III. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES, PRINCIPLES, ASSUMPTIONS AND POLICIES UNDERLYING THE MASTER PLAN

(Adopted 11/13/00)

The MLUL requires that all Master Plans contain a "statement of objectives, principles, assumptions, policies and standards upon which the constituent proposals for the physical, economic and social development of the municipality are based." The purpose of this chapter is to satisfy this requirement and to bring into focus in one place a summary of the factual, practical and philosophical underpinnings of this Master Plan.  

UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES

AND ASSUMPTIONS

The major principles and assumptions underlying the goals, objectives and policies of this Master Plan are discussed below. Taken together they form the fundamental rationale for all the elements of the Master Plan and the development regulations of the Township of Mendham.

Mendham Township is a residential community with a historic rural character which it retains to a remarkable degree despite substantial development in recent years. The residential character of the community has traditionally been characterized by well-kept homes and properties of small to large size in a wooded setting. Prominent features include extensive woodlands, steeply sloping topography and narrow winding roadways. Other defining characteristics include the high quality of the Township’s environmental resources. Mendham Township has a historic special relationship with Mendham Borough which contains the "Village Center," recognized in the State Plan as the commercial and service heart for the two municipalities. Streams and rivers are prominent features in the Township that have directly influenced the character of the community from its beginnings. They were a central design element around which the community developed, and they fundamentally influence its character and quality of life, contributing natural beauty and recreational opportunities. The substantial woodlands, numerous streams and steeply sloping terrain all contribute to the unique character of the Township.

The numerous trout production and maintenance streams located throughout the Township are important and sensitive environmental resources. They form the headwaters of the Clyde Potts Reservoir and three important river basins, one of which flows into the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. They are typically found in association with the steeply sloping terrain and extensive woodlands that are natural features also located throughout the Township. These features interact in important ways. In particular, woodlands minimize soil erosion, water pollutants and flooding downstream, and maximize aquifer recharge.

Other defining man-made characteristics of the Township are the numerous historic resources located throughout the community, especially five existing and one proposed Registered Historic Districts and Jockey Hollow. The Township’s narrow winding roadways retain their historic character and contribute to the character of the Historic Districts. These resources cross municipal boundary lines and contribute to the entire region. They are resources recognized in, and important to, the New Jersey State Plan.

Mendham Township has a limited infrastructure base consistent with its low-density land use pattern. The road system consists of primarily narrow, winding, and often historic, roadways that have limited traffic carrying capacity. In many cases, that capacity is nearing its limit. Major improvements to most roadways would be destructive to the numerous historic districts and sites through which they pass. Public transportation services are limited with little prospect for expansion. Most development is served by individual onsite potable water wells and septic systems; public water and sewer lines are generally confined to a few higher density areas. All Township residents rely on groundwater resources for water supply even the limited areas served by public water lines. A groundwater study commissioned by the Township, together with anecdotal evidence from numerous residents, provides compelling evidence that groundwater resources in the Township are under stress from overuse and possible contamination. Major public improvements to water and sewer systems would be infeasibly expensive. Major improvements to the Township’s existing infrastructure base are inconsistent with Township and State planning goals. The existing infrastructure base can safely support only a pattern of overall low-density development. Future land use planning should be consistent with these assumptions.

Community facilities in Mendham Township are generally adequate with the exception of schools and recreational facilities. The Township has extensive recreational resources, especially for passive recreation, and is adding more active recreational facilities. Recent years, however, have seen a substantial increase in school-age population. This growth has created the need for more recreational facilities, especially active recreation. The school expansion referendum passed in 1999 will expand both elementary and middle schools to meet the needs of the growing school population. The Township relies upon numerous active volunteers to run most of the vital functions of the municipality, creating a strong community spirit but imposing limitations on the level of services that can be provided.

The Township contains an unusual degree of resources important to the region, state and country. This imposes a high degree of regional responsibilities in addition to its affordable housing responsibility shared with all communities. In particular, the headwater areas are critical to water quality in regionally important potable water supplies. The many numerous historic resources located in the Township are important to the region, state and country, crossing numerous municipal boundaries. Part of the Township forms a portion of the headwaters for the Great Swamp Wildlife Refuge which is under threat from the effects of development. These factors have lead to the entire Township being designated Planning Area 5 (Environmentally Sensitive) in the State Plan.

Recent years have witnessed a significant increase in development pressures throughout the Township, many in the form of increasingly large "estate-style" homes with substantial site improvements. Many of these homes have not been built on "estate-sized" oversized lots and appear to be out of proportion with the size of the lot . When minimum acreage requirements were originally set in zoning, the trend toward very large homes was unanticipated. This has resulted in much larger percentage of impervious surfaces and the disturbance of a substantial portion of the lot than in pervious years. This major change in the pattern of development was not contemplated in the previous Master Plan, which assumed the continuation of a more proportionate house to property size relationship as previously established in the Township. The new trend is resulting in substantially more impacts to the environmental quality and historic character of the Township. This is especially the case because the Township has reached the point in its development history where the most easily developed land has already been developed. The remaining vacant land contains substantial amounts of environmentally sensitive characteristics such as steep slopes, wetlands, surface waters, and limited groundwater aquifers.

