluate a The primary goal of this study is to develop a vision for economic range of issues including the structures, spaces, and infrastructure development that revitalizes the Downtown and promotes an integrated that compose our built environment; ecosystems and natural community that incorporates new developments into the Downtown areas; and social and economic assets. consistent with the vision. The vision will also leverage existing APA identifies six principles that have been recognized as the transportation assets, such as the Raritan Train Station, to attract standards that capture the necessary aspects of sustainability: development. A Sustainable Economic Development and Redevelopment 1. Livable Built Environment Planning Study will have the following outcomes: 2. Harmony with Nature • A vision for economic development and redevelopment of the Downtown that is supported by the community and that fosters 3. Resilient Economy community pride, 4. Interwoven Equity • A plan for integrating existing and proposed developments into that 5. Healthy Community vision, 6. Responsible Regionalism • Draft land use, design, mobility, parking, and other regulations and With respect to Resilient Economy, APA identifies a resilient policies. municipality as one that ensures that the community is prepared • Advance the work of Regional, County, and State entities that support to deal with both positive and negative changes in its economic economic growth in the Borough. health and to initiate sustainable urban development and redevelopment strategies that foster green business growth and As part of this effort, the Borough will explore the adoption of a TOD build reliance on local assets. zoning district, identify TOD-ready projects and sites, and propose improvements to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in the TOD zoning For more information on Sustainability and APA’s work on the district. In addition, the Borough is interested in updating its site design, subject, you can review the publication at https://planning-org- architectural, and parking guidelines to better align with its efforts to uploaded-media.s3.amazonaws.com/document/Sustainability- support transit-oriented development. Policy-Framework.pdf
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 2 - Park. In order to include these key elements, the boundary was expanded (Figure 1). Consultant Team NJTPA hired Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc and Phillips Preiss Grygiel Existing Conditions Analysis Leheny Hughes LLC (“Consultant Team”) to support the Borough in the To facilitate the development of a sustainable economic development plan preparation of the plan. and lay the foundation for future recommendations, the Consultant Team The project is led by Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc (FHI), who are experts in prepared the following: land use planning. FHI’s land-use professionals support communities by • A review of the Regional context and overview of the Priority Growth provide comprehensive planning, redevelopment, zoning, placemaking, Investment Area. and transit-oriented development (TOD) planning services. • A review of the previous plans that will impact the Study Area. Phillips Preiss Grygiel Leheny Hughes LLC (PPGLH) will be an integral • A demographic analysis identifying relevant population and housing member of the team, providing market assessment expertise and trends that might inform future changes in land use or transportation. complement FHI’s economic development skill set. PPGLH specializes in identifying and creatively solving land use and development-related • An inventory of existing transit and circulation, including pedestrian problems for private, non-profit and governmental clients throughout the and bike infrastructure. northeast United States. Not only does PPGLH have excellent real-estate • A review of the current environmental conditions that will impact consulting qualifications, but PPGLH staff have previously worked in economic development in the Study Area Raritan on a major redevelopment project that is under construction as of • An analysis of the land uses and public realm in the Study Area. the publication of this report. • An examination of the regulatory environment, especially with regards Defining the Study Area to land use and zoning, in the Study Area. The first task undertaken by the Consultant Team was to define a Study • Provides an overview of the capacity the Borough has to implement the Area for the project. This is the boundary that the Consultant Team used plan. when assessing the existing demographic, transportation, and land use conditions for this project. As shown on Figure 1, the Study Area was proposed to be a smaller area which would include the Central Business District and those residential blocks between the station and the CBD. However, this boundary does not include the parcels that front onto the Raritan River, the Raritan mall, or important gateways to the Downtown at Route 22 and near Basilone
- 3 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 1. Project Area
Modified Study Area Original Study Area
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 4 - REGIONAL CONTEXT
INTRODUCTION Leadership Voting membership on the Board of the Partnership includes elected The Borough of Raritan is conveniently located in Somerset County’s core and appointed officials from the three communities, Somerset County in central New Jersey, with access to major highways and employment government, the Somerset County Business Partnership, the Somerset centers, and frequent NJ TRANSIT rail service. With its location on the County Park Commission, and members representing the corporate and Raritan River, the Borough has retained a historic, small-town character, residential sectors. including a traditional Downtown featuring a highly connected street network and the opportunity for waterfront connections via the Raritan Efforts River Greenway. The Regional Center Partnership provides a forum through which interaction, sharing ideas and concerns, and working together to address Regional Center common issues, allows the three communities to address common issues. Since 1996, the Borough has been included within Somerset County’s One of the most significant benefits is the improved standing that the three Regional Center (Figure 2), the first multi-jurisdictional Center to be communities receive in terms of County and State funding. designated as such by the New Jersey State Planning Commission, The Partnership also provides technical support and assistance to the which also includes the Borough of Somerville and adjacent portions of County and three municipalities to shape planning policies. It focuses Bridgewater Township. on development, redevelopment, investment in the Regional Center, and Regional Center Partnership ensuring that the open spaces and farms that provide Somerset County its unique character and charm are protected and preserved. Foundation As a condition of designation, the State Planning Commission required the formation of an organization to ensure the successful implementation of goals and objectives. The Regional Center Partnership of Somerset County, created in 1998, provides the coordinated planning framework to achieve the goal of improving the identity and functionality of the Regional Center, the quality of life for residents, and creating a favorable environment for business.
- 5 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 2. Regional Center
Regional Center NJOGIS, New Jersey Office of Information Technology (NJOIT), Office of Geographic Systems; Published 05/17/2019
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 6 - REGIONAL CONTEXT the eastern edge of Main Street, there are a number of active recreation facilities along Peters Brook. Moreover, residents and visitors have To understand Raritan’s Central Business District (CBD or Downtown) it proximate access to the Peters Brook Greenway which connects Mountain is critical to place the area within its regional context. Figure 3 provides Ave and the Immaculata High School with Arthur Chambers Park. The a summary illustration of the area within 5-miles of the Downtown. This nearest entry to the Greenway is approximately 1/3 of a mile from the area captures the major retail, office, and residential areas within the center of Downtown (the intersection of North Bridge and Main Street). Region with which the CBD will compete and where the CBD will draw Downtown Somerville many of its customers. The following provides a keyed discussion of the key elements in this map, providing context for the rest of the document.
The Downtowns There are three Downtowns in the Region with which Raritan is competing. Somerville Downtown Somerville has become a regional destination. In many ways, it epitomizes the resurgence of small Downtown main street live-work-shop districts. A pedestrian only Division Street, with ample retail and dining options, connects Main Street to the historic train station. Office, retail, and residential uses line 1/2 main street that is home to sidewalk cafes, high-quality street amenities (including lighting, trash cans, benches, and the like), and well maintained facades. The ShopRite super market serves nyt.com as an anchor tenants for the retail and a major amenity for residents. The Borough has encouraged mixed-use and multi-family development in the area, so there are modern living options. This development provides support for local retail, which in turn supports residential development. With an insurgence of workday visitors and workers to the County Courthouse and Administrative offices, the area has a strong day and night /njmonthly.com time population. Parking in the area is well managed, located on-street and behind buildings. The District also benefits from a one-story parking structure adjacent to the historic train station. Like all the Downtowns in the Region except Raritan, Downtown Somerville does not have a strong relationship to the Raritan River. On live.staticflickr.com live.staticflickr.com
- 7 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 3. Regional Context
Residential Downtowns (Moderate Density) Residential Mall (Low Density)
Hwy. Commercial Open Space
Office Other
Industrial
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 8 - Bound Brook Downtown Bound Brook Downtown Bound Brook is in the midst of a major multi-million-dollar revitalization effort that was spurred, in large part, by the completion of the Bound Brook section of the Green Brook Flood Control Project. That project protects the Downtown from flooding which had substantially limited growth in the area. The Borough has seen apartment construction clustered near its station on NJ Transit’s Raritan Valley Line. It is also working on revitalizing Hamilton Street from Main Street to Second Street. This project, mirroring some of the work completed in Somerville, looks to substantially transform the area to make it become the focal point of Downtown’s community activities, including the annual Christmas tree lighting and entertainment, including movies on summer nights and comedy, music and theatrical performances. lh3.googleusercontent.com Much of the revitalization of Downtown Bound Brook stems from the 2010 Downtown Bound Brook Urban Design Plan and the subsequent work by NJTPA as part of the Emerging Centers Program to update the area’s land development ordinances. One of the more ambitious proposals in that Plan was establishing better connections between Downtown Bound Brook and the Raritan River. Even if these plans are realized, the Downtown will still be substantially cut off from the River by the railroad tracks and the re-nj.com re-nj.com flood control project. Martinsville Martinsville Martinsville is a historic town center that is anchored by Washington Valley Road. Unlike Downtown Somerville and Bound Brook, Downtown Martinsville is a highly auto-oriented district with limited residential development. Parking is offered overwhelmingly in the front and rear of buildings and newer developments have considerably larger setbacks from the road than the historic buildings West of Quarry Lane. This gives Downtown Martinsville the feel of a suburban shopping center rather than a historic Downtown.
google maps
- 9 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Regional Commercial Highway Commercial Highway Commercial Development The Region is home to large areas of commercial development that is oriented to its extensive highway network. Many of these businesses are not those that would consider residing in Downtown Raritan because of the lack of highway access and limited parcel sizes. However, the significant amount of highway commercial development does mean that residents, and visitors to the Region may have the expectation that they should be able to have convenient automotive access to meet their commercial needs. Bridgewater Commons Bridgewater Commons In addition to the other downtowns, Downtown Raritan is in competition with Bridgewater Commons, which is a Class A mall with extensive retail and some restaurant offerings. As the Borough considers developing its economic plan, it will need to consider what ways it can distinguish its Downtown from power centers like Bridgewater Commons and attract outside visitors who are looking for a non-mall experience. Office and Industrial Job Centers One of the strengths of the Region are its office and industrial job centers. Many of these centers attract employees from considerable distances to work in relatively high-paying jobs. This provides a large market of potential customers beyond the residents who live in the Region. However, Office Centers (1200 Route 22 E) Downtown Raritan is relatively disconnected from these areas. This is in contrast to Downtown Somerville and Downtown Bound Brook, which are connected to the Region via Main Street / Route 28. As a result, many employees in the Region may not even be aware that there is a smaller but none-the-less attractive Downtown in Raritan.
Residential Areas The Region is firmly divided into more densely developed historic centers and more suburban surrounding areas. Raritan is no different. However, once again, connectivity is a major issue. Both Bound Brook and images1.loopnet.com Somerville have larger residential communities that are adjacent to the
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 10 - downtowns and which serve as important customer bases. Moreover, the Duke Farms fact that Downtown Raritan is cut off from the neighborhoods to the north by the railroad tracks further limits this customer base. Finally, all other Downtowns in the Region have multi-arterial access into their centers. Downtown Raritan, however, is approximately 1/2-mile away from both US 206 and US 202. This may mean that regional residents are more likely to stop in Somerville, Bound Brook, or at a highway commercial center, rather than detour into Downtown Raritan, unless they have a specific destination in mind.
Open Space As will be discussed in more detail later in this Report, the Region has unparalleled open space amenities. Anchored by Duke Farms which is a State-wide destination and the Raritan River, residents and visitors to the njskylands.com area have great access to a variety of open spaces. Moreover, Downtown Duke Island Park Raritan has unparalleled access to these amenities with the only Downtown that has unobstructed access to the Raritan River.
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DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 12 - PREVIOUS PLANS
INTRODUCTION when the site was redeveloped into the Lena Luxury Residences, including: This chapter provides a summary of the Consultant Team’s review of previous planning efforts that relate to the Study Area. This includes an • Development of multi-family housing overview of past plans as well as a summary of the vision, strategies, and • Traditional architecture for the new building planning principles for the Study Areas. Additional information on issues • Contextual bulk and height with a maximum of four stories and opportunities that were identified in these plans, as well as proposed and complete projects, can be found in the two call-out sections that follow • Development of buffers to the adjacent residential development this summary. Many of these plans are discussed in greater detail in the • Compatible streetscape improvements on all frontages following topic-based section of this Memorandum. • Street trees and extensive landscaping BOROUGH PLANNING EFFORTS • Development of on-site parks
Master Plans • Redevelopment of the site into the current use as residences In 2003, the Borough adopted a Master Plan that was later re-examined • Creation of vehicle access from Orlando Drive in 2007 and then again in 2017. The following section reviews the • Pedestrian access to Somerset Street recommendations from those documents and provides an update as to • On-street parking on Elizabeth Street what has been accomplished since their adoption. As part of the effort to redevelop these parcels, the Master Plan (Re)development recommended the creation of a Planned Downtown Residential Raritan Woolen Mills Development Overlay District which was ultimately adopted. The intent The 2003 Master Plan included a Raritan Woolen Mills Focus Area of the district was to “promote redevelopment of brownfield and former that looked at opportunities to revitalize the mill which had been manufacturing sites, to create a catalyst for further redevelopment of vacant for an extended period of time. The plan included a number of adjacent structures and sites, to support the Borough’s retail businesses, recommendations for the Focus Area which were ultimately realized and to contribute public amenities and economic vitality to the
- 13 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT surrounding neighborhoods” (§207-113, Borough of Raritan Ordinances) commercial core.” It was recommended that a road narrowing on the This designation only applies to Block 116, Lot 12 (Raritan Mills) and Block east and west with space for plantings, flags and monuments would be 116.02 Lot 12.01 (Open Space along Raritan River). sufficient for a gateway treatment.
Mixed Residential/Professional Office District Veterans Memorial Park The Master Plan recommended that, “the portion of the R-4 zone along Substantial progress has been made to improve the gateways to the Study Somerset Street from Frederick Street to Route 206 be rezoned as a mixed Area. The town’s Veterans Memorial Park was opened in 2017 and includes residential/ professional office district to acknowledge its transitional a landscaped semi-circle of brick pavers with nine flags. The park acts as a character and the on-going conversion of housing to offices. It may also be gateway to the town from the west and offers visitors to the park a place to appropriate to utilize an overlay zone to preserve the existing uses while reflect on and remember those for whom the monuments honor. accommodating professional office development.” Somerset Streetscape Linkage Project To date, that area continues to be home to a mix of residential and One of the Regional Center Partnership’s major projects was the Somerset professional offices, including Alpha and Omega Counseling Ministries, Street Streetscape Linkage Project. The project was a cooperative initiative Rosenblatt Family Eye Care, and Raritan Foot & Ankle Care, among others. between Somerville and Raritan intended to facilitate safe pedestrian However, the zoning in that area remains B-4. passage between the two communities and at the same time, extend the Gateways Somerville Streetscape design to the western border of the community. The Master Plan pays special attention to the gateways into the Borough, The cooperation of the Department of Transportation in the planning and including the following within the Study Area: implementation of the jug-handle construction on the northeast corner of the intersection of Route 206 and Somerset Street allowed the inclusion of • Somerset Street at Route 206 and First Avenue street trees, sidewalks, decorative pavers and a park-like seating area. • Nevius Street Bridge Raritan River Greenway Bikeway Duke Farms Connector Trail • NJ TRANSIT Train Station Most recently, the Raritan River Greenway Bikeway Duke Farms Connector As the Master Plan notes, “Gateways have the potential to contribute to Trail was completed. This half-mile section of paved, 10-foot-wide multi- unique community identity and convey an image as on attractive place to use pathway connects the Nevius Street pedestrian bridge in Raritan to the live, work, visit and invest. It is recommended that the Borough identify North Gate entrance to Duke Farms in Hillsborough and provides access and improve major gateway locations to enhance the image of the to 18 miles of walking, hiking and biking trails within Duke Farms. This community and strengthen its identity. Possible improvements include provides an important link between a key gateway in Raritan and a major new signage, landscaping, streetscape improvements, public art and regional attraction. upgraded land uses.” The plan goes on to recommend that the entrance from both the east and west along Somerset should architecturally announce that you have reached the center and be “subtle and sensitive to the context of the
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 14 - Train Station and intersections are included in the policy, and priority streets of Orlando All three Master Plans have understood the strategic importance of the Drive, Somerset Street, Anderson and Thompson Streets, and First Avenue Train Station. The 2003 Plan identified the following recommendations: are identified. Exemptions must be reviewed by the Borough engineer, and include: locations where pedestrians/bicyclists are prohibited by • Consider relocating the Station to the Federal Steel site. law; scarcity of population, travel and attractors, both existing and in • Improve trail blazing signage to the station. the future; detrimental environmental impacts; cost of accommodations • Encourage more use of the bicycle lockers at the Station. disproportionate to project cost; and safety or timing of a project is compromised by the inclusion of Complete Streets elements. • Strengthen the connection to Downtown along Thompson Street. The Plan provides no information about why the Station should have been Downtown Raritan Parking Study (2005) moved to the Federal Steel site, it can be presumed that it was to encourage A parking study of the B-1 Zone of Raritan Borough was conducted in development at that location. 2005 to determine the extent of challenges related to the identified lack of In 2013 the Borough developed a Wayfinding Plan that identified routes adequate safe and convenient parking as an impediment to revitalization for improved wayfinding. These included routes along Thompson Street, of the downtown business district. In addition to calculating the number as well as along the Riverfront to better connect the Train Station to the of existing parking spaces per block throughout the entire B-1 district, the Downtown. consultant also estimating parking demand based on several assumptions. The results of this assessment are further described later in this document Mobility Connections under Mobility. The 2003 Master Plan noted that the Borough did not have a Connectivity Study to determine origins, destinations, or proper facility combinations to Street Smart Pedestrian Safety Campaign (2019) improve bicycle connectivity in the Borough. The Plan recommended that RideWise Inc. partnered with the Raritan Borough Police Department such a study be commissioned in order to determine which improvements and the Borough of Raritan to conduct a Street Smart New Jersey are necessary to improve the efficiency, capacity, and connectivity of the pedestrian safety campaign in July 2018. The campaign was conducted existing road network. with the support and assistance of local businesses. Raritan Borough The Plan also noted that the Borough was lacking studies or inventories Police provided ongoing community policing and pedestrian and driver that document existing pedestrian facilities and demands. enforcement. The campaign included 119 hours of pedestrian safety law enforcement by the Raritan Police, who issued 193 warnings and 50 Complete Streets Policy (2011) summonses during the campaign. Within two years of NJDOT’s adoption of a Complete Streets policy, The campaign lasted eight weeks with education and enforcement Raritan adopted a local policy. The guidance includes a narrative of the activities occurring through the month of July. The work provides key elements of a Complete Street, pertaining to improvements for bicyclists, insights into issues in the Study Area as well as recommendations for how pedestrians, and transit. It also introduces revised street typologies for to expand and improve education. transportation planning, notably identifying roads that are important for community amenities like schools and recreation. Detailed, short and long-term recommendations for each typology, as well as major corridors
- 15 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 4. Transit Village Study Area As Defined in 2015 residential development or on brownfields, using higher density as an
N Gaston Ave N Gaston Ave incentive for cleaning up these sites. As a result, residential development has been limited to construction on a few small, existing vacant lots, on 2nd2nd AveAve Fifth St Bell Ave Sherman Ave lots creating by the minor subdivision of over-sized lots, and to two new
Cornell Blvd Cornell Blvd Victoria St Fifth St Victoria St Frelinghuysen Parkhigher density housing projects on former manufacturing sites. lt should Tillman St be noted that while the two large projects, one under construction and one Tennis Dog Tennis Railroad Ave Courts Park ! approved for construction, are not within this study area, they are within
Raritan Station the 10 minute walking distanceUSUS Hwy Hwy 206 206 used by the transit-village concept; and the one under constructionLa Grange isSt being actively marketed based on the availability Block 81 La Grange St of commuter rail to northern New Jersey.
