Bordentown City Environmental Resource Inventory ii Table of Contents THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Location…page 1 Physiography...page 1 Topography…page 1 Climate…page 4 Air Quality…page 6 Geology…page 14 Geologic Formations Surficial Deposits Local Interest: Greensand Soils…page 17 Soil Series and Miscellaneous Areas Limitations to Community Development and Recreational Uses Steep Slopes Hydrology…page 26 Groundwater Surface Water Wetlands Impacts of Development Water Quality Vegetation…page 53 Native Communities State Endangered & Rare Plant Species Local Interest: Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh Wildlife…page 57 Wildlife Habitats Local Interest: Feral Cats Incidental Species Federal and State Threatened and Endangered Species iii THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Demographics…page 65 Population Housing Race and Ethnicity Transportation…page 66 Roads & Streets Local Traffic Counts Mass Transit Local Interest: John Bull and the Camden Amboy Line Walking & Biking Air Travel Marine Travel Transit Village Attributes Mode of Transportation to Work Commuting Time History…page 76 Historical Overview Bordentown City Historic Places Local Interest: Bordentown Timeline Land Use…page 80 Land Use Open Space & Trails Areas of Scenic Value Recreational Waterways Known Contaminated Sites Noise Factors Infrastructure…page 91 Water Supply Sewerage Stormwater Energy Local Interest: Energy Conservation Solid Waste Management & Recycling Schools City Services iv THE ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE Regional Relations…page 109 Local Plans County Plans Regional Plans Statewide Plans Development Pressures…page 114 Limitations for Development/Buildout Analysis…page 115 Appendices…page 117 A. NJ Statewide/Burlington County Averages: 1996 NATA Modeled Air Concentrations Compared to Health Benchmarks B. 1999 Emissions of Criteria Pollutants by Facility in Burlington County C. Blacks Creek Greenway Report: Executive Report (Delaware River Greenway Partnership) D. Thorntown Creek Riparian Open Space Assessment and Recommendation Report: Executive Summary (Delaware Riverkeeper Network) E. Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh Water Trail Map F. RiverLINE System Map Glossary…page 128 References…page 135 Maps/Diagrams Regional Maps (page 2) Geologic Map of New Jersey (page 3) GIS Map #1: Bedrock Geology (page 16) GIS Map #2: Soils (page 22) GIS Map #3: Groundwater Recharge (page 29) GIS Map #4: Watersheds (page 31) Hydrologic Cycle Diagram (page 32) Wetland Classification Diagram (page 40) GIS Map #5: Wetlands (page 42) GIS Map #6: Flood Hazard Areas (page 47) GIS Map #7: Natural Vegetation (page 54) GIS Map #8: Landscape Project Habitat Priorities (page 63) GIS Map #9: Bald Eagle Foraging Habitat (page 64) Bordentown City Bicycle & Pedestrian Destinations (page 72) GIS Map #10: Existing Land Use (page 81) Bordentown City Open Space Plan (page 84) v GIS Map #11: Open Space (page 85) GIS Map #12: Known Contaminated Sites (page 89) Water System Map (page 92) City of Bordentown Water Department 2004 Drinking Water Quality Results (page 94) Waste Water Collection System Map (page 96) Stormwater Collection System Map (page 103) Blacks Creek Greenway Study Area Map (page 109) Crosswicks Creek/Doctors Creek Regional Greenway Map (page 110) Burlington County Route 206 Corridor Study Map (page 111) Delaware River Heritage Trail Map (page 112) New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan Map (page 113) Bordentown City Developable Land by Land Use Map (page 115) Bordentown City Developed Land and Areas Approved for Development (page 116) Note: GIS Maps were created using data layers available from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (except the Existing Land Use and Open Space maps, the data for which was supplied by Burlington County Office of Economic Development and Regional Planning). Information contained in these maps reflects the best available data as of October 2005. vi What is an Environmental Resource Inventory? According to the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, an Environmental Resources Inventory (or ERI), is “a compilation of text and visual information about the natural resource characteristics and environmental features of an area.” The ERI is a report based upon factual information, and provides a municipality with a baseline documentation for assessing environmental issues. It is an important planning tool for environmental commissions and planning boards. It is recommended that the ERI be adopted as part of the municipal master plan, specifically as part of the conservation element (this is envisioned to be the case in Bordentown City). The ERI is a living document, which should be updated periodically as new information becomes available and assessment techniques