The effects of development trends on the principles and assumptions listed above has lead to a reconsideration of the Master Plan for the Township. Further development along the pattern of recent years will substantially degrade environmental quality and alter the historic character of the Township. Regional water and historic resources would be compromised. Public health and safety will be adversely affected because of impacts on groundwater supplies. The fundamental goals and objectives from the previous Master Plan remain largely unchanged in this plan. The policies needed to achieve those goals, however, require substantial change.

MAJOR GOALS

AND OBJECTIVES

The following major goals and objectives constitute the basis for the Master Plan and development regulations for the Township of Mendham.

Community Character - Mendham Township is a residential community on the western edge of the New York/Newark metropolitan area. To a remarkable degree it retains its traditional character as a rural and historic area. That character has three primary and distinguishing elements which should be protected:

· Numerous historic structures that are visually prominent throughout the Township because of their typical proximity to public roads.

· Narrow, often historic, winding public roads that closely conform to a hilly topography.

· High quality environmental resources, especially extensive woodlands, numerous specimen (often historic) trees lining roadways, and pristine streams.

Housing - The Township’s character has traditionally been primarily based upon well-kept, low-density single family homes requiring modest and low-key infrastructure support. A high proportion of existing homes and properties are of modest size appropriate to the needs and resources of young families and older citizens. This variety of home and property sizes should be retained in order to address the needs of retired long-term residents and to maintain a diversity of age groups. This traditional character should be retained while fully addressing the Township’s regional fair share housing responsibilities.

Relationship with Mendham Borough - The Township has historically had a close relationship with Mendham Borough which it surrounds on three sides. The Borough contains a designated village center, the commercial and service center for the two municipalities, while the Township is the residential area essentially surrounding the village center. This traditional relationship should be maintained.

Streams and Rivers - The numerous high-quality streams should be protected to preserve their important contribution to the water quality and moderating of flows in three important downstream river systems. Their ability to produce and maintain trout and other wildlife should also be preserved. This means that land disturbance in the Township should in general be minimized to the extent possible. In particular, stormwater runoff must be carefully controlled in both its quality and quantity. It also means that stream corridors, wetlands and their transition areas, vegetation and the streams themselves must be carefully preserved from disturbance.

Steep Slopes - The extensive areas of steeply sloping terrain should be protected to the extent possible from inappropriate development.

Woodlands and Specimen Trees - The extensive woodlands, many on steep slopes, contribute directly to the high quality of environmental resources in the Township, particularly to the high quality of surface waters. These extensive woodlands should be preserved from disturbance to the extent possible. The many very large and often ancient trees located along the Township roadways that are important to the character of the Township, and especially its historic areas, should also be preserved.

Stormwater Runoff - Stormwater runoff is a particularly important issue in the Township because of its steeply sloping topography and the sensitive downstream resources affected by runoff. Stormwater runoff should be carefully controlled and minimized. In particular, impervious surfaces should be minimized.

Aquifers - The groundwater resources are the source of the Township's potable water supply. They need to be carefully monitored to avoid excessive drawdown and protected from pollution that would inevitably result from over-development. Paving and the construction of improvements that reduce recharge should be minimized.

Open Space - Approximately 27% percent of Mendham Township’s land area is preserved as public or quasi-public open space in scattered large and small green areas located throughout the Township. A higher percentage of the Township is open space when privately owned vacant lands are added. These areas are important to current and future residents and to the region as a whole, providing an important relief from densely developed urbanized areas not far to the east and contributing directly to environmental quality. Open space areas should be protected and expanded, especially areas important to environmental protection, historic preservation and community character.

Preserve Cultural Resources

Historic Preservation - The historic resources located throughout the Township, especially in the five existing and one proposed Registered Historic Districts, Patriots’ Path and the areas adjacent to the Morristown National Historic Park (Jockey Hollow), are significant to understanding the history of the Township, State and country. These historic and culturally significant features and resources should be protected.

 

Maintain Public Infrastructure at Current Levels

The current modest level of public infrastructure investments is appropriate to the Township’s overall very low density and should be maintained at that level, consistent with the State Plan.

 

Provide for Community Facility and Recreation Needs

Active Recreation - Additional active recreation facilities should be provided to meet the needs of a growing population.

Passive Recreation – Additional passive recreation areas should be acquired through the use of the Open Space Trust Fund and other sources of funds.

Affordable Housing - The Township should continue to fulfill its constitutional responsibility to provide its fair share of affordable housing.

Environmental Protection - Township development policies should protect downstream water quality especially for sources of public water supply. This means minimizing disturbance and removal of woodlands in watershed areas, especially where there are steep slopes.

Historic Preservation - Township development policies should protect regionally important historic resources.

State Plan - Township development policies should be consistent with the State Plan.

 

Provide for the Appropriate Development of the Township.

Residential Development - The traditional character of the Township as primarily a very low-density residential community surrounding the Mendham Borough Village Center should be retained.

House Size - A reasonable balance between house size (and associated site improvements) and lot size should be established consistent with the goals of environmental protection and community character preservation.

Lot Size - The minimum lot size and other bulk requirements should be appropriate to the goals of preserving community character, environmental protection, historic preservation, the established infrastructure base and regional responsibilities.

Statement