ThompsonThompson StSt The 2015 Study came to the same conclusion. It also made the following
Elmer St 3rd St Elmer St
2nd2nd AveAve AndersonAnderson StSt Somerset St
Lincoln St Reimer St
Lincoln St Reimer St
Coddington St recommendations: Johnson Dr Coddington St
1st Ave 1st Ave Colfax St • Amending B-5 zone
Second St • Expanding wayfinding
Granetz Plz Granetz Granetz Plz Granetz E Somerset St ChurchChurch StSt • Upgrading the Station Area
Municipal Glaser Ave Offices Gaston Ave • Upgrading the commuter parking lots around the station Gaston Ave
John St
John St Ln Busky As the Borough Ln Busky proceeded with this Planning for Emerging Centers Grant, 1st St Burns St The Lena it should once again revisit the question of Transit Village designation.
Raritan Mall Transit Village Study (2006 & 2015) As identified previously, this plan has drawnUS Hwy 206 a considerably larger study Doughty St In 2006, the Borough prepared a Transit Village Study to assess the RiverRiver ParkPark DrDr area than those parcels immediately adjacent to the train station. This LoomisLoomis StSt feasibility of creating a “Transit Village” around the NJ TRANSIT Rail may have an impact on the Borough’s thinking. The expanded study area W Somerset St Nevius St Wall St not only includes the central business district but also additional areas Orlando Dr Station. The 2006 study focused primarily on the area thatMill St lies immediately Orlando Dr Mill St adjacent to the railroad station, north and south of the rail line, as previously identified as opportunities for redevelopment. Finally, the Canal St Raritan Valley Park illustrated in Figure 4 . Through that study, the Borough concluded that it Borough may wish to explore Transit Village designation as a means of Basilone should not purse Transit Village status, stating: unlocking access to more grant funding for projects that enhance non- Park motorized mobility in the Downtown. The Borough has decided that while it is committed to grow jobs and
RiverRiver RdRd Raritan River housing within the community, the transit village study area is not where Wayfinding Plan (2013)0 375 750 it wants that growth to occur. Nonresidential growth is being channeled Duke Farms The Borough adopted a Wayfinding Plan in 2013Feet subtitled From Station to areas that have more direct access to the main roadway network, to Riverfront that highlights the proximity of the train station to the rather than local streets through established and functional residential riverfront and the Borough’s intention to connect the two. The goal of the neighborhoods. With limited vacant land in the Borough, housing Wayfinding Plan is to provide an attractive and easy-to-navigate pedestrian has been encouraged either as infill consistent with the surrounding and bicycle route connecting the Raritan Train Station, the Somerset
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 16 - Street business district, and the Raritan Riverfront. The objective is to COUNTY & REGIONAL PLANNING take full advantage of the train station as a unique and alternative gateway to Raritan’s business and recreational opportunities, going beyond its The Borough of Raritan is conveniently located in Somerset County’s core customary role as a Monday through Friday rush hour commuter stop. in central New Jersey, with access to major highways and employment centers, and frequent NJ TRANSIT Rail service. Since 1996, the Borough The Wayfinding Plan identifies two main routes to the riverfront from has been included within Somerset County’s Regional Center. As a the station: Thompson Street – the most direct route to the riverfront; condition of designation, the State Planning Commission required the and Anderson/Somerset/Nevius Streets– linking the train station, the formation of an organization to ensure the successful implementation of business district and the riverfront. It terminates at the Nevius Bridge and goals and objectives. The Regional Center Partnership of Somerset County a potential visitor center and pedestrian/bicycle entrance to Duke Farms. is that organization. The following provides an overview of key planning The Wayfinding Map is included in the Appendix. documents created by the County and the Partnership, as they relate to the Sustainable Communities Plan (2012) Study Area. The Sustainable Community Plan provides an action plan for creating Regional Center Partnership - Regional Center Strategic a more environmentally sustainable community. The plan notes that Plan (2018) Raritan’s physical landscape represents many of the compact small town The 2018 Regional Center Strategic Plan informs and guides the Regional qualities that make sustainable practices almost a matter of course. Center Partnership regarding where to focus resources to implement As such, the Sustainable Community Plan advocates the preservation top priority projects in the Regional Center over the next five years. The and enhancement of those qualities, while at the same time providing Strategic Plan is also designed to be used by the three Regional Center a framework for mitigating some of the potentially harmful impacts of municipalities to help advance their master plan goals in relation to the older development patterns such as industrial contamination, loss of Regional Center. The preparation of the Strategic Plan was informed and green space, and stormwater management issues resulting from excessive guided by the information and goals outlined in a Background Report. The impervious surfaces. Strategic Plan includes a concise Vision Statement for the Regional Center Orlando Drive Vision Plan (2009) and defines four themes that characterize the Partnership’s work: In 2009, the Borough adopted the Orlando Drive Corridor Design Plan • Health and Wellness which outlined a vision and recommendations that would substantially • Resiliency transform the Orlando Drive corridor. The Plan envisions Orlando Drive • Embracing the Raritan River as a pedestrian oriented place where people shop, dine, and stroll along the Raritan River. The revitalized area is imagined as a place that offers • Job Growth and Private Sector Investment an inviting and engaging look into the past while accommodating new Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (2014) businesses and services. New development employees sustainable design principles. A waterfront promenade and an extensive network of parks The Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) report were envisioned as key assets that would engage tourists and residents and for Somerset County, New Jersey, identifies and prioritizes economic exemplify sustainable land ownership. development strategies designed to further job creation and private-sector investment in the region. Strategies identified are based on the premise
- 17 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT that limited public-sector investments should be focused where they can attractiveness was identified as noteworthy. In addition, the share of have the greatest impact on job creation and to leverage private-sector public transportation use was noted as relatively low even in boroughs investment. Regionally, the CEDS identifies a number of sectors that are with low vehicle ownership and more frequent transit use. With respect to either growing or declining. The only industry that is concentrated in Raritan’s downtown, the assets of Duke Farms, Raritan Valley Community the region and is growing is the biomedical industry, with business and College, and the private carrier Trans Bridge’s nearby park and ride lot financial services, manufacturing, information technology, and chemicals were all considered assets to further promote economic development and all declining in the region. The plan identifies the following high-priority sustainable transportation. Additionally, inter-center transit introduction, strategies to support investment in the region: improved transit amenities (shelters, signage, transit-oriented • Business Resource Service: Business resources and services, such as development) and establishing walking and bicycling connections were all hiring incentives, job training programs, financial assistance programs, identified as action steps for the Regional Center and Borough of Raritan entrepreneurial resources, help for displaced workers, and energy to undertake. efficiency improvement programs should be leveraged to attract and Somerset County - Supporting Priority Investment Phase III retain industries and companies consistent with existing infrastructure, Study (2017) physical structures, and workforce assets. The Supporting Priority Investment in Somerset County Phase III Study • Re-use of Significant Properties: The re-use of significant properties, identifies and advances opportunities for smart growth and redevelopment office complexes, and industrial facilities should incentivize the growth through tactical alignment of resources, strategic partnerships, innovative of targeted industries and the needs of business for competitive, planning strategies, and multimodal infrastructure investment to support efficient, and functional facilities. growth and job creation and forge a vibrant, sustainable, and resilient • Reduce the Regulatory Burden: The regulatory burden on business future. should be reduced through simplified, consistent, efficient, and A comprehensive community-based planning process was utilized to customer-oriented permitting and approval processes. engage each of the County’s municipal partners to examine candidate In addition, the CEDS identifies investing in the workforce, improving the investment areas. The Phase III Study includes discussion of two focus transportation network, and promoting tourism as additional medium and areas in Raritan: low priority strategies. These strategies could be implemented in Raritan • Raritan Mall Shopping Center to support economic development. • Somerset Street Corridor Together 202: Reimagining Complete Communities along In both instances, the Phase III Study looked at three alternative a Connected Corridor (2013) development and zoning scenarios that could guide change in those areas. Completed as a local demonstration project of the Together North Jersey The plan also explored multi-modal opportunities for short and long-term Regional Plan for Sustainable Development, this plan’s recommendations strategies for for centers like Raritan’s downtown sought to reinforce these areas • Implementing the Raritan River Greenway and build on their success to achieve a more multimodal environment. Connecting employer campuses to the center amenities to maintain • Improving local bicycle and pedestrian conditions • Creating better opportunities for street network connections
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 18 - Somerset County - Walk Bike Hike (2019) Somerset County prepared this study to support development of a cohesive, safe, and user friendly travel network, with the goal of increasing non-motorized trips. The plan is based on the principle that walking and bicycling trips are essential forms of transportation and recreation for the County’s residents, workers, and visitors. The document, which includes a prioritized network based on demand forecasting and bicycle level of stress, among other analyses, proposes a suite of improvements to the network including within the PGIA and Raritan Borough. The plan identifies a network of 275 new miles of facilities, nearly doubling existing mileage.
- 19 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES
The following summarizes and maps previously identified issues and opportunities in the Study Area
Known Issues Known Opportunities Plans
01 “Aesthetics are not inviting to passer- 01 Raritan River Greenway MPRE Master Plan Re-Examination (2017) by and do not represent the vision for a 02 gateway into the Borough” (MPRE) Riverfront SC-PGIA Somerset County Priority Growth Investment Areas Study 02 Vacant stores, need to re-imagine the • Raritan’s “Gold Coast”; potential to be site, not supportive of the vision for the “designation for water activities, shops PS Parking Study (2005) corridor as a gateway to the Borough and restaurants and local history... ODCV Orlando Drive Corridor Visioning (MPRE) new residential, commercial and (2009) recreational uses” (MPRE) • The SC-PGIA study suggest three WP Wayfinding Plan (2013) potential development scenarios that • “a continuous public green space with TVU Transit Village Update (2015) range from using existing zoning to an unbroken riverfront greenway; developing as mixed use center while at the same time allowing for a SPI Supporting Priority Investment in well-designed cluster of compatible Somerset County - Phase III Study 03 Industrial uses that are not consistent with commercial uses in the vicinity of the - 2017 the proposed vision for Orlando Drive Nevius Street Bridge” (TVU) and the waterfront. “assess and make MP Master Plan (2003) recommendations” (MPRE) 03 “Evaluate highest and best use of parcel WBH Somerville Walk Bike Hike (2019)
04 Dilapidated residential/commercial use given recent transit-oriented development with tennis courts and limited access approvals” (MPRE) Continued revitalization into a mixed-use 04 05 ”Lack of parking will continue to be a destination major issue in attracting visitors to the area while accommodating resident’s needs” (MPRE)
06 Areas prone to flooding (100-year; 1% Flood Zones)
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 20 - Figure 5. Known Issues and Opportunities
04
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05 02
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- 21 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT COMPLETED AND PROPOSED PROJECTS
The following summarizes those projects which were proposed in previous plans and identifies those which have been completed.
Completed Project 12 Bicycle lanes (WBH) (SPI) Redevelopment of Block 81 Redevelopment Area (currently under 01 13 Open Canal Street to Orlando Drive for walkers and bikers (WP) construction) 14 Rebuild Route 206 sidepath between Orlando Drive and Raritan River Nevius Street Bridge and the Raritan River Greenway Bikeway Duke 02 Farms Connector Trail 15 Formalize connection between 2nd Ave & Train Station (SPI)
03 Redesign of Basilone Statue and Park 16 Establish connection between redevelopment and existing development(SPI) 04 Somerset Street Streetscape Linkage Project Proposed Projects (Unmapped) Somerset Street Streetscape Initiative Transit & Mobility Proposed Projects (Mapped) • shuttle service between major employers (Ortho, Janssen, and LabCorp) to and from the NJTRANSIT station (MPRE) 01 Continue revitalization of these parcels (MPRE) Station Area 02 Proposed Downtown wayfinding routes (WP) • Install signage on the platform directing visitors to Anderson and 03 Wayfinding to Stone Bridge Development (MPRE) (TVU) Thompson Streets (TVU) • Install themed light posts and banners at either end of the platform 04 Connection to riverfront (ODCV) marking the beginning of each wayfinding route (TVU) 05 Landscape Boulevard (ODCV), Bicycle lanes (WBH) • Install an information kiosk with route & points of interest map (TVU)
06 Redevelop Waterfront (ODCV) • Provide a pedestrian connection from the platform to the station building (TVU) 07 Gateway improvements (ODCV); extend Orlando Drive East (SPI) • Construct a sidewalk around the station building (TVU) 08 Waterfront Access Improvements (ODCV) • Maintain and expand bike rack & lockers (TVU) 09 Somerset Street: Somerset Street Streetscape Initiative (SPI) (MP) and • Utilize the waiting room as a Duke Farms information/welcome center Shared Lane Markings (SPI) and potential bike rental shop on weekends (TVU)
10 Area in Need of Rehabilitation Designation (exact area not specifically • Improve the parking lots with sidewalks, landscaping and themed defined) (SPI; WBH) pedestrian-height lighting should be provided in each of the parking lot (TVU) 11 Bicycle Boulevard • Shared Use Path on Route 202 (WBH)
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 22 - Figure 6. Completed and Proposed Project
03 The following summarizes those projects which were proposed in previous plans and identifies those which have been completed.
01 15 11
12 12
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- 23 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT SUMMARY VISION Vision The Study Area will be a vibrant central business district and mixed-use As part of this work, the Consultant Team has developed: destination in the Region. It will be a highly desirable location to live, A summary vision: This vision is based on an examination of local, work, play, visit. The CBD will contribute to the creation of a sustainable County, regional, and State plans. However, it is not necessarily the one and diversified economy for the Borough, providing local job opportunities that will guide this planning process. Before it can be finalized, it will be for residents. presented to the public and stakeholders for comment and feedback. Residents will have high-quality mass transit access as well as high quality Previously Identified Strategies: A summary of the types of interventions pedestrian and bicycle facilities. The land uses in the Downtown will that past plans have identified is presented to help ensure that there is support a walkable, bikeable district, and vice versa. consensus on the types of tools that have been discussed in past work. The Borough and the Downtown will be known for its high-quality open Again, these are not all the tools that will be considered, only those that space amenities and relationship to the Raritan River. This will include have been documented to date. stormwater management techniques that reduce the impact of stormwater Planning Principles: Just as important as the vision and strategies are on the natural system. the principles or assumptions that guide decision making. The Planning The Regional Center will maintain and strengthen its relationships with principles identified are those identified in previous plans and will help the other municipalities in the Somerset County PGIA. It will play an the Consultant Team have a strong understanding of the past approaches expanding role in create a unique blend of quality of life amenities which that have been taken in the Study Area. sets the Somerset County Regional Center apart from other regional areas in New Jersey. Raritan’s success is measured by increased private sector employment, new tax revenue, high occupancy rates in the Downtown and construction of several miles of improved bicycle and pedestrian friendly streets and off-road trails.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 24 - Identified Strategies Planning Principles • Encourage appropriate redevelopment in transitional focus areas. • Locate and design public projects to minimize environmental impact, maximize financial efficiency, and reduce the community’s carbon • Encourage compatible infill development. footprint. • Undertake infrastructure improvements. • Encourage coordination between land use and circulation system • Update zoning. planning to maximize land use efficiency, increase opportunities for • Engage in public-private partnerships. transit, reduce vehicular trips and minimize conflicts with pedestrians and non-motorized vehicular movements. • Use build-out analysis to determine the impact of increasing or decreasing land use zones on adjacent zones, circulation, or the • Maximize circulation and mobility options for local and regional character of the neighborhood. trips and link residential areas, commercial districts, and community facilities with an attractive free flowing circulation system. • Provide increased parks, recreation and open space opportunities. • Improve connections to the NJ TRANSIT train station and Raritan River • Coordinate with the regional center partnership and the regional Greenways center vision initiative. • The Downtown area needs to focus on pedestrian safety. A pedestrian • Evaluate & incorporate LEED-ND guidelines into ordinances as safe environment along Somerset Street would help to keep people appropriate. coming back to this important neighborhood commercial district and • Incorporate publicly accessible parks and open space into major the center of the Borough. redevelopment projects. • Promote the preservation of the Borough’s natural resources. Where • Curb extensions should be considered at areas along Somerset Street appropriate, reuse historic resources, including buildings, structures, that have a high number of pedestrian crossings. sites, neighborhood districts and cultural landscapes. • Improve regional east-west connectivity through safe and accessible travel for all modes along key corridors • Provide maximum setback standards to preserve the Somerset Street streetscape and permitting an increase in development intensity to provide incentives for infill development and property improvements.
