Rain Garden Feasibility Study

Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study Study Location: Route 35 and J Street Borough of Seaside Park, Ocean County, New Jersey Richard Bartolone, ASLA, Landscape Architect Darlene Messina, CFM, Sustainability Consultant

March 30, 2011

This report was made possible through a grant from Monmouth University, Urban Coast Institute’s Model Sustainable/Resilient Coastal Community Program and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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ACKNOWLDEGEMENTS: Mayor Thomas Connors, Borough of Seaside Park Bob Martucci, Administrator, Borough of Seaside Park Nancy Koury, Councilwoman, Borough Council, Operations Committee Sherry Villiano, Chair, Mayor's Bayfront Flooding Committee Pat Kuchon, Chair, Environmental Advisory Committee Ann Hayes, Citizens for Sustainable and Resilient Coastal Communities Special thanks to Remington, Vernick & Vena Engineers for their help with engineering analysis of the study site.

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Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ......................................................................................4 Description of the Problem...............................................................4 Description of Green Infrastructure ................................................ 6 Research ............................................................................................8 Demonstration Project and Engineering Analysis..........................10 Technical Team and Cost Estimates................................................14 Funding Opportunities....................................................................14 Organizational Feasibility and Sustainability ................................ 15 Opportunities for Creating Success ............................................... 15 Co-Benefits and Other Considerations...........................................15 Summary and Conclusion...............................................................18 Appendix A......................................................................................19 Appendix B ......................................................................................20 Index of Illustrations........................................................................22 Works Cited.....................................................................................23

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1. INTRODUCTION The costs and concerns associated with the increasing frequency of flood events has triggered many communities to research cost–effective solutions to address chronic and increased problems of water “management.” Within the past decade, many of these communities have passed Green Infrastructure legislation as a way to mitigate future flooding and

better manage stormwater runoff from existing development. Roads, an essential infrastructure to urban development and economic growth, represent the largest percentage of impervious surface area in communities (See Image 1). Roads also present the greatest opportunity for Green Infrastructure application. Types of Green Infrastructure approaches include rain

gardens, street swales and other retention methods to provide added flood protection during peak storm events. Benefits presented in this report include reduced flooding, reduction of pollutants into the bay, reduction of heat islands, and improved streetscapes for a more livable and walkable community.

This report first introduces the reader to the unique challenges of flood control and management, stormwater management and storm drain overflows in the Borough of Seaside Park. The report then makes a case for Green Infrastructure strategies as an opportunity to manage a number of water-related challenges and regulatory obligations and as a mitigation and coastal resiliency measure. The multiple benefits of Green Infrastructure make it cost effective and are measurable. The reduction of local flooding and ponding on area roads is the most important benefit, which can be calculated through field monitoring and modeling calculations1,2. The following pages propose a “green street” infrastructure demonstration project (rain garden) at Route 35 and J Street.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM SEASIDE PARK LOCATION

Image 1. Roadway Functional Street Map, Borough of Seaside Park. T & M Assoc.

Seaside Park, a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula. The Barnegat Peninsula is a 120-mile long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. It is commonly called “Barrier Island.”

Because of its location, Seaside Park is particularly vulnerable to bay and ocean flooding from hurricanes, storm surge, nor'easters and periods of strong easterly winds that prevent the bay from draining into the Atlantic Ocean. (See Images 2A & 2B).

1 Green Values Stormwater Management Calculator®. http://logan.cnt.org/calculator/calculator.php 2 National Green Values™ Calculator. A tool for comparing the performance, costs, and benefits of Green Infrastructure. http://greenvalues.cnt.org/national/calculator.php

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Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

PRESENT CONDITIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE Approximately 98% of the developed community of Seaside Park is designated as a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) (See Image 3). Land areas that are at high risk for flooding are delineated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), or floodplains on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). The SFHA is the area where the National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) floodplain management regulations must be enforced and the area where the mandatory purchase of flood insurance applies. A home located within an SFHA has a 26% chance of suffering flood damage during the term of a 30-year mortgage3 (see Appendix: Flood Protection - Borough of Seaside Park).

Image 2A. March 16, 2010 / The Star-Ledger

Image 2B. Friday, May 28, 2010 / The Star-Ledger

North Bayview Ave, Seaside Park, NJ. Flooding due to powerful storms. Major and minor flooding: 12 floods within a 6 month period (Nov 2009-May 2010).

Heavy rainfall accompanied by high tides or wind can cause serious flooding and damage in the low-lying areas of Seaside Park. All Borough storm water drains to the bayfront. The municipal storm drainage system consists primarily of underground pipelines and catch basins that are located at street level, which carry untreated storm runoff directly to Barnegat Bay. The stormwater conveyance system provides an important function, as it minimizes localized flooding caused by rainwater (to the greatest extent possible). However, unique to Borough of Seaside Park is the compounding flooding conditions induced by surcharging storm sewer systems at low elevations, as well as elevated water levels in back bay systems4. It does not take much rain fall for storm drains to reach capacity, resulting in the flooding of local streets and low-lying areas.

Rainwater generally drains along Route 35, (also known as Central Avenue,) bisecting the Borough from north to south. This drainage system takes water from the east side, and transports it to the west side via bubbler systems. These systems are always

Image 3. FEMA Flood Hazard Area, Borough of Seaside Park, T & M Assoc.

3 FloodSmart, http://www.floodsmart.gov/floodsmart/pages/faqs/what-is-a-special-flood-hazard-area.jsp 4 Piaskowy, S.; Young, Y., Coastal Flooding Induced by Surcharging Storm Sewer Systems at Low Elevations, American Geophysical Union, Spring Meeting 2007, abstract #H31B-08

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full of water, and work by way of excess head pressure on the East side pushing the water through the system and out of the grate on the West side. After exiting the grate on the west side of Route 35, the water drains toward Barnegat Bay and is generally captured by the Ocean County drainage systems along Bayview Avenue, before finally discharging into the bay.

The majority of the Route 35 right-of-way drains from its center out to its edges.

Vegetated islands are located at the local street intersections; unfortunately, these islands do not accept runoff from the roads or parking areas that surround them. The islands are curbed and are at a higher elevation than the surrounding paved areas.

A significant opportunity for stormwater infiltration is being missed within the existing configuration of these islands.

Runoff quantity, water quality and recharge are all addressed in the NJDEP Stormwater Management Rules (see Appendix: NJ Stormwater Management).

Seaside Park has challenges with all three of these issues, as the topography within the Borough is predominately flat with occasional low points. As the Borough has developed, these low points hold stormwater rather than releasing it. These low points typically develop as roadways age and pavement deteriorates. As stated, a large portion of the drainage system consistently retains water, especially during periods of strong winds from the east that keep water in the bay and prevent drainage into the Atlantic Ocean.

3. DESCRIPTION OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE OVERVIEW Communities across the nation are learning about the multiple benefits of Green Infrastructure as a way to address stormwater management, nonpoint source pollution control and flooding. The EPA

compiled a report of case studies which confirms many of the benefits, and presents ways local governments developed and implemented stormwater policies to support Green Infrastructure (see Appendix: Case Studies). Benefits germane to Seaside Park include reduced hard engineering infrastructure expenses, increased stormwater retention and overall flooding reduction. Relevant secondary benefits are also noteworthy. The cooling functions of “greening” help to reduce the heat island (HI) effect and there is an increased potential for economic growth, as Green Infrastructure is a marketable community asset that attracts residents, visitors and businesses. The resulting improvements provide opportunities for improved streetscape aesthetics, quality of life and outdoor enjoyment.

operating at (or beyond) capacity. It is a costeffective alternative to installing and/or repairing traditional (grey) infrastructure items such as pipes, catch basins and sewer lines. Green Infrastructure enables communities to become healthier, more beautiful and ultimately more economically and ecologically sustainable over time. On September 30, 2010, David Yocas, FASLA, testified in front of Congress: In a September 9, 2010 CNN.com article on Green Streets, the author writes: The tiny port town of Edmonston, Prince George County, Maryland is constructing an ecologically sustainable street that will divert the storm water that would typically be flushed into the nearby Anacostia River and ultimately in the Chesapeake Bay into natural “rain” gardens. The water runoff will be naturally filtered of its toxins and pollution from the parking lots and dirty streets. Most cities and towns have underground concrete drain systems that collect the runoff and dump into rivers and streams, pollutant and all. “The rain gardens are engineered to absorb water and naturally filter it before it gets into the water table and keeps it from washing all those pollutants in the river,” says Edmonston’s mayor Adam Ortiz. The eco-street project includes using porous bricks in building the road and creating bioretention cells or rain gardens.

