Our Local Landscape - May 2007
The snow has finally stopped falling for the winter. The roads were cleared and made safe for travel to the familiar tune of trucks rumbling by scraping and pushing the snow off the road with plows and spreading salt and sand over the road surface. You’ve long since taken your car to the carwash to have the white salt film washed away before it had a chance to eat away at your paint job and rust the underside. If road salt can do these things to your car (which does have a pretty tough exterior upon further reflection), what do you think it can do to aquatic organisms (water critters) living in your local streams once it washes off of the roadways, down the banks, and into the stream water from the snow melt and spring rains that follow?

This road salt runoff into our streams is called non-point source (NPS) pollution, or people pollution. It doesn’t come from a direct source such as a factory pipe discharging chemicals immediately into the stream, which is called point source pollution. NPS pollution comes from a variety of sources and washes off of the land into local water systems like streams. You can’t point to exactly where it is coming from. Road salt is a good example. (Also salt from sidewalks and parking lots.) It is thrown to the side of the road by car tires, or washed there by snow melt and rain. There it can weaken or kill roadside plants, since most plants in this area of NJ aren’t able to cope with high levels of salt on their actual surface or in the soil.

Heavy spring rains carry the salt downhill into the nearest stream. Once there, it can increase the salinity of the fresh water greatly, especially in some sections of the stream such as those with slower or low flows. Fish, frogs, salamanders, and aquatic insects that live in the stream are also not able to cope with high levels of salt. It can burn the gills of some and absorb into the skin of others, often with a harmful or deadly effect.

Don’t get me wrong. We need to have safe roads to travel on in winter. However, there are ways to minimize the use of road salt. One increasingly popular way is to spray the roads with a salt solution just before the snowfall starts. This can prevent the snow from sticking to the road surface in the first place, thereby requiring less solid salt spread on it later. Keeping the salt reserve stockpiles covered until use is also a great way to prevent unnecessary salt runoff into nearby streams.

Even though road salt may be a distant memory this spring, now is the time to begin thinking about salt use for next winter. Get involved! Work with your local municipality and call NJ DOT to discuss options for using less road salt to accomplish the same results for this coming winter. The stream critters will thank you!

Nicole Rahman, South Branch Watershed Association

Our Local Landscape-April 2006
SOUTH BRANCH WATERSHED ASSOCIATION
Founded in 1959, the South Branch Watershed Association (SBWA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of natural resources in the 276 square mile watershed of the South Branch of the Raritan River. Our mission is to protect and enhance the water resources of the South Branch of the Raritan River and its watershed through community participation, local leadership, and innovation, to improve the health of the human and natural environments.

This watershed includes twenty-five municipalities in Morris, Hunterdon, and Somerset Counties. We provide place-based environmental education and perform community outreach, including water quality monitoring, stream clean-ups, and well testing. We also work with municipalities on land-use issues, and advocate for sound planning and the conservation of natural resources.

There are many ways you can join us in protecting the water resources and health of your community, thereby protecting those downstream as well. We welcome volunteers in many projects, as well as membership support. Our core environmental education program for schools is the Waterways Stewardship Project. This program consists of in-class, in-field, and GIS-based interactive mapping components. Home school groups, Scouts, and others are welcome to participate as well. This program gives students a hands-on experience in their community, to develop good future stewards of our natural resources.

Another popular program is the Volunteer Biological Monitoring Program. Every June, trained volunteer “water stewards” collect a “bug” sample at an assigned site within the watershed. Volunteers follow an EPA-approved protocol to ensure accuracy and precision in collection of data. The sample is then sent to a certified lab for analysis.
The annual Stream Clean-Up will be taking place on April 22^nd this year. You can help your community to clean up a stream at one of 18 sites throughout the watershed. T-shirts, bags, gloves, and refreshments are provided. Pre-registration is required.