- 25 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT DEMOGRAPHICS
INTRODUCTION of demographics is provided in Table 1, with more detailed analysis to follow in this section. The Borough of Raritan is a small, developed municipality that measures Raritan’s median household incomes are less than those of the County and approximately two square miles. With a population of approximately 8,000 State. Median housing values are approximately $85,000 lower than those and density of nearly 4,000 persons per square mile, Raritan is nearly four of Somerset County, but are above the median values statewide. Gross times as densely populated as the County and State. rents in Raritan are higher than both the County and the State. The Study Area is compact in size and includes the Raritan Train Station, a mix of commercial and residential uses, and public open space. A Figure 7. Summary of 2018 Demographics background analysis of demographic and employment conditions has Raritan Somerset New Jersey been prepared. Due to the small size of the Study Area and the potential for sample size concerns regarding available data, the demographic 2018 Population 7,797 330,176 8,881,845 profile focuses on the overall Borough and its relationship to trends within Somerset County and throughout the State. The following section will % Change (1990 - 2018) 34% 37% 15% present an overview of the existing population, with a focus on household characteristics, housing trends, income, and race and ethnicity. Average Household Size 2.65 2.78 2.71
In summary, Raritan benefited from its central location in Somerset Median Household Income $78,404 $111,772 $79,363 County that made it a travel and transportation crossroads. The Borough experienced steady compact, mixed-use development in the 19th and 20th % Owner-Occupied Housing 57% 75.6% 63.9% centuries that has fostered its small-town character and quality of life. The Median Housing Value $335,200 $420,500 $327,900 Borough saw an influx of multi-family development and growth in the mid 2000’s – 2010’s that has flattened out in recent years as the community has Median Gross Rent $1,667 $1,552 $1,295 become built-out. The Borough has a much higher proportion of renters to homeowners compared to neighboring municipalities. Today, Raritan Population Density (per Sq Mi) 3,899 1,083 1,013 continues to be an attractive place to live, work, and visit. A brief summary US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 26 - GENERAL POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS Figure 9. Population Growth 1990 - 2018 40% Raritan Borough experienced approximately 35% growth in population 34.6% from 1990 to 2018. Growth has been particularly robust in Somerset 35% 32.5% 31.2% and Raritan in the last 8 years (Figure 9). This growth can be attributed 30% to the nearly 1,000 new housing units that have been built in the Borough 25% 23.8% since 1990 and the additional 2,000 residents who call Raritan home. 17.9% The attractiveness of Raritan’s dense commercial center, along with the 20% 14.4% growing trend toward mixed-use development patterns and proximity to 15% 13.3% 9.3% rail transit has influenced this growth. The latest 2018 population estimate 10% 8.9% was 7,797. This growth is in pace with Somerset County’s growth in the 5% same time period and is double the population growth that the State has seen. 0% Raritan Borough Somerset County New Jersey
Income 1990 to 2000 2000 to 2010 2010 to 2018
Raritan Borough’s median household income of $78,404 is significantly US. Census Bureau; 1990 Summary File 1; 2000 Summary File 1; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates lower than Somerset County’s median income of $111,772 (Figure 8). It is also about $1,000 lower than the median household income of the State. Family households are generally correlated with a higher median income than non-family households. Raritan’s family income is approximately 20% Figure 8. MedianMedian Household Household and andFamily Family Income, Income, 2018 2018 higher than its median income, a trend that is consistent with both the County and the State. The Borough’s poverty rate of 5.7% is approximately 1% higher than that of the County, but it is significantly less than the State’s $160,000 $134,849 poverty rate of 10.4%. $140,000 $120,000 $111,772 $94,967 $98,047 $100,000 $78,404 $79,363 $80,000 $60,000 $40,000 $20,000 $0 Raritan Borough Somerset County New Jersey
Median Household Income Median Family Income
US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates
- 27 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Family and Non family Households Household and Family Characteristics Figure 11. Family and Non-family Households A “household” is defined by the U.S. Census bureau as those persons 100% who occupy a single housing unit; however, these persons may or may 27.1% 80% 34.3% 30.8% not be related. As a subset of households, a “family household” includes a householder and one or more persons related by blood, marriage, or 60% adoption, all living in the same household. 40% 65 7 72 9 69 2 The Borough’s proportion of family to non-family households is 20% approximately 7% lower than Somerset County and roughly 4% lower 0% than the State (Figure 11). Additionally, Raritan has a smaller average Raritan Borough Somerset County New Jersey household size than both Somerset County and the State, at 2.65 persons. This can be attributed to the higher renter population seen in Raritan, as Non-Family Households (share of total) discussed in further details on the following pages. Family Households (share of total) Owner and Renter Occupied Housing Housing Units,US. Census 2018 Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates Within the Borough, owner-occupied housing units make up for approximately 57% of the housing stock. This is almost 20% less than the Figure 12. Owner and Renter Occupied Housing Units, 2018 County, and also lower than that of the State (Figure 12). This is a trend that has changed little since the 1990’s, when approximately 60% of the Raritan Borough 43.0% 57.0% Borough’s housing stock were owner-occupied units.
Median housing values in Raritan are $335,200, which is nearly $85,000 Somerset County, NJ 24.4% 75.6% lower than that of the County, but is higher than the State’s values. Median gross rents however are higher than both the County and the State. This would suggest that there is a demand for rental units within the Borough. New Jersey 36.1% 63.9% Additionally, the Borough has seen an increase of nearly 1,000 housing units since 1990, or approximately a third of its total housing stock. The 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% vast majority of these newer units are rentals units (nearly 90%). Newer, Renter Occupied Units Owner Occupied updated rental units could demand a higher rental price than older, outdated units. US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates Approximately 43% of Raritan’s renters spend over 30% of their income on gross rents. Homeowner’s with mortgages who spend 30% or more of their income on ownership costs make up approximately 34% of homeowners. These numbers are on-par with percentages from the County and the State.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 28 - Year Housing Built Under 50% of Raritan’s housing stock is comprised of single unit detached Figure 14. Housing by Year Built homes (Figure 13). This is less that both the County and State. Conversely, 25% Raritan has a large percentage of two unit, three or four unit, and 20 or 20% more unit buildings than found across the County or State. 15% Over 11% of Raritan’s homes were built since 2010 (Figure 14). This is nearly double the percentage of homes built in the same time period for 10% the County and State. Raritan also saw a building boom in the 1950s and 5% 1960s. Since 2004, 788 building permits have been issued in Raritan and 41 housing units have been demolished (Figure 15). 0% Since 2000 to 1990 to 1980 to 1970 to 1960 to 1950 to 1940 to 1939 or Householder turnover was highest between 2010–2014: over 31% of 2010 2009 1999 1989 1979 1969 1959 1949 earlier Raritan's housing units saw new residents during that time. This is Raritan Borough Somerset County, NJ New Jersey a higher percentage than what was seen in both the County and State during the same time frame. Somerset County saw a similar increase in US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates occupancy tenure (30%) between 2000-2009, as did the State (29%). Housing by Type, 2018 Building Permits and Demolishion Permits 2004 - 2018 Figure70% 13. Housing Units by Type 2018 Figure 15. Building and Demolition Permits, 2004- 2018 60% 20 350 20 50% 18 300 40% 16 250 30% 14 12 20% 200 9 10 10% 150 8 100 6 0% 4 1-unit, 1-unit, 2 units 3 or 4 5 to 9 10 to 19 20 or more 4 50 2 2 2 detached attached units units units units 1 1 2 0 0 Raritan Borough Somerset County, NJ New Jersey 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates Building Permits Demolished New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Development Trends Viewer, August 14, 2019
- 29 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Educational Attainment 2018 Education Figure 17. Educational Attainment, 2018
Nearly 92% of Raritan’s population are High School graduates and Graduate or Professional approximately 36% held Bachelor’s Degrees (Figure 17). This is well degree aligned with the educational attainment of both the County and State. Bachelor's degree Approximately 8.4% of Raritan’s residents do not have a high school diploma. Associate's degree
Total school enrollment in Raritan Borough was 1,952 in 2018. This Some college, no degree number includes 78 children enrolled in nursery school, 1,279 students in High school diploma kindergarten through 12th grade, and 595 students enrolled in college. or equivalency Computer and Internet Use Less than high school diploma Approximately 84% of Raritan’s households have broadband internet 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% access. This is slightly less than that of the County, but equal to the State’s Raritan Borough Somerset County, NJ New Jersey percentages. 86% of the Borough’s households have a computer.
An estimated 81.2% of households have a desktop or laptop, 73% have a US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates smartphone, 61.4% have a tablet or other portable wireless computer, and 1.9% have some other computer. Internet Services Approximately 56% of Raritan’s residents have a cellphone Internet plan Figure 16. Internet Service and 71% of residents have Broadband such as cable, fiber optic, or DSL (Figure 16). These numbers are less than both the County and State’s Raritan Borough 71% percentages. 56%
Somerset County 82% 65%
New Jersey 76% 59%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Broadband Celular Broadband (Raritan) Celular (Raritan)
US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 30 - Diversity Industry and Employment Members of Raritan’s population who identify as non-white make up 25% An analysis of jobs by industry in Raritan revealed that the greatest of the total population. This is lower than the percentages from the County number of jobs in the Borough (approximately 30% of all jobs) are and the State (Figure 18). Of this non-white population, approximately within the health care industry. This is more than double the percentage 18% are of Hispanic or Latino origin. This is higher than the numbers for share of total jobs in the health care industry found within the County the County (15%) but lower than the State (20%). and the State. Manufacturing jobs make up for over 27% of the share of total jobs in the Borough. This is an outsized share of jobs when compared Approximately 29% of Raritan’s population were born outside of the US. to the County and State geographies: manufacturing jobs account for This is greater than the both the County and the State, who’s percentages approximately twice the proportion of jobs in the Borough compared were 25% and 22% respectively. Of the foreign-born population, to the State and the County. Raritan also had higher numbers of jobs in approximately 43% were born in Asia, 36% were born in Latin America, the management companies industry and professional, scientific, and and around 17% were born in Europe. technical services. Percentage of Population Identifying Approximately 3,800 of Raritan’s residents were employed in 2017. The Figure 18. Non-White Population, 2018 as Non -White health care industry employed the greatest number of residents with over 14% (Figure 19). Professional, scientific, and technical services employed 11%, and retail trade employed just under 11%. Manufacturing made up Raritan Borough 25.4% 74.6% Figure 19. EmploymentResidential for Raritan’sEmployment Residents Top Ten Jobs
Health Care and Social Assistance 14.5% Professional, Scientific, and Somerset County 32.6% 67.4% 11.1% Technical Services Retail Trade 10.7% Educational Services 8.5% New Jersey 32.1% 67.9% Manufacturing 7.5% Administration & Support, Waste… 7.3%
Accommodation and Food Services 6.3% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Wholesale Trade 6.0% Non-White Population White Population Finance and Insurance 5.7% Management of Companies 4.0% US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates and Enterprises 0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16%
U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies, Raritan Borough, Home Area Profile Analysis, 2017 All Jobs.
- 31 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT approximately 7.5% of jobs for Raritan’s residents. Disability and Social Security In Raritan, approximately 10% of the civilian non-institutionalized Language Spoken at Home population reported a disability. The likelihood of having a disability Approximately 35% of Raritan’s residents spoke a language other than varied by age - from 3% of people under 18 years old, to 6% of people 18 to English at home. This is approximately 5% greater than the percentages 64 years old, and to 38% of those 65 and over. These numbers were higher for the County and the State. Spanish was the language spoken most often than those of the County, but on par with those of the State except for the at almost 14%, but Asian and Pacific Islander Languages accounted for aged over 65 residents with disabilities, which was about 10% higher than over 10% of other languages (Figure 20). This percentage is greater than that of the County and 7% higher than the State. the County and is double that of the State. Over 11% or Raritan’s population Approximately 28% of Raritan’s residents receive income from Social said that they spoke English less than "very well." This is similar to the Security. This is just slightly higher than the County, but less than the State, but is nearly 3% higher than that of the County. State (31%). Benefits received from Social Security are on average less Stakeholder interviews indicate that the Filipino residents in the Borough than that of the County and State (Figure 21). Below is a comparison of speak a variety of dialects of Tagalog and that English proficiency is high. percentage of residents on Social Security and Average Social Security Income. Language Spoken at Home, 2018 Figure 20. Language Spoken at Home, 2018 Figure 21. Social SecuritySocial Security Benefits, Income 2018 & Benefits 18% 16% 16% 14% 32% $24,000 14% 31% 31% $23,000 12% 11% 10% 10% 9% 10% 30% $22,000 8% 9% 8% 29% $21,000 6% 5% 28% 106 28% $20,000 4% 2% 27% 23 , 2% 005 2% 1% 27% $19,000 592 0% 26% 21 , $18,000
Spanish Other Asian &Pacific Other 19 , Indo-European Islander Languages 25% $17,000 Languages Languages Raritan Borough Somerset County, NJ New Jersey
Raritan Borough Somerset County, NJ New Jersey Residents on Average Social Social Security Security Income
US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 32 - Study Area and Borough Unit Types STUDY AREA HIGHLIGHTS Figure 23. Housing Unit Types (Census Tract 505)
The following provides an overview of demographic information that is 50% 47% specific to the Study Area (Census Tract 505). There are approximately 45% 1,600 households within the Study Area and families make up 40% 37% 34% approximately 64% of these households. Approximately 145 grandparents 35% 30% 28% live with grandchildren under the age of 18. Of these, approximately 25% 21%, or 30, are responsible for the basic needs of their grandchildren. 20% 18% 13% 15% 13% Residents in the Study Area have lower median household incomes 10% 6% than the Borough, County, and State. Median incomes were an average 5% 2% 1% 1% 0% of $16,000 lower than the rest of the Borough of Raritan (Figure 22). 0% No bedroom 1 bedroom 2 bedrooms 3 bedrooms 4 bedrooms 5 or more Approximately 65% of the Study Area’s housing units are apartments in bedrooms multi-unit buildings. Nearly 20% of the Study Area’s housing inventory Study Area Raritan Borough are homes built since 2010. Almost 50% (885) of housing units in the Study Area are 2 bedroom units. This is greater than the Borough, which US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates has a larger percentage of 3, 4, and 5 bedroom units than the Study Area. Average household size of both Owner-Occupied (2.6) and Renter- Occupied (2.33) units were consistent with the rest of the Borough. Vacancy rates in the Study Area were nearly four times higher than the Borough’s rate, and also higher than the County and State (Figure 24). Median Household Income Vacancy Rates Figure 22. Median Household Income (Census Tract 505) Figure 24. Vacancy Rates (Census Tract 505)
$120,000 5% $111,772 4% $110,000 4% $100,000 4% $90,000 3% $78,404 $79,363 $80,000 3% $70,000 2% 2% $62,038 1% $60,000 2% 1% $50,000 1% $40,000 1% $30,000 0% Study Area Raritan Somerset New Jersey Study Area Raritan Borough Somerset County New Jersey Borough County US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates US. Census Bureau; 2018 5-Year ACS Estimates
- 33 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Equity Assessment To better identify and address equity issues in this plan, the following summarizes the population in the study area based on race, poverty status, foreign-born populations, and English language proficiency.The study area has a higher concentration of non-white populations than the Borough. Nearly 26% of Study Area residents identify as Hispanic and 13% of residents identify as Asian. The Borough’s Hispanic resident population consists of 18% of the total population, while Asian residents make up 15.5%. The study area also has a larger proportion of low-income residents. Approximately 8.5% of Study Area residents live below poverty. This is higher than that of the Borough, which has a poverty rate of 5.7% and is almost double the poverty rate of Somerset County. It is less than New Jersey’s poverty rate of 10.4% though. Nearly 33% of Study Area residents are foreign born which is consistent with the relatively high proportion of foreign-born residents in the borough. Accordingly, approximately 40% of Study Area residents spoke a language other than English at home and approximately 16% percent reported that they did not speak English "very well." As a result of these findings, the Borough and the Consultant Team will have to make aggressive efforts to not only engage residents who have traditionally been under-empowered in the planning process but also work to ensure their voices are given appropriate weight in the discussion.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 34 - MOBILITY
INTRODUCTION Figure 25. Commuting to and from Raritan, NJ (Top 10 Destinations) Live in Raritan Work in Raritan The on-and off-street network of Raritan dictates ability of residents and workers to move around the Borough and take advantage of the many Raritan, NJ 3.3% Raritan, NJ 3.3% opportunities, recreational and otherwise, that are available in town. A Bradley Gardens, NJ 2.5% Bradley Gardens, NJ 2.5% closer look at commute patterns in the district, existing transit network, Somerville, NJ 1.9% Somerville, NJ 1.9% roadways, and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure follows in this section. Plainfield, NJ 1.4% Plainfield, NJ 1.3% COMMUTE PATTERNS Martinsville, NJ 1.3% Martinsville, NJ 1.2% Middlesex, NJ 1.3% Middlesex, NJ 1.2% According to the US Census Bureau Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics, more people commute into Raritan than leave for work. Manville, NJ 1.2% Manville, NJ 1.1% However, most major employment centers in the Borough are outside of Finderne, NJ 1.1% Finderne, NJ 1.0% the Study Area. Only 272 of Raritan’s 8,345 jobs are filled by residents, New York City, NY 1.0% New York City, NY 1.0% although 14% of jobs are filled by nearby workers (Figure 25). Outside of Bound Brook, NJ 1.0% Bound Brook, NJ 0.9% Raritan residents, the top ten home destinations are noted. Of residents living in Raritan, only 319 work in the Borough. Employed In Study Area, Figure 26 and Figure 27 illustrate the concentrations of where residents Live Outside of Raritan commute to for work and where workers who work in Raritan work from. Raritan residents mostly commute within the Region for Employed And Live in work: 41% have a commute under 10 miles. Moreover, as these maps 1,138 1,372 Study Area indicate, there is a strong concentration of commuters within the PGIA. Although it is not shown on the map, it is worthwhile noting that there is Live In Study Area, a sizable concentration of workers who are traveling to and from the New Employed Outside 43 Brunswick area. On The Map, American Community Survey, 2017
- 35 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 26. Work Destinations for People Who Live in Raritan (Home to Work)
Less More Concentration of Work Destinations
NJGIN, On The Map
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 36 - Figure 27. Home Origin of People Who Work in Raritan (Work to Home)
Less More Concentration of Work Destinations
NJGIN, On The Map, 2019
- 37 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Indeed, most residents have a commute of a half hour or less. This TRANSIT commute time is shorter than both the County and the State as a whole, and reflects the potential to capture new residents and customers from Raritan is served by NJ TRANSIT, along with limited additional outside the Study Area. Similarly, many jobs in Raritan are filled by connections for bus riders (see Figure 29). These options are not currently residents of the Priority Growth Investment Area (PGIA), with a notable frequent enough to provide reasonable commute alternates to serve all concentrations in Woods Tavern area, south in Hillsborough Township. work locations, they do provide access, particularly for residents working 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM jobs located toward New York City. Commuter data for the Borough of Raritan reflects a significant percentage of workers commuting to nearby employment centers, Rail without reliable, convenient, and safe options to commute without a Raritan is the first all-day stop on the line for inbound trains heading vehicle. This is confirmed by American Community Survey data which toward the east. During morning and evening commute hours, passengers shows that the percentage of residents who drove alone to work is must transfer at Newark Penn Station for Hoboken Terminal, Secaucus about 10% higher in Raritan compared to the County as a whole at 87%. Junction, or New York. A one-seat ride to/from Penn Station New York As illustrated in Figure 28, currently only 2.2% of residents take public (and Secaucus Junction) is available during midday and evening hours on transportation today, which is about half the rate of Somerset County. weekdays. Peak period service trips depart about every half hour to fifteen In fact, the percent of walk commuters exceeds this at 2.4. As Raritan minutes during morning peak period, and the trip to Newark Penn Station moves toward becoming more transit friendly, various strategies should takes one hour (about an hour and a half trip to New York City). Outside be considered to improve access to multiple modes of transportation and of commute periods, service is available every hour, with more frequent strengthen connections within the Regional Center and County. weekend service inbound in the mornings and outbound in the evenings. An advocacy group has been pushing for direct service to New York City, but electrical modification upgrades would be required as the line is Figure 28. Mode Split, Commutes (2014 - 2018) currently powered by diesel fuel. A study is currently evaluating feasibility of these improvements. According to NJ TRANSIts 2019 Annual Report, the 87 rove lone line has a 93% on time performance. Ridership at the station has increased over the last decade. 3 or ed at o e Raritan Station Pedestrians can access the station from Thompson or Anderson Streets. 1 Bi ed Ot er Raritan Train Station is a historic building, fairly typical of stations along the Raritan Line, with a covered platform and parking lots. However, no 2 al ed pedestrian accommodations exist to comfortably guide riders through the station. Signage is regulatory, related to train operations; no additional 2 ublic ransit wayfinding or visitor signage is placed. A small sign on the station wall explains the buildings historic significance. Pavement is in fair condition; arpooled no landscaping is present at the station. Raritan’s NJ TRANSIT lots are available at a daily rate of $3 or $40 per American Community Survey, 2017
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 38 - Raritan Station Bus Connections Many Borough residents are not commuting into New York, which is supported by rail service, but rather commuting across the County and State. Whereas nearby town centers in Somerville and Bound Brook provide transit connections to local buses, Raritan's regional transit connection for commuters not traveling inbound towards Newark and New York are less easy to navigate. The Borough of Raritan is not served by NJ TRANSIT bus service, but the County does offer bus lines which connect to major destinations. NJ TRANSIT Buses 65, 114, and 884 stop in Somerville.
