Ewing City Zoning Code
ARTICLE VI
Development Design Standards
§ 215-54 Purpose.
The purpose of the development design standards set forth in this article are to implement the general standards established elsewhere in this chapter and to provide appropriate development design standards for all development. For good and sufficient reasons properly documented, the Board may vary and/or waive these design standards and details as they may apply to a specific development application.
§ 215-55 Circulation and parking design standards.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1989-28; Ord. No. 1993-22; Ord. No. 1994-3]
A.
Off-street parking and loading areas.
(1)
Parking area design standards.
(a)
Access. There shall be adequate provision for ingress and egress to all parking spaces. The width of access drives or driveways shall be determined as part of site plan review depending on use, topography and similar considerations.
(b)
Size of aisles. The width of all aisles providing direct access to individual parking stalls shall be in accordance with the requirements of Article IV. Only one-way traffic shall be permitted in aisles serving single-row parking spaces placed at an angle other than 90°.
(c)
General location. Except where permitted in specific zone districts, off-street parking or loading areas shall not be located in a minimum required front yard. All parking shall be located in bays generally perpendicular to driveways or roads.
(d)
Location in different zones. No access drive, driveway or other means of ingress and egress shall be located in any residential zone to provide access to uses other than those permitted in such residential zones.
(e)
Sidewalks and curbing. Sidewalks between parking areas and principal structures, along aisles and driveways and wherever pedestrian traffic shall occur shall be provided with a minimum width of four feet of passable area and shall be raised six inches or more above the parking area except when crossing streets or driveways. Guardrails shall be provided in appropriate locations. Parked vehicles shall not overhang or extend over sidewalk areas unless an additional sidewalk width of 2 1/2 feet is provided to accommodate such overhang.
(f)
Paving. The surface of any off-street parking and/or loading area shall be constructed with a permanent pavement of a type specified and approved by the Township Engineer.
(2)
Other design criteria.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1989-28]
(a)
Landscaping and drainage.
[1]
Parking areas shall be suitably landscaped to minimize noise, glare and other nuisance characteristics as well as to enhance the environment and ecology of the site and surrounding area. Large parking lots shall be broken down into sections of not more than 60 cars and separated from other sections by landscaping, berms and similar elements. The parking areas shall have suitable drainage facilities as required by the Township Engineer.
[2]
Off-tract drainage facilities and structures requiring enlargement, modification or reconstruction resulting in part from or totally as the result of the proposed development shall be subject to off-tract improvement requirements and standards as established in this chapter.
(b)
Lighting. All parking areas shall be lighted to provide a minimum of one footcandle at intersections and an illumination of 0.5 footcandle throughout the parking areas as required in § 215-56. Such lighting shall be shielded in such a manner as not to create a hazard or nuisance to the adjoining properties or the traveling public.
(c)
Markings and access. Parking stalls, driveways and aisles shall be clearly marked and delineated. The Board may require certain areas to be maintained for fire-fighting or other emergency purposes, and these areas shall be appropriately designated.
(d)
General circulation and parking design principles.
[1]
Parking space allocations should be oriented to specific buildings, and parking areas should be linked to walkways to the buildings they serve.
[2]
Where pedestrians must cross service roads or access roads to reach parking areas, crosswalks should be clearly designated by pavement markings or signs. Crosswalk surfaces should be raised slightly to designate them to drivers, unless drainage problems would result. A one-way car movement (to the left or counterclockwise) should be encouraged. A major loop road should be developed around the parking areas, and parking bays should run perpendicular off the road.
[3]
Driveways should approach from the right to permit passengers to alight to or from the sidewalk.
[4]
Whenever possible, one-way traffic should be established at building entrances.
[5]
Where buses are a factor, bus shelters and bus indentation slots off the roadway should be provided.
[6]
Roads and driveways from main roads should be located at grade and not below the crest of vertical curves.
B.
Location of driveways.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1993-22; Ord. No. 1994-3]
(1)
Design.
(a)
All site entrance and exit driveways shall be located to afford maximum safety to traffic, provide for safe and convenient ingress and egress to and from the site, and to minimize conflict with the flow of traffic.
(b)
Any exit driveway or driveway lane shall be so designed in profile and grading and located to provide the following minimum sight distance measured in each direction. The measurements shall be from the driver's seat of a vehicle standing on that portion of the exit driveway with the front of the vehicle a minimum of 10 feet behind the curbline or edge of shoulder with the height of the eye 3.75 feet to the top of an object 4.5 feet above the pavement.
Allowable Speed (mph) | Required Sight Distance (feet) | |
|---|---|---|
25 | 150 | |
30 | 200 | |
35 | 250 | |
40 | 300 | |
45 | 350 | |
50 | 400 |
(c)
Except as may be regulated elsewhere in this chapter, where a site occupies a corner of two intersecting roads, no driveway entrance or exit shall be located within 50 feet of the point of tangency of the existing or proposed curb radius of that site.
(d)
Except as may be regulated elsewhere in this chapter, no part of any driveway shall be located within a minimum of 10 feet of a side property line. However, the Planning Board may permit a driveway serving two or more adjacent sites to be located on or within 10 feet of a side property line between adjacent sites.
(e)
Where two or more two-way driveways connect a single site to any one road, a minimum clear distance of 100 feet measured along the right-of-way line shall separate the closest edges of any two such driveways. If one driveway is two-way and one is a one-way driveway, the minimum distance shall be 75 feet.
(2)
Driveway angle.
(a)
Two-way operation. Driveways used for two-way operation shall intersect the road at an angle to as near 90° as site conditions will permit and in no case will be less than 60°.
(b)
One-way operation. Driveways used by vehicles in one direction of travel (right turn only) shall not form an angle smaller than 45° with a road, unless acceleration and deceleration lanes are provided.
