North Jersey
District Water Supply Commission
ORECHIO DRIVE
WANAQUE,
N.J. O7465
December 30, 1999
Planning Board
Borough of
Ringwood
60 Margaret
King Avenue
Ringwood,
New jersey 07456
Re: Forsgate West. Block 800, Lot 3 R-40V (Steep Slope Zone)
Dear Planning Board Members:
We are in receipt of your application for Final Subdivision of the above Block. The purpose of this letter is to address our concerns regardlng these plans.
We are extremely concerneed about your redefinition of steep slope to 25% grade, instead of the standard 15%. Now, as in the past, the Commission's position has been that steep slopes which drain towards the Wanaque Reservoir should remain undeveloped, or if they must be developed, every attempt to eliminate their impact to water supply should be considered in the planning stage.
Part of this planning should Include an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) end a Storm Water Management Plan (SWMP).
It is imperative that design criteria take into account pollutant runoff dissipation and soil erosion control from these steep slopes. Steep slope construction run off causes sediment removal which ultimately reduces the carrying capacity of streams and degrades the water quality of reservoirs. In the past, the Commission has had bad experiences with poorly designed steep dope projects.
At this time, it is our request that proper protection of the Wanaque Reservoir be placed in the forefront of this project and that an EIS and SWMP be required and made available to the Commission for review.
Very truly
yours,
Jerry J.
Notte, P.E.
General Manager
THE HIGHLANDS
COALITION
BAMBOO BROOK
170 LONGVIEW
ROAD
FAR HIlLS,
NJ 07931
highlands@njconservation.org
December 17, 1999
Kathleen Cenicola,
Township Manager
Borough of
Ringwood
Margaret
King Avenue
Ringwood,
NJ 07456
Dear Ms. Cenicola,
The Highlands Coalition is a cooperative effort of over 80 conservation and public interest groups from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut dedicated to the protection and preservation of the natural resources of the Highlands region.
Last summer, the Highlands Coalition requested that the Town Council hold its consideration of amending Ringwood's zoning ordinance, pertaining to the R4OV zone. This request came due to our concerns about the impacts to water resources, particularly the Wanaque Reservoir and its tributaries, that might result from the tppe of development allowed under the proposed ordinance. As you know, the Council adopted the ordinance despite this request, which reflected concerns expressed to us by local residents, as well as our understanding of the environmental sensitivity and importance of this part of the Highands region.
At a recent meeting of the Highlands Coalition's New Jersey Steering Committee, a presentation was made by Skylands CLEAN regarding the litigation they have initiated in response to the Council's adoption of the ordinance. The presentation was requested by the Coalition's leadership because of the regional significance of the Wanaque Reservoir and its surrounding watershed. The Borough Council's decision to adopt the R4OV has ramifications far beyond the borders of Ringwood itself because of its potential to impact Northern New Jersey's largest water supply system; in our view this is an issue of statewide importance.
In the course of that discussion, it was represented that during the fall election process, a commitment had been made by the successful candidates to reexamine the ordinance, with full and informed public participation. We are writing to ask when such a reexamination is expected to take place, and to urge the Town Council to move forward expeditiously. We would appreciate the opportunity to participate in that discussion, and to help inform it to the extent we can to insure that the important environmental values of the region are adequately protected.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Tim Dillingham
Executive Director