The idea is to trap the polluted runoff water, send it though natural filter systems so that when it makes it into the Anacostia River it is a lot cleaner.

Green Infrastructure is a planning and engineering approach to manage stormwater runoff at the local level. It uses “sustainable” design and engineered systems to infiltrate, evapotranspire, capture and reuse stormwater to maintain or restore natural hydrologies5. Timothy Beatley, author of Planning for Coastal Resilience: Best Practices for Calamitous Times, argues that sustaining, nurturing, and restoring coastal environments will be one of the essential resiliency factors in a community's ability to respond to coastal hazards.

Furthermore, Green Infrastructure improvements are typically less expensive to install and maintain when compared to traditional forms of infrastructure. These approaches contribute to the overall health of local and regional natural ecosystems, reduce flooding risk and improve water quality (see Image 4).

Approaches include green roofs, permeable pavement, rain gardens, planned street tree canopies and other design solutions that provide significant economic and ecological benefits for municipalities facing overburdened infrastructure systems

GREEN STREET DESIGN As a matter of function, as well as conventional thought and design,

5 EPA: Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure. http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=298

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Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

developed areas such as roofs, sidewalks and parking lots are typically covered with impervious surfaces. Although all contribute to stormwater runoff, the effects and required mitigation strategies for the many types of surfaces can vary significantly. Of all these areas, roads and traveled surfaces are among the largest sources of pollution, but also present the most promising opportunities for Green Infrastructure use. Roads, along with sidewalks and parking lots, are estimated to constitute almost two-thirds of the total impervious cover and contribute a similar ratio of runoff. While they are a significant source of runoff, roads are also a part of the infrastructure system, conveying stormwater along gutters to inlets and the buried pipe network.

Effective road drainage, (translated as quickly moving storm water into the conveyance system,) has become a structural engineering priority while

opportunities for enhanced environmental management have been overlooked, especially in developed communities.

The altered flow regime from traditional roadways, increased runoff volume, more frequent runoff events and high runoff peak flows are damaging to the environment and a risk to property owners in Seaside Park located at the low points. These erosive and excessive stormwater flows burden the already near-capacity storm drains, and create flooding conditions as the water eventually finds its path to the bay.

Compounding the deliberate rapid conveyance of stormwater, roads are also prime collection sites for pollutants.

Because roads are a component of the storm conveyance system, they are impacted by precipitation as well as by vehicles that travel on them. They collect

a wide variety of pollutants, deliver them into the conveyance system and eventually, into the bay. Metals, combustion by-products and automotive fluids from vehicles are chemical contaminants that, when combined with ubiquitous nutrients and suspended solids, add to the toxic mix that degrades the fragile eco-system of Barnegat Bay. The use of Green Streets solutions offers the means to transform a significant stormwater and pollutant source into an innovative treatment system. Green Streets optimize the performance of public right-of-ways by integrating sustainable engineered stormwater control systems. Effectively incorporating green techniques into road design provides significant opportunity to decrease infrastructure demands and reduce pollutant transport6.

Image 4. The Value of Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits, 2010. Page3. http://www.cnt.org/repository/gi-values-guide.pdf

6 Green Streets Policy Paper & EPA Green Infrastructure Collaboration. http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/greenstreets/projects.htm

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4. RESEARCH ROUTE 35 REPORT, 2004.

During May 2004, the Borough of Seaside Park Mayor’s Route 35 Improvement Advisory Committee commissioned Najarian Associates to prepare a summary report and recommendations for the New Jersey Department of Transportation “Proposed Pavement Restoration and Drainage Improvements, Route 35.” The following items from the report are noteworthy and relevant: A. Pedestrian crossings are recommended to be installed on the southern side of the Route 35 intersections. The southern island within the Route 35 and J Street intersection should be modified to include a pedestrian crossing with a pedestrian refuge area (see Image 5).

B. The report recommends removing several areas of existing right-of-way pavement and angled median parking, and installing landscaping in its place.

The suggested landscaping was recommended to be “low maintenance, non-sprinklered, indigenous plants.”

These recommendations are consistent with the vegetation proposed for the rain garden. The vegetation recommended in this study could be used as a test case or general guideline for the Advisory Committee’s recommended landscaping.

C. The report also suggested the elimination of the slip lane at the J Street intersection. It was proposed to be made into “a standard perpendicular intersection like all others in the Borough.” If the proposed rain garden, pedestrian crossing and the pedestrian refuge area were all constructed and if the slip lane was eliminated (See Images 12, 13, and 14), the J Street intersection would become the safest, most improved and attractive intersection within the Borough.

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D. The feasibility study provides an affordable test case/first look at the recommendations from the advisory committees’ report. The implementation of these suggestions will provide the pedestrian-friendly, traffic calming and landscaping issues contained in the Mayor’s Advisory Committees’ report, in addition to providing flooding and stormwater control measures.

SEASIDE PARK’S 2008 MASTER PLAN During 2007, the Borough of Seaside Park commissioned T&M Associates, an engineering, planning and environmental consulting firm, to provide guidance and expertise to the Seaside Park Planning Board and Master Plan Advisory Committee for the preparation of its updated Master Plan. The Seaside Park 2008 Master Plan was adopted on November 25, 2008 by the Planning Board.

The following items from Seaside Park’s 2008 Master Plan are noteworthy to this report: VISION STATEMENT “The Borough is committed to protecting the environment, supporting its business community, encouraging family-friendly neighborhoods and enhancing the quality of life for its residents.

Through effective environmental practices the Borough will continue to contribute towards keeping the Ocean, Bay waters and beaches clean, healthy and environmentally sound.”

GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES B. CIRCULATION 1. Provide for an improved circulation system within the Borough.

Image 5. Median nose extended beyond the crosswalk to provide an enclosed pedestrian refuge.

Source: Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Traveled Way Design Guidelines, Designing Walkable Urban Throughfares: A Contex Sensitive Approach.www.ite.org/css/online/DWUTO9.html

Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

• Maintain and upgrade the sidewalks, curbs, and handicap accessibility for increasing pedestrian activity.

• Maintain and upgrade bicycle facilities and paths for increased bicycle activity.

• Consider traffic calming techniques.

C. MUNICIPAL FACILITIES AND SERVICES 1. Provide for improved community facilities and services to meet the needs of Borough residents in an efficient and effective manner.

• Control storm water flow in cooperation with the state and county.

• Ensure the water and sewer infrastructure is monitored and maintained to minimize infiltration and prevent system failure.

• Aggressively pursue every opportunity to obtain grant funding for both current and long term municipal projects.

D. NATURAL RESOURCES/ ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 1. Protect the natural resources and barrier island environment of the Borough.

• Continue to explore alternative solutions to minimizing flooding along the Bay front.

• Ensure effective programs are implemented and monitored to safeguard water quality.

• Encourage efforts to reduce stormwater runoff and flooding.

• Comply with stormwater regulations.

SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS To implement these ReExamination Plan recommendations, the Planning

Board proposes the following changes to the development regulations and development review procedures of the Borough.