cdn.njroute22.com Community Access Transit Somerset County operates three different public transit bus lines – SCOOT, DASH and CAT. As illustrated in Figure 29, these services offer connections to nearby economic, cultural, and recreational centers in the Region.
CAT-1R CAT-1R travels from New Brunswick (a notable Raritan commute destination), and travels through the Study Area on Somerset Street, and stopping at West Somerset Street/ First Avenue, and the Raritan Library (routes mapped on Figure 29). The route also provides access to St. Peter's University Hospital, County administrative offices, and senior housing facilities. airbnb.com/ CAT-3R CAT 3R connects the two edges of Downtown Raritan to Bridgewater, month, and are free during evening hours and on weekends. The parking Somerville, Branchburg, with notable destinations at the Somerville Train lots are owned by the agency and leased to the borough. As of 2018, Station and Bridgewater Commons Mall, and route deviation service is parking utilization was at 86 percent, with a parking capacity of 284 generally available with advance notice. It stops at West Somerset Street vehicles. and First Avenue, but the service only operates a weekday morning loop. Some bike parking is available at the station with capacity for Lack of Service approximately eight bicycles. Bicycle lockers are available for rental at Thompson Street, for $8 per month plus $25 key deposit. The station is not It is noteworthy that many of the regional community access transit lines ADA accessible. do not connect through the Study Area, which means that the Downtown suffers from poor connectivity. For example, SCOOT-R1 and SCOOT-R2 both bypass Raritan and instead connect through Somerville. These
- 39 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 29. Bus Connections
Map Legend Ridewise, Somerset County Transit, NJ TRANSIT, 2020
CAT-1R CAT-3R SCOOT-R1 NJ TRANSIT Bus Routes CAT-2R DASH SCOOT-R2 SCOOT (858, 859, 860)
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 40 - lines provide important connections to jobs and services in Bridgewater ROADWAY NETWORK Commons in the north and Hillsborough Promenade in the south. The volume, lanes, and geometry of streets within the Borough of Raritan Moreover, these lines both connect to Woods Tavern in Hillsborough are dictated by the owner and maintainer of those streets. State owned which is an important destination for Raritan workers as well as an origin roads which are necessary to process the regional traffic, create barriers for those who work in Raritan (Figure 26 and Figure 27). between neighborhoods due to their wide right of way and large volumes. The SCOOT (858, 859, 860) also that bypasses Raritan. This is particularly County roads also see more traffic, as some of the only through-roads in problematic because these lines connect to major job centers along the the local network. US 202 corridor, including the Somerset Corporate Center, the New Jersey Center of Excellence, the Sanofi corporate center, and the AT&T Corporate Regional Connections offices, among others. Figure 30 illustrates the regional road network. Segments of Route 22, It is also noteworthy that while few connections are available from Raritan, 202, 28, and 206, connecting Raritan to the Region, see congestion at peak most of these routes include stops in Somerville. There are clear reasons periods. The divided highway has two lanes in each direction, a 30 foot for this: Somerville has grown as a major commercial and residential hub landscaped median and a nine foot shoulder. Route 202 has limited curb in the Region. However, this growth is also likely due in part to the ability cuts and local street access through the area; it is largely abutted by office of residents to connect to regional destinations and likewise, the ability parks. It can be congested during peak periods and is marked with a 45 of regional residents and employees to access Somerville. As the Region mile per hour speed limit. continues to look to how to support economic development in Raritan, Route 206, on the other hand, is much more commercial in character. investigating which of these routes could be modified to include a stop With a full lane shoulder and two lanes in each direction, it is divided by within the Study Area will be critical. jersey barriers near Raritan and has a 50 mile per hour speed limit. Many Moreover, improved last-mile connections for those traveling to and strip mall style businesses front the corridor between Orlando Drive and from Raritan might encourage more commuters to utilize these services, Somerset Street. While not within the Study Area, these arterials dictate reducing the number of single occupancy vehicles straining local access to the Raritan commercial district. roadways, especially during commute hours. County roads are also major connections to the Raritan River Greenway and Borough commercial district. Somerset Street (County Route 626) is an alternative east/west route to Route 202 and heavily trafficked roadway through the commercial district which is also the main pedestrian traffic area. Only three intersections are signalized (with 10 un- signalized). The regional automotive network bypasses Raritan's commercial center, which has a calming effect for local traffic for these sidewalk oriented storefronts, but also means a reduced customer base for businesses. Nearby municipalities such as Somerville and Bound Brook, by comparison, have been able to capitalize on the exposure to create a thriving business district along Route 28. As a result, gateways and
- 41 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 30. Regional Mobility
NJGIN, NJ TRANSIT, 2018
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 42 - Road Conditions: Somerset, Orlando Dr, wayfinding signage should be employed to Residential Collectors Thompson encourage regional traffic to divert from the Residential collectors through the Study Area most direct route to their destination. (Thompson, Anderson, Bell, and Johnson Streets) are important for local commerce, Local Connections mobility and access to schools. While they Figure 31 illustrate the local road network. First share similar street characteristics as the rest Avenue (County Route 567) is a primary route of the local roadway network, they process into the Borough. It has two northbound lanes more traffic or have safety challenges during and one southbound lane, with no parking on commute pickup hours. either side, north of Raritan Station. It briefly Within the Study Area, the only other north/ opens to two lanes for both directions of travel. south streets that connect Somerset Street South of Third Street, First Avenue has one and Route 202 are Anderson and Thompson travel lane in each direction, with parking only Streets. These streets are both designated as on the southbound side, and the speed limit local roads by the Borough, and have one lane lowers from 30 to 25 miles per hour. Between plus a parking lane in each direction, although West Somerset Street and Colle Sannita Way/ Thompson Street is about eight feet wider than Canal Street, Lyman Street is much wider, with Anderson Street and has striping. multiple turning lanes to help process the traffic in this area. There are no shoulders. The street’s Crashes traffic volumes lower south of the Raritan River The Walk Bike Hike: Connecting Vibrant (when it becomes River Road). Communities Plan, completed in 2019 for Orlando Drive, near the Raritan River, is Somerset County, identified most of Raritan the only street south of Raritan Station that as a moderate crash hotspot for crashes connects East/West. Through most of its length, involving pedestrians/bicycles, due in-part to there is one lane in each direction, with no its urban nature. Somerset County’s roadway stopping or parking allowed, and the lanes are network is characterized by winding, often excessively wide (about 15') near Loomis and narrow streets with high speeds, increasing Mill Streets. Near the intersection with Route the demand for safe bicycle facilities off the 206, painted medians and turning lanes are street. Increasing the protection and separation provided. Very few curb cuts or businesses front of bicycle facilities and providing connections Orlando Drive today, although it provides access to separated trails can encourage those less to the shopping area and new luxury residential comfortable, such as families with children building on River Park Drive. or older adults to take advantage of these recreation options.
- 43 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 31. Raritan Roadway Network
Traffic Signal
One way roads
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 44 - High pedestrian and bicycle crash volumes Gateways safety and capacity improvements (between are present in the Somerset Street commercial The entrance to the Borough from the west is 202/206 and I-287); and intersection widening district. In this area, several crashes involving marked by Basilone Park. By contrast, from the at US Route 202 and First Avenue. Previous vulnerable roadway users have occurred (Figure east, the entrance to Raritan is located at the plans conceived potential alignments to better 32). There was a pedestrian fatality at the intersections of Orlando Drive and Somerset connect the Study Area with Somerville and intersection of Somerset Street and Route 206 Street at Route 206. The latter is a major points east, including extending Orlando Drive in March 2017, one of the gateways to the Study intersection with a history of pedestrian and west to connect to Veterans Memorial Drive. Area. Somerset Street is designated as a 25 miles cyclist crashes, and no major signage noting the These would help relieve traffic pressure from per hour speed zone between Wall Street and entrance to the Borough. No signage or visible Somerset Street and Route 202. Granetz Street. pedestrian scale amenities are present from The Borough was awarded $1 million in Outsized 206 near Orlando Drive, although Traffic Control Transportation Alternatives Program grant in once on the street, there is a sign noting the 2016, for pedestrian improvements between Most intersections of local streets within the Borough's historic nature near the shopping Raritan Station and the waterfront. The project Study Area are stop-controlled. Traffic signals plaza. No signage or pedestrian scale elements will be constructed in 2020 following funding are located at the following intersections. associated with the Somerset Street business being received earlier in the year. • Lyman Street at Canal Street/ Colle Sannita district are visible from the intersection Intersections in the Borough Way with First Avenue, on the other side of the Borough. Gateway treatments when entering • Lyman Street/ First Avenue at Somerset a commercial or residential area can signal a Street change in street character, reminding drivers to • First Avenue at Third Street slow down and watch for pedestrians or cyclists. • First Avenue at Route 202 In recent years, improvements have contributed • Somerset Street at Route 206 to this changing character at Borough entrance points. Basilone Memorial and Park and • Orlando Drive at Route 206 Loopnet.com improvements to the intersection of Somerset With limited transit usage and a large Street and Route 206 have both been constructed percentage of people commuting by personal in the last five years by the Regional Center vehicle, it is not surprising that major roadways Partnership. More details on existing Gateways connecting Somerset County have been noted as are described under "Frontages, Gateways, and some of the most congested in the Borough. Cut- Centers" (Land Use and Form). -through traffic has been noted between Raritan Station and Somerset Street, and between Planned Improvements First Street and Route 206. Fast moving traffic A few capital improvement projects are in the The entrance to the Borough of Raritan from Somerville and points east has no notable features that signify the entrance on Somerset Street has led to a perception of pipeline to improve capacity of roadways in to Raritan. The character of these areas does not match the danger for families visiting downtown. the area. These include US Route 22 long term commercial district and Study Area within Raritan.
- 45 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 32. Crashes (2016- 2018) relative to Walkable Destinations in the Study Area
Map Legend NJ Geographic Information Network (NJGIN), Google Church Bus Stop Earth, NJ TRANSIT, NJDOT, NJDEP, Walk Audit Bicycle Crashes Conducted for 2019 Borough of Raritan Municipal Plan Update Pedestrian Crashes Civic Institution Retail
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 46 - PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE of the speed and proximity of traffic. This Sidewalks, Crosswalks, and Bikers... NETWORK was especially true when walking with small children. Although this may be a perception Raritan’s Complete Streets policy, the first issue (the police have indicated that there have enacted within the County, was passed in 2011. not been participially high rates of speeding or The Borough has taken steps in recent years to crashes), this is still a problem that will have to improve the network for walkers and bicyclists. be address. In this case, perception is reality as The Study Area offers many options to access it impacts people's willingness to walk in the these amenities. area. Pedestrian Facilities There are also pedestrian obstacles between Somerset Street and the riverfront. Along Much of the Study Area includes crosswalks Orlando Drive, long blocks reduce pedestrian and a pedestrian safety measure known as comfort, and a sidewalk is only available on the ‘daylighting,”. Daylighting is achieved by north side of the street. Results of walk audits removing parking spaces adjacent to curbs done in coordination with the 2019 Raritan around an intersection, increasing visibility Plan Update highlight missing or broken for pedestrians and drivers and minimizing sidewalks along portions of Loomis Street, conflicts. Most streets have four foot sidewalks Doughty Street, Thompson Street, and Mill (Figure 33) and a small landscaped buffer. Drive. A connection is not provided between Thompson and Anderson Streets, which connect Canal Street and Orlando Drive today; previous pedestrians to the train station, do not have plans recommend it be opened for pedestrians significantly wider sidewalks than other streets, (as well as bicycles). By contrast, the Nevius although the buffer zone consists of brick rather Street Pedestrian Bridge was finished in recent than grass in most places. years, accomplishing a long held priority for the Within the Somerset Street commercial Borough. district, sidewalks are wider, with street furniture, tree lines streets, and pedestrian- Bicycle Facilities scale lighting. A few restaurants make use There are no bicycle facilities (bike lanes or of the sidewalk for A-frame signs or tables marked shared streets) within the Study Area. and chairs. Towards Route 206, blocks get Although much of the Study Area's residential longer and fewer crosswalks are available; streets have relatively low vehicular volumes, sidewalks also narrow with the transition wayfinding and preferred routes to regional Anderson and Thompson Street have painted daylighting strips, to a residential neighborhood. However, designed to encourage visibility at crosswalks. South of Somerset destinations for work and play would improve Street, sidewalks are less inviting, with long blocks, narrow stakeholders consistently noted that walking widths, and a lack of crosswalks.Shoulders on Old York Road in the Downtown does not feel safe because (approaching First Street) are unsafe for bicycle use, despite proximity to the Greenway
- 47 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 33. Active Transportation Facilities
Map Legend Not Pictured: Traffic Signal at First Avenue and Route 202 NJDOT, Google Earth, Borough of Raritan 2019 Master Crosswalks may be Faded or Missing Sidewalks Plan Circulation Element Update, Sidewalks Broken or Obstructed Traffic Signal Somerset Street Commercial District
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 48 - comfort for potential visitors. Moreover, within the Borough, the limited Raritan River Recreation number of through streets connecting job and shopping centers, means that there is a high demand on the streets for all users. The Raritan Basin includes 1,100 square miles, the largest river basin within New Jersey. Improving access to the river Routes 202 and 206 are identified as part of the primary on-street is a priority for the Regional Center. Along the 30 miles bicycling network (noted in the Regional Center Pedestrian, Bicycle, of the Raritan River, which passes through Perth Amboy, and Greenways System Connection Plan). Route 202 has a wide shoulder, Sayreville, Edison, Highland Park, New Brunswick, Piscataway but there are no signs encouraging bicycle use. Route 206, without a Bridgewater, and Manville, before reaching Raritan, and then median and with more on and off ramps through the Borough, has wide forking in nearby Branchburg, beautiful wildlife and natural shoulders that are not designated for cyclist use. The high speed and habitat is preserved. volume conditions of Routes 202 and 206 may not be desirable routes for recreational cyclists. First Avenue is proposed as a primary connection Nearby launches are available on Old York Road (Branchburg), for north/south traveling, but without designated bicycle treatments, the Duke Island Park (off Old York Road in Bridgewater), Robert friction caused by on-street parking, narrow lanes, and frequent curb cuts Street (Raritan), and Duke Park (Manville). The location of for driveways, may also discourage less confident bicyclists. the Robert Street and Nevius Street Dams, within a mile of each other, require portages and may be discouraging for The lack of preferred comfortable locations to cross Routes 202 and 206 recreational visitors. However, east of this point, the next limit the distance one can bike comfortably. From Somerset County bike dam is over three miles away. There is limited parking at boat trails and nearby walkable areas in Somerville, the Raritan River is only launches west of the Study Area, and no boat rentals currently about a mile away, but the network forces a much more circuitous route. exist along the river. For National Bike to School Day, convoys travel along Thompson, First, and Second Streets, suggesting these routes provide more direct connections to JFK Elementary School and should be considered for further bicycle improvements.
