CONSERVATION PLAN ELEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES and RECREATION INVENTORY OCEAN CITY, NEW JERSEY Adopted June 10, 2009 By the Ocean City Planning Board Developed by the Ocean City Environmental Commission and the Ocean City Department of Planning and Engineering TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 CONSERVATION PLAN ELEMENT .........................................................................6 1.1 PURPOSE ...............................................................................................................6 1.1.1 OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPLES, GOALS .......................................................................6 1.1.2 CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN OCEAN CITY ................7 1.1.3 RECOMMENDED POLICIES ................................................................................8 1.2 INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES INVENTORY.........................9 2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES INVENTORY ......................................................11 2.1 GEOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................12 2.1.1 LOCATION .........................................................................................................12 2.1.2 LAND USE .........................................................................................................12 2.1.3 BEACHFRONT ...................................................................................................12 2.1.4 BAYFRONT & HARBORS ....................................................................................13 2.1.5 WETLANDS & MARSHES ...................................................................................14 2.1.6 LAND ELEVATIONS ............................................................................................15 2.1.7 SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS .......................................................................16 2.1.8 COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT........................................................................16 2.1.9 ORIENTATION ...................................................................................................17 2.1.10 WATERSHED ...................................................................................................17 2.1.11 POPULATI0N ...................................................................................................18 2.1.12 STATE DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT PLAN STATUS ........................18 2.2 GEOLOGY ...........................................................................................................19 2.2.1.STRATIGRAPHY.................................................................................................19 2 2.2.1aSOILS ...............................................................................................................19 2.2.2 POTABLE WATER ..............................................................................................20 2.2.3 SURFACE WATER ..............................................................................................21 2.3 CLIMATE .............................................................................................................22 2.3.1 TEMPERATURES ...............................................................................................22 2.3.2 WIND ................................................................................................................22 2.3.3 PRECIPITATION .................................................................................................22 2.3.4 FOG ...................................................................................................................22 2.3.5 AIR QUALITY ......................................................................................................23 2.4 VEGETATION .......................................................................................................23 2.4.1 HISTORY ............................................................................................................23 2.4.2 WATER BODIES ..................................................................................................23 2.4.3 DUNE AND BEACH .............................................................................................23 2.4.4 COASTAL WETLANDS .........................................................................................23 2.4.5 FRESHWATER WETLANDS MITIGATION SITE ......................................................23 2.4.6 PARKS AND TRAFFIC ISLANDS ...........................................................................24 2.4.7 PRIVATE PROPERTIES ........................................................................................24 2.4.8 STREET TREES ....................................................................................................24 2.4.9 INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) ........................................................25 2.5 WILDLIFE ............................................................................................................25 2.5.1 MAMMALS & REPTILES ...................................................................................25 2.5.2 BIRDS ...............................................................................................................26 3 2.5.3 ENDANGERED BEACHNESTING BIRDS ...............................................................26 2.5.4 LONG LEGGED COLONIAL WADING BIRDS ........................................................27 2.5.5 FISH ....................................................................................................................27 2.5.6 MARINE MAMMALS ..........................................................................................27 2.6 OPEN SPACE and RECREATION ...........................................................................28 2.6.1 OPEN SPACE .....................................................................................................28 2.6.2 RECREATION .....................................................................................................29 2.7 HISTORICAL & CULTURAL ...................................................................................33 2.7.1 HISTORICAL ......................................................................................................33 2.7.2 HISTORIC DISTRICT ...........................................................................................33 2.7.3 HISTORIC SITES .................................................................................................34 2.7.4 NEIGHBORHOODS ............................................................................................34 2.7.5 CULTURAL ........................................................................................................34 2.7.6 ECOTOURISM ...................................................................................................35 2.8 WASTE DISPOSAL AND DISCHARGE SITES .........................................................36 2.8.1 SOLID WASTE ...................................................................................................36 2.8.2 DISCHARGE ......................................................................................................37 2.9 ENERGY ..............................................................................................................37 2.9.1 ELECTRICITY .....................................................................................................37 2.9.2 NATURAL GAS ..................................................................................................37 Appendices ...............................................................................................................39 4 • Recreation and Open Space Inventory ........................................................40 • Water Capacity Analysis from New Jersey American Water Company .......52 • Maps ............................................................................................................55 Zoning Map .....................................................................................56 Wetlands .........................................................................................58 Watersheds .....................................................................................59 New Jersey Geology ........................................................................60 Public Community Water Supply Wells ..........................................61 Ocean City Historic District .............................................................63 5 1.0 CONSERVATION PLAN ELEMENT 1.1 PURPOSE The New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL) authorizes municipal planning boards to adopt a Conservation Plan as an element of the local master plan. Under N.J.S.A. 40:55D‐28(b)(8), a master plan may include a Conservation Plan Element providing for the preservation, conservation and utilization of natural resources and analyzing systematically the impact of each other component and element of the master plan on the present and future preservation, conservation and utilization of those resources. 1.1.1 OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPLES, GOALS Many positive impacts will result from prudent conservation and utilization of natural resources, including flood control, water quality improvements, oxygen replenishment, soil erosion control, micro‐climactic benefits, and increased opportunity for recreation. Inappropriate land development can result in adverse impacts upon these aspects of life; proper conservation and utilization of natural