For more information about these and other programs, visit us at the office in Flemington, phone 908-782-0422, or check us out on the Web.
Nicole Rahman, SBWA Program Director
Our Local Landscape-March 2006
CITIZENS TO SAVE TEWKSBURY –
A TRACK RECORD OF SAFEGUARDING OUR TOWN
Citizens to Save Tewksbury (CST) is a local community organization that promotes the continued protection of Tewksbury’s rural environment by the preservation of its villages, open space and related ecosystems. With a core membership of about 100 families, the group has been active since the mid 1980s, having first worked nearly 20 years ago to oppose the expansive office building projects at the intersection of Routes 523 and I-78 (Rockaway Farms and Springfield Farms).

In the 1990s, the group successfully opposed a large condominium development south of Oldwick, helping to bring about an arrangement that permanently preserved 40 acres of the original 80-acre tract in Green Acres and substantially reduced the number of units proposed for the remaining portion.

Today, CST is actively monitoring the proposed 191 unit Hovnanian townhouse development planned for the old office building sites south of Route 78. If built as proposed, this will be the largest housing development in Tewksbury and will increase the number of homes in our township by close to 10%.

The site is also severely environmentally constrained for a project of this size. A large portion of this land is bordered by the Rockaway Creek, a high quality C-1 stream that is capable of producing trout—a rarity and a treasure in NJ. CST is working to ensure that the unique environmental features of these tracts are afforded the most stringent protection possible. To that end, CST has hired a respected environmental consultant to help review the plans and provide meaningful commentary to our Planning Board officials.

CST’s guiding purpose and one of its core beliefs is that an informed and involved citizenry can make a positive difference in whatever issue is facing our town. Our members regularly attend township meetings, especially those concerning the Hovnanian application at present, and seek to provide meaningful feedback and commentary to township officials.

To join CST, simply e-mail, or write to us, at:
P.O. Box 679
Oldwick, NJ 08858.

There is no membership requirement other than a love of this beautiful town we are all happy to call “home.”
Citizens to Save Tewksbury
Our Local Landscape-February 2006
10-ACRES OF TEWKSBURY LAND PRESERVED

On December 22^nd, The New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF) and the Tewksbury Land Trust (TLT) announced the preservation of 10-acres of open space along Palatine Road in Tewksbury Township, permanently protecting an area with more than ½-mile of stream-front property.

NJCF provided preservation acquisition support for the Tewksbury Land Trust (TLT), which acquired the property from R.T. and Cynthia Whitman. The property, which includes the Coldbrook Stream, has an assessed value of $600,950, but TLT was able to purchase the property for the discounted price of $425,000, using a grant from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Green Acres program.

John Flynn, Administrator of the NJDEP Green Acres Program, said “We were pleased to assist the New Jersey Conservation Foundation and the Tewksbury Land Trust in its preservation of this beautiful property. This project serves as another example of the State’s commitment to preserving land in the New Jersey Highlands.”

The property is part of the Black River Greenway, a region that includes parts of Hunterdon, Morris, and Somerset counties. NJCF and its conservation partners have preserved nearly 3,000 acres of land in the area, for both public access and the protection of environmentally sensitive resources.

Ken Klipstein, TLT President, said “We will maintain the property for passive recreation. Our intent is to leave this property in its natural state. The property is particularly valuable since it is adjacent to other previously preserved lands.”

“It is a breathtaking property to walk on,” said R.T. Whitman. “The property includes a trout stream and oak trees that are over 200 years old. We felt it was our responsibility to keep the area as open space and we are happy that the property will remain that way forever.”

“We look at it as giving something back to the community,” said Whitman. “People have to be willing to make the commitment to preserve land, so we were happy to provide the discounted sale price.”

For more information on saving New Jersey’s precious natural resources and natural areas, see the New Jersey Conservation Foundation Web site, or phone them, at 1-888-LANDSAVE.
Our Local Landscape-January 2006
WHAT IS URWA?
You may have heard the name and wondered what this interesting acronym stands for. URWA stands for the Upper Raritan Watershed Association. Our organization serves as the “environmental watchdog” for the entire watershed region, covering 23 municipalities in parts of Somerset, Hunterdon and Morris counties. Our mission is to secure the environmental future of the Upper Raritan Watershed through advocacy, land preservation, education and research.