(3)
Driveway dimensions. The dimensions of driveways shall be designed to adequately accommodate the volume and character of vehicles anticipated to be attracted daily onto the land development for which a site plan is prepared. The required maximum and minimum dimensions for driveways are indicated below. Driveways serving large volumes of daily traffic or traffic with over 15% truck traffic shall be required to utilize high to maximum dimensions.
One-Way Operation Driveway Width (feet) | Two-Way Operation Driveway Width (feet) | |
|---|---|---|
3- to 10-family residence | 10 to 15 | 15 to 25 |
10-family or over | 15 to 25 | 20 to 35 |
Commercial and industrial | 15 to 30 | 25 to 35 |
(4)
Driveway surfacing. The surface of any driveway shall be constructed with a permanent pavement of a type specified and approved by the Township Engineer. Such pavement shall extend to the paved portion on the road and shall extend throughout the area defined by the required driveway dimensions specified above.
(5)
Driveway profile. Any vertical curve on a driveway shall be flat enough to prevent the dragging of any vehicle undercarriage. Should the sidewalk be so close to the curb at a depressed curb driveway as to cause the ramp to be too steep and be likely to cause undercarriage drag, the sidewalk shall be appropriately lowered to provide a suitable ramp gradient.
C.
Acceleration lanes. Where a driveway serves right-turning traffic from a parking area providing 200 or more parking spaces, and the road has a peak-hour traffic volume exceeding 750 vehicles per hour, an acceleration lane shall be provided which is at least 200 feet long and at least 10 feet wide measured from the driveway to the acceleration lane.
D.
Deceleration lanes. Where a driveway serves as an entrance to a land development providing 100 or more parking spaces, a deceleration lane shall be provided for traffic turning right onto the driveway from the road. The deceleration lane shall be at least 200 feet long and at least 13 feet wide measured from the road curbline. A minimum thirty-five-foot curb return radius shall be used from the deceleration lane onto the driveway.
E.
Residential driveways. Where a driveway serves a single-family home, the driveway may be paved up to 25 feet wide. Calculation of the parking area potential shall be limited to two car spaces in width but a length of 20 feet shall be used upon determining the driveway's capacity with stacking being a consideration therein.
[Added 7-24-2018 by Ord. No. 18-17]
§ 215-56 Lighting.
Design standards.
A.
Plans for all proposed exterior lighting shall include the location, type and height of light, standard, radius of light, manufacturer's specification sheet, and intensity in footcandles.
B.
The following design standards shall be followed:
(1)
The style of the light and light standard shall be consistent with the architectural style of the principal building and with area development.
(2)
The maximum height of freestanding lights shall be the same as the principal building but not exceeding 25 feet.
(3)
All lights shall be shielded to restrict the maximum apex angle of the cone of illumination to 150°.
(4)
Where lights along property lines will be visible to adjacent residents, the lights should be appropriately shielded.
(5)
Spotlight-type fixtures attached to buildings should be avoided.
(6)
Freestanding lights shall be so located and protected to avoid being easily damaged by vehicles.
(7)
Lighting should be located along streets, parking areas, at intersections, and where various types of circulation systems merge, intersect or split.
(8)
Pathways, sidewalks and trails should be lighted with low or mushroom-type standards.
(9)
Stairways and sloping or rising paths, building entrances and exits require illumination.
(10)
Lighting should be provided where buildings are set back or offset.
(11)
The following intensity in footcandles should be provided:
§ 215-57 Landscaping.
[Amended 10-8-2013 by Ord. No. 13-36; 11-10-2020 by Ord. No. 20-17]
A.
Purpose and intent. To produce a more attractive and manageable built landscape with increased diversity of color, texture, fragrance and screening potential, the plant material schedule[1] places more emphasis on noninvasive plant materials that have proven resistance to pests and disease, serve as food source for native wildlife where appropriate, and better overall capability of the plant material to perform the tasks for which it was selected (i.e., more consistent buffering and screening, better floral and fall color display, etc.). Generally, the Township's design standards pertaining to landscaping serve to:
(1)
Enhance aesthetic appeal: residential character and an attractive place to conduct business.
(2)
Be functional: improve environmental quality, reduce energy consumption, etc.
(3)
Support diversity: benefit wildlife and strengthen ecological systems.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Plant Species Schedule is included as an attachment to this chapter.
B.
A comprehensive landscaping plan shall be prepared by a licensed landscape architect (LLA), horticulturist, or certified professional landscaping designer, and a tree replacement plan prepared by a the LLA, certified forester, silviculturists or horticulturalist, and shall be submitted in accordance with this chapter for review and approval by the appropriate review Board. Every applicant for subdivision or site plan approval shall comply with the minimum standards as set forth in this section. Specifically, all plans shall:
(1)
Identify existing and proposed trees, shrubs, bushes, plant material, ground cover and natural features. The landscape plan may not include any species identified as an invasive species under Chapter 215, Attachment 9.
(2)
Show the locations, genus and species of all individual trees or groups of trees having a DPM of four inches or more, and these trees shall also be written on a list attached to the plan.
(3)
Indicate common and botanical names of the species, spacing, height and/or caliper and quantity of each plant.
(4)
Show the limits of disturbance and areas reserved for the stockpiling of soil and storage of equipment and temporary fencing, which shall not be within 10 feet from the dripline of any tree.
(5)
Coordinate all plans with the grading plan, environmental orientation, areas of disturbance, and architecture within the development program.
(6)
Show the structures on the property, utility lines, waste lines, septic fields and storage tanks.
(7)
Show comprehensive details for tree plantings, such as plant pits, backfill mix, guying, etc.
