RARITAN BOROUGH MASTER PLAN UPDATE SOMERSET COUNTY REGIONAL CENTER STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN Borough of Raritan Somerset County, New Jersey June 2003 Prepared by: Heyer, Gruel & Assocoates The RBA Group RARITAN BOROUGH MASTER PLAN UPDAll:: SOMERSET COUNTY REGIONAi CENTER STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN -n-m- REGIONAL C!:!N"J'J:::R Raritan Borough Master Plan Update Pr e pa red by Heyer, G ruel & Assoc iates 6 3 C hurc h St reet, 2nd Floor New Brunswick, N ew Je rs ey 0 8 90 l The RBA Group O ne Evergreen Pla ce Morristown , New Jersey 07962 Ju ne 2003 DI HEYER, GRUEL THE RSA GROUP o:J& ASSOCIATE S RAR I TAN BOROUGH MASTER PL AN LJPDA F SOMERSET COUNTY REGIONAL CENTER STRATEGIC MASTER PIAN - nm REGIONAL C'PNTT'R Raritan Borough Master Plan Update ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Raritan Borough Mayor and Council Rari tan Boroug h Plann ing Board Regional Center Stra teg ic Master Pion Steeri ng Committee Somerset County Boord of Chosen Freeholders Somerset County Planning Board Regiona Center Partnershi p Q I HEYER, GRUEL THE RBA GROUP CI]& ASSOCIATES RARITAN BOROUGH MASTER PLAN UPDATE SOMERSET COUNTY REGIONAL CENTER STRATEGIC MAS TER PLAN -THE- REGIONAL CJ::NT .t::R Raritan Borough Master Plan Update Ta ble of Contents Maps Introduction State Highway Access Management Code 30 Raritan Borough Reg ional Location Map Existing Right-of-Way W idths 31 Goals and Objectives Congestion 31 Raritan Woolen M ills Focus Area Recommendations 2 Traffic Volumes 3 1 Land Use Pion 5 Traffic Crashes 3 1 Raritan Federal Steel Focus Area Bikeways and Walkways 3 1 Introduction 5 Improvement Plans, Programs. and Stud ies 32 Raritan Johnson Drive Focus Area 20 10 Vision 5 Walkways 32 Existing Conditions 5 Mass Transit 33 Raritan Borough Generalized Land Use Pion Mop La nd Use Trends 5 General Recommendations 34 Plans, Pro jects, and Initiatives 7 Regional Center Genera lized Land Use Plan Map Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan 35 Opportunities and Challenges 7 Introduction 35 Land Use Focus Areas 8 Rari tan Borough Porks, Recreation and Municipal Goals ond Objectives 35 Raritan Woolen M ills Site 8 Open Space Mop Federal Steel/Johnson Drive Sites 11 Regional Center Vision 35 Existing Inventory 35 Land Use Pion 16 Regional Center Parks, Recreation and Need Analysis 37 Open Space Mop O ther Land Use Issues 20 Future Parks and Open Space 37 Raritan Borough Community Facilities Mop Circulation Pion 24 Community Facilities Pion 41 Raritan Borough Surrounding Introduction 24 Introduction 41 Municipalities Map M unicipal Goals and Objectives 24 Existin g Conditi ons 41 Regional Center Vision 24 Recommendations 42 Ra ritan Borough Transportation Facilities, 2002 Map Focus Areas 24 Relationship to Other Plans 44 General Focus Areas 25 Roadways 27 Classification and Access 30 O_J HEYER, GRUEL THE RBA GROUP (I]& ASSOCIATES RARITAN BOROUGH MA"lTER PLAN UPDATE SOMERSET COUNTY REGIONAL CENTER STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN INTRODUCTION GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The Borough of Raritan is a small, fully developed municipality meosuring approximately Land Use 2.0 square miles in oreo and having a population of 6 ,338. Raritan is one of the three 1. Provide o balanced land use pattern that preserves residential neighborhoods, municipalities that comprise the Somerset County Regional Center, which is the residential, strengthens the vitality of commercial districts, enhances remaining industrial oreos, commercial. and governmental core of Somerset County. The Borough is characterized increases porks and open space, protects environmentally sensitive natural feotures, as a mature, suburban community with a varied land use pattern that has evolved from its accommodates community facilities and facilitates local/regional circulation. geography. regional location, and development trends. 2. Preserve and enhance th e res idential character of the Borough by protecting established neighborhoods, ma intaining a balance of housing choices, providing fo r compatible Transportation corridors divide Rari tan into th ree sections. The southern section, betvveen infill housing and planning for appropriate residential development in targeted the Rari tan Vo lley Roil Li ne and the Raritan River, was th e first to develop and has a strong redevelopment areas w here land uses are in transition. orientation toward the river, the Central Business District. and th e train station. This area 3 . Encourage appropri ate redevelopment in transitional focus areas that w ill return also includes many environmentally constrained areas w ithin the floodplain and includes underutilized land to produdive use, improve quality of life. enhance community the Woolen Mills redevelopment site. The central section, between the roil line