WHAT IS A WATERSHED?
A watershed is an area of land that drains into a common body of water. Think of it as a funnel. Any precipitation that falls over the entire watershed region drains to the same location. Part of Tewksbury is in the Upper Raritan Watershed, draining into the North Branch of the Raritan River. Near Branchburg, the North Branch meets the South Branch becoming the main stem of the Raritan River, where much of New Jersey’s gets its drinking water.

URWA’s mission involves not only conserving and protecting our water resources but preventing pollution over the entire watershed. Anything put on the land, including pesticides, animal wastes, etc., will eventually make its way to the river, via groundwater, storm drains, or runoff.

URWA’s headquarters is on Fairview Farm Wildlife Preserve at 2121 Larger Cross Road in Bedminster. The 170-acre site is a safe haven for wildlife, including several threatened and endangered species, as well as being open to the public seven days a week during daylight hours for activities such as hiking and birding. We have many programs which you can participate in, including:
Invasive plant removal projects
Stream cleanup & monitoring projects
• Tree plantings
• Stream bank stabilization
• Native meadow restoration
• Monitoring & management of URWA Properties
• Scout and School field trips
• Summer Nature Day Camp
• Family Nature Programs
• Corporate & Community Volunteer Days

To become an URWA member, or for more information, visit www.urwa.org, or phone 908-234-1852 ext.13. We hope you’ll join our efforts!
Melissa Almendinger
URWA Education & Outreach Director
Our Local Landscape-December 2005
LAND PRESERVATION IN THE HIGHLANDS: IS IT NECESSARY?
Yes! The Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act declared that the Highlands contains exceptional natural resources such as clean air, contiguous forest lands, wetlands, pristine watersheds, habitat for flora and fauna, sites of historic interest and provides abundant recreational opportunities for the citizens of New Jersey. The area supplies water to over half the State’s population, in addition to Highlands residents who depend on potable well water. The Highlands also contains approximately 110,000 acres of agricultural land.

The Legislature recognizes the agricultural industry in the Highlands Region is a vital component of the economic, social and cultural landscape of New Jersey. The Legislature further acknowledges “regional planning and stringent environmental regulatory standards should be accompanied by a strong and significant commitment to fund the acquisition of exceptional natural resource value lands”.

Although the Highlands Act severely restricts growth in the Highlands Preservation Area it does not prohibit development. Property owners in the
Preservation Area may subdivide their property subject to Highlands regulations and may also benefit from certain exemptions from the Act. Accordingly, the Highlands Council is working with the State Agricultural Development Committee (SADC) and the Garden State Preservation Trust to develop incentives for landowners to participate in the SADC administered Farmland Preservation program. The NJDEP Green Acres program, Garden State Preservation Trust, the New Jersey Water Supply Authority and the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust also provide funding and financing for land preservation in the Highlands.

To encourage landowners to pursue preservation, the Act allows appraisals for purchase of development rights to be based on the municipal zoning, state environmental laws and NJDEP regulations in place on January 2004. This provision of the Act, however, is scheduled to expire in January 2009. For Tewksbury landowners this means that for the next three years, preservation appraisals will be based on 3 and 5 acre residential zoning and not reflect NJDEP stormwater management regulations or Highlands regulations. These considerations make preservation a financially attractive alternative to development.

Large-lot zoning alone will not protect Tewksbury’s distinctive features. Conversion of natural and agricultural lands into residential lots supporting single family homes erodes the character of the township. Preservation, via purchase of development rights or purchase in fee, protects land from development in perpetuity. Numerous funding and partnership options exist to craft beneficial preservation packages for landowners and cost effective preservation with Township tax monies.