Off Road Trails Within close proximity to the Study Area, several off-road walking and biking trails exist, most notably the trail network within Duke Farms, the Raritan River Greenway, and the Delaware and Raritan Canal Trail (Figure 35). Although notable gaps exist, these are accessible today from points within Raritan Borough as shown in Figure 34. Duke Farms, located within a half mile of Raritan Station and accessible via the Nevius Street Pedestrian Bridge, saw over 250,000 visitors during gannett-cdn.com/ 2018. Educational programming, 18 miles of traffic-free walking and biking trails, and an on-site bike share is offered. In 2019, the connecting Kayaking on the Raritan River half mile trail between the Nevius Street Pedestrian Bridge/Raritan
- 49 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 34. Local Trail Connections
Map Legend Somerset County Walk Bike Hike Plan - Existing Network , 2019 Raritan River Greenway (completed)
Raritan River Greenway (incomplete)
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 50 - River Greenway and Duke Farms entrance was Figure 35. Regional Trail Network completed through HillsBorough Township. The Greenway is an underutilized resource for regional biking, in total covering about eight miles along the River between the confluence of the North and South branches of the River, and the confluence of the Millstone and Raritan Rivers. The longest segment is about three miles long, from Old York Road to points west. A recently constructed tunnel under the Lyman Street/ John Basilone Memorial Bridge provides a seamless access point for pedestrians and bicyclists. Along the eastern portion, from Busky Lane, bicyclists can travel under Route 206, connecting to the Peters Brook Trail in Somerville, the Finderne Wetlands Mitigation Project. By completing the gap between the Nevius Street Bridge and Busky Road, trails would connect Somerville as well as Raritan Stations, and provide a seamless connection to the Delaware and Raritan Canal Trail. In neighboring Somerville, the Peters Brook Trail runs about 7 miles along the brook between the South Bridge trailhead and Bridgewater Commons shopping mall, passing through numerous Somerville parks, and recently connecting to Somerset Shopping Center. The trail is ten feet wide and paved, with distinctive wayfinding at its many street crossings. This was linked by a pedestrian bridge over Route 202 at the Route 22 interchange within the last ten years. Trail Bike Lane Somerset County Walk Bike Hike Another close connection via the Greenway Existing Plan - Existing and Future Network is the Delaware and Raritan (D&R) Canal Shared Use Path Future (Bridgewater Township) , 2019
- 51 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Trail, which parallels its namesake canal, whose western terminus is in On-Street Parking Conditions South Bound Brook. This trail travels through points east and southeast, including Bound Brook, Franklin, Millstone, Montgomery, and Rocky Hill, and points south into Mercer and Middlesex Counties (although it rarely provides connections to town centers). It is approximately 10 feet wide, is earthen or gravel through most of the area and is a part of the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000 mile trail system connecting Maine to Florida along the East Coast. PARKING
Parking concerns have been noted as an impediment to revitalization of Raritan’s downtown in previous planning studies going back to the 2005 Parking assessment of Downtown. The dense lot pattern within the commercial district means that existing lots are small, and space is at a premium within the street network. In stakeholder interviews, the perception of limited parking was specifically mentioned as an inhibitor to attracting out-of-town visitors to the district. Although there is a desire to increase the number of spaces, there is also support for more education about parking options in the downtown, rather than simply relying on strategies that emphasize enforcement. The following section is divided into two parts. The first provides an overview of the existing conditions and the second explores the major conclusions of the 2005 Parking Study prepared by SchoorDePalma Inc. The existing conditions section incorporates some of the supply analysis conducted as part of the 2005 study. Parking Management Opportunities on page 59 also provides an introduction to some best practice techniques for better utilizing existing resources and expanding parking supply. That section is intended to be a starting point for discussion and does not constitute recommendations of this plan.
Existing Conditions The 2005 Parking Study provides an accurate account of the supply of parking in the Downtown. Since there have been limited changes to the Permit parking conditions on THompson Street (top) and two-hour parking restrictions on Somerset physical layout and design of the Downtown, it is reasonable to assume Street (bottom).
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 52 - Off-Street Parking Conditions - Typical Block this still provides an overall accurate picture of the supply of parking. All parking in the borough is free (or available for a negligible price). When parking - on and off street - is free, there is no incentive to consider other modes, and increasing demand for spaces.
On-Street Parking is generally available on-street within Raritan. Permit parking is regulated on many streets within the Study Area (see Figure 36); restrictions are in place between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM This parking restriction is aimed at limiting commuter parking along residential streets. The permits, available for the resident’s street of residence for $1 per year, are issues per vehicle for a person permanently residing in a dwelling on a lot with frontage on a permit parking street. Along the Somerset Street Corridor, parking is regulated (two-hour parking during weekdays) but not metered. Parking spaces on Somerset are striped, and spaces at intersection corners has been striped off-limits for visibility. Similarly, near Raritan Station, parking is also regulated for two-hour only. Off-Street Parking Conditions Most residences, outside of upper floor units on Somerset Street, have driveways. Parking on Somerset is tight today. There is competition between customer parking and residences along the street, according to stakeholder interviews. There is a perception that finding visitor parking in downtown Raritan may be difficult, irrespective of time of day. While this may not always match reality, this perceived problem may result in reduced visitors to the area, especially since currently businesses rely on word-of-mouth to attract customers. Moreover, as space on Somerset Street is at a premium, with competition over desired improvements, finding visible spaces for parking off-street would relieve pressure on the on-street spaces.
Off-Street Off street parking locations are mapped inFigure 38. Many of the lots along the Somerset Street corridor lack off-street parking. The businesses with the most significant parking availability are auto-oriented
- 53 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 36. On-Street Parking Restrictions
Permit Restricted Parking Borough of Raritan Parking Ordinance , 2013 Somerset Street Commercial District
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 54 - businesses without sidewalk frontage (Quick-Check, Liquor Saver, PNC use character of the district, with single family homes nearby or behind Bank). Churches own some of the largest parking lots in the Study Area. commercial spaces. The lots in the Somerset Street district are largely built Meanwhile, most lots between Somerset Street and Raritan Station hold out, with parking spaces in the center of blocks, accessed via residential less than ten spaces and are hard to find. Many businesses reserve the driveways. The limited availability of parking, and lack of available space spaces for employees rather than customers, especially where only a few to designate new parking areas, creates an opportunity for the Borough to spaces are available. Two municipal lots are on the north side of Somerset make improvements that would increase the accessibility of the Somerset Street, adjacent to Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Loyadham Hindu Temple, Street commercial corridor for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users. and on the East side of Thompson Street just north of Somerset Street. By comparison, Somerville’s increased transit capacity is apparent in the No wayfinding exists from Somerset Street to available lots (including parking spaces available. Raritan’s station has about half the capacity of municipal lots), and no centralized authority system exists to manage and Somerville’s, and the latter provides connections for Somerset County maintain the parking available to the public. buses as well. It is noteworthy that the station is only a half mile from the The 2005 Parking Study provides documentation of the supply of existing Raritan River, and likely underutilized on weekends and evenings when parking within the commercial district (zoned B-1). About three quarters parking demands for local businesses are increased. (535 spaces) of available parking within the district is off-street, and a large portion of these are residential or office. The Study did not note 2005 Parking Study restrictions on parking for employees versus customers. The 2005 Parking Study was commissioned because lack of adequate, safe This fragmented network of commercial parking is likely due to the lack and convenient parking had been identified as one of the impediments to of available space to expand parking areas, as well as the natural mixed the revitalization of the Downtown business district along Somerset Street. The Parking Study had two major components: a supply and a demand
Figure 37. Sample of Analysis from Study (Block 96)
Building Bus. Existing Surplus/ Lot Use Lot Size Res. units Res. parking Total need footprint parking parking deficit 13 B 11,600 5,800 35 0 35 17 -18 14 R/Apt 6,399 2,240 4 6 6 5 -1 15 B/Apt 6,599 3,300 10 3 5 15 5 -10 16 R/Apt 6,599 2,300 4 6 6 5 -1 17 B/Apt 8,250 4,100 12 4 6 18 5 -13 18 B/Apt 2,849 1,400 4 1 2 6 0 -6 19 B/Apt 6,482 3,250 10 3 5 15 0 -15 20 B/Apt 5,645 2,800 17 2 3 20 6 -14 21 B/Apt 2,574 1,300 4 1 2 6 0 -6 On-street 19 Sub-Total 127 62 -65
- 55 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 38. Parking Lots in Raritan
Map Legend NJGIN, Open Street Map, Google Earth , 2018
Municipal/NJ TRANSIT Office/ Unknown Somerset Street Commercial District Commercial/ Church Residential
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 56 - analysis. The above existing conditions provides an overview of the supply 6,768 linear feet of cars parked on sides streets, assuming that each car in the area, incorporating findings from the 2005 Study. This section will required only 16 feet of space to park (standard street parking assumes primarily focus on evaluating the major conclusion of study: that the 20 feet). To put that in perspective, 6,768 linear feet of cars would stretch Downtown has a deficiency of 423 parking spaces. up and down both sides of Somerset Street from Reimer Street to Gaston Avenue (including parking in intersections) and up one side and down Demand Analysis 90% of another side of Thompson street (again, parking in intersections). The demand analysis does not provide an accurate picture of the need for Simply put, if the demand were as high as the study suggests, most streets parking at the time of the Study's publication or the current demand. The in the Study Area for this project would be occupied by street parking all Borough should use caution in continuing to rely on it to inform policy day. decisions. There are a few issues that inflate the demand: Methodology • The model determines supply and demand on a lot-by-lot basis. This The study does not use tax data to determine the size and intensity of is inconstant with how parking is currently supplied on some lots (see development in its Study Area. Instead, the Study assumed that all lots Figure 56). Moreover, if this model were used to predict future build- that had a mixed use or multifamily structure on it at the time of the Study out scenarios, this approach would be inconstant with best practices in were occupied by a standard two-story structure occupying 50% of the lot. mixed use Downtown districts which would encourage shared parking Moreover, it estimated the number of units in multifamily or mixed-use and or district parking strategies for new development. buildings by dividing the total building area (as assumed above) by 1,000 • The model assumes that parking for residential, business, and civic square feet per unit. As discussed later, neither of these assumptions was uses occur at the same time and therefore require separate parking likely to yield an accurate estimate. space to meet the needs of each of these users. By leaving out a critical Once the Study estimated the intensity of uses on each lot, the Study variable (when parking for different uses are needed), the study assumed the following parking demand: misrepresents the actual demand. A time-neutral approach to parking • Commercial: 3 spaces per 1,000 sqft analysis has consistently been proven not to be an accurate method for predicting demand, especially in mixed use districts. See Impact • Multi-family residential: 1.5 per unit of Time on Parking Demand on page 58 for futher discussion of this • Single-family: 2 spaces per unit issue. Using this model, the Study then allocates the number of estimated • The model assumes buildings cover 50% of lots. A spot check of the parking spaces needed to each lot, compared that “demand” to the supply existing building sizes indicates that there is significant variation on each lot, and calculated a lot-by-lot surplus or deficit. To determine from this standard. As a result, the estimated building size, estimated the overall surplus or deficit for the district, the study sums the lot by lot commercial space, and estimated units are unreliable. calculations. • The model assumes that all upper floors of buildings are occupied Results Analysis by residential units likely overestimating te number of units and Using this methodology, the Study suggests that there is a demand for overlooking any upper floor commercial units. 423 parking spaces in the district, which is 158% of the on- and off-street Study Conclusion Analysis supply. If there was this level of unmet demand, there would be almost
- 57 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT As a result of the errors in the model, the conclusions of the Study parking needed can be provided through better use of existing on-site regarding the intensity of use are suspect. Specifically, the Study parking or better access to the backs of lots." Further examining how this recommends that, "bulk standards should be modified to include a floor could be done as part of this Study is likely to be beneficial. Moreover, the area ratio (FAR) limiting the intensity of development." This approach Study suggests that the Borough consider district parking approaches, and neglects the myriad of additional strategies that might be used to reduce that, " a mechanism needs to be developed to elicit the cooperation of the parking demand and/or better manage existing supply including but not concerned property owners and to assist in design and construction of the limited to district parking strategies, improved walkability, and enhanced needed improvements." Examining the cost of providing and not providing transit access. Moreover, it neglects the possibility of new development to more parking in the district will be an important part of this work, and aggregate lots, allowing for more optimal use of land which would increase understanding the mechanisms for funding any improvements will be on-site parking supply. critical. The Study notes that "requiring or encouraging mixed uses in the Downtown area should reduce the overall parking demand and the peak hour parking demand." It is unclear how this conclusion was drawn, as there was no analysis of the data regarding the demand for commercial vs residential uses. The Study does make a few recommendations which should be considered as part of this project. Specifically, it notes that, "some of the additional
IMPACT OF TIME ON PARKING DEMAND
Lot-by-Lot Strategy Shared Strategy This diagram illustrates the importance of factoring in time when estimating demand for parking. In this example, 10:30 AM Tuesday 10:30 AM Tuesday Business A (pink cars) requires parking at different times of the day and week than Apartment B (orange cars). Using a shared parking strategy, the number of spaces needed can be reduced 9:00 AM Sunday 9:00 AM Sunday from 12 to 9, a 33% reduction.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 58 - PARKING MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES The result of this constriction of on-street parking on Somerset, and confusion about off-street options results in a lack of visibly available spaces for traffic driving through town, and may discourage nearby visitors from stopping in the district. Balancing perception of easy parking with the lack of space within nearby proximity to the core commercial district is a challenge. Here is an overview of commonly used strategies for parking management that the Borough may wish to examine as part of this planning process.
Wayfinding and Unified Signage Shared Parking Arrangements Currently, existing parking is Shared parking agreements allow available piecemeal across the private property owners to use district, and the signage marking OPEN TO THE spaces in each others lots. It has the two small municipal lots PUBLIC 9 AM – 5 PM the effect of maximizing parking is not visible to passing traffic. supply by limiting the number A unified, branded approach of unused parking spaces at any encouraging traffic on residential given time. One limitation is that collectors and county roads to it relies on coordination among park in designated lots would private entities. In the past, increase public information. attempts to have a church to share
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Newer wayfinding systems employ 9 AM – 5 PM its parking with a local company technology capabilities of smart- were unsuccessful because legal phone technology to update these concerns. These efforts also require in real-time. the Borough to monitor agreements to ensure they remain active.
Converting Existing Lots Designate District-wide Employee Parking Some efficiencies may be gained Use of prominent parking locations EMPLOYEE PARKING by public ownership or leases of by commercial district employees Private Private 7 AM - 4 PM existing private parking lots to contribute to a perception of allow more flexibility in parking. insufficient parking. Relocating This strategy would allow some employee parking to a farther, spaces to be reserved for individual while still proximate location could businesses within a lot while other open up spaces within the district Public & could be made public. This strategy as well as take advantage of less Private would help with public education proximate parking options, which and perception but would not may be a harder sell for potential increase the supply of available customers. spaces downtown.
- 59 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Widen Commercial District Timed Parking Restrictions Introduce Parking Fees
Most streets south of Somerset Introducing meters, or is one way to do not currently have a parking encourage turnover of on-street or restriction (either residential permit off-street parking. Once visible and or timed restriction). If many spaces available parking is available off- on these streets are frequently filled, street, this strategy can discourage a visitor is unlikely to consider long-term parking at the curb these streets available for business and help direct people toward district parking, especially due to that option. However, this option circulation restrictions in the area. should not be considered without By introducing permits on streets increasing the supply of parking south of Somerset Street, and then elsewhere within the district. putting restrictions on non-permit parking, the Boroug may be able to induce more turnover in these areas.
Property Acquisition Although two municipal lots exist today, they are limited in size. Property acquisition and creation of municipal lots has been successful in small towns to create parking availability off the main street to create readily available parking for businesses within a walkable district. Often there is a fee at some hours, to manage demand and recover cost of the lot. Although this approach has the greatest opportunity to expand parking supply, it also has its drawbacks. These include the need for the Borough to aquire and likey demolish structures to create the necessary land. If this is not done with considerable care and thought, it has the potential to upset local property owners and residents, create unsightly conditions in the Downtown, and be expensive.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 60 - ENVIRONMENT
INTRODUCTION
This section highlights key environmental and recreational assets in the area, provides an overview of environmental constraints, and gives a summary of the role that climate change has played in shaping planning for the Region. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS
In past Master Plans, Raritan placed a strong emphasis on expanding its number of parks and open spaces. Recreational areas make up approximately 78 acres or 6% of the land in the Borough and are scattered throughout the community. The following section provides an overview of the key recreational and environmental assets in the Study Area as illustrated in Figure 39.
The Raritan River The Raritan River plays an integral part in the history of Raritan and stands to help the Borough grow and flourish in the future. Named after the Raritans, a subset of the Native American group of the Lenapes, the river flows along the southern edge of the Borough. The River is a source of drinking water to parts of central Jersey and home to an abundance of fish species including several types of bass and crabs. Brandon S. Jacobsen / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) There are three crossings over the River, the River Road bridge and The Raritan River Route 206 provide vehicular traffic crossings and the Nevius Street bridge The Raritan River flowing under the Nevius Street Bridge. provides pedestrian and cyclist access (Figure 39). There are several access
- 61 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 39. Environmental Assets
Raritan River Greenway (completed) 02 Duke Farms 05 Frelinghuysen Park 08 Van Veghten House
Raritan River Greenway (incomplete) 03 Raritan Valley Park 06 Green Seam Somerville Landfill Project
01 Duke Island Park 04 Finderne Wetlands 07 Torpey Athletic Complex
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 62 - points to the banks of the River. Some are private roadways, while other access points are public along the Raritan River Greenway and via open space along the river. A number of small businesses are currently located on the northern bank of the river. It was once home to more industrial endeavors including the Raritan Woolen Mills which has since been developed into the Lena Luxury Residences. Previous master plans identified the undeveloped parcels along the river as potential recreation redevelopment opportunities. The currently unfinished Raritan River Greenway is one of these priorities and, when it is complete, it will create new open space and pedestrian connections extending both north/south to Somerset Street and the Downtown, as well as east/west. There are other opportunities for recreation along the river including boating along the southern edge of Raritan with launch points and Duke Island Park and Robert Street.
Raritan River Greenway Raritan River Greenway Earlier master plans identified the goals of preserving the river frontage as industries are relocated and to provide a continuous greenway and riverfront trail. The Raritan River Greenway is a manifestation of the goal. The Greenway is a partially completed path along the River that, when finished, will connect Branchburg Township to South Bound Brook. The longest completed section of the Greenway runs from Bridgewater, west of the Study Area, to the Nevius Street Bridge in Raritan. The path winds along the river on dirt paths through undeveloped County property and paved and gravel sections though Duke Island Park and other open spaces. There are parking lots that provide access periodically on more developed sections. The Greenway connects to various other parks, recreational areas, and bike and pedestrian paths.
01 Duke Island Park Duke Island Park sits in Bridgewater Township and plays a key role Ekem / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) as a connector along the Raritan River Greenway. The park covers Duke Island Park
- 63 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT approximately 339 acres and is bound by the Raritan River on the south. The park hosts both active and passive recreational areas, it has a number of picnic and pavilion areas, playgrounds and ballfields, and a bandshell. There are also several routes that travel through the park including Duke Island Bike Path and Canal Trail. Parking lots throughout the park provide access to the facilities.