11. Flood and storm water issues need to be addressed. The Borough has a community rating with FEMA that gives residents a 10 percent discount on flood insurance. Seaside Park should strive to improve that rating. The Borough needs to improve stormwater runoff with a multifaceted approach, so that there is a reduction in runoff, flooding, and pollution.

DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS: STORMWATER CONTROL ORDINANCE Seaside Park has recognized the importance and benefits of nonstructural stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs), i.e., rain gardens, greenroofs, rainbarrels, vegetated properties, etc.) for site development as a means to control flooding and reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff. Green Infrastructure approaches essentially achieve the same goals by the same natural systems as those recommended for site development. Referenced below, Seaside Park’s Stormwater Control Ordinance recommends nonstructural environmentally sensitive strategies to reduce stormwater runoff from site development.

DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS: CHAPTER 25 Stormwater Control Ordinance (Page 2578) §25-626 Adopted 5-24-06 / Ordinance No. 1387 A. Scope and Purpose.

1. Policy Statement Flood control, groundwater recharge, and pollutant reduction through nonstructural or low impact techniques shall be

explored before relying on structural Best Management Practices (BMPs). Structural BMPs should be integrated with nonstructural stormwater management strategies and proper maintenance plans.

Nonstructural strategies include both environmentally sensitive site design and source controls that prevent pollutants from being placed on the site or from being exposed to stormwater. Multiple stormwater management BMPs may be necessary to achieve the established performance standards for water quantity, and groundwater recharge.

NATIONAL POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FEMA recommends a combination of structural and non-structural measures to minimize and mitigate flood risk from future storms and climate change impacts.

Green Infrastructure can be used to facilitate adaptation and mitigation of potential climate change impacts.

In 2008, a federally solicited and endorsed committee called the Coastal Elevations and Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee (CESLAC) submitted a set of recommendations in response to the study titled Coastal Sensitivity to Sea Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region.

The report included a detailed assessment of the effects of sea level rise (SLR) on coastal environments, and presented challenges that would need to be addressed to adapt to SLR while protecting environmental resources and sustaining economic vitality.

The committee of thirteen experts and stakeholders included representation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Association of State Floodplain Managers and New Jersey Department of Environmental

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EPA: Green Infrastructure Benefits by Type Benefit Type Environmental

ͻ /ŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ĐĂƌďŽŶ ƐĞƋƵĞƐƚƌĂƚŝŽŶ ͻ /ŵƉƌŽǀĞ Ăŝƌ ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ͻ ĚĚŝƚŝŽŶĂů ƌĞĐƌĞĂƚŝŽŶĂů ƐƉĂĐĞ ͻ ĨĨŝĐŝĞŶƚ ůĂŶĚ ƵƐĞ ͻ /ŵƉƌŽǀĞ ŚƵŵĂŶ ŚĞĂůƚŚ ͻ Flood protection ͻ ƌŝŶŬŝŶŐ ǁĂƚĞƌ ƐŽƵƌĐĞ Ɖrotection ͻ ZĞƉůĞŶŝƐŚ ŐƌŽƵŶĚǁĂƚĞƌ ͻ /ŵƉƌŽǀĞ ǁĂƚĞƌƐŚĞĚ ŚĞĂůƚŚ ͻ WƌŽƚĞĐƚ Žƌ ƌĞƐƚŽƌĞ ǁŝůĚůŝĨĞ ŚĂďŝƚĂƚ ͻ Reduce sewer overflow events ͻ ZĞƐƚŽƌĞ ŝŵƉĂŝƌĞĚ ǁĂƚĞƌƐ ͻ DĞĞƚ ƌĞŐƵůĂƚŽƌLJ ƌĞƋƵŝƌĞŵĞŶƚƐ ĨŽƌ ƌĞĐĞŝǀŝŶŐ waters

Economic

ͻ ZĞĚƵĐĞ ŚĂƌĚ ŝŶĨƌĂƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞ Đonstruction costs ͻ Maintain aging infrastructure ͻ /ŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ůĂŶĚ ǀĂůƵĞƐ ͻ ŶĐŽƵƌĂŐĞ ĞĐŽŶŽŵŝĐ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ ͻ Reduce energy consumption and costs ͻ /ŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ůŝĨĞ ĐLJĐůĞ ĐŽƐƚ ƐĂǀŝŶŐƐ

Social

ͻ ƐƚĂďůŝƐŚ ƵƌďĂŶ ŐƌĞĞŶǁĂLJƐ ͻ Provide pedestrian and bicycle access

(e.g., Nationwide Permits) and procedures to discourage the placement or replacement (including following disasters) of bulkheads and other hard structures. In the event that protection is allowed, the use of soft protection techniques should be encouraged. There needs to be a comprehensive review and evaluation of federal laws, rules and practices in response to extreme events and coastal disasters to discourage the rebuilding of physical infrastructure in high hazard coastal areas (e.g., Coastal Barrier Resources Act).

Island Beach State Park on the Barnegat Peninsula in Berkeley Township, Ocean County to an intersection with Route 27 in Rahway, Union County. It begins as a divided highway with parking spaces in the median through residential areas of South Seaside Park. It briefly becomes an undivided highway before crossing into Seaside Park, where the route becomes a four-lane, divided Central Avenue, with median parking. Route 35 passes through the residential and mixed use area, with the median widening for the Seaside Park Police Department building at the Sixth Avenue intersection. The road then widens to six lanes. Upon crossing Decatur Street, Route 35 continues into Seaside Heights.

J Street J Street travels east to northwest from Ocean Avenue to K Street.

ͻ ƌĞĂƚĞ ĂƚƚƌĂĐƚŝǀĞ ƐƚƌĞĞƚƐĐĂƉĞƐ ĂŶĚ ƌŽŽĨƚŽƉƐ that enhance livability and urban green space

Under next generation map modernization (RiskMAP), FEMA should ͻ Urban heat island mitigation include relevant http://www.epa.gov/owow/NPS/lid/gi_case_studies_2010.pdf information regarding EPA-841-F-10-004 | August 2010 SLR, coastal erosion, Image 6. and/or projected coastal inundation.

Protection. Eighteen recommendations Implementation of this will be were submitted. Of note are dependent on results obtained recommendations #10 and #15 relevant to from a recently initiated study of this report, which recommended nonthe impact of climate change on structural and “soft” solutions to flood the NFIP, and would require new management and climate change adaption. legislative mandates. ͻ Educate the public about their role in stormwater management

10. Tax code modifications and other appropriate mechanisms should be developed to provide incentives for more strategic landscape conservation practices as well as personal and community adaptation strategies. Climate change legislation needs to recognize that adaptation is an important step to initiate early on.

15. In the near-shore environment the USACE should adopt policies

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SITE ANALYSIS This analysis includes research criteria for designing and obtaining a prime location for installation of a rain garden, (also known as a bioretention area,) as one element of a proposed Green Street infrastructure plan for the Borough of Seaside Park that will incorporate as many elements of an ideal bioretention area as possible. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, a rain garden has the following definition:

5. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT AND ENGINEERING ANALYSIS PROPOSED SITE: J STREET AND ROUTE 35 Route 35 Route 35 is a state highway traveling through the Borough of Seaside Park. It runs 58.11 miles (93.52 km) from the entrance to

Image 7. Google map of intersection Route 35 and J street

Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

Bioretention areas, or rain gardens, are landscaping features adapted to provide on-site treatment of stormwater runoff. They are commonly located in parking lot islands or within small pockets of residential land uses. Surface runoff is directed into shallow, landscaped depressions. These depressions are designed to incorporate many of the pollutant removal mechanisms that operate in forested ecosystems. During storms, runoff ponds above the mulch and soil level in the system.

Runoff from larger storms is generally diverted past the facility into the storm drain system. The remaining runoff filters through the mulch and prepared soil mix. The filtered runoff can be collected in a perforated underdrain and returned to the storm drain system.