Remember, it is far less expensive to support open preserved lands than residential subdivisions! Protection of Tewksbury’s natural resources, as well as agricultural, historic, and scenic attributes, can only happen with an active preservation policy. Please contact the Tewksbury Land Trust for more information on how land preservation can benefit you.
TLT Planning Subcommittee
Our Local Landscape-November 2005
EDUCATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Why do our streams continue to flow after the rain stops? Who among us could point out the precise location of an all-important “headwater” or describe by what process a healthy hardwood forest benefits the quantity and quality of water resources downstream? How many could describe what is missing from the environment due to devastation by invasive species or prior mismanagement of the land?

People will not protect, preserve, and make sacrifices for that which they do not understand. The key to establishing a positive force for our environment is education, particularly of the hands-on variety. This is why we are so fortunate that our newly-constructed elementary school on Fairmount Road is nestled within one of Tewksbury’s most environmentally sensitive tracts of preserved open space, the Pascale Farm Park.

Our Township Committee embraced this proactive, synergistic, and educational approach when they voted earlier this year to take steps to formally designate the open space portions of the Pascale Farm as permanently restricted natural areas, and to implement a three-year plan to guide its conservation.

Learning does not have to be limited to our children. Educating by example, the Pascale Farm Park can become a standard for conscientious stewardship of open space throughout the Highlands, particularly for those properties remaining in private ownership or preserved through the purchase of conservation easements or development rights. The tract’s agricultural fields can serve as a model for those seeking environmentally sound farming practices for their own fields.

In an age of ever dwindling supply, the Pascale Farm can demonstrate strategic reforestation techniques to restore links between already existing forests or forest patches, providing much needed habitat to species that require deep forest to thrive, including raptors, such as owls.

Over time, this living, learning laboratory will allow many opportunities for study and observation, while fostering the awareness and respect for our environment that is essential for the long-term preservation of our local landscape.
Robin Love, RANPI President
Our Local Landscape-October 2005
TTA PLAYS A ROLE IN PRESERVATION
Whether you walk, ride horseback, or drive through its land, Tewksbury is a truly one-of-a-kind community. Its rolling hills, green pastures, and crystal clear streams, coupled with its residents—a very special blend of people with a strong community commitment—place this township in a class by itself. Those of us fortunate enough to live here understand the ever-increasing value of open space and the necessity of environmental preservation to ensure that our area remains pristine. We are also fortunate to have many community groups which are vigilant in their determination to keep Tewksbury’s air clean, water pure, and landscape beautiful.

The Tewksbury Trail Association (TTA) is one of these groups, a non-profit organization whose membership is open to equestrians as well to those who enjoy and support an equestrian community. But, first and foremost, we are a dedicated organization of concerned citizens. Though we may share the common interest of horses, our commonality is much more than that. It extends to preserving the uniqueness of our area and playing a role in preserving it. TTA members are fierce fighters for open space, pure water, maintaining a rural atmosphere, volunteerism, and land preservation. We cherish the fact that our township has unparalleled natural beauty along with its many historic buildings and quaint villages, farms, and animals. And though we realize that development is an inevitable part of our future, we also want to make certain that any future development is done with respect for this treasured beauty.

For more than 25 years, the TTA has worked within the township and donated countless hours of time and many dollars to local charities. In fact, over the last 10 years, the TTA has contributed more than $40,000 in support of community organizations. As part of this support, the TTA strives to obtain and retain trail easements on properties, to keep the rural atmosphere we all enjoy, vital. The organization is proud of the small but significant role it plays in keeping both the scenery and the environment of our precious township intact.
John Leonardi, President TTA
Our Local Landscape-September 2005
CONSERVATION EASEMENTS UNDER ATTACK
Tewksbury Township has benefited from any number of conservation-minded landowners who have sold and/or donated tracts of land in our town for permanent preservation. While the primary motivation for these landowners has been conservation, the tax deductions associated with their gifts has provided additional incentive. If, however, the U.S. Congress’s Joint Committee on Taxation (JTC) has its say, those tax incentives will be a thing of the past.

