- - - - OUR TOWN'S ENVIRONMENT Report on Environmental Resources and Issues in Atlantic Highlands - - - - - - - - - - - Prepared by the - Environmental Commission Borough of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey .. November 2000 .. OUR TOWN'S ENVIRONMENT Report on Environmental Resources and Issues in Atlantic Highlands Prepared by the Environmental Commission of the Borough of Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County, New Jersey Paul Boyd (Chair), Jacqueline Royce (Vice Chair), Joseph Reynolds (Secretary) Members: Louis Fligor, Jean Kaeli, Gregory Pollack, William Thome, William Robertson (Associate) Borough Representatives: Charles Niles, Bernard Frotton This report was prepared with the aid of grants from: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Environmental Services Program and Borough of Atlantic Highlands Mayor: Michael Harmon Borough Council: Jack Archibald, Valerie Freitas, Dwayne Harris, Charles Niles, Steve O'Brien, Art Weimer November 2000 COVER PHOTO: Reforestation in Lenape Woods Nature Preserve on Earth Day, April1999, by Girl Scouts of Hartshorne Service Unit with Joseph Reynolds, steward. CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................. .1 1. The setting The town ........................................................................................ 3 The people ..................................................................................... 4 2. History Four eras in Atlantic Highlands . 9 Historic preservation today ................................................................. 11 3. Coast Main waterfront uses ....................................................................... .19 Public access ................................................................................... 20 Marina ........................................................................................... 21 Coastal and bay habitat ..................................................................... 25 Shared interests along the coast . 25 Future of the waterfront and marina . 26 4. Water resources Watersheds ................................................................................... 33 Runoff and pollution ........................................................................ 34 Storm water management . 38 Many Mind Creek ........................................................................... 40 Wagner Creek ................................................................................ 41 Other surface water . 41 Wetlands ...................................................................................... 42 Flooding and flood plains ................................................................... 43 Water quality in streams ......................................................................44 Clean bay and ocean ......................................................................... 44 Water conservation at home . 45 - Box 4.1: Pollutants carried in stormwater . .. .. .. 38 5. Geology and soils ................................................................................. 51 Geological formations . 53 Soils ............................................................................................. 55 Slump blocks .................................................................................. 57 Box 5.1: Marine fossils in the coastal bluffs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 53 Box 5.2 Peanut stone . 56 6. Land cover and land use Land cover .....................................................................................63 Steep slopes ....................................................................................64 Preservation actions ......................................................................... 65 Land use categories and shares . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 65 Development guidance . 68 - Contents, continued 7. Vegetation and wildlife Upland forest vegetation ..................................................................... 73 Tidal wetlands vegetatilon .................................................................... 7 4 Shoreline vegetation along Sandy Hook .................................................. 76 - Birds, fish, and other ·wildlife ............................................................. 77 Stewardship of preserved and threatened areas . 79 Box 7.1: Bluefish, bunl(ers, gulls, and ospreys ........................................... 79 8. Open space and recreation Summary of needs ............................................................................ 85 Origin of plan and planning process . 86 Purposes of OSRP ............................................................................. 86 Philosophy and goals for open space and recreation . 87 Action plan to achieve the goal ............................................................. 87 Lands held for recreatilon and conservation purposes . 89 Assessment of resourc,es and recreational needs ........................................ 89 Proposed acquisition projects ............................................................... 90 9. Infrastructure Drinking water ................................................................................. 9.7 Sanitary sewers and septic systems ........................................................ 99 Solid waste and recycling ................................................................... 101 Electricity ...................................................................................... 105 Natural gas .................................................................................... .106 Transportation ................................................................................. 1D6 Marina . .. .. ....................................................................... 1.07. - Borough government structures . 107 Planning and regional/state relationships .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 108 Box 9.1: 1Vhy recycle.'' ..................................................................... 104 10. Environmental Survey Purpose ......................................................................................... 111 Methods and response: ...................................................................... 111 Surrunary of findings ......................................................................... 112 References to sources cited in the text ........................................................... 119 Maps Map 1 Regional location . .. 6 Map 2 Aerial view of Atlantic Highlands . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 Map 3 1664 Lenape-English deed map.............................................. 14 Map4 Historic distrkts and sites . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 Map5 Land cover and land use . .. .. 48 Map6 Storm sewers and sanitary sewers . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 49 Map7 Physiographic: provinces of New Jersey .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 52 Map 8 Soils .................................................................................61 Map 9 Steep slopes .......................................................................70 Map 10 Zoning districts .......................................................................71 Map 11 Open space and recreation plan . 96 - Contents, continued Exhibits Exhibit 1.1 Age distribution, 1990 Census .. .......... ...... .. .... .. ...... ...... .. .. 4 Exhibit 2.1 Historic districts and sites . .. .. .. .. .. .. 16 Exhibit 3.1 Aerial view of Wagner Creek estuary . 29 Exhibit 3.2 Aerial view of Many Mind Creek estuary . 30 Exhibit 3.3 Aerial view of Marina . 31 Exhibit 3.4 Aerial view of Pop am ora Point . 32 Exhibit 4.1 Effect of impervious cover on runoff . 35 Exhibit 4.2 Increased runoff and decreased evapo-transpiration and infiltration caused by expansion of impervious surfaces . 36 Exhibit 4.3 Saving water at home ........................................................... 46 Exhibit 5.1 Geologic time scale ............................................................ 54 Exhibit 5.2 Visible geological outcrops ................................................. 55 Exhibit 5.3 Slump block movements of coastal bluff..................................... 58 Exhibit 6.1 Land use by category and percent of assessed value.................... 66 Exhibit 6.2 Zoning district descriptions and standards . 69 Exhibit 7.1 Inventory of flora and fauna in Lenape Woods Nature Preserve .....................................................................82 Exhibit 7.2 Dominant vegetation species along shoreline of bay . 84 Exhibit 7.3 Birds observed in harbor on annual Audubon Society count, December 1999 ..................................................................... 84 - Exhibit 8.1 Recreation and open space lands as of July 200Q....................... 93 Exhibit 9.1 Your water supply ..................................................................97 Exhibit 9.2 Quarterly sewer and water rates ................................................. 99 Exhibit 10.1 Comparison of survey respondents to percentages in population by age group ...................................................................... 111 Exhibit 10.2 Environmental Survey . 116 Attachments Attachment 1 Detailed descriptions of geological formations Attachment 2 Characteristics of soil types in Atlantic Highlands Dlustrations Elly Huson Drawing in section 2, for the Atlantic Highlands Historical Society Maria Levine Drawings in sections 3 and 7, and Contents and References.