Image 8. Plan prepared by Remington, Vernick & Vana Engineers, June 2010

In order to find a site suitable for a rain garden, the following criteria were utilized: A. The site should have high visibility and pedestrian traffic for educational purposes and serve to increase public awareness and buy-in from stakeholders.

B. The area must have a large volume of runoff directed toward it, preferably from roadways and parking lots. These source areas typically produce highly polluted waters and provide an opportunity to treat the most highly toxic waters that would otherwise discharge directly into the Barnegat Bay. This would also provide a constant source of water to for the plants in the rain garden.

C. The area should have a history of ‘ponding’ after typical coastal storms and should ideally be located at the lower elevations of the watershed, but before discharge into open waters. This

Image 9. Existing Plantings within Rain Garden - Northern Island

Image 10. Low point to be 24 inched below curb line, high point to be 24 inches above existing curb line. will provide treatment to the highest volume of polluted water prior to discharge. The effectiveness of the rain garden will be maximized when it is

located as close as possible to the drainage system’s outlet structure.

D. The greater the depth to seasonal high water, the greater the removal of

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pollutants the system will eliminate prior to discharge into the water table. (Seaside Park generally has very shallow depths to seasonal high water table which means that all pollution removal will need to be done at the top of the proposed cross section prior to discharge into the aquifer.)

Optimally, the rain garden would be placed in the center of the right-of-way, with all of the runoff directed toward it.

Once trapped in the center of the right-ofway, the water would be filtered and the excess runoff directed to an outlet through a grate. This grate would be set at a level designed to maximize the amount of water that can be held and infiltrated without causing damage to the

Image 11A. Ponding on Central Ave. Photograph by D.Messina

Image 11B. Ponding on Central Ave. Photograph by D.Messina

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proposed vegetation. This would not otherwise be possible without reconstructing the road to drain toward the center of the right-of-way. Also, if the road were reconstructed to drain toward the center of the right-of-way, the depth of groundwater would limit the effectiveness of the system. Since the curb on both sides of the Route 35 rightof-way has a set elevation, the road could not be raised at the curb line without flooding the existing adjacent properties.

If optimally located, the project should reduce the volume of runoff, improve the quality of the water that is ultimately discharged and provide additional infiltration opportunities as the water percolates back into the ground. Estimates of runoff reductions can be calculated using the National Green Values™ Calculator (see Appendix). The demonstration rain garden would enhance water quality at the ultimate discharge point (Barnegat Bay), and also reduce ponding effects along the Route 35 and J street intersection (See images 11A and B).

The existing soil type and the depth of seasonal water table are controlling elements for the occurrence of natural filtration of the storm water at our site in Seaside Park. Site investigations will be necessary to determine the water table depth and the potential effectiveness of the native soils to filter pollutants. At the very least, the proposed rain garden would capture the first flush of storm water that collects on the nearby roadway and parking area, delaying its

entrance into the existing storm water sewer system. The amount of infiltration into the soil and ultimately into the water table cannot be determined at this time, but even with minimal infiltration, the proposed rain garden will have a positive effect on the existing stormwater control system.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has recently revised its own stormwater control recommendations to abandon the use of detention systems, which delay the release of captured stormwater to infiltration systems. The New Jersey Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual lists the following definition, purpose and design criteria for these systems.

DEFINITION A bioretention system consists of a soil bed planted with native vegetation, located above an underdrained sand layer. It can be configured as either a bioretention basin or a bioretention swale.

Storm water runoff entering the bioretention system is filtered first through the sand/soil mixture before being conveyed downstream by the underdrain system. Vegetation within the system provides uptake of pollutants and runoff and helps maintain the pores and associated infiltration rates of the soil. Runoff storage depths above the planting bed surface are typically shallow.

The TSS (total suspended solids) removal rate for a bioretention system is 80 or 90 percent. A bioretention system can be combined with infiltration to be a bioretention-infiltration system, with an adopted TSS removal rate of 90% for the bioretention systems and of 80% for the infiltration system.

Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

PURPOSE Bioretention systems are used to remove a wide range of pollutants, such as suspended solids, nutrients, metals, hydrocarbons and bacteria from stormwater runoff. They can also be used to reduce peak runoff rates and increase stormwater infiltration when designed as a multi-stage, multi-functional facility.

As previously stated, the exact amount of reduction in flooding and pollutant removal cannot be determined at this time. The depth of the water table must be determined and the native soils underlining the proposed rain garden must be evaluated in order to determine the potential pollutant removal at this location.

According to the BMP Manual, bioretention systems are most effective when they receive runoff as close to its source as possible. This is something we can certainly accomplish, since the proposed rain garden is designed to capture runoff from the adjacent parking area located in the center of Route 35/Central Avenue. Bioretention systems can vary in size and can receive and treat runoff from a variety of drainage areas within a land development site. They can be installed in lawns, median strips, parking lot islands, unused lot areas and certain easements. They are intended to receive and filter storm runoff from impervious areas and lawns. The elevation of the Seasonal High Water Table (SHWT) is critical to ensure proper functioning of the bioretention basin and must be evaluated to ensure that the SHWT is a least one foot below the bottom of the bioretention basin or its underdrain system (if it has one) during non-drought conditions. Finally, both the SHWT and the permeability of the soil below the system are critical factors for bioretention systems that utilize infiltration rather than an underdrain system. The system at the selected location does not depend on an underdrainage system.

Rather, it has been designed with an overflow inlet that will provide an outlet for water that does not infiltrate into the soil.

The most relevant conditions information for our particular site is the elevation of the seasonal high water table.

A detailed maintenance schedule is also an essential component in the long-term viability of any successful bioretention system.

DESIGN CRITERIA • The maximum water depth within a bioretention basin shall be 12” and 18” in a bioretention swale.

• The minimum diameter of any outlet or overflow orifice shall be 2.5”.

• The bottom of a bioretention system, including any underdrain piping or gravel layer, must be a minimum of one foot above the seasonal high groundwater table.

• The planting bed, underdrain and/or infiltration system shall be designed to fully drain the stormwater runoff volume within 72 hours.

The design permeability rate must be determined by field or laboratory testing.

Since the actual permeability rate may vary from test results and may also decrease

Image 12. Southern Island Planting Plan: Plantings and grading similar to northern island’s rain garden. R. Bartolone and T. Triplett

Image 13. Rain Garden Planting Plan – Northern Island R. Bartolone and Ty Triplett

Image 14. Rain Garden Illustrative Plan R. Bartolone and Ty Triplett

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over time due to soil bed consolidation or the accumulation of sediments removed from the treated stormwater, a factor of safety of two shall be applied to the tested permeability rate to determine the design permeability rate. For example, if the tested permeability rate of the soil bed material is 4 inches/hour, the design rate would be 2 inches/hour. This design rate would then be used to compute the system’s stormwater quality design storm drain time.

6. TECHNICAL TEAM AND COST ESTIMATES To carry out the design, engineering and implementation of a rain garden at J Street and Route 35, the following qualified team is recommended.

• Civil Engineer • Land Surveyor • Landscape Architect • Site Construction Contractor • Landscape Construction Contractor • Landscape Maintenance Contractor/ Public Works Forces

7. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES The following is a short list of suggested sources for funding a Green Street demonstration rain garden on Route 35 and J Street.

FUNDING Green Infrastructure http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/gi_ munichandbook_funding.pdf Describes strategies and provides case study examples of how local governments are generating reliable funding for green infrastructure.

Barnegat Bay Partnership Ocean County College College Drive, PO Box 2001 Toms River, NJ 08754 phone (732) 255-0472 fax (732) 864-3851 http://bbp.ocean.edu/pages/243.asp Funding opportunities http://bbp.ocean.edu/pages/ 144.asp

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NOAA SeaGrant – Coastal Resiliency Urban Coast Institute, Monmouth University, NJ 400 Cedar Avenue West Long Branch, New Jersey 07764-1898 http://www.monmouth.edu/ urban_coast_institute/default.asp Tony MacDonald, Director 732-263-5392 amacdona@monmouth.edu Sustainable Jersey Grants and Resources Municipal Land Use Center at The College of New Jersey McCauley House P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 http://www.sustainablejersey. com/resources.php Medea Villere, 609-771-2938.

