[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]



















































































            HT
            168
            .E3
            R37
            1990









          RARITAN RIVER WATERFRONT STUDY


                              FOR THE
                   TOWNSHIP OF EDISON-





                   PREPARED FOR:
                   TOWNSHIP OF EDISON AND N.J.D.E.P.
                   DIVISION OF COASTAL RESOURCES








                   PREPARED BY:
                   E. EUGENE OROSS ASSOCIATES
                   235 LIVINGSTON AVENUE .
                   NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. 08903






                   SEPTEMBER 14, 1990.
                   GRANT # GL68044









                                      TABLE OF CONTENTS


           SECTION 1.0     INTRODUCT'ION   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       1

           SECTION 2.0     SITE AND SURROUNDING REGION    . . . . . . . . . .      2
           SECTION  3.0    SPECIAL AREAS   . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . .       4

           SECTION  3.1    NATURAL WATER'S EDGE FLOODPLAINS      . . . . . . .     5

           SECTION  3.2    WETLANDS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        6

           SECTION  3.3    WETLAND BUFFERS   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       7

           SECTION  3.4    INTERMITTENT STREAM CORRIDORS     . . . . . . . . .     8


           SECTION  3.5    PUBLIC OPEN SPACE   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       9

           SECTION  3.6    SPECIAL HAZARD AREAS     . . . . . . . . . . . . .     10

           SECTION  3.7    EXCLUDED FEDERAL LANDS     . . . . . . . . . . . .     11


           SECTION  4.0    GENERAL AREAS     . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . .     12


           SECTION  5.0    GENERAL LAND AREAS    . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      14


           SECTION  5.1    ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY RATING      . . . . . . .    15


           SECTION  6.0    GENERAL LOCATION POLICIES      . . . . . . . . . .     16


           SECTION  7.0    USE POLICIES    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      17


           SECTION  8.0    RESOURCE POLICIES     . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      18


           SECTION  9.0    SYNTHESIS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       19


           SECTION  10.0   ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .      20
IVA
           DRAWING  1 OF 3      STUDY AREA LOCATION MAP
           DRAWING  2 OF 3       SPECIAL & GENERAL AREAS MAP
           DRAWING  3 OF 3       MUNICIPAL BOAT BASIN
  M










          SECrION 1.0    INTRODUCI!ION


              Presented herewiti' is a narrative description and accom-

          panying drawings of the Raritan River Study Area. The report was

          prepared through a Federal Grant in conjunction with the New Jer-

          sey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Coastal

          Resources, and the Township of Edison.


              The purpose of the report is to analyze the Edison Waterfront

          Area and develop a plan to determine areas suitable for public

          access.   These areas will provide the Township with identified

          locations for future improvements.


              The report was prepared in accordance with Chapter 7E of the

          Coastal Resources and Development Policies. Specific mapping and

          report guidelines were established using the Coastal Location

          Acceptability Method.









          SECTION 2.0    SITE AND SURROUNDING REGION




              The Edison Waterfront Study Area is a 5.6 mile area that

          stretches along the Raritan River from Woodbridge Township to the

          east to the Borough of Highland Park to the west. The river also

          serves as a boundary line to the south f or the City of New

          Brunswick, Township of East Brunswick and the Borough of Sayre-

          ville.



              The area immediately adjacent to the river is presently unde-

          veloped.   The 1989 Township Master Plan provides for open space

          and conservation districts within this area.         The Master Plan

          also proposes a   Planned Unit Development in the area along the

          eastern portion Of the river. Most of the study area lies within

          the 100 year floodplain and extensive wetlands also exist in this

          area.   Access to the waterfront is inhibited due to the environ-

          mental sensitivity of the surrounding land and private land

          ownership.


              Presently, there are two areas where vehicular and pedestrian

          access is possible to the waterfront.     The first area is locate    d

          off Meadow Road and contains the Edison Municipal Boat Basin.

          This area is frequently used by Township residents for both

          passive and active recreation.


              The second area is the Patrol Road that travels parallel to

          the river along the easter-n -portion of the Township boundary.

          This road was built in the mid-1920's and was used by the U.S.

          Army as a method of guarding the former    Raritan Arsenal.