(8)
Proposed methods to maintain and protect the existing trees and growth during and after construction, including fences, berms, curbing, tree wells and similar devices.
(9)
Note any pruning or maintenance proposed and/or required to improve the health and quality of the remaining vegetation including removal of invasive species of vegetation, as provided under Chapter 215, Attachment 9, which are detrimental to the health of the species to remain.
(10)
All plans shall be to scale and sealed.
(11)
Approved landscape plans must be maintained in perpetuity for all commercial developments and specifically street trees and/or shade trees along the street edge.
C.
All land areas not covered with buildings, parking, or other impervious surfaces shall be landscaped with suitable materials. Landscaping shall consist of trees, shrubs, ground cover, lawn, perennials, and annuals, as well as other inanimate materials such as rocks, water, sculpture, art, walls, fences, and paving materials. As such, the following principles apply to all landscape plans:
(1)
Locate landscaping to provide for climate control. For example, shade trees on the south to shield the summer sun and evergreens on the north for windbreaks from prevailing winter winds, as well as snow storage.
(2)
Use landscaping to accent and complement buildings. For example, groupings of tall trees to break up long, low buildings; mixing foundation plantings with shrubs and trees to provide visual interest.
(3)
Landscaping shall also be provided in all public access points, around signage, and any recreational amenities that may be designed on site.
(4)
Vines and climbing plants should be considered for large expanses of walls.
(5)
Consider massing trees at critical points rather than in a straight line at predetermined intervals along streets.
(6)
Consider context when selecting trees species for all streets, new and existing.
(7)
Ground cover should be used to prevent erosion on slopes.
(8)
Provide for a variety and a diverse mixture of landscaping. The variety should consider susceptibility to disease, colors, season, textures, shapes, blossoms and foliage.
(9)
Local soil conditions and water availability should be considered in the choice of landscaping. All plants shall be tolerant of specific site conditions. Consider soil amenities and design solutions to improve the survival rate of plantings.
(10)
Consider the impact of any proposed landscaping plan at various time intervals and the need to be maintained to stay in compliance with approval. Ensure that both winter and summer conditions are considered.
(11)
All landscaping is required to be planted at a caliper in accordance with the Plant Species Schedule.[2] However, the size of the material may change based upon the desired effect and timeline to establish, for example, buffering. All material should be delivered and installed in accordance with the standards as established by the latest publication of the American Association of Nurserymen.
[2]
Editor's Note: The Plant Species Schedule is included as an attachment to this chapter.
(12)
Entrances to sites deserve special landscaping treatments.
(13)
Existing large trees shall be saved by not varying the grade around the trees. Ninety percent of the fine roots of trees are in the upper six inches to 12 inches of the soil. No excavation or fill should be allowed under the dripline. In addition, so as to avoid compaction, no storage of any materials or machinery should be allowed under a tree to be saved. Maximum effort shall be made to save clumps of trees rather than individual ones, particularly when habitat continuity has the opportunity to be preserved. Please refer to the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) for further information.
(14)
In parking lots, all landscaping shall be in accordance with the standards set forth below.
(15)
All landscaping in parking areas shall be carefully located so as not to obstruct vision. A variety of different types of trees should be grouped to break up the mass of cars.
(16)
All minimum planting standards shall be in accordance with the Plant Species Schedule per the material chosen.
(17)
Irrigation is recommended to ensure survival of new plantings. During the months of May through September, water bags shall be provided for all new tree plantings.
(18)
All landscaping placed upon any property approved for subdivision or site plan shall consist of 45% native plants and trees. Invasive species shall be restricted. A list of recommended species, both native, nonnative, and invasive, is provided herein.
D.
Standards.
(1)
Shade trees along the street edge and/or right-of-way (aka Street Trees). Trees shall be installed on both sides of all streets in accordance with an approved landscape plan. Trees shall be single trunk and spaced evenly along the street within or adjacent to the right-of-way within five to 10 feet or within an easement. All minimum planting standards shall be in accordance with the Plant Species Schedule[3] per the material chosen.
(a)
Trees shall be planted in accordance with proper streetscape design. The Township seeks to place all street trees outside of the sidewalk area and not between the curb and sidewalk. Whenever feasible, trees should be identified and placed to facilitate growth without need of major upkeep in pruning and/or sidewalk repair. In commercial areas with wider sidewalks that extend to the curb, trees shall be placed in tree wells with root-guard systems. Such tree wells shall have sufficient soil volume to support tree growth. At intersections, trees shall be located in a manner which will not violate the sight clearance triangle area. Where the area between sidewalk and curb proves insufficient, alternate solutions will be sought. All trees, however, shall be maintained in perpetuity by the property owner.
(b)
Spacing.
[1]
When trees are planted at predetermined intervals along streets, spacing shall depend on tree size.
[2]
Planting interval (in feet); trees may be planted closer together, in order to avoid interference with utilities, roadways, sidewalks, sight easements, and streetlights; tree size at maturity (height in feet):
[3]
In the R-1, R-2 and R-3 Zones the following shall apply:
Zone | Interior Lots (number of trees per conforming lot) | Corner Lots (number of trees per street frontage) |
|---|---|---|
R-1 | 3 | 3 |
R-2 | 2 | 2 |
R-3 | 2 | 2 |
[4]
Shade trees along a street edge, where possible, shall not be planted opposite each other along a street but shall be planted in a staggered or alternate pattern of spacing.
(c)
Tree type may vary depending on overall effect desired. As a general rule, all trees shall be large deciduous trees except as needed to achieve the desired effect. Tree selection shall be approved by the board in consultation with the Environmental Commission. Alternate selections may be approved at the discretion of the board. Final tree selection should accommodate existing/proposed overhead wires to avoid severe pruning, and be diverse so as to avoid monocultures and protect against disease.
