Fall 2012
E. J. Bloustein School of Planning
and Public Policy
Rutgers University
Sustainable Raritan River Regional
Environmental Planning Studio:
Milltown Floodplain
Restoration
Raritan River Studio
34:970:510:04
Meeting time:
Wednesdays, 1:10-3:50
CSB Room 476
Judy Shaw, Ph.D., AICP, PP
jashaw@ejb.rutgers.edu
CSB 174
Office Hours:
Tuesdays, 9:30-12:00
Mark Gallagher, VP
Princeton Hydro
mgallagher@princetonhydro.com
Office Hours:
By arrangement
Photo: Judy Shaw, 2012
Academic Integrity Policy
All members of our community must be confident that each person's work has been responsibly and
honorably acquired, developed, and presented. Any effort to gain advantage not given to all students is
dishonest, whether or not the effort is successful. A violation of academic honesty is a breach of trust,
and will result in penalties, including possible suspension or expulsion. When in doubt about
plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, or collaboration, consult the course instructors.
http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/students.shtml
ALL SOURCES OF PHOTOS, WEBSITES, and OTHER REFERENCES must be cited in all work
including PowerPoints, Reports and Reviews
PHOTOS in this Syllabus used with permission: Dr. George Guo, PE, Rutgers University
MAPS courtesy of the Center for Remote Sensing& Spatial Analysis, Rutgers, University
The Boro of Milltown invites us to play a lead role in developing a new vision for lands
adjacent to the Lawrence Brook. The Sustainable Raritan River Regional
Environmental Planning Studio brings together your expertise in planning,
communication, graphics, survey research and capitalizes on your work experience to help
Milltown develop a restoration plan for the Lawrence Brook, the Mill Pond and the dam
area underneath Main Street at Washington Street and the extended region including South
Brunswick, East Brunswick, North Brunswick and New Brunswick.
The Boro seeks to resolve flooding issues in the area of the Lawrence Brook and the
Millpond below the Milltown Redevelopment Site, which is the former home of a Michelin
Tire Company facility. Historically, the site has been used since the mid-1800s and more
recently warehousing. The site has remnant asphalt roads, parking, storage sites, concrete
pads with vegetation along the brook and the Millpond.
The Tasks for the Studio include a broad vision that will maximize ecological services in the
Boro. They are interested in three outcomes:
1. Reduction of Flood Impacts
2. Design for Floodplain Restoration
3. Relocation of assets currently in the floodplain
Our final product will be a vision for the entire extent of the Lawrence Brook through Milltown
Boro. This will be presented at Bloustein for a wide audience and again to Milltown Boro Council in
an evening presentation.
Studio Framing 1. Greenway element - design with Middlesex County - along the Michelin
property
2. West - Mill Pond (influences); impacts from upstream to the area long the
brook on the west side of Main Street
3. East: study of hydrology and the redesign of the dam;; railroad bridge; lower
stream quality
4. Park Design - relocation of the post office and the municipal facilities - shirt
factory (CME handling remediation issues)
5. FEMA/federal involvement - Congressman Holt
6. Relocation of the current uses (Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership) on
the 1/5 acres next to Boro Hall
7. Extension of streetscape in front of the VFW Hall....
8. Area parking lots - pervious paving educational session for owners
9. Understanding of area bridges – construction histories and associated
stormwater management aspects (including Ryders Lane bridge).
This project is part of the Sustainable Raritan River Initiative, promoting
coordinated regional planning in all seven counties of the Raritan River
Watershed
Date
Sept.
5
Sept.
12
Sept.
19
Sept.
26
Oct.
3
Oct.
10
Oct.
17
Oct.
24
Nov.
7
Nov.
14
Nov.
21
Nov.
28
Dec.
5
Dec.
12
Dec.
19
Class
Judy Shaw and Mark Gallagher
Deliverables
Resumes, Reviews of Sakai materials,
DEP regulations
Client Meeting in Milltown
Maps, pictures, teams and objectives
Project – Milltown Engineer, EPA Green
Infrastructure Advisors
Establish meetings
Project Work/Speakers
Reports on interviews
Project Work
TBD
Project Work/Speakers
First draft report and powerpoint
Client Meeting
Presentation
Project Work/Speakers
TBD
Project Work
TBD
Client Meeting
Second draft report and powerpoint
Project Work
TBD
Project Work/Final EPA Advisors Meeting
TBD
Project Work
TBD
Final session preparation
Final Draft report and powerpoint
FINAL PRESENTATION
Final Report and Powerpoint
Grades are based on your overall attendance, participation, and assignments: 75% and on the final
Presentation: 25% (combined professor grade and peer grade)
Readings will be posted on Sakai throughout the semester and will be primarily drawn from two
sources: county and local planning documents and reports; and relevant articles that expand our
base knowledge regarding the various project elements.
Discussions of readings will be part of each class meeting.
Our final product will be a report with maps and next steps.
Interim products
1. September 5:
a) Creation of Work Teams: Resumes and Skills analysis
b) Review of critical information
1) Najarian Reports
2) Omni Report
3) State and Federal Regulation Review. Written summary of rules, footnoted with
references and must demonstrate working knowledge of:
i. Flood Hazard rules
ii. NJDEP Site Remediation Program
iii. Harbor Estuary Program
iv. Stormwater
v. Waterfront Development
vi. Wetlands
vii. ACE – 404B of the Clean Water Act
viii. NJ Landscape Project
ix. Threatened and Endangered species Act
4) Funding - Ongoing
 Start Sakai list of Financial Resources – it will be part of the final report
 ID sources of money for restoration and recreational development etc.
2. September 12 – initial overview with Milltown Boro
a) Mayor, key government leaders and stakeholders with contact information
b) Report on Milltown Township (1-2 pages) – size, history, main sources of taxes,
industries, parks
c) Describe the Milltown decision-making process (1-2 pages) governance structure –
type of governance, does it have a planning board, its own planner/engineer or
consultant, does it have an environmental commission
d) Website: Communication – website; newsletters – exchange of information;
how they get information out to the community/Dialog with members on
matters of importance to the future of the community
e) Summary of county reports as they relate to Milltown
f) Summary of local master plan and ordinances as they relate to the Lawrence Brook–
address 1) stormwater discharger, 2) recreation and 3) economic development
g) Describe the Waterfront (1-2 pages) land uses – what is preserved, what is its current
use (preserved, commercial/industrial/residential); who owns it, its size, the number
of feet of actual waterfront, photos, conditions, discharges, any physical descriptions
(boat launches, bulkheads
h) Detailed Maps: in a scale that can be understood and worked on with basics
engineering scales; one master map for the bulletin board, then smaller maps at a
larger scale. Working knowledge of all physical information: topographical information
(3-D), location of all buildings, location of all ancillary facilities, rights of ways,
easements, power lines, location of infrastructure, sewer, water, storm drains,
electricity cable, and any other physical features that might impact the potential
design: boat ramps, bulkheads, and any Corp of Engineering standards
3. Future Class Assignments to be determined (TBD) in response to inputs from clients and
information developed by project team (you).