The JTC was commissioned to advise Congress on issues related to tax law. In a stroke of unfortunate timing, the JTC was hard at work just as the press uncovered some abuses where unscrupulous landowners and developers had inflated the value of their land donations for undue tax advantages. As a result, the JTC was draconian in their recommendations. For instance, they recommend that deductions cannot be taken on a donation of a conservation easement on any property the taxpayer uses as his or her personal residence. They also recommend that deductions be limited to 33% of the appraised value (vs. the current 100% of the appraised value) and the appraisal would further be based on the owner’s original “basis” (original cost plus capital improvements – not on the fair market value.

If enacted, such recommendations will severely curtail the future of conservation easements in our town. If you are concerned, please write to Senators Corzine and Lautenberg and to Congressman Ferguson and tell them not to support the JTC’s recommendations that will impact the tax incentives on land conservation. Your opinion is important for your elected officials to hear. (For more information on this topic, see the Land Trust Alliance Web site.)

TLT Planning Subcommittee
Our Local Landscape-August 2005
WHAT IS RANPI?
Those of us who live in Tewksbury know how truly special it is. In a state congested with suburban sprawl, our township is unique in its abundance of unspoiled natural beauty, which all of us share. How do we hold on to this pastoral landscape and not gradually lose it as we’ve seen happen in neighboring areas? How many times have you traveled a familiar scenic road and then, one day, looked up and noticed it’s no longer the same? When did it change? It happened subtly, over time, little by little, neighborhood by neighborhood.

One way to slow this inevitable change is to be vocal and to get involved at the local level. The Residents Alliance for Neighborhood Preservation, Inc. (RANPI) is a citizen’s group formed in 1998 to promote the historical and environmental character of our town. Working closely with local officials, we advocate and support local planning and development in a manner that respects our environment and history while balancing the needs of the present with those of the future.

Representing nearly 200 resident members, RANPI’s Board of Trustees regularly meets to review pending planning issues in the township. Board members attend each Township Committee meeting to stay informed and maintain a presence and a voice at all stages of municipal projects. Newsletters inform our membership of important events and public hearings on a regular basis. An annual RANPI Election Newsletter provides in-depth information on candidates for Township Committee.

Our focus has included issues relating to municipal development, open space preservation and stewardship, environmental conservation, Tewks-bury’s new Master Plan and subsequent zoning ordinances, preservation of our historic bridges, appropriate location of cell towers, as well as devel-opment projects south of the village of Oldwick and I-78. In many cases, Township officials have listened to our views. We are gratified to see the pro-active progress that has been made in recent years to preserve Tewksbury’s natural beauty and rural character. But we must and we will continue!

Whether you are a long-time resident or have recently moved here, we invite all like-minded Tewksbury preservationists to support our cause and join RANPI. Joining is simple; just e-mail RANPI with your name, address and phone number send your information by US mail to:
RANPI
7 Wildwood Road
Califon, NJ 07830.

Robin Love, RANPI President
Our Local Landscape-July 2005
WHAT IS THE TEWKSBURY LAND TRUST?
The Tewksbury Land Trust (TLT) is a non-profit organization, formed in 1994 to promote preservation of the township’s remaining open spaces, natural areas, agricultural lands, and historic features, to protect our local heritage. TLT works with township land owners to facilitate donation and/or purchase of conservation easements on privately owned lands. TLT also purchases environmentally sensitive, agricultural, and scenic lands.

To date TLT has preserved approximately 259 acres in Tewksbury Township. The Land Trust attempts to increase the affect of existing preservation projects through acquisition of neighboring parcels and easements. The acquisition of the Smith easements and the Christmas Tree Farm built on the Township’s preservation of Christie Hoffman Farm. These acquisitions increase the amount of preserved land, south from Fairmount Road to Sawmill Road, through publicly-accessible easements and parcels. Contiguous tracts of natural lands are integral to water quality protection and enhance regional bio-diversity by providing habitat for threatened and endangered species.