(d)
Timing. The Board and Township Engineer shall arrange for the proper timing of shade tree planting per the species selected. Trees shall not be planted except when the soil is frost-free and friable. Dead or diseased trees shall be replaced by the developer during the next recommended planting season.
(e)
Planting details. All street trees shall be planted in accordance with the following requirements:
[1]
Plant pits. Plant pits shall be two times the diameter of the root ball and the depth shall be that of the height of the root ball, and in all cases shall contain the minimum of fibrous roots of the tree.
[2]
Backfill mix. The backfill mix shall be composed of existing soil and can be augmented with clean topsoil. Existing subsoil shall be fractured.
[3]
Staking and guying. Please refer to the Planting Detail Graphics Section[4] below. Further, all guys and stakes must be removed after one growing season, and is the responsibility of the contractor or installer.
[4]
Editor's Note: The Planting Detail Graphics Section is included as an attachment to this chapter.
[4]
Wrapping. Should only be used where snow-burn is likely. In all cases, wrapping must be removed after one growing season.
[5]
Pruning. Trees shall be pruned to preserve their natural character. Only broken, diseased, and crossing limbs should be pruned off.
[6]
Burlap shall be removed from the top 1/3 of the root ball prior to backfilling. All synthetic fabrics and wire gauges must be removed in their entirety.
[7]
Mulch. Should not exceed three inches, and the "volcano effect" is to be avoided. And, as shown in the Planting Detail Graphics Section,[5] mulch must not touch the stem or trunk of trees and shrubs.
[5]
Editor's Note: The Planting Detail Graphics Section is included as an attachment to this chapter.
[8]
Watering. During the months of May through September, water bags shall be provided for all new tree plantings.
(f)
Maintenance of the trees in the public right-of-way are the adjacent property owners' responsibility.
[3]
Editor's Note: The Plant Species Schedule is included as an attachment to this chapter.
(2)
Shade tree requirements. Subdivisions of two lots or more shall require a minimum of two shade trees for every 10,000 square feet of lot area in addition to the required street trees.
(3)
Foundation plantings. Foundation plants shall be installed along all sides of commercial property that front a public street in accordance with an approved landscape plan by the appropriate board. Such plantings shall include, but not be limited to, shrubs identified in the Plant Species Schedule,[6] and should include a variety of species, flowering and evergreen. Such plant landscaping shall be clearly visible from the edge of the public right-of-way upon installation. A minimum of 60% for each frontage shall be required.
[6]
Editor's Note: The Plant Species Schedule is included as an attachment to this chapter.
(4)
Stormwater detention/retention.
(a)
Naturalization of stormwater basins in order to attract wildlife and eventually reduce maintenance (once plants are established) is a desired effect. Designing detention basins into a vegetated water quality basin or an extended detention basin is a BMP designed to maximize the flow path through the basin, slow the flow of stormwater through the basin, improve how plants use stormwater to increase absorption and evapotranspiration, filter and trap common runoff pollutants, promote soil saturation/groundwater recharge, and increase evaporation of stormwater. Basin conversions generally involve removing concrete low-flow channels, modifying outlet structures so basins hold water from small storms, regrading to modify flow path, and revegetating with native species.
(b)
Applicants are particularly encouraged to create a more natural environment for those design solutions that are located adjacent to woodlands and public open spaces. Materials utilized should consider low-maintenance landscaping that thrives in the associated hydrologic conditions as well as consideration of leaf drop and the clogging of facilities subject to review and acceptance by the Township Engineer. Regardless of maintenance needs, all basins shall maintain a mowed edge. All design solutions should work in concert with other low-impact solutions, such as but not limited to, bioswale systems. Other features such as birdhouses, etc., are encouraged.
(c)
Taken from the New Jersey Stormwater Management Rules, N.J.A.C. 7:8, et seq., stormwater management measures shall be designed to provide erosion control, groundwater recharge, stormwater runoff quantity, and stormwater runoff quality treatment as provided under Article XIV, Stormwater Control.