02 Duke Farms Duke farms is a 2,700 acres estate established by James Buchanan Duke, the founder of Duke Power and the American Tobacco Company. Duke’s daughter, Doris Duke, inherited the farm and opened up Duke Gardens greenhouses to the public in 1964. The Farm has been owned and managed by the Duke Farms Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation since 1998. Duke Farms’ current focus is environmental stewardship and the entirety Siddharth Mallya / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) of the space has been opened to the public since 2012. Duke Farms Duke Farms programming includes educational experiences, nature hikes, youth- focused events, and year-round recreational activities. It hosts a number of endangered species, and specifically focuses on birds and orchids. The farm also has a multitude of destinations including a Meditation Garden, the Great Falls and a Pet Cemetery.
03 Raritan Valley Park Raritan Valley Park is a mostly undeveloped parcel of land that lies just north of the Raritan River. The eastern connection of the Raritan River Greenway, partially paved and partially dirt path, runs along the southern edge of the Park through a wooded undeveloped parcel. North, closer to Orlando Drive, sits the Willis Athletics Training Center at Raritan Golf Range. The Athletics Center is a private facility with a driving range and batting cages for rental. The public area of the park can be accessed by Busky Lane. staticflickr.com/ 04 Finderne Wetlands Duke Farms Entrance Finderne Wetlands Farther down the River to the East lies Finderne Wetlands Nature Preserve in Bridgewater Township. The wetlands are an undeveloped natural area
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 64 - that are accessible via the Raritan River Greenway. There is a dirt path the runs around the circumference of the Wetlands and is open to the public.
05 Frelinghuysen Park Frelinghuysen Park is an active recreation park just north of the railroad tracks. It has ballfields, a pool, a tennis court, a playground, a pavilion and some open field areas.
06 Green Seam Somerville Landfill Project The Green Seam project is aimed at converting the former Somerville Landfill into a park and mixed-use NJ TRANSIT Village with various residential options and ground floor retain space. Somerset Development LLC. will being by developing 31 acres next to the Somerville Train Station. When completed, the park will provide both active and passive recreational areas with a park and a pedestrian and cycling path to the nearby train station. The project will become part of the network of open spaces for the community and connect to the Raritan River Greenway.
07 Torpey Athletic Complex The Torpey Athletic Complex is in Bridgewater Township and is accessible by the Raritan River Greenway. It is an outdoor complex with a lighted baseball and softball field and a multi-use turf field. It is utilized by schools, municipal recreation departments and the general public. Somerville Station Area & Landfill Vision Plan, January 2007 08 Van Veghten House The Somerset County Historical Society has its home in the Van Veghten House in Bridgewater Township just north of the Raritan River. It is open to the public on select days and offers hiking trails on a 90-acre restored meadow. It can be visited by way of the Raritan River Greenway.
Somerville Station Area & Landfill Vision Plan, January 2007
Green Seam Somerville Landfill Project (Top) Planned development over the Somerville Landfill. (Bottom) Capped Somerville Landfill.
- 65 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT DOWNTOWN ACCESS TO OPEN SPACES construction of boat launching ramps, and the like.
As the above analysis demonstrates, Downtown Raritan has access to General Permits abundant high-quality open space and recreation assets. Moreover, unlike The Flood Hazard Area Control Act rules include 16 specific construction any Downtown in the Region, Raritan has unobstructed access to the river. activities set minimal impacts to flooding and the environment. Because Along the entire Raritan Valley Line, the historic downtowns are separated these activities are determined to have minimal impact, obtaining from the river by railroad infrastructure, highways, and industrial them can be done with limited effort. These include enhancement of development. As a result, none of these downtowns have a strong the riparian zone, maintenance of existing stormwater structures, and connection to the river to which they owe their development. With more construction of a single-family home, among others. than a half mile of unobstructed riverfront access, Raritan is uniquely Individual Permits poised to leverage the natural environment to support sustainable The NJDEP encourages applicants to modify their project to fit the criteria economic development. for these simpler and faster authorizations. However, for projects that ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS are more complex in nature, a Flood Hazard Individual Permit can be obtained. This section provides an overview of environmental constraints in the Study Area including restrictions on development in floodways, wetlands Wetlands and threatened and endangered species habitat. Wetlands are found mostly in the southeastern Region of the Study Area Flooding closer to the river and several creeks and cover public property and other exempt properties (Figure 41). Activities in areas prone to flooding are controlled in New Jersey by the Flood Hazard Area (FHA) Control Act Rules, N.J.A.C. 7:13, adopted on In New Jersey, freshwater wetlands are regulated under N.J.A.C. 7:7A: November 5, 2007 and amended effective June 20, 2016, implement the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act Rules. Freshwater wetlands are New Jersey Flood Hazard Area Control Act, N.J.S.A. 58:16A-50 et seq. The defined and delineated in accordance with the 1989 Federal Manual for areas susceptible to flooding are mapped inFigure 40. When undertaking Identifying and Delineating Jurisdictional Wetlands. The 1989 Federal activities that alter the use of land in floodways, property owners must get manual uses a three parameter approach and requires that a wetland permits from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection include; hydric soils, wetland hydrology and hydrophytic vegetation. (NJDEP) to conduct those activities. There are three types of permits that In addition to the wetland itself, an upland “Transition Area” is also have different levels of requirements: regulated. The Transition area width is 150 feet for freshwater wetlands Permit-by-Rule of exceptional resource value and 50 feet for wetlands of intermediate resource value. Certain activities in wetlands, or the transition area, may NJDEP has determined several regulated activities that will have limited to require obtaining a permit from the NJDEP. no impact on flooding and the environment. For these activities, no prior written approval from the Department is necessary in order to undertake Activities in wetlands or the transition area may be permitted by obtaining the specified regulated activity, provided all conditions of the permit-by- an activity specific General Permit or by an Individual Permit for activities rule are satisfied. Activities in this category include property maintenance, that have more substantial wetland impacts. repair of existing structures, construction of non-habitable buildings,
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 66 - Figure 40. Flood Zones
Floodway NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Flood Plan Locator for New Jersey, Edition 2009 1% Flood Zone 0.2% Flood Zone
- 67 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 41. Wetlands
NJDEP; 2012 Land Use and Land Cover - Wetlands Data Wetlands
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 68 - Threatened & Endangered Species Habitat Rank 3 is assigned to species-specific patches containing one or more Designed to guide strategic wildlife habitat conservation, the Landscape occurrences of State threatened species. Project is a pro-active, ecosystem-level approach for the long-term Rank 4 protection of imperiled species and their important habitats in New Rank 4 is assigned to species-specific habitat patches with one or more Jersey. The N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Endangered and Nongame occurrences of State endangered species. Species Program (ENSP) began the project in 1994. Its goal: to protect New Jersey’s biological diversity by maintaining and enhancing imperiled The Landscape Project has identified three endangered or threatened wildlife populations within healthy, functioning ecosystems. Using an species that may utilize portions of the Study Area for feeding and nesting. extensive database that combines imperiled and priority species location They include: information with land-use/land-cover data, the Endangered and Nongame Cooper’s Hawk (State Endangered Species): is a medium-sized hawk native Species Program has identified and mapped areas of critical importance to the North American continent and found from Southern Canada to for imperiled species within each landscape Region. The data was Northern Mexico. Cooper’s hawks prefer to nest in tall trees with extensive developed to be integrated with planning and protection programs at every canopy cover and can commonly produce up to two to four offspring level of government - State, County and municipal, can provide the basis depending on conditions. for proactive planning, zoning and land acquisition projects. Great Blue Heron (State Threatened Species): The great blue heron occurs Figure 42 identifies those areas within the Study Area that have been throughout most of North America, from Alaska and eastern Canada. It identified as important to the habitat of imperiled species. The following withdraws from the northernmost portion of its range during winter. This provides an overview of what each “Rank” reflects: species breeds throughout New Jersey. Nesting colonies may occur in both Rank 1 wetland and upland habitat, but are never too far from bodies of water. It feeds in lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, and marsh. It nests near both fresh Rank 1 is assigned to species-specific habitat patches that meet habitat- and salt water. specific suitability requirements such as minimum size or core area criteria for endangered, threatened or special concern wildlife species, Bald Eagle (State Endangered/Threatened Species): New Jersey bald eagles but that do not intersect with any confirmed occurrences of such reside year-round, usually remaining in their nest area. Eagles usually species (see Appendix V for descriptions of all habitat-specific suitability build their large stick nests close to water in trees taller than the forest requirements). Rank 1 habitat patches without documented occurrences canopy. are not necessarily absent of imperiled or special concern species. Patches Known Contaminated Sites with a lack of documented occurrences may not have been systematically surveyed. Thus, the Rank 1 designation is used for planning purposes, There are several known contaminated sites in the focus area along Canal such as targeting areas for future wildlife surveys. Street and Orlando Drive located in commercial and industrial lots and in some vacant land (Figure 43). Rank 2 Rank 2 is assigned to species-specific habitat patches containing one or more occurrences of species considered to be species of special concern. Rank 3
- 69 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 42. Endangered Species Ranks
Rank 1 Rank 4 NJDEP Species Based Habitat, Piedmont Plains Region, Version 3.3, 20170509 Rank 2
Rank 3
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 70 - Figure 43. Known Contaminated Sites
01 Color Technology Inc. 04 Readington Raritan 07 119 Somerset Street 10 Raritan Township Sanitary Landfill LI
02 Towne Laboratories Inc. 05 Stabile Service Station 08 Deang Inc T/a Raritan Auto Service 11 Zeus Industrial Products, Inc. 03 NJ Electric Motors Corporation 06 13 E Somerset St 09 Middlesex Chemicals Inc. 12 Tony Feil Competition Engines Inc 13 United Dyeing & Finishing Co.
- 71 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Raritan has had the goals of integrating green practices into its community and adapting to climate change on its horizon for a number of years. In 2003, the Borough had an interest in coordinating work on a Green Plan and establishing a Green Streets program (2003). Raritan’s 2012 Sustainable Community Plan identified six categories for the Borough’s action plan: land use, circulation, energy conservation, resource conservation and stormwater management, waste reduction and recycling, and outreach and education. These goals highlighted LEED Neighborhood development guidelines, complete streets, preparing and adopting standards for solar and wind energy facilities, and many more actions. Since this report was published, the 2017 re-examination made further mention of creating a Green Infrastructure Strategy that uses a voluntary Green Development Checklist. The report also noted that there were no clear guiding principles in the master plan to promote green practices and a Green Plan should be developed. The 2012 Sustainable Community Plan provides a framework to do so.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 72 - LAND USE AND FORM
INTRODUCTION Figure 44. Land Use in Study Area
The following provides an overview of the existing land use in the Study Area as well as the form of the built environment. This analysis will be 2.9% used in conjunction with the regulatory analysis in the following section to 5.5% inform the regulatory updates in subsequent phases of the project. LAND USE
Before making recommendations, it is important to understand the land 20.6% use issues characteristics that exist within the Study Area and how they 39.6% relate to the Borough’s vision and desire to develop a sustainable economic development plan. Study Study Area 0.5% Area As illustrated in Figure 44, the Study Area has a wide variety of land uses 2.3% with commercial, residential and publicly own land comprising the 2.2% majority of land uses. Figure 45 illustrates that the public land is highly 2.5% concentrated along the waterfront, which is all in municipal ownership. Somerset County owns a limited number of parcels, including the parcels 7.1% that make up Basilone Park. 16.9% As one would expect, the commercial properties are largely concentrated on Somerset Street and, to a lesser extent, Thompson Street. However, Commercial Public Other Exempt there are some commercial properties that are located outside of this Residential (4+ units) Schools Church/Charitable commercial core. Residential (1 - 4 units) Railroad Vacant Industrial
- 73 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 45. Land Use Map
Commercial Industrial Schools Railroad NJ MOD-IV Tax Data 2019 Multi-family Residential (4+) Public Other Exempt Vacant Residential (1 - 4 units) County Church/Charitable Farm
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 74 - It should be noted that the Study Area also has two major multi-family Commercial Development Downtown developments, one of which (Block 81) is currently under construction. These are relatively recent changes in the Study Area and demonstrate the Borough’s commitment to encouraging growth that will support a strong central business district.
Sub-Area Analysis Based on general land use characteristics, the Study Area was divided into six sub-areas (Figure 46): • Downtown • Transit Connection • Riverfront • Raritan Mall • Neighborhoods Downtown
Commercial Development The Downtown lines Somerset Street with the intersection of Somerset Street and Thompson Street serving as the center of the Downtown. The Downtown sub-area is characterized principally by one- to three- story commercial buildings. There is a mix of commercial buildings that include: • Small mixed-use buildings with one or more residential units above ground floor retail space. • “Pop-on” mixed-used buildings where a storefront was added onto the front of a home, likely where there use to be a front porch, but which still have residential uses. Many of these structures show signs of multiple improvements over many years, often with inconsistent architectural styling. These commercial • Converted homes that serve as commercial only buildings. areas are mostly serviced by on-street parking, with the exception of the • Purpose built commercial buildings, which are often only one story. newer developments on the edges of the Downtown.
- 75 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 46. Sub-Areas
The Neighborhoods
Thompson 206 Gateway Street Corridor
The Neighborhoods
Downtown
Highway Commercial
South of Somerset Riverfront
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 76 - Churches Thompson Street Corridor There is a notable concentration of churches along the corridor: between the four block stretch of Somerset Street between Wall Street and John Street there are four churches. St. Joseph’s has a large parking area while St. Paul Lutheran has a moderate size lot, both behind their respective structures. Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Loyadham and Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament both have smaller, side-yard, parking areas.
Residential There remain approximately a dozen Victorian single-family homes on Somerset Street. The most notable residential development in the Downtown is the Lena which advertises “sophisticated, light-filled living spaces.” The development includes both an apartment building and several stacked townhome units. It is notable that the website for the Lena markets the, “tasty restaurants, convenient shopping, and beautiful green spaces” in the Borough. Thompson Street Corridor This area has a mix of commercial and residential development, which is anchored by Raritan Station on the northern edge of town. The Agway is the major commercial anchor on this corridor but there are also a number of smaller office and retail businesses in converted homes. Parking is largely on the street or in side yard driveways. North of Colfax Street, Source: Google Maps buildings are setback further from the street, which is more consistent with the surrounding residential neighborhoods. Route 206 Gateway 206 Gateway Consistent with the surrounding neighborhoods and the zoning, this area is largely residential. However, there are a couple of professional office’s that line this section of Somerset Street as well as a small grocer. The large setbacks and grand porches make for an attractive, landscaped entrance to the Downtown. However, there are no street trees and limited space for trees along the verge. The sidewalks are narrow with limited space for passing or for two people to walk side-by-side. The sidewalk treatments from the Downtown have not been extended to this section of Somerset Street. Source: Google Maps
- 77 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Highway Commercial Surrounding Neighborhoods (north - top; south - bottom) The Raritan Mall was one of the focus areas of the Somerset County - Supporting Priority Investment in Somerset County Phase III Study. The shopping center fronts U.S. Route 206 and is currently developed as a single-story, supermarket-anchored retail center comprising approximately 110,000 square feet, plus a 10,000 square foot pad site. There are vacancies throughout the mall and the supermarket anchor use has vacated the property. Other existing uses in the strip center are generally quick service food and restaurants, with some retail and personal service. The commercial development in the Raritan Crossing shopping center is more stable with better highway access and viability. Tenants include small professional offices, cleaners, a martial arts studio, among other small retailers. The Northern Neighborhoods The neighborhoods consist principally of 2-1/2-story single-family homes interspersed with the occasional commercial or civic use. Most homes are set back between 10 and 20 feet, and a defining architectural characteristic of the area are the large full-facade length porches. Compared to the larger region, lots are relatively small: typical lots measure approximately 1/6 of an acre. Lots tend to be narrow and deep, with larger rear yard setbacks and narrow side yards. Parking is consistently in side and rear yards, with few properties having attached garages. The most significant change in this area has been the redevelopment of Block 81, which is currently under construction. South of Somerset Neighborhood Although zoned R-4 like its northern neighbors, this area is distinct in that the front yard of many properties is set back between 0 and 5 feet from the sidewalk. This gives the area a tighter, more intimate feel. Homes also tend to be smaller than their northern neighbors but the dominant architectural element, the porch, remains.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 78 - REAR-YARD GARAGES AND SIDE-YARD PARKING
In addition to porches, one of the defining features of the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown is the prevalence of side-yard parking and rear garages. Many of these garages are between 300 and 600 square feet and a top-level survey suggest that they are overall well kept and in good condition. Over time, as the Borough works to enhance non-motorized mobility, property owners may find that they are no longer in need of these garages. This presents an opportunity for the Borough to explore permitting the conversion of these into different types of space. That may include allowing them to be used for: • professional offices; • art studios; • small maker spaces; • accessory dwelling units (ADUs); and/or • extra living space, among other uses. Each of these alternative uses has their own benefits and drawbacks that must be explored. However, one common question that often arises whenever garage conversions are discussed is, “where will they park?” This is an understandable concern, as increased street parking can have a strong visual impact on a neighborhood. Fortunately, many of the lots in these neighborhoods are relatively deep and have considerably long driveways. As a result, they can often accommodate a number of cars 70 Feet along that driveway. This, of course, does not come without its own issues. Specifically, it requires residents and users to coordinate their parking, which often leads to un-parking and parking cars to allow people to come and leave. However, there are examples all across the country of places where residents have made this accommodation to have more usable space on their property.