Land preservation today is more important than ever. Residential-use zoning fragments natural and agricultural lands, eroding their ability to provide sustainable agriculture, species habitat, water supply recharge, scenic vistas, and the sense of place that distinguishes Tewksbury from other New Jersey towns. Land preservation is also more attractive now than ever. The Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act requires that appraisals of property for preservation are based on zoning in place as of January 2004. Tewksbury landowners who wish to preserve their property will have their appraisals reflect the January 2004 zoning of 3 and 5 acre densities. This provision of the Highlands Act, however, is scheduled to expire in 2009.

The Tewksbury Land Trust partners with Tewksbury Township, NJ Conservation Foundation, Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance, Nature Conservancy, and the NJ Water Supply Authority, where possible, to leverage a variety of funding sources. Donations of land or easements, as well as bargain sales from the public, give TLT credits with the NJ Green Acres program, which allow TLT to purchase additional land. For more information about TLT and many benefits of land preservation, e-mail Ted Koven.
TLT Planning Subcommittee
Tree Inventory for Tewksbury
In Tewksbury, trees cover our steep slopes, form the boundaries of many farm fields and pastures, provide fruit and shade, and line our streams. They host songbirds, purify our air, prevent soil erosion, and stabilize the banks of the streams that course through Tewksbury. Among the trees that dot our landscape are fast-growing evergreens, fruit-bearers, and fine specimen trees.

As we develop our Township, making room for new households, our tree stands, orchards, and individual hardwoods can easily be lost if we do not exercise care in preserving them. We need to know what we have and where they are, if we are going to keep valuable woodlands. The North Jersey Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D Council), in partnership with the County, has offered to spend a portion of its US Forest Service grant to preform a forestry assessment in Tewksbury. This will become a baseline for our own community planning for woodland conservation. The Tewksbury forestry assessment will also become a case study to be used in a handbook that the RC&D Council is preparing for other communities to use in their forestry assessments and Master Plan revisions.

The Tewksbury assessment is being performed by Lester and Andrew Alpaugh, of Foretree Consultants, based in Stockton, NJ. The Alpaughs will need permission from local property owners to access woodlands not visible from public roads, and will appreciate citizen input regarding special or unique forest resources in our community.

The Township Planning Board accepted the RC&D Council's offer for the assessment, and named Chris Teasdale, Environmental Commission representative to the Planning Board, to be the Township liaison for this project. If you have suggestions regarding woodlands that should be studied, you may phone Chris at 439-3796, or contact Township Land Use Administrator Shana Crane, at 439-0022, ext 731.
Geographical Information System
Tewksbury's Geographic Information Systems Committee is continuing to research data that will help Township residents avoid problems stemming from the development of nearby properties, transferring the County's paper records to a computerized database. County records only go back to 1979, and for the first few years contain minimal information. However, despite this lack of early information, a new housing development was recently obliged to change the position of a new septic system, due to the proximity of a stock watering well on an older adjacent property. The GIS map had recorded the stock well, as well as those which supply homes.

When the paper records are all in the new database, an effort will be made to locate the rest of the wells and septic systems in the Township by determining their location with a global positioning device which provides coordinates that can be recorded on the map. This GPS unit uses a number of satellites to accomplish this work (Cadillac automobiles use a similar device to determine your location on trips). Residents will be notified by phone when this part of the project begins.

Property owners are encouraged to inquire about the GIS maps and how they can be of use. Shana Crane, our Land Use Administrator, can give you a look at the map showing your property the next time you are in the Township Offices.
Tewksbury Land Trust, A Major Force
In May, 2004, the Tewksbury Land Trust completed the purchase of a major parcel of land, adding 49+ acres to its growing network of preserved properties.

The Christmas Tree Farm, on Sawmill Road, where generations of families have walked and searched for their perfect holiday trees, is now open to the public for all passive recreation. No motor vehicles will be permitted on the property.

Mr. John Johns, the previous owner, who is now in his mid-eighties, purchased the land in 1955, "because the land was just so pretty," Mr. Johns recalled recently. He loved the trees, particularly the evergreen, and slowly it evolved into the Christmas Tree Farm,, selling trees each holiday season for the past 25 years.