(d)
Generally, industrial-type grass seed mix which requires low maintenance and infrequent mowing should be utilized. For planting within the basin area, recommended species for detention/retention basins include but are not limited to:
Common name | Scientific name | Type |
|---|---|---|
Woody Plants | ||
Redbud | Cercis canadensis | Seed bank |
Sycamore | Platanus occidentalist | Seed bank |
Cottonwood | Populus deltoides | Seed bank |
Black willow | Salix nigra | Seed bank |
Elderberry | Sambucus canadensis | Sapling |
Ferns | ||
Sensitive fern | Onoclea sensibilis | Rooted transplant |
Rushes and sedges | ||
Frank's sedge | Carex frankli | Seed bank |
Fox sedge | Carex vulpinoidea | Seed |
Fox sedge | Carex vulpinoidea | Rooted transplant |
Umbrella sedge | Cyperus alternifolius | Seed bank |
Spikerush | Eleocharis acicularis | Seed bank |
Common spikerush | Eleocharis obtusa | Seed bank |
Squareside spikerush | Eleocharis quadrangulata | Rooted transplant |
Soft rush | Juncus effusus | Seed |
Rufous bulrush | Scirpus pendulus | Seed bank |
Smooth bulrush | Scirpus validus | Rooted transplant |
Grasses | ||
Big bluestem | Andropogon gerardi | Seed |
Barnyard grass | Echinochloa crusgalli | Seed bank |
Riverbank wild rye | Elymus riparius | Seed |
Fowl mana grass | Glyceria striata | Seed |
Rice cutgrass | Leersia oryzoides | Seed bank |
Paspalurn grass | Paspalum sp. | Seed bank |
Eastern gama grass | Tripsacum dactyloides | Seed |
Herbs | ||
Sweet flag | Acorus americanus | Rooted transplant |
Water plantain | Alisma subcordatum | Rooted transplant |
Swamp milkweed | Asclepias incarnate | Plug |
Plains tickseed | Coreopsis tinctoria | Seed bank |
Dog fennel | Eupatorium capillifolium | Seed bank |
Late boneset | Eupatorium serotinum | Seed bank |
Swamp rosemallow | Hibiscus moscheutos | Rooted transplant |
Southern blueflag iris | Iris virginica | Plug |
Marsh blazing star | Listris spicata | Seed |
Turk's-cap lily | Lilium superbum | Plug |
Cardinal flower | Lobelia cardinalis | Plug |
Great lobelia | Lobelia siphilitica | Plug |
Alternate-leaved seedbox | Ludwigia alternifolia | Seed bank |
American bugleweed | Lycopsus americanus | Seed bank |
Monkey flower | Mimulus ringens | Seed bank |
Pennsylvania smartweed | Polygonum pensylvanicum | Seed |
Pickerelweed | Pontederia cordata | Rooted transplant |
Heal all | Prunella vulgaris | Seed bank |
Common arrowhead | Sagittaria latifolia | Rooted transplant |
Lizard's tail | Saururus cemuus | Plug |
Goatsbeard | Tragopogon dubius | Seed bank |
Cattail | Typha latifolia | Seed bank |
Ironweed | Vemonia noveboracensis | Seed |
(5)
Bioswales/rain gardens. Bioswales and rain gardens may be required and/or utilized with other aspects of this section. Generally, bioswales shall be constructed as follows:
(a)
Width: may vary but generally sufficient to hold the volumes the bioswale is designed for.
(b)
Planting mix: typically a three-foot-six-inch to four-foot planting mix lined with nonwoven geotextile fabric.
(c)
Exfiltration trench: below planting mix of sufficient depth and width filled with 6A stone, lined with nonwoven geotextile fabric, and six-inch corrugated pipe designed to handle the intended volumes.
(d)
Other design considerations. All bioswales shall be constructed to be located two feet above the seasonal high-water table.
 |
(6)
Buffering. Plantings shall include a variety of trees and shrubs (deciduous and evergreen), unless not practical or better screening would be provided with a single species, interwoven to create the desired visual screening of sufficient height to be an effective screen and give maximum protection and immediate visual screening. Buffers may also require hardscape and/or grading techniques to achieve the desired effect.
(7)
Parking facility design requirements.
(a)
Parking facilities shall be suitably landscaped to minimize noise, glare, and other nuisance characteristics as well as to enhance the environment and ecology of the site and surrounding area. The parking areas shall have suitable drainage facilities as required by the Township Engineer.
(b)
All parking facility landscaping shall consider, and coordinate with, the internal and external circulation and access by pedestrians and bicycles.
(c)
All parking facilities along a public street shall have street trees planted in accordance with the Plant Species Schedule.[7]
[7]
Editor's Note: The Plant Species Schedule is included as an attachment to this chapter.
(d)
Generally, one tree for every eight parking spaces shall be required in accordance with the size of facility and standards in this section.
(e)
All parking facilities of more than 18 spaces or 6,000 square feet in size shall be buffered along the perimeter of the road frontage with a combination of deciduous and evergreen plantings of suitable size to buffer the facility from view. Specifically:
[1]
Ensure at least five feet of public sidewalk along the public right-of- way, screening beds must be seven feet wide.
[2]
Depending on the presence of the overhead wires, street trees may be contained and credited within such screening area. Otherwise, screening will be in addition to the required street trees.
[3]
Small trees will be provided 30 feet on-center and staggered within the streetscape design along parking facilities.
[4]
Evergreen shrubbery of suitable size to screen the facility from view will be provided and maintained at a height of three to four feet tall.
[5]
Optional decorative fence or wall maintained at a height of three to four feet may also be incorporated into the landscaped parking facility screen. Should such fence be provided, landscape requirements are not relieved but may be reduced upon approval by the board.
[6]
Pedestrian breaks must be provided to coincide with pedestrian on-site circulation patterns.
(f)
All parking facilities of more than 36 spaces or 12,000 square feet in size shall contain interior landscaped islands, including:
[1]
All interior aisles shall be capped with islands at least eight feet in width and 35 feet long and planted with two canopy trees. Other aisle caps shall be the length of the parking stall.
[2]
Groundcover and evergreen shrubs (two to three feet tall) shall be provided, but not within the site triangles at intersections.
[3]
No more than 18 contiguous spaces are permitted without a landscaped break.
[4]
For facilities of 350 spaces or 115,000 square feet in size, every other parking aisle (or four rows of parking stalls) must include a landscaped island that meets the following requirements:
[5]
Curb stops are permitted only in concert with stormwater retention cells designed for and within landscaped islands.
(g)
The design of parking facilities shall consider environmental conditions such as snow removal and leaf collection.
(h)
When and where appropriate as determined by the board in consultation with its professionals, some of the tree requirement for parking facilities may be substituted in locations determined by the board to be more suitable; such as along street frontages and natural areas.
(8)
Planting details. Planting details shall be provided on all landscape plans and in accordance with the standards as established by the latest publication of the American Association of Nurserymen.
§ 215-58 Performance standards for all uses.
An application for a construction permit shall provide documentation that the intended use will comply with the performance standards enumerated below. In the case of a structure being built where the future use is not known, a construction permit may be issued with the conditions that no certificate of occupancy will be issued until such time as this documentation is submitted with respect to the particular occupant.
A.
