II. COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS

The natural environment is a prominent part of Mendham Township’s character, in particular the extensive woodlands, steeply sloping topography and numerous trout production and trout maintenance streams found throughout the Township. At 17.86 square miles it is geographically a medium size community; but with a total population of 4,977 it is demographically small. The resulting population per square mile of 254 persons is very low compared to Morris County as a whole (899 persons per square mile). It is primarily a residential community of single family homes, for the most part on lots ranging in size from less than one-half acre to more than five acres. The community infrastructure is appropriate to its low-density character.  

REGIONAL SETTING

Mendham Township is centrally located within Morris County. The Township has had a historically close relationship with Mendham Borough, which it surrounds on three sides. The Borough functions in many ways as the Mendham community center. Morristown is located about five miles to the east and has historically served as the regional center for Mendham Township’s region. Its continuing function as a regional center is reflected in the State Plan. Route 24 is the single major transportation corridor in the Township connecting the Township and Borough to Morristown, the regional shopping and service center, located approximately five miles to the east. West of Morristown, Route 24 is a relatively narrow two-lane road passing through a number of historically significant areas. Generally the road system in the region is based upon narrow two lane roadways often dating to the early settlement period and passing through historic areas. The roadways in the region have limited traffic capacity that can only support low-density development. The region west of Morristown to a large extent retains its historic and rural character and is relatively sparsely populated with limited public infrastructure investments. The numerous historic districts in this area often cross municipal boundaries. Mendham Township shares many common interests, concerns and goals with other communities within its region, in particular the Chesters (Borough and Township) located to the west of the Mendhams. The areas east of Morristown are comparatively suburban in character with much more substantial investments in public infrastructure, especially since World War II. The low-density rural development pattern in the Mendham area has historically played an important role for the broader New York metropolitan region by providing relief from the uniformity of dense urban development to the east. Two regionally important national park areas are located within Mendham’s region: The Morristown National Historical Park (Jockey Hollow) located partly within the Township and the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (within the Township’s drainage area).     INSERT MAP REGIONAL SETTING

ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS

The following is intended as a brief summary of the environmental characteristics of the Township of Mendham. In most cases, a more detailed discussion of each topic can be found in other parts of this document or in the Appendix.

Geology

Mendham Township is located in the New Jersey Highlands, an area of relatively rugged relief underlain by hard crystalline rock. Most of the underlying rock are those formed during the Precambrian era, the oldest and longest era in the geologic time scale. For a more complete description of the Township’s underlying geology, see the Appendix attached to this Master Plan. The limited capacity of groundwater aquifers within the Township are an important environmental feature that has been studied and described by the Township Environmental Consultant Connolly Environmental, Inc. The impact of human development on these aquifers is a major concern in two ways: development increases storm water runoff reducing recharge into aquifers, while at the same time it increases the draw-down of the aquifers.

There are 16 separate types of soils encompassing the Township. Many of these soil types have characteristics that make development difficult, such as severe limitations for onsite septic systems or a high groundwater table. Other common characteristics pose environmental dangers such as high erosion potential. The Appendix contains a more detail description of soil types and characteristics.

The Township is strategically located at the headwaters of three major river basins in northern New Jersey which are the sources of potable water: the Passaic which drains directly into the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, the Raritan, and the Whippany. Regionally based environmental interest groups have focused attention on the protection of these headwater areas in the Township as important to water quality and quantity and to reducing flooding in the river basins. In addition, flood storage areas in the Township are important to diminishing flood levels and the frequency of flooding downstream. All of the numerous rivers and streams in the Township are currently classified by NJDEP as "trout production" or "trout maintenance", the highest quality classifications. The high quality of these watershed resources in the Township directly influences water quality downstream in the basins and the Refuge.

Wetlands are environmentally important areas regulated by the federal and state governments. They function as filters for sediments, nutrients and other pollutants to surface waters where such pollutants can cause reduced oxygen levels and turbidity and raise water temperatures. Wetlands provide flood control and important wildlife habitats; they also cool water and the surrounding air by means of evaporative cooling.   INSERT MAP GEOLOGY   INSERT MAP SOILS INSERT MAP DEPTH TO BEDROCK   INSERT MAP TOPOGRAPHY INSERT MAP EXCESSIVE SLOPES   Wetlands in particular perform functions that are vital to maintaining the very high quality of the Township’s numerous trout production and trout maintenance streams. They provide flood storage and stream flow attenuation during wet periods preventing stream bank erosion and clogging of the streambed with sediments. During dry periods they sustain stream flow by releasing stored water, maintaining base flows (the low level of flow) in streams and moderating the extremes of both high and low flow in streams essential to trout production and maintenance. In addition, these characteristics are important to moderating downstream flooding. The types of wetlands typically found in Mendham are among the most environmentally important for maintaining downstream water quality. Among these are:

· Hillside seeps and springs important to maintaining base flows and moderating water temperature vital to trout production and maintenance.

· Forested wetlands important to moderating water temperature, trapping silt, reducing turbidity and promoting evapotranspiration.