The property, located directly across from the Sawmill School, was purchased for $725,000, with 50% of the cost funded by the Green Acres division of the New Jersey DEP. Green Acres wil fund half of the purchase price of approved prop-erties or easements, up to a maximum $500,000.

In a fortunate turn of events, Green Acres provided 100% of this purchase price because last year Harris and Betts Smith generously donated 100 acres of conservation farm easement to the Tewksbury Land Trust. This created a $1,000,000 credit for the purchase of additional preservation property.

Most landowners do not realize the many ways they can benefit by preserving their land through conservation easements, farmland preservation, restrictive development, or outright bequests of land itself.

Besides the fair market price paid for land or preservation rights, there are tax benefits that make working with the Land Trust very attractive. The Tewksbury Land Trust will work with interested parties, providing counsel plus offer assistance with appraisers, surveyors, and attorneys.

For more information, please telephone Land Trust President Ted Koven, at 879-4400. The Tewksbury Land Trust is a public, non-profit organization, which is committed to the preservation of open space and farmland in Tewksbury Township.
Tewksbury's Scenic Roads
There are 33 Township roads designated as "scenic". Do you know them all? They are:

Beavers Road (upper portion)
Bissell Road
Black River Road
Boulder Hill Road
Burrell Road
Church Street
Cold Brook Road
Cold Spring Road
Deer Hill Road
Farmersville Road
Felmley Road
Flint Hill Road
Frog Hollow Road
Fox Hill Road
Guinea Hollow Road
Hill & Dale Road
Hollow Brook Road
Homestead Road
McCann Mill Road
Meadow Lane
Mountain Road
Palatine Road
Philhower Road
Potterstown Road
Ridge Road
Rockaway Road
Saw Mill Road
Still Hollow Road
Sutton Road
Vliettown Road
Water Street
Welsh Road, and
Wildwood Road

The Scenic Roads Commission was created by the Township Committee in 1997 to identify and designate Tewksbury's scenic roads, and to enlist the support of the community in preserving these beautiful byways for the enjoyment of all. The Commission reviews any requests from individuals (and from other Township boards) to consider and comment on projected development or projects that front on a designated scenic road.

The Commission meets in the new Municipal Building on the 4^th Monday of each month, and invites anyone interested to attend. Current members of the Commission are:
Lisa Stryker, Chair
J. Miller Craig
Stephanie Koven
Hank Kreuter
Larry Ross, and
Marianne McGuire
Open Space Preservation
The Environmental Commission is currently cataloguing all the Conservation Easements in our township. They were able to begin this project due to an arrangement with Lehigh University's Department of Earth Sciences, which provided an intern. Mr. Chris Shade worked to create a full description of all the Conservation Easements within Tewksbury. These descriptions, along with digital photographs, will be entered into the database of the Township's GIS (Geographical Information System).

A Conservation Easement is a legal document which is attached to a title deed to protect the property from future development. The Easement can preserve the natural environment along a stream bank, or protect a stand of trees or other natural features that contribute to the beauty of the Township.

The Environmental Commission decided to undertake the project after a look at Easements showed that the currently recorded descriptions of Easements are not comprehensive enough to protect Easements or property owners. As new descriptions are entered into the GIS database, a full representation of Easements will be produced, providing all relevant data about the easement, which a property owner could give to a potential buyer. This information is now usually only described in the deed with mathematical coordinates.

Intern Chris Shade has been inspecting every Conservation Easement to compile the information necessary for the cataloguing project. Easement holders will be sent a letter in advance of Chris' visit. Although many Easements are found at the edges of properties, there are others that can only be accessed by crossing the property from front to rear. When Chris arrives at a property, he will contact the owner and obtain permission to enter the property. Any questions may be directed to Chris, or Tewksbury's Land Use Administrator, Shana Crane, at 439-0022, ext. 731, or to any member of the Environmental Commission. (Please note, the Roseco Press has a Web policy against posting the phone numbers of individuals.)

To learn more about land preservation, check out the following books, available at the Tewksbury Township Library.