become more refined. Two New Jersey state laws, the Environmental Commission Enabling Legislation (NJSA 40:56A) and the Municipal Land Use Law (NJSA 40:55D-1), give environmental commissions the authority and responsibility for conducting and maintaining ERIs. An ERI includes text, maps, tables, photos and figures that describe and quantify the local environment. Basic ERI information, including such topics as location, topography, climate, soils, geology, hydrology, vegetation, wildlife and land use, serves as the foundation of the document. The inclusion of additional information such as air quality, transportation, historic resources, noise and regional relationships serves to create the most comprehensive report possible. Finally, sections such as a glossary, references and appendices ensure that the information presented in the ERI is accurately and completely documented. An ERI can be used in a variety of ways. In Bordentown City, the ERI will be used as a guide in the site plan review process; help prioritize open space acquisition; save tax dollars by helping to prevent costly environmental problems; assist in the municipal land use planning process; serve as a reference for municipal ordinances and best management practices; and provide an educational resource for residents. Hardcopies of the ERI will be available at City Hall and the Bordentown Public Library. Additionally, a limited number of PDF files on CD-ROM will be made available to the public. The Bordentown City Environmental Commission has been working on the ERI since its inception in 2002. It was completed without the customary assistance of private consultants, at minimal cost to the City. Environmental Commission members brought their expertise, passion and knowledge of the local environment to the project, and in the process gained a greater understanding of the local environment. The very features that drew early settlers to this confluence of waterways in the 17th century continue to define Bordentown City as a special and unique place for its 21st century residents. It is hoped that the Bordentown City Environmental Resource Inventory will serve current and future residents well as the City approaches its 325th year as a place of settlement on the bluffs of Crosswicks Creek. vii THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Location Bordentown City is located on the western edge of central New Jersey, just southeast of Trenton, along a bend in the Delaware River, where the flow direction shifts from southeast to southwest. It is in the northernmost corner of Burlington County, and is bordered by: • Mile Hollow Run(and Bordentown Township) to the northeast; • Bordentown Township to the east and south; • Blacks Creek (and Bordentown Township) to the southwest; • The Delaware River (and Pennsylvania) to the west; • Crosswicks Creek (and Hamilton Township, Mercer County) to the northwest. Physiography New Jersey can be divided into four major geomorphic or physiographic provinces, each characterized by rocks (or sediments) of similar type, origin, and age, similar landscapes, and a general northeast/southwest trend. (See the Geologic Map of New Jersey on page 3.) Bordentown City is part of the Coastal Plain, which covers 3/5 of the area of the state, southeast of a line from Trenton to Carteret. It is a broad, flat to gently undulating, low-lying area, composed of a wedge of unconsolidated sediments gently dipping southeastward. This wedge also thickens to the southeast, from 50 to 150 feet along the Delaware River, to 4,500 feet at Atlantic City, to 40,000 feet thick 50 miles offshore. Coastal plain sediments include deltaic and marine deposits of Cretaceous to Tertiary age (145 to 1.75 million years ago), resulting from fluctuating sea level; a thin veneer of fluvial sands and gravels of Pliocene and Miocene age (23 to 1.75 million years ago); and alluvial, beach, swamp, eolian, and tidal marsh deposits from the Quaternary Period (the last 1.75 million years). Bordentown City is located in the Inner Coastal Plain subprovince, characterized by higher elevations, more local topographic relief, and generally finer textured deposits than found in the Outer Coastal Plain. Topography Most of Bordentown City is nearly level to gently sloping, with elevations between 50 and 100 feet above sea level. Steep slopes are found along stream channels cut by Thorntown Creek, Mile Hollow Run, Love Bridge Run, and Blacks Creek, and on 50 foot bluffs above Crosswicks Creek. Tidal marsh deposits along the Crosswicks and Blacks Creeks are less than 10 feet above sea level. 1 Regional Map 2 Geologic Map of New Jersey 3 Climate The global weather patterns that take place based upon the Earth's rotation, tilt and land/water distribution are the factors responsible for our climates. Climates are the common weather conditions usually