Geraldine R Dodge Foundation Michelle Knapik, Program Director, Environment 14 Maple Avenue PO Box 1239 Morristown, NJ 07962-1239 Phone (973) 540-8442 Fax (973) 540-1211 http://www.grdodge.org/ howtoapply/index.htm FEMA Guidance for 2011 Mitigation Grant Programs http://www.fema.gov/library/ viewRecord.do?id=4225

COST ESTIMATES MARCH 2011 : PROBABLE COST OF PROJECT

NJDEP NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION CONTROL GRANTS (319 Grants) Dave McPartland, 319(h) Program Coordinator NJDEP- Division of Watershed Management Bureau of Watershed Planning Watershed Protection and Restoration Section Grants Management Unit PO Box 418 Trenton, NJ 08625-0418 Telephone: (609) 633-1179 David.McPartland@dep.state.nj.us

Project Survey ......................$1,500.00

APPLICATION HOT LINK http://www.nj.gov/dep/ watershedmgt/319grant.htm http://www.nj.gov/dep/ grantandloanprograms/eps_nspc. htm

Traffic control ......................$3,000.00

Project Engineering .............$3,500.00 Soil borings, including seasonal high water table determination ....................$1,500.00 Grading and stone work ..........................$3,000.00 Concrete reinforced doghouse outlet structure ..............................$5,000.00 Removal and reconstruction of curb and road as required .........$10,000.00

Fine Grading/planting preparation .............................$750.00 Plantings...............................$3,500.00 A pre-application meeting and subsequent submission to the NJDOT ....................... $1,500.00 (not including permitting fees).

Total....................................$33,250.00

Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

8. ORGANIZATIONAL FEASIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY Essential to the success and sustainability of a Green Infrastructure rain garden demonstration project is bi-partisan and governmental leadership, public interest and support, and strong partnerships with local environmental advocacy groups and volunteer organizations. Seaside Park has the capacity to implement Green Infrastructure projects. To this end, the Borough of Seaside Park Council passed two significant resolutions that demonstrate commitment and leadership towards adopting environmental approaches to solving infrastructure challenges. In March 2009 Council passed a resolution to join a SUSTAINABLE JERSEY™ to adopt practices and policies towards becoming a “sustainable community” and in April 2010 Council passed a resolution to establish Environmental Advisory Committee aka “Green Team.” Additionally there is swell of citizen interest in local environmental challenges. Volunteer groups such as Sand Dollar Garden Club, Native Gardeners of Seaside Park and Citizens for Sustainable and Resilient Communities have successfully taken the lead on local environmental initiatives. The Mayor, Planning Board and Borough departments such as Public Works and Water and Sewer, have demonstrated a track record in leading and coordinating many large and small infrastructure projects.

9. OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATING SUCCESS Successful community Green Streets projects share in a number of factors critical to implementing and sustaining a beneficial municipal program. Each of items below suggests an incremental progression of a publicly supported program.

• Leadership from the top: Towns with the strongest green programs are those with mayors, councils and community

stakeholders that have championed sustainable green infrastructure. The political support results in binding policies or mission statements that effectively institutionalize and operationalize Green Street approaches.

This leadership is required to establish a lasting Green Street infrastructure program and is one of the most often overlooked critical components to success.

• Buy-in from all municipal infrastructure departments: Streets cut across many municipal programs. Green Street practices impact stormwater management, street design, underground utilities, public lighting, green space planning, public work maintenance, and budgeting. All relevant local government departments and agencies must be represented during program development to identify and address technical and administrative issues. Coordination among the agencies can also decrease implementation costs by taking advantage of coordinated improvements.

• Documentation: It is recommended Green Street projects document design and construction information and monitor and quantify aggregate benefits. Partnering with an area university to track and monitor projects has proven to be valuable asset in many local municipalities.

• Public outreach: Outreach is important for public awareness and building support. Green Street programs have grown in communities because of public request for green retrofits in their communities. In addition, public works departments have coordinated maintenance responsibilities for vegetated stormwater BMPs with local citizen groups.

PROPOSED STEPS A. Public information session and presentation about Green

Infrastructure and multi-objective management to address flooding and stormwater runoff B. Obtain public support and buy-in from stakeholders C. Green Team and Council support project, identify funding and apply for grant funds D. Obtain grant monies to fully implement demonstration project E. Organize Borough of Seaside Park’s Green Team and citizen volunteer committee to provide support and monitor progress F. Invite area university stakeholders and resources to monitor and measure environmental and flood risk reduction benefits G. Borough of Seaside Park staff to coordinate project with consultants and volunteers

10. CO BENEFITS AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS RETHINKING ROADS: INNOVATIVE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS Roads present many opportunities for reducing and treating stormwater close to its source. Green Infrastructure approaches complement street facility upgrades, street aesthetic improvements and urban tree canopy efforts that also make use of the right–of-way and allow it to achieve multiple goals and benefits.

Using the right-of-way for treatment links green (soft) with grey (hard) infrastructure by making use of the engineered conveyance of roads with (green) stormwater management practices7.

Green Streets can incorporate a wide variety of design elements including street trees, permeable pavements (See Image 15), bioretention and swales.

Although the design and appearance of Green Streets will vary, the functional goals are the same: to provide source control of stormwater, reduce transport and pollutant conveyance to the

7 Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure, Municipal Handbook, Green Streets. R. Lukes, C. Kloss, Low Impact Development Center, December 2008

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collection system, restore predevelopment hydrology to the extent possible and provide environmentally enhanced roads. Utilizing green techniques can potentially help reduce local flooding and ponding on roadways.

Successful application of these techniques will encourage soil/vegetation contact, as well as infiltration and retention of stormwater.

AESTHETIC CONSIDERATIONS The existing traffic islands located in the center of the Route 35 right-of way offer an excellent opportunity to improve the overall visual quality of the Borough. The islands were planted some time ago and are very well maintained. Each island contains one Japanese black pine tree, six pfitzer juniper shrubs, shore juniper ground cover and lawn. The installation of the rain garden will necessitate the regrading of the island and removal of existing vegetation. Efforts should be made to save as many of the existing plants as possible. The surface will be regraded into a slight depression that will hold stormwater runoff for a limited period of time.

The installation of the proposed plantings will provide opportunities for native plants diversity and increase overall aesthetic appeal. Lessons have been learned from past utilization of a limited plant palette that has allowed a single plant disease or insect infestation to wipe out the entire population of a single plant species.

The introduction of native trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers in the planting islands could also help visually tie the Borough to the nationally significant vegetation of Island Beach State Park and distinguish the Borough from its neighbors (See Appendix B: Native Plant Selection). Appropriate plantings could provide year round interest with

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appealing flowers, colors, textures and increased bird and butterfly activity, while decreasing landscape maintenance costs.

POROUS PAVEMENT Another potential Green Street improvement that may be applicable to this intersection is the installation of porous pavement within the low-volume traffic areas of the Route 35 right-of-way.

The most obvious area for use of porous pavement is in the parking area within the center portion of the right-of-way.

Porous pavement can be made with a modified mixture of standard bituminous asphalt or concrete pavers that are installed with joints that are filled with sand, which allows water to percolate into the water table (See Image 16).

Porous pavement looks and acts like conventional pavement but is permeable, allowing water to percolate through it.

Porous asphalt pavement is made and installed with conventional asphalt paving equipment, with only the recipe changed.