- 79 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Riverfront Waterfront Assets Subject of the 2009 Orlando Drive Plan, the riverfront is one of Raritan’s greatest assets. The area has forested section, as well as large open spaces, beautiful scenic vistas of the Raritan River, and is proximate to the expanse of agricultural fields of Duke Estates, which is just over the historic Nevius Street Bridge. It is currently home to a small number of commercial and industrial properties on the western edge, as well as a golf range on the northern edge. Despite it’s proximity to the river, there are few opportunities to see or interact with the river. A narrow grove of trees line the river-line, obstructing access. Moreover, the Raritan River Greenway trail ends at Busky Lane, which discourages people from exploring this wonderful section of the river.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 80 - PUBLIC REALM ANALYSIS Moreover, there is a strong relationship between the public and private realms: the windows of the ice cream shop are unobstructed and allow The “public realm” is that space that is open to the public. It may include people to see in and out. This not only activates the street but also streets, sidewalks, plazas, parks, or any other space where people are increases safety. All businesses have similar awning construction and have allowed to occupy without permission from the owner. Although these provided spaces for customers to sit. Finally, top of the building and the spaces are definitively public, the quality of these spaces are the result of bottom of the building have consistent architectural styling, even if the both public and private investments: the quality of the facades, which are ground floor materials could be improved. private property, impacts the quality of a street. Likewise, the scale and use of private property along a street or park impacts what it feels like to Somerset Street between Anderson Street & Thompson Street occupy that space. In contrast, along the north side of Somerset Street between Anderson Street & Thompson Street (Figure 48) some of the same public realm The following analysis provides a top-level review of the public realm elements are missing, including benches and street trees. This within the Study Area, with specific emphasis on Somerset Street. substantially diminishes how inviting this section of the street is to walk Streetscape Analysis along. Raritan Borough has done considerable work to enhance the public realm The area is also more dangerous. The curb cut that allows access to the in the Downtown. Most notably has been the inclusion of special paving rear parking is immediate adjacent to the cross walk. When vehicles exit along the entire sidewalk of the Downtown as well as the instillation of from this narrow driveway, they are blind who may be walking or crossing high-quality pedestrian lighting, banners, trash cans, and benches. in front of them until they are already in the sidewalk. This creates These elements help establish a consistent public realm the entire length potentially dangerous situations for pedestrians. Moreover, these hidden of the Downtown. cutways can raise the anxieties of pedestrians, especially at night, since The relationship between the private realm and the public realm changes they are blind to what or who might be behind these corners. Such blind considerably depending on where you are along the corridor. Figure 47 corners often produce an unconscious sense of fear that stems from a and Figure 48 illustrate two sections of Somerset Street that are just 500 very natural need to be able to see and asses who may be around you at all feet apart or a 2 minute walk. times. Corner of Wall Street The relationship between the public and private realm is lacking: there are no awnings or architectural styling on the ground floor, resulting in At the corner of Wall Street (Figure 47) the public realm is an inviting blank bland facades. Shop windows are covered which both detracts from place to spend time as the result of private and public investments the ascetics of the building and makes the street more dangerous because including: there are fewer people who can keep an eye on what is going on. Finally, • Street trees, the architecture of the ground floor commercial space is substantially • Public and private seating, different than, and conflicting with, that of its residential counterpart. This “tack on” styling makes the commercial space look like an after thought. • Pedestrian scale lighting, and • Protection from the car traffic through on-street parking.
- 81 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 47. Public Realm Analysis (Southeast Corner of W Somerset Street an Wall Street)
CONSISTENT RC ITECT RE
PEDESTRI N LIG TING
EXPOSED TILITIES
PRIV TE SE TING STREET TREETS
PRIV TE SE TING CONSISTENT NINGS
COVERED INDO S
PRIV TE SE TING
STREET P RKING
TR S C NS SPECI L P VERS P BLIC SE TING
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 82 - Figure 48. Public Realm Analysis (north side of Somerset Street between Anderson Street & Thompson Street)
PEDESTRI N LIG TING BLIND DRIVE S
BR NDING INCONSISTENT RC ITECT RE
S LLO STORE RONTS
NINSPIRED SIGNS BROKEN STREET LL
NO TREES
BLOCKED INDO S
C B C T CONSISTENT STREET LL
CROSS LK
SPECI L P VERS
- 83 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Street Enclosure Analysis Comfort in urban areas is impacted by the sense that users have that the spaces they are in are properly enclosed by the properties around them. This experience is similar to one’s experience in a hallway or corridor: if the hallway is very narrow or very wide it can produce feelings of discomfort. Likewise, in urban environments, extremely tall buildings can produce a feeling of claustrophobia and confinement, while extreme low, separated buildings can evoke discomfort because of lack of psychological shelter. There are preferred values of enclosure in the middle. For urban street spaces, there is substantial scholarship suggesting that the ideal height of buildings to width of street ratio along major streets is between 1:3 to 1:1. Only small portions of the Downtown have a height-to-width ratio that gives visitors a feeling of enclosure. Moreover, these areas just barely meet that standard: the average building height along this corridor is approximately 24 feet and Somerset Street (facade to facade) measures approximately 65 feet, resulting in a ratio of height-to-width of 1:2.7. However, there are plenty of instances in which the buildings are setback from the street or are shorter, resulting in an inconsistent feeling of enclosure even in this area. Going forward, permitting building heights between 24 and 65 feet to be constructed at the property line would enhance the sense of enclosure on Somerset Street.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 84 - Figure 49. Street Enclosure Analysis
marginally enclosed public realm unenclosed public realm
- 85 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Frontages, Gateways, and Centers Other Frontages Frontage is a term used to describe the condition resulting from a At both ends of Somerset Street, there is relatively consistent suburban combination of buildings height, building setback, land use, and front residential frontages that welcome visitors to the Downtown. These larger yard materials. The character of the frontage has a major impact on homes with deeper front yard setback are appropriate for a street like how inviting spaces feel, how fast people drive, whether people feel Somerset Street. The smaller side streets that connect the Downtown to comfortable walking on a street, and how active the street feels, among adjacent neighborhoods and Orland Drive also have frontage conditions other impacts. that are consistent with the character of the street they line: the homes Likewise, gateways are important because they help people understand themselves are smaller as are the front yard setbacks. As discussed in the that they are entering new spaces. Like all entryways, gateways send following section, this helps to better enclose these streets. signals to visitors about what they might find inside the new area. Downtown Street Frontages Figure 50 presents an analysis of the street frontages of major connecting streets in the Study Area. Along Somerset Street from Doughty to Nevius Street, there is a relatively consistent “street wall,” which is a term used to describe continuous facades along a street which are only broken by the intersection of other streets. This condition continues up Thompson and Anderson Streets, which are important connections to Raritan Station. A consistent street wall helps maintain a sense of continuity along a commercial corridor and helps to keep pedestrians engaged in the pleasant experience of walking down the street. When there is a disruption of the street wall without purpose, it can signal to pedestrians that the commercial district has ended. Moreover, long stretches of inconsistent frontage, especially if there are many different uses along that frontage, can dissuade people from continuing to walk down a street. This inconsistent street frontage can be found East of Anderson Street on Somerset Street. Not only are buildings setback at a variety of distances along this section of the street, but there are inconsistent uses, including inconsistent ground floor uses. Three of the four religious buildings, which often have very large setbacks, are along this section of Somerset Street. It is also home to single-family homes, commercial buildings, and single- family homes converted to commercial buildings.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 86 - Figure 50. Frontages and Gateways
high quality gateway continuous urban frontage geographic center moderate-quality gateway fractured urban frontage poor-quality gateway suburban residential frontage urban residential frontage
- 87 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Gateway at 1st and Somerset Streets Gateways There are six major gateways into the Downtown. The most successful gateway is on the western edge at Basilone Park. The high-quality landscaping and monument signal to visitors that they are arriving somewhere special.
Western Gateways There is a second gateway to the Downtown at the intersection of Somerset Street and 1st Avenue. This gateway is lacking for a number of reasons, including the fact that there is no formal announcement that you have arrived in the Downtown. A particular issue is the QuickChek site: the Source: Google Maps building is set back from the road and parking lines the street. This does little to indicate to visitors that a high-quality main street starts just a few Train Station Gateway hundred feet down the road. This is particularly problematic because 1st Avenue is a major north-west connector and sees high traffic volumes.
Northern Gateways Raritan Station is an important gateway to the Downtown, but unfortunately visitors are greeted by a large parking lot. Although this is common for stations along this line, it does not produce the welcoming environment that is necessary to attract visitors to the Central Business District. Moreover, there is no wayfinding or other signage to help direct people to their destinations. Source: Google Maps Although at the outskirts of the Study Area, it is important to note that the 1st Avenue underpass does not create a welcoming environment to the Orlando Drive Gateway area. Although this gateway will be enhanced by the redevelopment of Block 81, the underpass itself is unattractive and provides only the most minimal of pedestrian facilities.
Eastern Gateways There are two important gateways from Route 206: one at Somerset Street and one at Orlando Drive. The Somerset Street Gateway was improved as part of the Somerset Street Streetscape Linkage Project which was a cooperative effort between Somerville and Raritan. The project improved Source: Google Maps pedestrian safety between the two communities and at the same time,
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 88 - extend the Somerville Streetscape design to the western border of Viewshed Analysis Somerville. The cooperation of the Department of Transportation in Figure 51 presents the analysis of views from key locations throughout the planning and implementation of the jug-handle construction on the the Study Area. In addition, it identifies visual points of interest. The four northeast corner of the intersection of Route 206 and Somerset Street points of interest along Somerset Street are all churches, and the Nevius allowed the inclusion of street trees, sidewalks, decorative pavers and a Street Bridge is a beautiful landmark along the Raritan River. park-like seating area. Raritan River Although this substantially improved the area, the intersection still lacks As noted by many reports, the Borough has excellent views of the Raritan important branding and signage which would indicate to the high volume River from the Nevis Street and River Road bridges. From these vantage of drivers that (1) this is a gateway into Raritan Borough and (2) that a points, visitors are able to fully appreciate the natural landscape and the commercial corridor is just a short, two-minute drive down the road. environmental amenities that shaped Raritan’s history. Moreover, there Further south, the Orlando Street gateway also suffers from a lack are strong views from Somerset Street towards these points of interest, of signage and gateway elements. This intersection will become establishing a strong connection between the gateway to the Downtown increasingly important if the Borough focuses attention on the waterfront. and the river. Moreover, this intersection is planned to be an important gateway to the Somerset Street redevelopment of the Somerville Landfill as the “Green Seam.” From other points along Somerset Street, there are no strong views of the Southern Gateways river or riverfront. This is almost exclusive because development is located The gateways over the Raritan River to the south are both high quality, at the terminus of streets, placing itself between the viewer and the river. except for the fact that there is very little to invite visitors once they have The Skylands Energy Service building at the end of Thompson Street, is an arrived. This section of Canal Street is home to a few residential buildings excellent example of this. and a scattering of commercial and industrial uses. The result is that an From Somerset Street, there are strong views of the Municipal Building. otherwise beautiful entrance way results in a somewhat unceremonious Designed in a mid-century civic style and with a modestly landscaped entrance into the Borough. This is important because this is also one of a front yard, the building effectively anchors the end of the street. Because few entrances into Duke Farms, a regional destination. of the way that the building is constructed, a large blank rectangular Town Center architectural element is clearly viable from Somerset Street. This creates The intersection of Thompson Street and Somerset Street is the natural the opportunity to use the municipal building to enhance Somerset Street, center of the business district: it is the intersection of the two commercial potentially through the use of creative lighting or decoration. streets and it is the only signalized intersection in the Downtown. Orlando Drive However, the architecture at this intersection is not consistent with its However, the view of the river is not substantially improved from Orlando geographic importance: the two-story buildings that anchor three of Drive. Once again, development obstructs some views. However, equally the four comers of this building have no unique architectural character important, there are dense wooded areas which consistently block any and blend with the other commercial buildings on the corridor. There view of the river from any point between Route 202 and Nevis Street. is in effect nothing in this area to announce that you have arrived at the Although these trees give an indication of the natural beauty that lies physical and energetic center of the Downtown. behind it, there is no break or landmark to indicate to the viewer that such
- 89 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT Figure 51. Viewshed Analysis
good views view barrier moderate views auto-oriented retail frontage
poor / highly-obstructed views visual points of interest
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 90 - an amazing natural asset lies just on the other side of a grove of trees. The Lena sits above Orlando Drive, and because of it’s height, provides high quality views of the valley below and out onto Duke Farms. Likewise, views from Orlando Drive towards the Lena are attractive: the street is lined with trees, the buildings rear parking is effectively masked by a grove of trees, and the retaining wall is finished in an attractive red brick. Moreover, the Lena’s has high-quality facades on all four sides, so this section of the building does not appear to be the back of the building. Raritan Station The views of Somerset Street from Raritan Station are direct and provide a clear visual connection between the Station and the economic hub of the Borough. However, there is little at the terminus of these view corridors to attract the viewer. Route 206 The views of from Route 206 are particularly important because of the high volume of traffic that passes them every day. What is striking is how distinctly different the character of development is along Route 206 in comparison to the Downtown. If one were to drive down Route 206 every day and never turn down Somerset Street, it might come as a major surprise that there is a traditional Downtown main street not more than a two-minute drive away.
Lot Depth A major obstacle to redevelopment along the Somerset Street corridor will be the relatively shallow lots. Many of the lots measure between 110 and 120 feet in depth. A standard modern residential or mixed use building is 70 feet in depth, which allows for 30 feet of living space on both sides of a 10-foot hallway. A standard double loaded parking lot measures 60 feet in width, assuming 90 degree parking. The resulting building would require 130 feet in lot depth, without any buffers.
- 91 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT REGULATORY
INTRODUCTION and one-of-a-kind shops and services, owner-operated small businesses, and restaurants. Buildings are located directly abutting The following regulatory analysis evaluates the existing zoning standards the sidewalk and generally present a continuous street facade, with applicable to the Study Area (Figure 52) in an effort to identify any occasional breaks to access parking and services to the rear. On- language that is inconsistent with the Borough’s vision for a sustainable site parking is limited by the extent of building improvements, and and vibrant Downtown. This regulatory analysis lays the foundation for customer parking is generally found on the street or in common more specific sub-area recommendations in the second phase of this parking lots. The buildings, signage and streetscape are pedestrian NJTPA planning effort. oriented. This regulatory analysis focus on the B-1 district and associated standards This description accurately describes the area but the standards are not but also examines the standards of adjacent districts, especially along the always consistent with supporting and encouraging land uses that fulfill waterfront. There are no historic districts that regulate the Study Area. this vision. There is a Redevelopment Plan that addresses both Block 81 and the Lena site. Since those plans have effectively been realized, they are not Use Standards Issues addressed in detail. Inflexible and outdated use standards ZONE STANDARDS The B1 use standards are written to only permit those uses which are explicitly listed. This was the way many codes have traditionally been B1 Central Business District written. However, this “laundry list” approach to regulating uses makes it difficult for the Borough to allow uses that would be supportive of their The zoning code states that, goal of creating a vibrant Downtown. For example, it would seem based The B-1 Zone encompasses the Borough’s traditional Downtown on the use categories that the zone would not permit a computer store, a business district. The district contains a mix of uses, occupying cell phone sales store, or a board game shop. relatively small spaces. Often, several different businesses are Equally important, the district does not permit important emerging uses contained within a single building or residential apartments such as micro-manufacturing. Micro-manufacturing is characterized by may be located above first-floor commercial uses. Uses reflect artisan goods produced in small quantiles using small hand tools or light the everyday needs of the local residents, mixed with specialty machinery. This might very from a bicycle shop that also makes bikes
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 92 - Figure 52. Zoning Map
UPDATED ZONING LAYERS NEEDED
- 93 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT on site to a small jeweler or home decorations business that has a strong higher standard, the Borough may be susceptible to accusations of housing online presence but may also wish to have a brick and mortar store. discrimination if there is no strong foundation for this minimum unit size.
