OCEAN COUNTY-The Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders have asked the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to expand the county’s Water Quality Management Plan (208) Plan in the growing communities of Lakewood and Jackson. The plan submitted by the Freeholders would allow the Lakewood and Jackson utility authorities to expand their water and sewer reach to areas currently without city water and sewer networks.
The new sewer and water systems would allow for higher density residential and commercial development in those towns where growth is currently limited due to septic system constraints. Currently, many areas of Jackson Township and outlying areas of Lakewood are protected from overdevelopment due to lack of water and sewer systems. This change in the 208 plan would allow for higher density development in the future if approved.
“Lakewood Township should pursue future expansion of the sewer service area to include all existing residential development for areas outside the existing sewer service area and convey the wastewater generated from these areas to an appropriate wastewater treatment plant when capacity becomes available. The Township would be responsible for submitting a plan amendment application to the Department along with any required documentation, including but not limited to wetland delineations and habitat surveys, in accordance with the plan amendment procedures at N.J.A.C. 7:15-3.5 and 4.4.” the Freeholders said in a public notice delivered to the NJ DEP. “All future development on sites located outside the existing sewer service area should also be
included in a future expansion of the sewer service area; however, site owners would be responsible for submitting a plan amendment application to the Department along with any required documentation, including but not limited to wetland delineations and habitat surveys, in accordance with the plan amendment procedures at N.J.A.C. 7:15-3.5 and 4.4.”
The strategy for addressing the capacity deficit in Jackson Township consists of four parts:
1) Future expansion of the sewer service area to include two sites: The Fountainhead Mobile Home Park Extension, Block 9001, Lot 20; and the “Tomaron” commercial area, Block 4302, Lots 10 and 47 and Block 4603, Lot 72. These sites should be added to the adjacent sewer service area under a future amendment to the Ocean County WQM Plan. Removal of these two sites from the area to be served by individual subsurface sewage disposal systems would allow the HUC11 02040301030 to meet its nitrate dilution target. The site owners would be responsible for submitting a plan amendment application to the Department along with any required documentation, including but not limited to wetland delineations and habitat surveys, in accordance with the plan amendment procedures at N.J.A.C. 7:15-3.5 and 4.4.
2) The Ocean County Department of Planning will pursue acquisition through the Natural Lands Trust Fund and preservation of undeveloped land in HUC11 02040301030 that is currently outside the sewer service area.
3) Jackson Township should pursue future expansion of the sewer service area to include allexisting residential development located adjacent to the existing sewer service area. The Township would be responsible for submitting a plan amendment application to the Department along with any required documentation, including but not limited to wetland delineations and habitat surveys, in accordance with the plan amendment procedures at N.J.A.C. 7:15-3.5 and 4.4.
4) Jackson Township should adopt a municipal ordinance requiring all new commercial development in HUC11 02040301030 to connect to local sewers. If a plan amendment would be required
to add any of the new commercial development to the sewer service area, the Township or the owners of the commercial development would be responsible for submitting a plan amendment application to the Department along with any required documentation, including but not limited to wetland delineations and habitat surveys, in accordance with the plan amendment procedures at N.J.A.C. 7:15-3.5 and 4.4.
This notice is to inform the public that a plan amendment has been proposed for the Ocean County WQM Plan. All information related to the Ocean County WQM Plan and the proposed
amendment is located at: Ocean County Department of Planning 129 Hooper Avenue, First Floor P.O. Box 2191
Toms River, New Jersey 08754-2191. The Department’s file is available for inspection through the Open Public Records Act. Requests may be made on-line at https://www.state.nj.us/dep/opra/opraform.html.