Council awards contracts, discusses storm water

BY TALI ISRAELI Staff Writer

BY TALI ISRAELI
Staff Writer

MARLBORO – The Township Council approved a resolution on Aug. 10 awarding a contract to Birdsall Engineering for several projects throughout the municipality.

Birdsall will provide engineering and construction management services for the Woodcliff Park renovations for an amount not to exceed $17,650.

Woodcliff Park is in the Woodcliff residential development off Route 34.

Design services and construction administration for the 2006 road improvement program will be provided for an amount not to exceed $60,000.

The firm will provide inspection and construction administration for road improvements to the intersection of Robertsville and Gordons Corner roads for an amount not to exceed $43,490.

Inspection and construction administration for road improvements to Robertsville Road from Serpentine Drive to the Old Bridge border will be provided for an amount not to exceed $20,400.

In other business at the Aug. 10 meeting, the council passed a resolution authorizing a contract between Stuart Appraisal Company and the township in connection with a potential open space land acquisition.

The property, known as Golden Valley Farm, is on Pleasant Valley Road and consists of a 1-acre home site and 42 acres of qualified farmland, according to the resolution.

Stuart Appraisal will provide its professional services to Marlboro for an amount not to exceed $2,800.

The council adopted an ordinance that will require all development in Marlboro to comply with state regulations for storm water management.

The ordinance was originally adopted by the council in March. The law was then submitted to the county for review. Monmouth County had up to 60 days to review the ordinance along with the storm water management element of the township’s master plan.

The county returned the ordinance to the council with its recommendations in regard to the provisions of the law. The council adopted the amended ordinance on Aug. 10.

The county will have another 60 days to review the law, which can not go into effect until it receives approval from the county.

During the council meetings in March, Township Engineer Jim Priolo said the ordinance adopted by the council is the state’s model ordinance for storm water management. In the past, he said, only residential development and wetlands had to comply with the storm water regulations. With the implementation of the ordinance, all new development in town will have to comply with the provisions of the law.

According to township planner Jennifer Beahm, the ordinance involves regulations for water quality, water quantity – how much run-off there is,- and a buffer which prohibits development within 300 feet of Category 1 (C-1) streams.

Priolo said C-1 streams are streams the state has designated as critical bodies of water requiring the most protection.

Big Brook, which runs in the vicinity of Marlboro Village toward Colts Neck, is a C-1 stream. Deep Run, which is in the Morganville section of town in the vicinity of Texas, Tennent and Crine roads, is a potential candidate for a C-1 stream designation.

Beahm said the intent of the environmental ordinance is to protect water quality. She said most C-1 streams are sensitive for many reasons and the intent of the ordinance is to keep development away from water courses.