Conventional asphalt pavement is a mixture of large and small stone particles bonded together with asphalt tar; in porous pavement, the smaller particles are left out and the percentage of tar is reduced. This modification provides adequate bonding while leaving spaces through which the water may pass. In laboratory tests, porous pavement was able to pass “rainfalls” of over 60 inches per hour, more than 60 times greater than our typical “downpour.” Of course the capability to handle water in real applications depends upon the ability of the underlying soils to absorb the water.

For engineers, this translates to how much additional water-holding sub-base, if any, must be provided under the pavement to store the water until it can soak in.

Since the early 1970's, porous pavement parking lots have been installed successfully in Massachusetts, Delaware,

Image 15. Cross-section of porous pavement.

POROUS PAVEMENT Pavement That Leaks, A. Richard Miller, Executive Director of the Lake Cochituate Watershed Association

Image 16. 7 SW 12th Avenue Green Street Project, Portland, Oregon. Photo Credit: Kevin Robert Perry. Source: City of Portland, Environmental Services ©2009

Pennsylvania and Texas with encouraging results for road use and local water retention. In England, it was laid over a conventional airport runway surface; this combination improved landing safety and withstood the abuse of commercial aircraft landings. A demonstration project at Walden Pond in Massachusetts used suitable combinations of pavement thickness and sub-base depth for soils and weather in the New England environment. This installation proved that when properly used and installed, porous pavement can withstand the extreme freeze/thaw cycling of New

Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

England winters. After more than ten years, no potholes were observed (Wei).

For home driveways, loose gravel acts like porous pavement. So will a mat of concrete slabs cast into open patterns, with soil and grass filling the holes - a durable driveway you can mow!

infiltration and rain garden planting anywhere along an existing curb line.

Ideally located at street intersections, the curbed bump outs provide additional sidewalk area to help minimize pedestrian time within traffic areas. They also provide a location for stormwater to infiltrate into the water table, instead of flowing into the

existing storm sewer system. These improvements will keep cars from parking within street intersections, providing additional vehicular and pedestrian safety.

Rain gardens can also be installed without removing on-street parking when they are installed within the street tree planting area.

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY Route 35 brings a considerable amount of vehicular traffic into the Borough. A significant disadvantage of having the state highway bisect the town is the difficulty pedestrians have crossing it. This is exacerbated during the summer months when thousands of pedestrians walk with children and also carry beach equipment, such as chairs, umbrellas and beach toys.

Even with extra help from seasonal police crossing guards, safely crossing Route 35 is a daunting task. In addition to standard crosswalk striping and pedestrian crossing signs, efforts have been instigated by several towns to make additional site improvements (See Images 17, 18, and 19).

Image 17. Example of a bump out. Creating a Neighborhood Plan: Transportation Strategies City of Madison, WI, Department of Planning, Community & Economic Development Neighborhood Planning, Preservation and Design Section October 2008

INTERSECTION BUMP OUTS Benefits • Reduce roadway width curb to curb, creating shorter crossing distances for pedestrians and thereby reducing traffic delays • Provides pedestrians and bicyclists a refuge partway through crossing • Effective at un-signalized crossings of high-volume thoroughfares of four or more lanes, or with high volumes of roadway traffic • Improve driver visibility of pedestrians • Slow vehicular traffic • Allow for pedestrian amenities ADAPTABILITY OF DESIGN Rain gardens can be installed anywhere an existing catch basin is located within a street right-of-way. With the use of curb bump outs, an area can be created for stormwater

Image 18. Bump out in West Palm Beach, FL. Creating a Neighborhood Plan: Transportation Strategies City of Madison,WI, Department of Planning, Community & Economic Development Neighborhood Planning, Preservation and Design Section October 2008

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11. SUMMARY/CONCLUSION The installation of the proposed rain garden at the intersection of Route 35 and J Street is a unique and valuable opportunity for Seaside Park to obtain credits towards Sustainable Jersey certification and take the lead as a coastal New Jersey community demonstrating the benefits of Green Street improvements. The demonstration project is a low cost, high reward effort that will help illustrate Green Street methodology to Borough residents and to the New Jersey Department of Transportation for future consideration in the upcoming redesign of Route 35.

The suggested intersection improvements will help keep Barnegat Bay a bit cleaner by reducing the amount of water that flows into the existing storm sewer system, reduce stormwater flooding and ponding on local streets. Moreover, the program can provide an opportunity to improve both pedestrian safety and the Borough’s aesthetic appeal to help reinforce Seaside Park’s reputation as “The Family Resort.”

Image 19. This Green Street design combines stormwater treatment with a bump out to reduce pedestrian crossing distances. Photo Credit: Portland BES. Portland Bureau of Environmental Services.

Image 20. Pervious pavers used in the roadway in a neighborhood development in Wilsonville, OR. Photo Credit: Portland BES.

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Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

APPENDIX A EPA Case studies: Municipalities Implementing Green Infrastructure EPA: Case Studies, Managing Stormwater with Green Infrastructure This case study report describes a dozen cities and counties that are using Green Infrastructure approaches to reduce imperviousness and preserve natural open space throughout a watershed and at the neighborhood scale, as well as adding Green Infrastructure practices at the site level. http://www.epa.gov/ owow/NPS/lid/gi_case_studies_2010.pdf EPA/NRDC: Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure Handbook Series The Municipal Handbook is a series of documents to help local officials implement Green Infrastructure in their communities. Handbook topics cover issues such as financing, operation and maintenance, incentives, designs, codes & ordinances, and a variety of other subjects. The handbook documents are intended to serve as "how to" manuals on these topics, written primarily from the standpoint of municipal implementation.

The handbook is being produced in sections, with each new element being released as it is completed. http://www.efc.unc.edu/publications/pdf s/gi_munichandbook_funding.pdf FEMA: Report on Costs and Benefits of Natural Hazard Mitigation This report reviews the types of benefits that can accrue to different segments of society from mitigative measures, the types of costs that can be incurred by undertaking the actions, and the types of analyses needed to evaluate the costeffectiveness associated with the mitigation measure. In addition, the report provides a review of the tools of hazard mitigation, to give the reader an understanding of how mitigation measures are implemented. FEMA-294/7/97 http://www.fema.gov/library/ viewRecord.do?id=1712 FEMA: Planning for a Sustainable Future The Link Between Hazard Mitigation and Livability “Planning for a Sustainable Future: The Link Between Hazard Mitigation and Livability” (FEMA 364) illustrates how communities, whether

planning for hazard mitigation before a disaster or initiating recovery planning after a disaster, can integrate the concepts and principles of sustainable development into each phase of mitigation planning. FEMA 364 also shows how disaster resistance can be a catalyst to help communities incorporate sustainable development practices into their day-to-day planning and development functions. Finally, FEMA 364 gives real-life examples of communities that have successfully implemented sustainable development practices in their community and describes how citizens and local officials can become advocates for disaster resistance as a part of sustainable development and livability in their communities. Publication 364 http://www.fema.gov/library/ viewRecord.do?id=1541 Flood Protection and Coastal Storm Safety for the Borough of Seaside Park, Ocean County, N J http://www.seasideparknj.org/ flood-information/ Green City, Clean Waters, Philadelphia Water Department, City of Philadelphia Through the evaluation of a number of alternative implementation approaches, Philadelphia determined that a green stormwater infrastructure-based approach would provide maximum return in environmental, economic, and social benefits within the most efficient timeframe, making it the best approach for the City of Philadelphia. Green stormwater infrastructure is partnered with stream corridor restoration and preservation and with wet weather treatment plant upgrades. Each is mutually supportive and essential. The program report describes strategies and the specific tools and programs of Philadelphia’s green stormwater infrastructure approach. http://www.phillywatersheds.org/ ltcpu/LTCPU_Summary_LoRes.pdf New Jersey Stormwater Management. Title 7 of the New Jersey Administrative Code.

