Protecting Water Resources in the Community

Water Friendly Communities

The first step in land use planning for a municipality is documenting through maps and text what already exists or creating a Natural Resource Inventory (NRI). The NRI gives the municipality an understanding of the capacity of their natural and built environments and with the Municipal Land Use Law becomes the basis for zoning and planning.

Ordinances that protect water resources have been adopted throughout New Jersey. Upper Deerfield, in Cumberland County, adopted a stream buffer ordinance after completing their NRI. They are also installing green infrastructure at their municipal hall to protect an adjacent stream. Moorestown has adopted a mandatory year-round water conservation ordinance.

Some ordinances that municipalities have passed to protect their streams and ground water are:

• Aquifer Recharge – controls uses on lands that provide recharge for water supply.
• Clustering – designs development to be clustered on a part of a site.
• Impervious Cover Limits – limits amount of land that can be covered by buildings, roads and other impervious uses.
• Model Septic Management – supplements existing ordinances by requiring existing, new and proposed subsurface sewage disposal systems to be pumped out at least once every three years.
• Stormwater Management – emphasizes infiltration and use of non-structural best management practices to control stormwater runoff.
• Stream Corridor Protection – protects land along streams as an easier and economic way to protect water quality from storm water runoff.
• Tree Protection – regulates tree removal, sets standards for replacement and reforestation.
• Useable Area – requires that a minimum area of a lot being created for subdivision be free of environmentally critical areas- steep slopes, wetlands, and floodplains.
• Water Conservation– requires mandatory lawn irrigation restrictions, year-round, excepting new development
• Wellhead Protection – prohibits certain activities to protect groundwater quality in an overlay zone for the land area influencing wells.

ANJEC – Environmental Land Use Ordinances

NJ Environmental Commissions

Environmental Commissions are comprised of 5 to 7 members, appointed by the mayor, with one member also being a member of the planning board. Commissions are established by ordinance and are an advisory board.

Activities of an environmental commission include: creating a Natural Resource Inventory, reviewing site plans and making recommendations to the land use boards, recommending ordinances, creating an Open Space plan, educating the community, obtaining grants and working with the Green Team on municipal sustainability.

Sustainable Jersey and Green Teams

Sustainable Jersey is a nonprofit organization that provides tools, certification, training and financial incentives to support communities as they pursue sustainability. A committee of people appointed by the town and tasked with developing actions for sustainability are called the “Green Team.” The Green Team leads the municipality through actions that acquire certification by Sustainable Jersey. Green Teams are often coordinated with the municipal Environmental Commission.

Municipalities can adopt ordinances and plans to become more “green” in order to earn certification with Sustainable Jersey. Some sample actions include: Climate Adaptation: Flooding Risk, Energy Efficiency for Municipal Facilities, Natural Resource Inventory, Recycling and Waste Reduction Education and Compliance, Water Conservation Ordinance

Additional Resources

Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions
ANJEC – Environmental Land Use Ordinances
Sustainable Jersey