The Conservation Easement Stewardship Guide,
by Brenda Lind. An excellent resource for setting up and carrying out a conservation easement monitoring program.

Doing Deals - A Guide to Buying Land for Conservation, by The Trust For Public Land. A good overview of all factors involved in acquiring land for conservation.

The Conservation Easement Handbook - Managing Land Conservation and Historic Preservation Easement Programs, by Janet Diehl and Thomas Barrett. A very thorough review of all aspects of preserving land with conservation easements.

The Standards and Practices Guidebook - An Operating Manual for Land Trusts, by the Land Trust Alliance. An excellent guidebook covering all aspects of running a land trust.

Model Conservation Easement and Historic Preservation Easement, 1996, by Thomas S. Barrett and Stefan Nagel. Updated model Conservation Easement (supersedes model in The Conservation Easement Handbook).
All About Permits
Permits of some type are generally required for work in and around your property. For your convenience and protection, always call the municipal offices (439 0022 ext. 730) before planning or starting any project.
Did you know:

Ordinances change regularly. Always check with the Zoning Officer before starting a project. The information you may have received in the planning stages of your project may change by the time you begin work.

A zoning permit application can be obtained from the municipal offices, located at 169 Old Turnpike Road. A $50 fee, to the Township of Tewksbury, must accompany the application when submitted.

You will probably need zoning approval, even if a building permit is not required for some projects. Always check with the Zoning Officer before adding or changing anything on your property.

There are minimum distances that structures must be set back from property lines, when lots are built upon. These setback distances vary with the different zones. Setbacks do not apply to sidewalks, fences/walls and mail boxes, but other zoning regulations do.

A structure is defined as a combination of materials to form a construction for occupancy, use or ornamentation installed on, above, or below the surface of a parcel of land. You can see this includes almost anything you can think of.

The maximum area that can be covered with buildings and structures is stipulated for each zoning district. The maximum lot coverage area is a percentage of the total lot area.

When making lot coverage determinations, you must usually include the area of every structure added to a lot since it was "raw land". This includes the footprints of the house, garage, barn, shed, pool, deck, patio, walkways, driveway and parking areas (whether paved or stone), riding ring, etc.

Pools, including associated decks, patios, walkways, filters, heaters, pumps etc., need to meet setback and lot coverage requirements.

Horse riding rings must meet setback and lot coverage requirements, too.

Patios, walkways etc. require a zoning permit.

Fencing installation requires zoning approval.

Zoning regulations pertain to signs too.

A garden shed needs zoning approval even if it is of a size that doesn't require a building permit.

Garden sheds and other structures need to meet zoning regulations whether or not you consider them to be permanent structures.

If you are considering changing or extending your driveway, or adding a driveway opening onto a road, you must first obtain a driveway permit from the public works department. You also need zoning approval.

Approval from the historic commission is required for any exterior changes within a designated historic district. Always check with the Zoning Officer before considering any exterior changes to your historic property.

If you plan a project that doesn't conform to the zoning standards, you might have your project approved by submitting a variance application to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The variance procedure could take three months or more, from start to finish.

Construction is restricted in locations with wetlands, flood plains, or steep slopes. The Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment and/or the DEP need to rule on any development applications where these apply.

Trailers, motor homes and the like, can only be stored in residential zones within specific limitations. Call the Zoning Officer for details.

The minimum lot size for keeping horses, for the enjoyment of the residents of a property, is three acres. On three acres you can have a maximum of two horses, with one additional acre required for each additional horse.

The minimum lot size for agricultural purposes is five acres. Agriculture is land devoted to the production for sale of plants and animals including the breeding and raising of animals.

Apartments are permitted only if the Zoning Board of Adjustment has approved them, if they have been accepted into the affordable housing program or if they were legally created prior to March, 1960, when the first zoning ordinance was enacted.

Additions to non-conforming buildings can be constructed providing they don't violate any of the existing setback, lot coverage, or other requirements of the ordinance.

Remember, the Zoning Officer can be reached at 439-0022, ext. 730, to help you with any questions about your property.