· Swamps (forested wetlands not associated with streams) important to base flows and attenuating flooding and bank erosion.

Wetlands in Mendham Township are generally found in three areas and comprise approximately three to five percent of the Township:

1. The uppermost reaches of sub-watershed catchments. 2. Level areas at the base of slopes associated with stream corridors. 3. Upper Whippany River flood plain in Washington Valley.

Wetlands are an important natural resource anywhere they are found. In the Mendham Township context they are especially important because of their vital role in protecting the fragile water quality of the numerous trout production and trout maintenance streams in the Township. Since these streams feed a number of sources of public water supply downstream, wetlands in Mendham Township are by extension also important to public health.

In terms of landforms, the Township consists of many small, largely wooded valleys typically bisected by numerous small streams. The Township is topographically highest in the north, generally sloping off toward the south and east. The highest point in the Township is near Horizon Drive, 1,020 feet above sea level; the lowest point is off of Mosle Road about 300 feet above sea level. There are extensive areas of steep slopes, some over 25% slope, especially in the northern and western parts of the Township. Steep slopes often adjoin streams, transition areas, wetlands and flood prone areas. Twenty seven percent, or 3,100 acres of the Township land area, is comprised of slopes over 15 percent.

Mendham Township contains extensive areas of woodlands including many examples of significant specimen trees, some dating back to the early settlement era. Woodlands and specimen trees have a significant impact on the character of the Township as well as the quality of life. The woodlands also directly contribute to water quality and quantity of aquifers and streams and to the control of stormwater runoff. Together the woodlands and streams form the most important and prominent

environmental features in the Township. Healthy woodlands and streams constitute major environmental assets.

The Wood Turtle (Clemmys Insculpta) is listed as a threatened and endangered species. It is found in the India Brook watershed, Dawson’s Brook watershed and Washington Valley/Whippany River watershed in Mendham Township.

As a primarily low-density residential community, the Township contains no major generators of air pollutants. The most important source of air pollutants is automobiles. The only area of air quality concern is along Route 24 during rush hours.  

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Mendham Township has a rich and significant historic heritage. The combination of historic buildings, the fields and woods around them, and the historic roads that connect them, are representative of the Township’s settlement pattern and are the focus of preservation efforts. At the present time, Mendham Township has four historic districts, which have been accepted into the State and National Registers of Historic Places: Washington Valley, Brookside, Combs Hollow and Ralston. One other district (Tempe Wick) has been included on the State Register and is pending for inclusion on the National Register. The India Brook historic district is pending on both the State and National Registers. Part of Jockey Hollow, a National Historical Park, is located within the Township.  

POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS

The Township's population as of 1990 was 4,537, up slightly from 4,488 in 1980, an increase of only 49 persons. The number of housing units increased more substantially during the same period from 1,495 to 1,712, an increase of 217 units (U.S. Census for 1980 and 1990). This significant difference is attributable to the continuing decline in the average household size following the long-term national trend. In comparison to Morris County as a whole, Mendham Township’s population increased by about 1% during the decade while Morris County's increased by more than 3%. Although the Township’s average household size has seen a significant decline in line with the rest of the country, its average size remains slightly higher than the County average. Population

(Source: U.S. Census)

Number and Size of Households

(Source: U.S. Census)

School enrollment in Mendham Township’s public schools (elementary and middle) has varied substantially in recent decades. In 1974 it reached a high of 877 students and in 1986 it reached a low of 377 students. Since the beginning of the 1990’s, school enrollment has gradually increased to 762 students in 1999. In 1999 the Mendham Township Board of Education contracted for a demographic study of future enrollment. The study predicts continued increases in school enrollment, projecting enrollment in 2004 to be 932 students.

The population of senior citizens in Mendham Township has seen a substantial increase in recent decades. The population of those 55 and over has more than doubled since 1970, a trend that can be expected to continue.

Senior Citizen Population

(Source: U.S. Census)

EDUCATIONAL, OCCUPATIONAL

AND INCOME CHARACTERISTICS

The adult population of Mendham Township is well educated when compared to the County as a whole. A very high percent of the population has completed high school (96%) and a large majority has completed four years of college (60%) compared to 87 percent and 34 percent respectively for Morris County as a whole. Education - 1990 18 years and older

(based upon data from the Morris County Data Book)

The high level of education of the Township's population is reflected in its occupational characteristics. In 1990, 56 percent of the working population was employed in managerial and professional specialty occupations. Occupational Characteristics 16 years and over

(Source U.S. Census)

The level of educational and professional attainment is reflected in the family income statistics for the Township. The median income for a family in Mendham in 1989 was $102,896 compared to $62,749 for Morris County as a whole. The level of affluence in the Township is increasing dramatically. It increased 210% over the previous decade compared to 154% for Morris County as a whole. In 1989 Mendham Township was the tenth most affluent municipality in the state compared to 17th in 1979.