Electrical and/or electronic devices. All electric or electronic devices shall be subject to the provisions of Public Law 90-602, 90th Congress, HR 10790, dated October 18, 1968, entitled "An Act for the Protection of Public Health and Safety from the Dangers of Electronic Product Radiation." Radiation products, as defined in DHEW Publications No. (FDA) 75-8003, shall be so limited and controlled so that no measurable energy can be recorded at any point beyond the property boundaries. The applicant, upon request, shall produce certified data wherein measurements made in accordance with the procedures and standards set forth in the DHEW Publication No. (FDA) 75-8003 adequately demonstrate compliance with the minimum standards established by the act. All other forms of electromagnetic radiation lying between 100 KHz and 10 GHz shall be restricted to the technical limits established in the Federal Communications Commission's rules and regulations. Additionally, electric or electronic equipment shall be shielded so there is no interference with any radio or television reception at the lot line (or beyond the operator's dwelling unit in the case of multifamily dwellings) as the result of the operation of such equipment.
B.
Glare. No use shall produce a strong, dazzling light or reflection of a strong, dazzling light or glare beyond its lot lines. Exterior lighting shall be shielded, buffered and directed so that glare, direct light or reflection will not become a nuisance to adjoining properties, adjoining units, adjoining districts or streets.
C.
Heat. No use shall produce heat perceptible beyond its lot lines. Further, no use shall be permitted which could cause the temperature to rise or fall in any body of water, except that this provision shall not apply to any sewerage treatment plant which has received approval by the State Department of Environmental Protection.
D.
Noise. Noise levels shall be designated and operated in accordance with local regulations and those rules established by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, as they may be adopted and amended.
E.
Odor. Odors shall not be discernible at the lot line or beyond.
F.
Storage and waste disposal. No provision shall be made for the depositing of materials or waste upon a lot where they may be transferred off the lot by natural causes or forces or where they can contaminate an underground aquifer or otherwise render such an underground aquifer undesirable as a source of water supply or recreation or where they will destroy aquatic life. Provision shall be made for all material or waste which might cause fumes or dust or which constitute a fire hazard or which may be edible or otherwise attractive to rodents and insects to be enclosed in appropriate containers to eliminate such hazards.
G.
Ventilation. No use shall obstruct the natural ventilation of adjacent uses nor contaminate the air with excessive heat or odor. Further, no air conditioners or exhaust fans shall be permitted to discharge exhausted air unless set back from all property lines 10 feet or equipped with baffles to deflect the discharged air away from the adjacent use.
H.
Vibration. There shall be no vibration which is discernible to the human senses of feeling beyond the immediate lot.
§ 215-59 Public utilities.
A.
Design standards. All public services shall be connected to an approved public utilities system where one exists. The developer shall arrange with the servicing utility for the underground installation of the distribution supply lines and service connections, in accordance with the provisions of the applicable standard terms and conditions incorporated as part of its tariff, as the same are on file with the New Jersey State Board of Public Utility Commissioners; provided, however, that lots which abut existing streets where overhead electric or telephone distribution supply lines and service connections have heretofore been installed may be supplied with electric and telephone service from these overhead lines, but any new service connections from the utilities' overhead lines shall be installed underground. In cases where extension of service is needed to existing or new buildings in established subdivisions or developments, the present method of service may be continued.
(1)
Upon submission of preliminary plats or plans for approval, the developer shall present a statement of interest, setting forth all public utility companies to serve the tract and a letter from each company stating that service will be available to the development. Any deviation from the statement of interest shall null and void any approvals granted by the Township.
(2)
Prior to the preconstruction meeting proceeding the commencement of construction, the developer shall furnish the Administrative Officer a copy of the agreements with the applicable public utility companies certifying the jurisdiction of the public utility company for the particular portion of the Township, indicating agreement with the proposed utility installation design, and stating who will construct the facility so that service will be available prior to occupancy. The form of such agreement(s) shall be reviewed and approved by the Township Attorney prior to the commencement of construction.
(3)
The developer shall provide the Township with four copies of a final as-built plan showing the installed location of the facilities.
B.
Easements. Easements along property lines or elsewhere for utility installation may be required. Such easements shall be at least 15 feet wide and located in consultation with the companies or Township departments concerned and, to the fullest extent possible, shall be centered on or adjacent to lot lines. Such easement dedication shall be expressed on the plat or plan as follows: "Utility right-of-way easement granted for the purposes provided for and expressed in the Land Development Ordinance of Ewing Township."
§ 215-60 Sanitary sewers and septic systems.
A.
Sanitary sewer lines. Where a public wastewater treatment plant and collection system is accessible, or where such facilities are to be constructed as a condition of approval of any application for development, the developer shall construct such wastewater treatment facilities and/or sanitary sewer lines and building connections in accordance with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection permit requirements and/or Ewing-Lawrence Sewerage Authority and in such a manner as to make adequate sewage treatment available to each lot and building within the development.
B.
Surface sewage disposal systems.
(1)
Where, in the written opinion of the Board of Health to the Board, the soil characteristics of the subject land are of such quality to permit the use of individual subsurface sewage disposal systems as a temporary means of sewage disposal, the same may be approved in the absence of accessibility to a public wastewater treatment plant or the construction of such treatment facilities by the developer.
(2)
In the event of approval of the use of individual subsurface sewage disposal systems, the Board additionally may require the installation of sanitary sewer lines, including connections to each building, for future use when public sewage treatment facilities are provided to serve the realty improvements to be constructed in the development.
§ 215-61 Water supply.
A.
Public water service. Where public water is accessible, water mains and hydrants shall be constructed in such a manner as to make adequate water service available to each lot or building within the development. The entire system shall be designed in accordance with the requirements and standards of the local and/or state agency having approval authority and shall be subject to their approval. The system shall also be designed with adequate capacity and sustained pressure and in a looped system with no dead-end lines, whenever possible.