and Route charoder, create new employment opportunities and strengthen the municipal tax 202. was the second areo to develop and is oriented toward both the regional highway base. system and the historic core. The northern section, north of Route 202, is charoderized by 4. Continue the revitalization of the Central Business District as a mixed-use destination low-intensity residential, commercial, and industrial development. Parks and open space and support other commercial distrids through selective redevelopment, compatible infill ore scattered throughout the commun'ty and the Borough hos recently completed extensive development infrastructure improvements. updated zoning, public-private partnerships streetscope ·mprovements in the Downtown area to improve the environment for pedestrians. and increosed regional cooperation. The roil line provides access from Downtown Raritan to Newark and New York. 5 . Provide increased porks, recreation and open space opportunities that will improve local quality of life, preserve established suburban character, prated existing natural The Vision for Raritan is of a prosperous commun ity with a high quality of life. stable resources and contribute to sustainable development. residential neighborhoods, a vibrant Central Business District, a diversified economy, 6 . Encourage the retention of existing industri al uses w herever feasible with on emphasis extensive porks and open space, modern infrastructure, and a multimodol transportation on industrial clusters found in the region such as pharmaceuticals. bio-medicol research system. Raritan w ill serve as o destination of choice withi n the Regional Center for a and life sciences. small-town atmosphere, family-friendly neighborhoods, and a sense of community. An 7. Coordinate land use planning ond decision-making w ith adjacent municipalities in expanded Ra ritan River Greenw ay provides additional recreation opportunities, w hile further the Somerset County Regional Center to improve quality of life, preserve community streetscape improvements, bicycle/pedestr ian paths, and on upgraded train station provide character. preserve remaining natural resources, promote sustainable development and more transportati on options. improve local/regional mobility. Porks, Recreation and Open Space 1. Monitor the Borough's inventory of recreation facilities to ensure that adequate passive and active recreation areas ore available and properly maintained throughout the community. 2. Maintain and preserve the existing parks and recreorion facilities within the Borough with o goal of acquiring and preserving additional properties as they become available. 3. Pursue funding through Federal, State and County agencies to help acquire, maintain. and improve recreation and open space facilities. \i\/ork with nonprofit organizations and pri va te property owners to acquire direct title. deed restrictions, and conservati on easements for open space. lntroductiun, Gu(1ls, Rt>< um111e11dut1<.Jn5 -THE- REGIONAL C ENTER 4 . Recognize the active recreati on recommendations set forth by the New Jersey Community Facilities Deportment of Environmental Protection G reen Acres Program and work to address 1 . Provide o high level of community facilities to ensure tha t existing residents and recreational deficiencies in underserved areas and neighborhoods. businesses, as well as new development and redevelopment, are served adequately. 5 . Support the efforts of the Regional Center Partnership and the Regional Center Vision 2. Pursue shared services w ith other communities within the Regional Center wherever Initiative to create open space areas w ithin the designated Regional Center and its feasible. member communities. 6. Continue lo work with Somerset County lo expand the greenwoys program, which RECOMMENDATIONS provides for public areas along the Raritan River, North Branch , and G reen Brook Land Use waterways. l . Raritan \Noolen M ills Site: Encourage th e adaptive reuse of th e existing \/Voolen Mills 7 . Consider the existing redevelopment and/ or ocqu isition of vacant properties for futu re building. Req ui re public access and open space on the site. recreation and open space purposes. 2 . Federal Steel Site: Redevelop the site with a planned mix of commercial, industria l, and public/ope n space uses that capitalize on the industrial clusters in th e Regional Center Circulation and Central New Jersey. Utilize the redevelopment process to maximize Borough l . Ensure that the lronsporlalion services are safe and readily accessible lo all members of control over the outcome. the community. 3. Johnson Drive Site: Revita lize and upgrade the site by reorienti ng permitted uses toward 2. Land use and lransporlalion planning should occur together. Impact assessments and value-added, higher technology activity such as research laboratories, technical