                                            2








              The Arsenal was closed several decades ago. The property was

          disposed of through Government Services Administration (G.S.A.
          The road is seldom used'today.    The road is maintained as a pri-

          vate right-of-way and therefore access   is restricted. The Patrol

          Road provides potential points of access to the waterfront from

          Mill Road and Pershing Avenue.     March Road is a proposed right-

          of-way being built in conjunction with the Planned Unit Develop-

          ment.   The study area also contains three landfills as well as

          land owned by the Federal, State and local government.          These

          areas are further identified in later sections of the text and

          are identified on Sheet 2 of 3 of the submitted drawings.
































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          SECTION 3.0 SPECIAL AREAS



              Special Areas as defined by the Coastal Resource and Develop-

          ment Policies consist of 45 types of coastal areas which merit

          focus ed attention and special management policies. The areas are

          identified on Sheet 2 of 3 of the submitted drawings and are

          further defined independently in the text.











































                                           4










          SECTION 3.1  NATURAL WATER'S EDGE FLOODPLAINS



             Floodplains are are'as with the natural capacity   to absorb

          rain and floodwater.   The areas are designated because of the

          unsuitability for development as a result of flood hazard poten-

          tial, water storage capacity and poor drainage characteristics.


             The floodplains for the Edison Waterfront Area were iden-

          tified using the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Township

          of Edison's Floodway Maps of June 19, 1985. The 100 year and 500

          year, floodplains were mapped in accordance with the FEMA study.


             The floodplains, encompass substantial portions of the study

          area and therefore development in the area is restricted due to

          the permitting process and practical constraints.    Due to the

          design of the existing roadways, they are relatively uneffected

          by the floodplains.

























                                         5









          SECTION 3.2   WETLANDS



              Wetlands are defined by the New Jersey Department of Environ-

          mental Protection as areas that are inundated or saturated by

          surface water or groundwater at a frequency and duration suf-

          ficient to support, a prevalence of vegetation typically adapted

          for life in saturated soil conditions.        Wetlands generally

          include swamps, marshes, bogs and similar areas.


              Wetlands are typically found between upland areas and open

          water bodies. They act as filters in remaining pollutants, sedi-

          ments and metals from run-off water before they enter the river,

          streams and lakes.    They also contribute in the production of

          oxygen and food which support aquatic life.


              The areas indicated on the plan were mapped according to the

          National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) map of October, 1976.   The NWI

          indicates the presence of one type of wetland along the

          waterfront area.    The type, E2EM, is classified as Estuarine

          intertidal emergent wetland.    These wetlands consists of tidal

          brackish waters and wetlands that are diluted by stormwater run-

          off.


              In identifying points of access to the waterfront, existing

          routes will be utilized and therefore no disturbance of the

          wetlands will occur. The Patrol Road is an existing road that is

          classified as uplands by the NWI.






                                          6









          SECTION 3.3    WETLAND BUFFERS




              All areas within    300 f eet of the wetlands and within the

          drainage area of the wetlands will require a buffer as designated

          by NJDEP.   The buffering will be required for any type of deve-

          lopment in the waterfront area.      The proposed March Road right-

          of -way is  being developed in conjunction with a Planned Unit

          Development known as Rivertown. The developer is responsible for

          obtaining appropriate permits for construction of the roadway.

          As a result, since no new development is proposed with this

          study, wetlands buffers will not be effected by this project.


































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          SECTION 3.4    INTERMITTENT STREAM CORRIDORS



               Intermittent   strea*m corridors   are   areas   including    and

          surrounding surface water drainage channels in which there is not

          a permanent flow of water. These areas are indicated on the plan

          as creeks and ditches.     These areas are all located in the 100

          year floodplain. No disturbance is proposed for these areas.











































                                            8









          SECTION 3.5    PUBLIC OPEN SPACE




              Public open space consists of lands owned and maintained by

          State, Federal, County and municipal agencies. This land is used

          for the conservation of natural resources, public recreation and

          wildlife protection and management.


              The County owns land which consists of Middlesex County

          College.   This tract is 174.5 acres and provides area residents

          with a higher educational facility.


              The County also owns land which consists of Thomas A. Edison

          Park. This tract of land is 164.7 acres and is located adjacent

          to the Patrol Road.    This land serves the Township, as well as

          County residents for active and passive recreation.