Stormwater Management, April 19, 2010. http://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/rules/ njac7_8.pdf

National Green Values™ Calculator National Green Values™ Calculator is a tool for quickly comparing the performance, costs, and benefits of Green Infrastructure, or Low Impact Development (LID), to conventional stormwater practices. The GVC is designed to take you step-by-step through a process of determining the average precipitation at your site, choosing a stormwater runoff volume reduction goal, defining the impervious areas of your site under a conventional development scheme, and then choosing from a range of Green Infrastructure Best Management Practices (BMPs) to find the combination that meets the necessary runoff volume reduction goal in a cost-effective way. http://greenvalues.cnt.org/national/ calculator.php Sustainable Jersey SUSTAINABLE JERSEY is a certification program for municipalities in New Jersey that want to go green, save money, and take steps to sustain their quality of life over the long term.

Complete Streets: http://www.sustainablejersey.com/ actiondesc.php?arr_num=53&id_num=8!3 Operations & Maintenance: Efficient Landscape Design: http://www.sustainablejersey.com/ actiondesc.php?arr_num=105&id_ num=12!8 Innovative Demonstration Projects: Rain gardens http://www.sustainablejersey.com/ actiondesc.php?arr_num=144&id_ num=15!5 The Value of Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chicago, IL A guide for municipalities that helps to quantify the multiple energy, economic, and environmental benefits of adopting sustainable stormwater best management practices. http://www.cnt.org/repository/ gi-values-guide.pdf

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APPENDIX B NATIVE PLANT SELECTION INFORMATION OVERVIEW The New Jersey Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual recommends the use of native plant species and defines them as: “species that evolved naturally to live in the region.

Practically speaking, this specifically refers to species that grew in New Jersey before Europeans explored and settled in America. Many introduced species were brought in by accident; others were intentionally introduced and cultivated for use as medicinal herbs, spices, dyes, fiber plants and ornamentals.” Fortunately, extensive research has been done on native plant species of the barrier island on which Seaside Park is situated. An excellent source of information about these native plants is the Plant Communities of New Jersey, a Study in Plant Diversity by Beryl Robichauld Collins and Karl H. Anderson, Rutgers University Press, 1994. The following is noted in the Collins and Anderson text: One of the most important influences to plant success is its relationship to soil features. Soil, which is nothing more than disintegrated rock particles modified by plants, water and air and combined with decomposed organic material, is the medium in which plants root and obtain their nourishment. Soils differ in their water-holding capacities, in their supplies of mineral elements and in their properties that affect the availability of nutrients to plants.

One of the soil characteristics that affect the water holding capacity is texture, that is, the relative proportions of sand, silt and clay particles that make up soil. Water quickly drains through sand particles but adheres tightly to

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smaller clay particles. The result is that very sandy soils tend to be dry; those with a lot of clay often are waterlogged. Soil substrates vary wildly not only in waterholding capacity but also in the type and amount of mineral elements most needed by plants such as nitrogen, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. Each plant species exhibits a specific range of need and tolerance for particular nutrients as well as for the other factors such as soil acidity. Thus a plant species that grows and reproduces successfully on one type of soil may not be able to exist under different conditions.

Too little or too much of a specific element in the soil or too low or too high a level of acidity, as measured by a scale known as the pH scale, a plant will die.

Native plants should be utilized for all rain garden plantings. The Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension Rain Garden Fact Sheet advises: the “use of hardy native perennial species with wellestablished root systems that survive in both dry and wet conditions. Typically, native species do not require substantial fertilization, absorb water more efficiently than turf-style lawns and are much easier to maintain than exotic species.” In February 2004, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection promulgated new guidelines respecting the control of stormwater in the state.

PLANT SELECTION The authors of Plant Communities of New Jersey divide the state into 8 different plant habitats. Seaside Park is located in the Coastal Sand Dune Habitat.

Due to the unique environmental conditions of the state’s barrier islands, the area is further subdivided into 4

distinct plant communities, (determined by their distance from the ocean). The Dunegrass Community is located on the primary dune immediately adjacent to the ocean. The Beach Heather Community is located behind the ridge of the foredunes, a flattened area with hollows and smaller dunes that offer additional moisture and protection from the salt spray of the ocean. Still further inland, a decrease in the salt spray combined with an increase in soil moisture allows additional varieties of vegetation to survive in the Shrub Thicket Community. The final plant community in this region, the Dune Woodland Community, is located in the moister and more protected hollows beyond the heavy salt spray. Large trees grow in abundance in this area, forming a dense forest. Tree species prevalent in this community include American holly, black cherry, red cedar and red maple.

The Plant Communities of New Jersey book identifies Island Beach State Park as the primary example of the state’s coastal sand dune community. As one travels inland from the ocean, the decreasing amount of salt spray and greater soil moisture combine to produce conditions that result in the growth of a varied natural plant cover.

Among the species found in this plant cover are the woody plants that commonly grow in the Borough such as bayberry, beach plum, shadbush, highbush blueberry, red cedar, black cherry, scrub oak, winged sumac and American holly. On the drier areas, dunegrass, seaside goldenrod and switchgrass can be found.

NJDEP’s Best Management Practices Manuel, Chapter 7, Landscaping describes the benefits of using native plant species: Native species have distinct genetic advantages over nonnative species. Because they have evolved to live here naturally, indigenous plants are best suited

Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

for our local climate. This translates into greater survivorship and less replacement maintenance during the life of a stormwater management facility. Both of these attributes provide cost savings for facility owners.

In addition, native plant species give the appearance of “belonging� in the rain garden, as the sites are designed to mimic the physical conditions of the indigenous plant community. The selected plants will enhance the stormwater infiltration and

filtering systems. Vegetation located in pre-treatment buffers trap sediments that are often bound with phosphorous and metals and can aid in nutrient uptake and water storage. Additionally, plant roots provide arteries from within which stormwater can permeate soil for groundwater recharge.

We selected the following plants from the Shrub Thicket Plant Community, which will provide a variety of heights, textures and seasonal interest. Spring will introduce the fragrant pink Pasture Rose; Black Eyed

Susan will bloom from June into July; and the Purple Cone Flower blossom will provide color from July into August. The textures and colors of the selected grasses will provoke interest all summer, and the Gray Goldenrod’s flowers will illuminate the garden in autumn. The plants will also provide food and cover for songbirds and butterflies. After an initial establishment period, the plants should thrive in the harsh conditions of the rain garden and will offer delightful viewing to the surrounding community for many years to come.

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INDEX OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1. Roadway Functional Street Map, Borough of Seaside Park. T & M Assoc., Seaside Park 2008 Master Plan, Page 74. http://www.seasideparknj.org/files/FIN AL_MASTER_PLAN.pdf 2. Flooding due to powerful storms.

North Bayview Ave, Seaside Park, NJ. Major and minor flooding: 12 floods within a 6 month period (Nov 2009May 2010). Sources: (2a) The Star-Ledger, Friday, May 28, 2010; (2b) The Star-Ledger, March 16, 2010.

3. FEMA Flood Hazard Area, Borough of Seaside Park, T & M Assoc., Seaside Park 2008 Master Plan, Page 39. http://www.seasideparknj.org/files/FIN AL_MASTER_PLAN.pdf 4. Green Infrastructure Benefits and Practices Table. The Value of Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits, 2010. Page3. http://www.cnt.org/repository/givalues-guide.pdf 5. Median nose extended beyond the crosswalk to provide an enclosed pedestrian refuge. Source: Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. Traveled Way Design Guidelines, Designing Walkable Urban Throughfares: A Contex Sensitive Approach.www.ite.org/css/online/DWU TO9.html

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6. EPA: Green Infrastructure Benefits

by Type. http://www.epa.gov/owow/NPS/lid/gi_ case_studies_2010.pdf, EPA-841-F-10004, August 2010.