No residential uses on the ground floor Bulk Standards Section 207-114.A(4) states that, “Residential uses, only above the ground Limiting New Construction to 3 stories or 40 feet floor. The ground floor shall only be utilized for nonresidential uses The Borough currently limits development to 3 stories or 40 feet. Although allowed in the zone.” This has been a major tenant of new urbanism for this is consistent with height of the existing structures on the Downtown, the better part of the past two decades. It was justified by the fact that such limitations likely limit the attractiveness of the Downtown to new commercial properties activate the street, while residential ground floor mixed-used development for a number of reasons. First, modern mixed- uses detract from the active commercial district. use development often follows the form of building a concrete podium on While this is reasonable, the Borough may need to reconsider these which wood-framed units are constructed. requirements based on the changing nature of retail, which is increasingly Wood-frame construction is a cost-effective option for mid-rise structures moving online. Moreover, it is not clear what impact COVID-19 will have because it allows high density (five stories for many residential occupancy on the retail market and there may be a risk in requiring new commercial groups, six for office) at relatively low cost, while providing other benefits development where the market will not support it. such as construction speed, structural performance, design versatility and Minimum 900 square foot units a sustainable, low-carbon footprint. The slab of a concrete which serves as a “podium” typically acts as both a fire separation and structural transfer Section 207-114.A(4) requires that residential units “shall have a minimum slab for the framing above. net floor area of 900 square feet.” Although this is not a particularly large unit, it nonetheless exceeds the standard set by N.J.A.C. § 5:28-1.11 which Because the cost of constructing the podium is greater than the cost of State that constructing the wood-frame construction, and there is often a greater profit margin on the residential units, developers need to maximize the (a) Every dwelling unit shall contain at least 150 square feet of number of residential units they construct. Although 3-story mixed-use floor space for the first occupant thereof and at least 100 additional development is built, it is often done so in areas where the rents are high square feet of floor space for every additional occupant thereof, enough to support the higher per-unit construction costs. the floor space to be calculated on the base of total habitable room area; and that (b) Every room occupied for sleeping purposes by Alternatively, 3-story residential only construction may be more one occupant shall contain at least 70 square feet of floor space, economically viable because there is no need to construct the concrete and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more than one podium. This, of course, does not permit for more active ground floor occupant shall contain at least 50 square feet of floor space for uses, which play an important role in the activation of commercial each occupant thereof. corridors. This standard should be reevaluated for a number of reasons. First, a This discussion is not meant to suggest a course of action for the vibrant sustainable Downtown will require more people living Downtown. borough. Instead, it is intended to help the Borough understanding of If the current buildings do not permit units of this size, the Borough may the relationship between regulatory restrictions and the economies be limiting retrofits that would support its goals. Second, by imposing a of development which will be further discussed in the Economic Development memorandum.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 94 - Potential Responses as complementary retail uses” (§ 207-126.1.A.) In addition, mixed-use • Update the use standards to better reflect modern retail and allow for a buildings are permitted as a conditional use in the zone. The conditions more flexible code that is consistent with the goals for the district that mixed-use buildings must meet help to ensure that the development • Examine ways to increase permitted building heights to encourage is consistent with best practices in creating an active and vibrant public redevelopment while maintaining the character of the streetscape. realm and that space is accommodated for the County Greenway. • Examine if and where ground floor residential uses may be permitted Overall, this zoning district is consistent with the vision and goals of the in the district. Orlando Drive Vision Plan and those goals expressed in the Master Plan. • Eliminate minimum residential unit sizes Bulk Standards It should be noted that Attachment 1 Schedule of Bulk Requirements has Riverfront Zoning Districts not been updated to include the bulk standards for the new Riverfront In 2008, when the Borough developed the Orlando Drive Vision Plan, the Greenway and Riverfront Commercial District. riverfront was predominately zoned OMR (Office, Light Manufacturing, The bulk standards for the RCD vary depending on the use. The code and Recreation District). In 2012, these areas were rezoned and split into: requires permitted uses, other than public facilities which have no • RG - Riverfront Greenway (western parcels) minimum standards, have a minimum lot size of 40,000 sf, minimum front • RCD - Riverfront Commercial Districts (eastern parcels) property line of 200 feet, and permit a maximum height of 2-stories or 35 feet. Figure 53 illustrates what a 40,000 sf lot would cover in this area. As • PDRD - Planned Downtown Residential Development District (the Lena) this shows, several lots do not meet these minimum standards and would A small portion to the west of River Park Drive remains zoned OMR. have to be consolidated in order meet these standards. Riverfront Greenway The lot standards for mixed-used development are significantly more The Riverfront Greenway district, which covers all the publicly owned stringent. The zoning code requires development to be at least 2 acres land extending east from the intersection of Mill Street and Orlando (81,720 sf) which is approximately 43% of the total land area of the zone. drive, limits uses those that support public recreational use including a greenway. There are allowances for private uses on public lands which Figure 53. 40,000 sf Parcel with 200 lot frontage support active recreation and uses, such as boat clubs and small marinas, boat and bicycle rentals, festivals, outdoor markets, entertainment venues, and mobile vendor. Although major sections of this area lie within wetlands and floodplains (see Environmental Section) this zone does cover area which could feasibly be used for private or public development. Riverfront Commercial District
Use Standards The RCD is designed to accommodate, “well-designed mix of hospitality, restaurant, interpretive, heritage, tourism, and recreation uses as well Scale = 1:333 feet
- 95 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT However, the conditional uses permissions allow mixed-use buildings of sections of Thompson and Anderson Streets, for example, the buildings 3-and-1/2 stories or 45 feet in total. have very limited side yards, usually only large enough to allow for a 10 For context, the Somerville Station Area & Landfill Plan (also called the foot driveway on one side with no setback on the other. Green Seam Project), which is also located on the riverfront, permits It is worth noting that these standards prohibit townhouse development in apartments up to 4-stories, non-residential up to 4-stories, and mixed-use all residential areas of the Downtown. Although this building type is not development between 4- and 6-stories. Moreover, the Green Steam project found in either the R3 or R4, it is one that may be consistent with a more is located in a designated Area in Need of Redevelopment, which permits vibrant Downtown. the Somerville to provide incentives to developers. This suggests that if the Borough wishes to attract new development to riverfront, it may need B2 Shopping Center District to consider both incentives and increasing the permitted development The B2 district regulations are designed to support the development of intensity. large-lot, highway-orientated business. However, as the 2017 Master Plan Re-examination notes, Finally, the zoning code places maximum impervious coverage standard of 60%. The Somerville Station Area & Landfill Plan does not have The easterly portion of Orlando Drive is comprised of uses that are impervious coverage standards for each lot. Instead, by having a holistic permitted within their respective zoning districts (B-2 to north and RG redevelopment plan for the area, which includes a large open space to the south of Orlando Drive), but are not supportive of the vision for component, Somerville is able to effectively coordinate open space across the corridor as a gateway to the Borough. multiple development sites. This is a major advantage of redevelopment This is consistent with the PGIA Phase III Report’s recommendations planning. which note that redevelopment has the potential to, “reconnect the Planned Downtown Residential Development District site to the eastern end of the Somerset Street corridor and the adjacent Regional Center to the east.” Moreover, the report noted that, “increasing The PDRD is limited to the Lena site, a site which has been redeveloped. the size of the center, particularly with large-footprint, highway-oriented The standards in that zone are consistent with the current use of the site. stores as envisioned by the zoning, may not be ideal due to traffic and R4 and R3 Residential Districts loading concerns, as the rear of the site backs up to residential areas.” The The R4 and R3 Residential districts are substantially similar: they zoning report explored two mixed-use scenarios, one focusing on retail, both permit single family residential uses and prohibit multi-family services, and professional office and the other on commercial and limited development. The R4 also permits professional offices that front onto residential. Somerset Street. B3 Highway Business District The bulk standards in these zones, which are exactly the same, are geared The B3 district is intended to support development that contains a mix towards the larger, less dense areas of the district. As Figure 54 illustrates, of uses, occupying relatively small lots, containing one or more different a majority of the lots do not meet the minimum 7,500 sf lot size businesses within a single building or complex and reflecting an earlier requirements of the zones. Moreover, the building footprints demonstrate highway commercial development style. The current configuration of that few existing structures meet the side-yard standards which require these parcels is consistent with the standards here and it is unlikely that a minimum of 8 feet on one side and a total of 20 feet on both sides. On this area will see substantial redevelopment in the near future.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 96 - Figure 54. Lots that do not meet R3 and R4 Minimum Lot Sizes
Lots under 7,500 sf in R3 or R4 district
- 97 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT PARKING Parking Standards
Parking ratios are controlled in Article IX Design Standards of the Excessive Parking Requirements Subdivision and Site Plan regulations. The ratios are established in 207- As the table shows, the standards for Raritan require substantially more 63.C. Those standards which are relevant to land uses in the Study Area parking than what is typically required. This is particularly true of are reproduced in Figure 55 along with typical standards for suburban restaurants, where the Borough requires five times the amount of parking centers and transit-friendly areas. This parking analysis is divided into two for restaurants than is typically required in a transit-friendly district. sections: the first focuses on the parking standards in Article IX and the Figure 56 examines what the result would be if several current uses were second reviews the 2005 Parking Study prepared by SchoorDePalma Inc required to provide parking based on the current zoning standards. In and funded by the Somerset County Planning Board. addition, it provides examples of the number of spaces that would be required for a variety of potential business that might locate in the Study Area. As shown, the current standards would make it impossible to build the type of Downtown “Main Street” buildings that residents appreciate.
Figure 55. Comparison of Parking Ratios
Raritan Standards Typical Suburban Center Typical Transit Friendly
1 per first 150 GFA + Commercial; personal service 1 per 333 - 500 GFA 1 per 333 GFA 200 per GFA after Commercial recreation establishment; 1 per 125 GFA OR 1 per 4 seats 1 per 4 seats theater; auditorium; or stadium 1.5 per person in maximum play Office building, professional building, or 4.5 per 1,000 GFA 3 per 1,000 GFA 3 per 1,000 GFA similar use
One- or two-family dwelling Per RSIS (2 per unit) 1 - 2 per unit 1 per unit
Professional office 4 per 1,000 GFA 3 per 1,000 GFA 2 per 1,000 GFA
the greater of: Restaurant; place dispensing food, drink or 1 per 3 seats OR 1 per 100 GFA 1 per 150 GFA refreshment 1 per 30 GFA
Multi-family N/A 1 - 2 per unit 1 per unit
“Comparison of Parking Requirements in Zoning and Form-Based Codes.” Rob Hananouch and Cornelius Nuworsoo. Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board, December 2010
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 98 - Permitted off-site and joint parking of parking spaces available to the participating businesses.” It is not clear The zoning code permits off-site parking in section 201-114.E(1). This type if this requires that the property owner increase their parking utilization of permission is especially important for encouraging rehabilitation and beyond the standards set-forth in the Article IX or if this is in reference to adaptive reuse, as many of the sites in the Downtown are not configured to existing owners who wish to consolidate parking on a single lot. accommodate any parking, let alone parking at the rate currently required Regardless, the zone does not explicitly permit property owners to enter by the Borough. into shared parking agreements that would reduce the overall number of No benefit to “joint” parking spaces while still providing adequate parking. In fact, Section 207-63.C(2) states that, “Any building or complex containing more than one use shall Section 207-63.D. regulates joint parking facilities. In that section, the code meet the combined parking space requirements for all uses in the building allows for property owners in nonresidential zones to meet the required or complex. As can be seen from the case study in Figure 56, this approach parking provisions by sharing parking. However, it also requires that, is inconsistence with how the Downtown currently functions and with the “the joint parking arrangement will result in an increase in the number current State of best practices for small downtowns.
Figure 56. Parking Study Parking on Somerset Street and Wall Street Square Required Required Parking to Actual Feet Spaces Land Building Ratio
Downtown Commercial Spaces 13 Spaces Francesco's 1,100
Nik's Raritan 2,200 13 92 37,444 6.3
Raritan Music Center 2,600 Raritan Music
Example Commercial Spaces
Small Retail 1,200 n/a 6 2,544 2.1 Francesco’s Nik’s Raritan Medium retailer 2,500 n/a 13 5,189 2.1
Small Restaurant 1,200 n/a 40 16,280 13.6
Medium Restaurant 2,200 n/a 73 29,847 13.6
Drug Store 12,000 n/a 60 24,522 2.0
Law Office 800 n/a 4 1,628 2.0
- 99 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT RSIS Standards are inappropriate for the Study Area standards better reflect local conditions. Factors that may influence The zoning code requires that all residential meet Residential Site the minimum number of parking spaces required include household Improvement Standards (RSIS) for parking. The Residential Site characteristics, availability of mass transit, urban versus suburban Improvement Standards establish Statewide requirements for location, and available off-site parking resources. The RSIS also allows improvements made in connection with residential development. In a shared parking approach when housing is included in a mixed-use addition to parking requirements, they include standards for streets, water development. supply, sanitary sewers and stormwater management. ANNUAL ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT The RSIS parking standards are consistent with parking standards for REPORT residential development that has limited or no transit access. These more suburban standards are inappropriate for residential development in the The Municipal Land Use Law, N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seg. (“MLUL”) provides Downtown. Fortunately, the RSIS anticipated that there may be locations at N.J.S.A. 40:55D-70.1 that on an annual basis the board of adjustment where such standards are inappropriate. • Review its decisions on applications and appeals for variances, N.J.A.C. 5.21-3.5 allows for “special area designation” which may be • Prepare and adopt by resolution a report on its findings on zoning applied to municipalities or areas of a municipality that “exhibit a ordinance provisions which were the subject of variance requests, and distinctive character or environmental feature that the municipality or municipalities by ordinance have identified and expressed a desire to • Prepare recommendations for zoning ordinance amendments or preserve and enhance.” Raritan could seek a special area designation on revision, if any. three grounds: For 2019, the ZBA noted that: • It is dominated by infill areas in an urban setting; • There appears to be an interest by owners and developers for small • It includes areas designated as redevelopment areas; and multifamily ( 1-4 units) uses and mixed-use commercial and residential uses. These applications require use variances. Each such application • It includes a waterway requiring special environmental controls. was reviewed and acted on based on its own circumstances and merits. Special areas are created by ordinance that sets out the specific standards The ZBA goes on to note that, “We would suggest that if the market for which are applicable to those areas. small multifamily and/or mixed uses continues these uses could be In addition, the RSIS allow for “de minimis exceptions” in which changes reviewed for whether certain zones may support them as either permitted to the standards may be allowed if the literal enforcement of one or more or conditional uses.” provisions of the standards is impracticable or will exact undue hardship Since these smaller multi-family and mixed-use buildings are permitted in because of peculiar conditions pertaining to the development in question. the B1 zone, there is unlikely to be a need to adjust the standards for that Examples of de minimis exceptions include reducing the minimum area. However, there may be value in examining the extent to which small number of parking spaces. Additionally, the RSIS allows alternative multi-family uses should be permitted in the residential districts around parking standards to be used if it is demonstrated that the proposed the train station and near the waterfront.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 100 - AFFORDABLE HOUSING
In 2018, the Borough memorized the terms of an agreement reached between the Borough and the Fair Share Housing Center (FSHC), a Supreme Court-designated Interested party. As part of that agreement, the Borough adopted inclusionary zoning over a number of parcels, none of which lie within the Study Area. However, the Borough did agree to adopt a Borough-wide affordable housing set-aside requirement for projects. The ordinance requires all projects proposing more than five (5) for-sale units or seven (7) rental units to provide a set-aside of affordable units of 15% for rental projects and 20% for for-sale projects. For projects proposing less than those identified above, a development fee of one and one half (1 ½) percent will be paid. This will impact all residential development that will occur in the Study Area.
- 101 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT LOCAL CAPACITY
The following is intended to be a top-level overview of the current INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY capacity of the Borough and its partners to implement a Sustainable Economic Development Plan. The goal of this analysis is to develop an Economic Development Committee understanding of the technical, functional, and financial capacities of Raritan’s Economic Development Committee (EDC), which consists of 7 the municipality. This will ultimately shape the recommendations in this full members and 2 alternates, has taken a proactive role in supporting plan by identifying areas of strength that the Borough can leverage during and sustaining businesses, particularly on and around Somerset Street. implementation as well as areas where they may have to build capacity This is a significant step forward for the Borough: the previous iteration during implementation. disbanded in the early 2010s in large part due to the fact that they could TECHNICAL CAPACITY not find volunteers to continue the effort after previous leaders stepped down from their position. The Borough has a long history of strong technical planning and In their first year, the EDC created the Discovering Raritan event, which engineering leadership. The Borough retains Angela Knowles and Stan was held in August 2019. On a summer Saturday, Somerset Street was Schrek from Van Cleef Engineering as planner and engineer, respectively. closed to vehicular traffic and served as an outdoor showcase for Raritan’s They have demonstrated a strong ability to: businesses, which attracted several hundred visitors from within the • identify appropriate high-priority projects; Borough and nearby municipalities. Stakeholders identified this event as • seek and obtain outside grant funding for planning, design, and highly successful. In 2020, the EDC secured a budget of approximately construction funding; and $10,000 to continue this work. Following the onset of COVID-19, plans for additional events in 2020 were postponed. However, the fact that the EDC • engage residents in projects in a meaningful way. was able to secure funding is a testament to their initial success and the Moreover, these professionals have been working in the Borough for potential the group has to support implementation. cumulative decades, and as such possess a wealth of local knowledge that will be invaluable when implementing the project. Both have a strong foundation in the state-of-the-art planning techniques and principles that are likely to be necessary to guide the implementation of the plan.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 102 - No Downtown Organization ultimately strengthen the Downtown. The EDC is a government sponsored organization and therefore does However, some stakeholders noted that there is a lack of ownership over not have explicit membership support from local businesses, property projects in the Borough. As a result, projects are not completed in a timely owners, or residents. Often, economic development in smaller downtowns manner or at all. Some stakeholder expressed a feeling that there was not is driven by the combined efforts of these stakeholders in partnership with always good communication amongst the different actors in the Borough. the government, either as part of a business association, resident-business As economic development moves from planning to implementation, it will association, or special improvement district. Going forward, the Borough be important for the Borough to identify who will “own” this economic will have to consider the extent to which it wishes to encourage the development plan and be responsible for orchestrating the many moving formation of such a group and/or how the EDC can evolve to ensure that it pieces that will be required for implementation. is both accountable to local stakeholders and can count on their support to implement key recommendations of the plan. FINANCIAL CAPACITY Somerset Regional Partnership and Somerset County For FY2019, the Borough had a budget of just under $12.5 million of which The Borough has the advantage of being in Somerset County’s Regional approximately $7.5 million needed to be raised through municipal taxes. Center. The Regional Center Partnership has demonstrated an ability The Borough had an effective tax rate of 2.298 percent which placed it in to coordinate projects across municipalities and to translate that into the middle of tax rates within Somerset County. This rate is considerably concrete improvements. The County also has a long history of supporting lower than that of Somerville (3.219 percent) but higher than that of the Borough. The County has provided technical assistance as well as Bridgewater Township (2.026 percent). Stakeholders noted that one of grant funding to support local economic development and planning efforts the major advantages of living in the Borough were the relatively cost of including the Economic Development Incentive Program and Municipal entry (moderate home/rental prices) and the favorable tax rates while still Planning Partnership Grant Program. having access to the joint Bridgewater-Raritan Regional school district, which is seen as a high-quality district. Not only do these entities provide opportunities for grant funding, but they have also provided meaningful technical assistance to the Borough, According to stakeholder interviews, the Borough is not expected to see including the identification of potential development scenarios for the significant revenue shortfalls as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Raritan Mall as part of the Supporting Priority Investment in Somerset is due in large part because the Borough collects most of its revenue County Phase III Study (2017). The County also owns land in critical areas through property taxes, and property has not seen significant devaluation. in the Borough along the riverfront and has demonstrated an ability to However, there remains uncertainty about the long-term impacts of the partner with the Borough to re-envision those spaces. pandemic and substantial loss of property income could have long-term impacts on economic revitalization efforts. The Borough Like most municipalities of Raritan’s size, the majority of the Borough’s Stakeholders consistently noted the positive steps that the Borough has budget goes to salaries, debt service, and other obligated funding sources. recently taken to support economic development, including the securing As a result, there are limited funds available to support economic of key funding to support mobility improvements in the Downtown. Also, development. In 2019, the Borough appropriated $30,000 for economic the successful implementation of two key redevelopment projects in the development consulting. The 2010 budget once again provides $30,000 Study Area demonstrate the Borough’s ability to facilitate growth that will for economic development consulting as well as an additional $10,000 to
- 103 - 09/21/20 | DRAFT support the work of the Economic Development Committee. For the entire Borough, $56,000 for capital improvements were allocated in FY2019. For context, it is not uncommon for downtown entities to spend $100,000 - $200,000 per year to encourage economic development in addition to the cost of designing and implementing infrastructure improvements which can often be funded through grants or the Borough’s capital budget. There are many ways that these funds can be raised, which will be discussed in further detail during public outreach and ultimate in this plan’s recommendations. However, in order to understand the scale of that cost, it can be helpful to see it as $23 - $46 per year per working adult who lives in the Borough (there are approximately 4,300 working adults in the Borough). This is not meant to suggest that the burden should fall on residents, but instead to help contextualize the relative cost of implementing. Again like many municipalities of it size, the Borough largely relies on outside grants to support major road improvement projects and economic development initiatives. As this project moves forward, the Borough will have to consider the relative importance of economic development in the downtown in comparison to other municipal goals. The Consultant Team will also be working with the Borough to identify the different mechanisms that can be used to fund economic development.
DRAFT | 09/21/20 - 104 - Existing Conditions Report