B.
Wells. Where no public water is accessible, water shall be furnished on an individual-lot basis. If wells are installed on each lot and the lot also contains its own sewage disposal facilities, the wells shall be of the drilled type with a minimum 50 feet of casing where possible or, where such minimum footage of casing is not, 20 feet into unweathered rock. Well installation, sealing and testing shall be in accordance with the New Jersey Standards for Construction of Water Supply Systems in Realty Improvements (Chapter 199 of the Public Laws of 1954), as amended, and in accordance with the guidelines and resolutions adopted by the Township Board of Health. Prior to being placed in consumer use and prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy for any building served by the well, the developer shall certify to the Township Board of Health that he/she complied with all applicable state and local regulations.
§ 215-62 Drainage.
[Amended 1-26-2016 by Ord. No. 16-01]
A.
Design standards. All streets shall be provided with manholes, catch basins and pipes where the same may be necessary for proper drainage. The requirements of this section shall not be satisfied with the construction of dry wells.
(1)
The system shall be adequate to carry off the stormwater and natural drainage water which originates not only within the lot or tract boundaries, but also that which originates beyond the lot or tract boundaries in their current state of development. The system shall be extended along the full length of any road improvement. No stormwater runoff or natural drainage water shall be so diverted as to overload existing drainage systems to create flooding or the need for additional drainage structures on other private properties or public lands without proper and approved provisions being made to taking care of these conditions; under the sidewalk drains and through the curb drains for the purpose of disposing sump pump runoff is prohibited. These facilities must outlet into an adequate watercourse or drainage system.
(2)
Techniques for computing water runoff shall be as follows, and all submissions shall include drainage calculations and drainage area maps:
(3)
Bridges and culverts shall be designed for one-hundred-year-storm minimum flow capacities.
(4)
All materials used in the construction of storm sewers, bridges and other drainage structures shall be in accordance with the specifications of the Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction of the New Jersey Highway Department, current edition, and any supplements, addenda and modifications thereto unless otherwise specified by the reviewing municipal agency. Modifications or changes of these specifications may be requested by the applicant but may be implemented only with the knowledge and written consent of the Township Engineer after discussion with the reviewing municipal agency.
(5)
Pipe sizes shall be determined by acceptable drainage design procedures, provided that the pipe size in a surface water drainage system shall in no instance be less than 15 inches in diameter.
(6)
Drainage inlets shall be located at all intersections, with inlets on both sides of a street at intervals of not more than 400 feet or such shorter distances as required to prevent the flow of surface water from exceeding six cubic feet per second at the drainage inlet. Access manholes shall be placed at maximum five-hundred-foot intervals throughout the system and at pipe junctions where there are no drainage inlets.
(7)
Lots shall be graded away from the building(s) at a minimum two-percent grade in order to secure proper drainage. Additionally, drainage shall be provided in a manner which will prevent the collection of stormwater in pools or other unauthorized concentrations of flow, and water shall not flow across adjacent property lines at greater than predevelopment rates.
(8)
Detention or retention basins will be required to hold stormwater runoff such that discharge from the site will not exceed predevelopment rates. A waiver of this provision may be granted only when the applicant shows that the additional runoff resulting from the proposed development will be negligible. When detention or retention basins are required, the outlet from the detention facility must require that 90% of the runoff from 1 1/4 inches of rainfall, falling in two hours, be retained so that not over 90% will be evacuated prior to 36 hours. The following exceptions to this provision will be acceptable in any case:
(a)
Detention will not be required to an extent which would reduce the outlet size to a diameter less than three inches;
(b)
Dry basins serving residential projects may allow evacuation of 90% in 18 hours;
(c)
In cases where runoff is from single-family housing and unimproved areas only, and where the runoff enters detention basins after moving by sheet flow over at least 30 feet of lawn or leaf mulch areas, outlets shall be designed so that retention storage, when full, will be 90% evacuated over 12 hours.
(9)
Approval of drainage structures shall be obtained from the appropriate municipal, county, state and federal agencies and offices when applicable. Each applicant shall make application to the State Division of Water Policy and Supply of the Department of Environmental Protection, the Mercer County Engineering Department, the Township Engineer and the D & R Canal Commission. Final approval shall not be effective until letters of approval from the proper governmental authorities shall be furnished to the secretary of the Planning Board or the secretary of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, as the case may be, with a copy of each letter forwarded to the Township Engineer.
(10)
Drainage right-of-way easement.
(a)
When required by the Township and as indicated on an approved development plan, a drainage right-of-way easement shall be provided to the Township where a tract or lot is traversed by a watercourse, surface or underground drainageway or drainage system, channel or stream.
(b)
The drainage right-of-way easement shall conform substantially with the lines of such watercourse and, in any event, shall meet any minimum widths and locations as shown on any adopted official map or master plan. Such easement shall be expressed on the plat and the grantee named.
(11)
For site plan submission consisting of 50 acres or more and subdivision submissions consisting of 50 lots or more, the applicant shall provide an analysis of any additional water which will drain from the site as a result of the proposed site plan and/or subdivision, such analysis to specifically document the anticipated impact that the increased water flow will have upon existing drainage structures located between the site and the downstream municipal boundary line(s).
(12)
Storm drain inlets shall comply with the following standard to control passage of solid and floatable materials through storm drain inlets. For purposes of this subsection, "solid and floatable materials" means sediment, debris, trash, and other floating, suspended, or settleable solids. For exemptions to this standard see § 215-62A(12)(c) below.