15. Cross-section of porous pavement.

POROUS PAVEMENT Pavement That Leaks, A. Richard Miller, Executive Director of the Lake Cochituate Watershed Association

7. Google map of intersection Route 35 and J street

16. 7 SW 12th Avenue Green Street Project, Portland, Oregon. Photo Credit: Kevin Robert Perry. Source: City of Portland, Environmental Services Š2009

8. Intersection of Route 35 and J Street, Seaside Park, New Jersey. Plan Prepared by Remington, Vernick & Vena Engineers, June 2010.

9. Existing Plantings within Rain Garden Northern Island. R. Bartolone and T. Triplett 10. Grading Plan: Low point to be 24 inched below curb line, high point to be 24 inches above existing curb line.

R. Bartolone and T.Triplett 11. Ponding on Central Ave. (a & b) Photograph by D.Messina 12. Southern Island Planting Plan: Plantings and grading similar to northern island’s rain garden. R. Bartolone and T. Triplett 13. Rain Garden Planting Plan - Northern Island. R. Bartolone and Ty Triplett 14. Rain Garden Illustrative Plan. R. Bartolone and T. Triplett

17. Example of a bump out. Creating a Neighborhood Plan: Transportation Strategies City of Madison,WI, Department of Planning, Community & Economic Development Neighborhood Planning, Preservation and Design Section October 2008 18. Bump out in West Palm Beach, FL. Creating a Neighborhood Plan: Transportation Strategies City of Madison,WI, Department of Planning, Community & Economic Development Neighborhood Planning, Preservation and Design Section October 2008 19. Green Street design combining stormwater treatment with a bump out to reduce pedestrian crossing distances. Photo Credit: Portland BES. Portland Bureau of Environmental Services.

20. Pervious pavers used in the roadway in a neighborhood development in Wilsonville, OR. Photo Credit: Portland BES

Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study

PLANT PHOTOS AND DESCRIPTIONS Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) An upright shrub, the bayberry typically grows to 5 to 8 feet in height, except on sand dunes and poor quality sites. The species has male and female plants; the flowers occur in early spring and are not showy. Female plants produce numerous small, blue-grey, waxy round fruit in the fall. Bayberry is a native of the eastern coastal zone. Although adapted to a variety of soil conditions, it performs best on light textured soils. It naturally spreads to bare sandy soil areas, but not into sod or cultivated sites.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) A biennial forb, it grows to about 3 feet tall with yellow ray flowers and dark brown spherical centers.

After germination, the seedling grows into a rosette with oblong leaves. Sometimes flower stalks will appear in the first summer, but typically black-eyed Susan blooms from June to September of the second year. After flowering and seed maturation, the plants die. It is adapted throughout the Northeast on soils that are well-drained to somewhat poorly drained. It will perform acceptably on droughty soils during years with average or above rainfall; best growth is achieved on sandy, well drained sites.

Coastal Panic Grass (Panicum amarum) Also known as Bitter Panicum, this is a perennial, U.S. native, warm season grass growing to a height of 7 feet with a growth habit ranging from erect to prostrate. The leaves are 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, 7 to 20 inches long, smooth without hair and bluish in color. A robust grass, it spreads slowly from short, strong rhizomes to form open clumps. Coastal Panic Grass is adapted to very dry sterile sites. It can withstand periods of extended drought and is somewhat winter hardy.

Grey Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis) A native perennial wildflower, this is one of the smaller species of goldenrod, growing from 6 inches and seldom reaching 2.5 feet tall. It flowers later than most other goldenrods. The narrow flower is wider in the middle and has numerous yellow compound flowers that are about Âź inch across. The blooming period occurs during the fall and lasts about a month and the flowers occasionally have a slight fragrance. In suitable locations, grey goldenrod has a tendency to form groups of plants. It is a carefree plant that prefers growing in full sun and dry soil. This plant thrives in sand, clay or gravel soils. It will also grow in fertile soil.

However, it can be short-lived if the site is too rich.

Little Blue Stem (Schizachyrium scoparium) A medium height grass with coarse stems and basal leaves, this is a warm season grass that begins growth in late spring and continues through the hot summer period until the first killing frost. It has very flat bluish basal shoots. Plants are green, but often purplish at base of the stem and the entire plant has a reddish cast after frost. Its leaves are smooth, but frequently covered with hair at the base next to the sheath. Leaves tend to fold with maturity. Seed head clusters are about three inches long.

The clustered stems are hairy. Plant height varies from 18 inches on droughty sites to 3 feet on deep, fertile soils.

Pasture or Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana) An upright shrub growing between 4 to 6 feet tall, it has glossy dark green foliage that develops excellent yellow to red fall color. This species bears fragrant pink flowers that are 2 to 3 inches in diameter and occur in clusters of five to eight. Pasture rose grows along the edges of salt marshes, roadsides and in pastures. It succeeds in moist soils, growing well in heavy clayey soils. It prefers a sunny position and does well in winter conditions. This is an outstanding ornamental shrub that is easy to grow.

Purple Cone Flower (Echinacea purpurea) A perennial herb 6 inches to 2 feet tall with a woody rhizome. It has one to several rough-hairy stems, mostly unbranched. Leaf blades are ovate to ovate-lanceolate with serrate edges, up to 8 inches long and 6 inches wide and slightly heart-shaped at the base. The flowers are in heads like sunflowers with the disk up to 1.5 inches across. The drooping ray florets have ligules 0.4 to 1.2 inches long and are reddish-purple, lavender or rarely, pink. The disk florets are approximately 2 inches long and are situated among stiff bracts. Flowers bloom from June to August; fruits are small, dark, 4-angled achenes. It is cold and heat hardy, and easy to grow. Goldfinches love the Echinacea seed crop and can clear out all the seed in a few days.

All preceding plant information was obtained from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Plant Guide.

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WORKS CITED The Borough of Seaside Park. Sustainable Jersey Resolution. Resolution No. 2009. 12 Mar 2009.

The Value of Green Infrastructure A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits. Center for Neighborhood Technology, 2010. http://www.cnt.org/repository/ gi-values-guide.pdf (page The City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning. “Walkability Checklist Guidance for Entitlement Review Crosswalks/Street Crossings.”

Beatley,T., Planning for Coastal Resilience: Best Practices for Calamitous Times, Island Press 2009, ISBN: 978-159726-561-4 (C) Coastal Elevations and Sea Level Rise Advisory Committee (CESLAC). Response to “Coastal Sensitivity to Sea Level Rise: A Focus on the Mid-Atlantic Region.” U.S. Government Advisory Committee on Coastal Elevations and Sea Level Rise. 2008. Web. <http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ effects/coastal/CESLAC.pdf>

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Department of Planning, Community & Economic Development Neighborhood Planning. “Creating a Neighborhood Plan, Transportation strategies.” Preservation and Design Section. Madison, WI. Lukes, Robb, Christopher Kloss and the Low Impact Development Center.

Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure, Green Streets Municipal Handbook. Dec. 2008.

Najarian Associates. “Proposed Pavement Restoration and Drainage Improvements, Route 35.” Commissioned by The Borough of Seaside Park Mayor’s Route 35 Improvement Advisory Committee for the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

May 2004.

T&M Associates. Commissioned by Borough of Seaside Park to provide guidance and expertise to Seaside Park’s Planning Board and Master Plan Advisory committee for the preparation of its updated Master Plan. Adopted 25 November 25 2008.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. Definition of a rain garden.

Wei, Irvine W., Ph.D. “Installation and Evaluation of Permeable Pavement at Walden Pond State Reservation.”

February 1986.

Yocas, David, FASLA. Congress testimony.

30 September 2010

New Jersey Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual. Chapter 9.1 Bioretention Systems. Draft version, November 2007.

“Seaside Park Stormwater Control Ordinance.” Development Regulations, Chapter 25. Sections 25-626, Ordinance No. 1387. Adopted 24 May 2006.

Stormwater Control Ordinance: 2578

Green Street Infrastructure as a Coastal Resiliency Strategy and Route 35 Rain Garden Feasibility Study