              The proposed study proposes no alterations to the publicly

          owned lands.































                                            9










          SECTION 3.6    SPECIAL HAZARD AREAS




              Special hazard area s are areas with   a known actual or poten-

          tial hazard to public health, safety and   welfare of the residents

          of the Township.    The three landfills located south of the New

          Jersey Turnpike constitute a Special Hazard Area.     The first two

          special hazard areas are the KIN-BUC and the Industrial Land

          Reclamation Incorporated (ILR) Landfills.      Both of these land-

          f ills are privately owned with KIN-BUC being designated as a

          superfund site. The landfills are no longer in operation and are

          monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency.


              The last landfill is owned by the Township of Edison.        This

          landfill has been ordered closed on August 27, 1990 because it

          has reached full capacity.     The landfill operation and closure

          has been monitored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental

          Protection Division of Solid Waste Management. No development or

          access points will interfere with any of the above mentioned spe-

          cial hazard areas.
























                                            10









         SECTION 3.7   EXCLUDED ?MDERIAL LANDS




             Excluded Federal lands are those lands that are owned,

         leased, held in trust or whose use is otherwise by law subject

         solely to the discretion of the United.States of America.


             The only Federally owned parcel of land is located directly

         south of Woodbridge Avenue.    This land is owned by Government

         Services Administration and is operated by the Environmental Pro-

         tection Agency.     The land is currently being subdivided in

         accordance with Federal regulations.










          SECTION 4.0   GENERAL AREAS



              Section 7:7E-4.7 defines a large river as a river with
N
          watersheds greater than 1,000 square miles. The Raritan River is

          a tidal river from a point approximately 1.1 miles upstream from

          the Landing Lane Bridge between Piscataway and Franklin Townsihp

          to its mouth at Raritan Bay and the Arthur Kill.      The river is

          located along the southernmost portion of the Township and is

          designated on the drawings.


              According to the Water Area Policy summary table structures

          such as Boat Ramps and Docks are conditionally accepted in large

          rivers.


              Boat ramps are inclined planes extending from the land into a

          water body for the purpose of launching a boat until the water

          depth is sufficient to allow the boat to float. An existing ramp

          is located at the Edison Municipal Boat Basin and is constructed

          of concrete.   The Township requires permits by residents to use

          this facility.


              Docks and piers are structures supported on piling driven

          down into the bottom substrate, or floating on the water surface.

          The area adjacent to the Patrol Road contains an existing

          bulkhead where possible future marine access could occur.        The

          bulkhead is 8618.46 Jinear, feet and is not presently used due to

          private ownership and contro-l.-'-the bulkhead is also in disrepair

          and shoaled.






                                           12









             The boat basin contains a small floating dock that enables

         temporary docking of boats launched from the boat ramp.    This

         area is in need of additional redevelopment to further promote

         the use of marine access in the area.

























































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          SECTION 5.0   GENERAL LA14D AREAS




              General land areas. include all mainland features located

          upland of special water's edge areas   They begin at the 100 year

          flood hazard line for this particular study and continue north

          into Edison Township.   Part of the Edison Park and all of the

          County College and Government Services Administrator land is

          located in the General Land Areas.   These areas have been mapped

          on Sheet 2 of 3 of the submitted drawings.      No development is

          proposed in the areas.




































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          SECTION 5.1   ENVIRONMENTAL SENSITIVITY RATING




              N.J.D.E.P. has adopted an Environmental Sensitivity Rating

          system which rates suitability of land for development.     Most of

          the land is designated as high sensitivity under N.J.D.R.P. stan-

          dards due to the moist soils and high water table.


              The area near the boat basin and the Patrol Road will have a

          low sensitivity rating due to the existing pavement in the area.

          These low sensitivity areas are the areas where access will be

          encouraged for future development.    Since no development is pro-

          posed, development potential has not been analyzed.

































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          SECTION 6.0    GENERAL LOCATION POLICIES




              The Raritan River Study Area was chosen for potential deve-

          lopment due to its location in the Township as well as the poten-

          tial for vehicular, pedestrian and marine access.