(a)
Design engineers shall use either of the following grates whenever they use a grate in pavement or another ground surface to collect stormwater from that surface into a storm drain or surface water body under that grate:
[1]
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) bicycle safe grate, which is described in Chapter 2.4 of the NJDOT Bicycle Compatible Roadways and Bikeways Planning and Design Guidelines (April 1996); or
[2]
A different grate, if each individual clear space in that grate has an area of no more than seven square inches, or is no greater than 0.5 inch across the smallest dimension.
[3]
Examples of grates subject to this standard include grates in grate inlets, the grate portion (non-curb-opening portion) of combination inlets, grates on storm sewer manholes, ditch grates, trench grates, and grates of spacer bars in slotted drains. Examples of ground surfaces include surfaces of roads (including bridges), driveways, parking areas, bikeways, plazas, sidewalks, lawns, fields, open channels, and stormwater basin floors.
(b)
Whenever design engineers use a curb-opening inlet, the clear space in that curb opening (or each individual clear space, if the curb opening has two or more clear spaces) shall have an area of no more than seven square inches, or shall be no greater than two inches across the smallest dimension.
(c)
This standard does not apply:
[1]
Where the Municipal Engineer agrees that this standard would cause inadequate hydraulic performance that could not practicably be overcome by using additional or larger storm drain inlets that meet these standards;
[2]
Where flows are conveyed through any device (e.g., end of pipe netting facility, manufactured treatment device, or a catch basin hood) that is designed, at a minimum, to prevent delivery of all solid and floatable materials that could not pass through one of the following:
[3]
Where flows are conveyed through a trash rack that has parallel bars with one-inch spacing between the bars; or
[4]
Where the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection determines, pursuant to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places Rules at N.J.A.C. 7:4-7.2(c), that action to meet this standard is an undertaking that constitutes an encroachment or will damage or destroy the New Jersey Register listed historic property.
§ 215-63 Fences, walls and hedges.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1989-30; 2-8-2000 by Ord. No. 00-02]
A.
Design standards.
(1)
All permitted fences shall be situated on a lot in such a manner that the finished side of the fence shall face adjacent properties. No fence shall be erected of barbed wire, topped with metal spikes, nor constructed of any material or in any manner which may be dangerous to persons or animals, except that these provisions shall not apply to farms.
(2)
No fence, wall or hedge shall be permitted to adversely affect visibility at either street or driveway intersections within the space defined as a sight triangle or sight triangle easement as specified in Article VII.
(3)
On any lot in any zone, no fence, wall or hedge shall be erected or altered so that said fence, wall or hedge shall be over four feet in height in front yard areas and six feet in height in side and rear yard areas, with the following provisions and exceptions:
(a)
Living hedges may grow to an unlimited height in side and rear yard areas, provided that no portion of the hedge shall be permitted to encroach over adjacent property lines.
(b)
A private residential swimming pool, located in rear yards only, shall be surrounded by a fence at least four feet but no more than six feet in height with a self-latching gate.
§ 215-64 Trash and recycling storage.
[Amended by Ord. No. 1991-22]
A.
General. The purpose of these design standards is to provide direction to applicants in the location, size, design and screening of exterior facilities for the temporary storage of solid waste, trash and recyclable materials. All nonresidential and multifamily developments shall provide trash and recycling storage areas in accordance with these standards. Alternatively, such facilities shall either be provided within an enclosed and roofed conforming structure on the property, or said use shall otherwise demonstrate that such facilities are not required for that particular use.
B.
Storage area location.
(1)
Trash and recycling storage facilities shall be located in side and rear yards only and shall be set back at least 10 feet from a side property line and at least five feet from a rear property line.
(2)
The recommended storage facility location for a nonresidential use is at the rear of the building it serves, near to any loading area, and out of view from the public street. For multifamily residential uses, the recommended location is within or adjacent to a tenant parking area.
(3)
The placement of a dumpster or other trash and/or recycling container on an approved parking space shall be considered a change in any approved site plan for the use and shall require Planning Board review and approval.
C.
Storage facility size. Trash and recycling storage facilities shall be large enough to meet the needs of the particular use they are intended to serve. Facility capacity requirements will depend upon the trash and recycling demands of the particular use and the frequency of removal. It shall be the responsibility of an applicant to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Planning Board that the proposed capacity of storage facilities will be adequate. The applicant shall provide estimates of trash and recyclable material generation in terms of cubic feet of storage space required per week per type of material to be stored.
D.
Storage enclosure design.
(1)
Trash and recycling storage facilities shall include a four-inch-thick reinforced concrete pad base over four inches of compacted stone, and shall be surrounded on three sides by a masonry wall or solid wood board fence. If the open side of the enclosure is visible from the public street or from a public use area, a solid gate shall be provided.
(2)
Recycling material storage areas shall be roofed. If freestanding, fully enclosed, recycling material storage containers are utilized, the required solid enclosure may be omitted, provided that the storage area is enclosed by an acceptable landscape screen (see below).
(3)
Storage areas for organic material may be enclosed on three sides by an acceptable landscape screen (see below).
(4)
Trash and recycling storage facilities for multifamily residential developments shall be housed within roofed accessory structures. Such structures shall be similar, in terms of building design and building materials, to the principal structures.
E.
Landscape screening. Where utilized as a permitted alternative to a structural enclosure, landscape screening for trash and recycling storage areas shall consist of evergreen plantings at least four feet in height at time of installation and spaced so as to provide a continuous visual screen.
F.
Construction materials recycling. Provisions for the collection, disposition and recycling of construction materials within any development proposal for the construction of 50 or more units of single-family housing or 25 or more units of multifamily housing, and within any nonresidential development proposal for the utilization of 1,000 square feet or more of land area, shall be indicated on any required site plan or subdivision application.
[Added by Ord. No. 1993-22; amended by Ord. No. 1994-3]