Family Income

(Source U.S. Census)

Per Capita Income, 1979 and 1989

(Source: New Jersey Dept. of Labor)

HOUSING

In 1990 Mendham Township was the third least densely developed municipality in Morris County (after Chester and Harding Townships) as measured by housing unit density. In 1990 there were 6.58 acres per housing unit in Mendham Township compared to 1.96 in Morris County as a whole. The increase in the number of housing units in Mendham Township has been substantial in recent decades. In 1980 there were a total of 1,495 dwelling units, by 1990 the total was 1,712, a 15 percent increase in ten years. In the seven years from 1991 to 1998, 183 additional housing units were built increasing the total housing units to 1,895. Detailed information about housing characteristics in Mendham Township is included in the Housing Plan element as required by the MLUL.

2000 CENSUS

When available in 2001, updated US Bureau of Census data on the Township will be added as an appendix to this document.

 

LAND USE

AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Land Use

With minor exceptions, Mendham Township is developed in accordance with its zone plan, i.e. low-density single family residential. Few active farms remain in the Township in the sense that they are full-time operations. A much more substantial amount of land area is farmland assessed, i.e. meeting the minimum legal requirements. The highest density zone (R Zone) requires a minimum lot size of 20,000 sq. ft. (approx. one-half acre); the lowest density zone (R-5 Zone) requires a minimum lot size of five acres. In 1998, the Township contained 1,895 dwelling units, up from 1,495 in 1980. Out of a total of 1,712 housing units in 1990, 1,644 were detached single family dwellings. Commercial land use is limited to a small commercial area in the center of Brookside.

Substantial areas of public and quasi-public open space exist in the Township, a total of 3,033 acres broken down by ownership in the following chart. This represents about 27% of the total land area in the Township (11,264 acres). The portion of open space (active and passive) owned by the Township is 696 acres in 1999. Township residents, however, authorized a municipal assessment to establish an Open Space Trust Fund in 1991 and the Township is actively considering additional open space acquisitions. This total does not include the extensive conservation easements located primarily on vacant and environmentally sensitive portions of privately owned lands. Nor does it include the privately owned vacant land and over-sized (underdeveloped) lots that still exist in the Township. Additional Township-owned land provides for community facilities, limited utilities and open space or constitutes environmentally important conservation areas. Public and Quasi-Public Open Space

Source: Mendham Township Tax Records

The Township’s local and collector roads are typically radially oriented to Mendham Borough, which has historically been the center of community life, and to Route 24 which is the primary transportation corridor through the Borough and Township. These roads are typically narrow and curvilinear, closely conforming to the hilly and wooded topography through which they pass. Many of the roads date from the early settlement period of the Township and retain their historic character. Many specimen trees and historic structures closely line the roads making widening or straightening without major impact impractical.

Geographically most areas of the Township are served by individual private onsite wells. The limited areas served by public water lines are shown on the following Water Service and Open Space Map. The low-density pattern of development in the Township makes the extension of public water system(s) impractical and inappropriate in most areas. In some areas in recent years, older wells have failed requiring drilling of newer wells at greater depths. The apparent lowering of the water table in some areas is an important issue of policy concern to the Township. Three water suppliers, Randolph Township Municipal Utilities Authority, New Jersey American Water Company and the Southeast Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority, service geographically small areas of the Township shown on the following map. Public water service is provided through individual relationships of property owners with the water companies. The following table is a breakdown of units served by public water by provider. Of the total number of housing units in the Township (1,895 in 1998) 857 or 45 percent are served by public water. An important issue associated with water supply is fire protection. The onsite private wells in the large areas of the Township without water lines are inadequate for fire protection purposes and the dry hydrants into ponds in these areas are also limited and inadequate. In these areas, underground tanks for fire protection are required improvements as part of major developments. Dwelling Units Served by Public Water: 1999

Most existing development in the Township is served by individual onsite septic systems. Soil characteristics are an important factor in the construction of onsite systems. In many areas of the Township, soil conditions are severe for the construction of such systems. However, the low-density pattern of development makes the extension of public sanitary system(s) impractical and inappropriate in most areas. Only three areas of the Township are served by public sanitary sewers, all of which are relatively higher-density developments. Portions of each contain affordable housing as part of the Township’s affordable housing program.

· Brookrace: 98 units off of Pleasant Valley Road.

· Drakewick: 92 units off of Tempe Wick Road and Route 24.

· Mountainview: 12 units off of Cold Hill Road.

The control of stormwater runoff is an important public policy issue in the Township because of the harmful effects that stormwater runoff can have on water quality in the numerous high quality trout production and trout maintenance streams in the Township. Stormwater drainage associated with new development is controlled by ordinance regulations which require detention/retention to assure water quality and to control flows. Stormwater drainage from existing public and private roadways and other impervious surfaces into nearby streams continues to have a harmful environmental impact on those streams. The Township Public Works Department is active in improving and maintaining drainage systems associated with local public roads.

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SURFACE DRAINAGE

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DEPTH TO WATER

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INTERNAL DRAINAGE

RELATIONSHIP OF PARENT MATERIAL & DRAINAGE

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INTERNAL DRAINAGE

SEPTIC EFFLUENT DISPOSAL

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FLOOD PRONE AREAS

Characterteristics