              The Municipal Boat Basin area was identified as an area for

          potential development due to its waterfront access, existing

          facilities and direct vehicular access from Meadow Road.          This

          area is in need of improvement in the parking layout, and the

          possible expansion of boat docking facilities in the area.        This

          site also has potential for the design of additional recreation

          facilities in the form of picnic areas and other amenities.


              The Patrol Road study area provides for vehicular access from

          Mill Road, proposed March Road and Pershing Avenue.      These roads

          provide the potential for direct access to the waterfront area.

          Possible development in this area includes nature trails, picnic

          areas, and fishing piers.       Development in this area will be

          planned in conjunction with the proposed Planned Unit Development

          in this area.    The existing bulkhead will provide the site with

          potential boat docking.    This area will need further evaluation

          and analysis to determine impacts of improvements and permitting

          process.


              The location is in accordance with coastal policy in that

          existing transportation corr-ido-'ris''will be used. Further develop-

          ment will also preserve, protect, and enhance the existing

          environment and should be identified in subsequent analysis.


                                            16









          SECTION 7.0  USE POLICIES




             Use policies are policies and conditions set forth for a par-

          ticular type of development.   The first use policy effected by

          the study area is Section 7:7E-7.3, which is resort/recreational

          use.  Through this study, two areas have been identified for

          future development. This enables the Township to be eligible for

          Green Acres and Shore Protection Bond Funding.


             Though the primary intent of this study is to identify areas

          of public access, additional areas were analyzed to determine

          future recreational development along the Raritan River. Future

          development of the boat basin area and Patrol Road area will be

          incorporated into future studies.





























                                          17









          SECTION 8.0    RESOURCE POLICIES



              Resource policies   provide for a review of the proposed deve-

          lopment in terms of its effect on various resources of the built

          and natural environment.     As previously stated, the purpose of

          this grant is to determine areas suitable for public access and

          no development is proposed.      Section 7:7E-8.11 of the Resource

          Policy Section defines public access to the waterfront as the

          ability of all members of the community to pass physically and

          visually to, from, and along the waterfront.


              Linear development in the form of a Patrol Road is currently

          the only roadway along the river in the western portion of the

          Township.     This roadway is     privately owned and access is

          restricted.    Additional roadway development is considered very

          speculative due to the environmental sensitivity of the land.

          Potential vehicular access also exists for the Patrol Road to the

          boat basin and from existing public rights-of-way within the

          Township.


              Any future development of these areas will provide fo             r

          appropriate signage as well as barrier free access to the areas.

          The boat basin currently provides an identification sign as well

          as barrier free access to the river. A linkage of the boat basin

          facility and the Patrol Road will require obtaining the right-of-


          ways.


               Additional resource po licies  such as traffic, wet soils, and

          flood prone areas will be further    examined in future studies when

          development is proposed.

                                            18









          SECTION 9.0    SYNTHESIS



              The access areas and study areas have been determined af ter

          careful consideration of the various planning and environmental

          characteristics of the waterfront area.       The Edison Municipal

          Boat Basin currently has existing vehicular and marine access to

          the site.   By upgrading these facilities in the form of parking

          alignment, boat docks and designed open space, the Township will

          be able to further address needs and the increased use of this


          area.



              The Patrol Road area represents the only potential for linear

          access to the river. By obtaining public access to this road and

          providing parking areas accordingly, the Township will have

          substantial additional area for waterfront recreation. This area

          has the potential for fishing piers, boat docks and nature trails

          that the residents of the Township can use for passive and active

          recreation.   This area will also be used by the residents of the

          Planned Unit Development.    once developed, the PUD will require

          removal of a portion of the Patrol Road, thus requiring residents

          to obtain access from one of the designated roadways indicated on

          the submitted drawings.


              Though no development is proposed in this study, the two

          areas identified are best suited for recreational development due

          to their location ' to adjacent facilities and transportation

          routes.   These areas will" provide for the protection and enhan-

          cement of the waterfront area for the future of Edison Township.



                                            19








         SECTION 10.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS



             This report was prepared under contract with the New Jersey
         Department of Environm'ental Protection, Division of Coastal

         Resources, Planning Group with the financial assistance of the

         U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric

         Administration, office of ocean and Coastal Resource Management,

         under the provisions of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act,

         P.L. 92-583, as amended.










































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