West Windsor Engineering Consultant Memo BCM Engineers
920 Germantown Pike, Suite 200
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
610-313-3100
Fax: 610-313-3151MEMORANDUM
TO: Planning Board
West Windsor TownshipFROM: Christopher B. Jepson
Environmental ConsultantDATE: January 30, 2001
SUBJECT: Sarnoff Corporation (PB 00-24)
Concept Plan
BCM Engineers Project No. 00-0793-81As West Windsor Township's environmental consultant, BCM Engineers, Inc. (BCM), has reviewed the submitted information for the above referenced application (PB 00-24) for a concept plan and offers the following comments for the Board's consideration:
I. Overview
The Sarnoff Corporation site consists of 336 acres and is currently developed with 600,000 square feet (SF) of research and development space. The site is generally bounded by the Millstone River to the north, US Route 1 to the west, Route 571 to the south, and the Amtrak rail lines to the east. Sarnoff is currently proposing to redevelop the property to provide some 750,000 SF of research/development space (for Sarnoff), 2,380,000 SF of office/research space, 400 hotel rooms, convention/conference space, daycare, and supporting commercial retail space. The site contains woodlands (upland and lowland), wetlands, open water and vacant land. Areas of proposed Greenbelt occur along the Millstone, Big Bear Brook, Little Bear Brook and an area between the confluences of the Millstone and both Bear Brooks. Extensive parking areas associated with the proposed buildings are shown along with stormwater management basins, recreational areas, open space areas, traffic circulation system, etc.
II. Comments/Recommendations on Pertinent Issues
A. Wetlands
Significant areas of wetlands are found along the Millstone River, Big Bear Brook and Little Bear Brook. Other areas of wetlands or isolated wetlands may be present on the site. Several consultants and several plans regarding wetlands were referred to in the development materials I received. Any official NJDEP documentation regarding wetlands was not received. Neither were any of the plans referred to in the review material, made available for review. Application should be made to NJDEP for verification of the wetland lines referred to by Schoor DePalma. An overlay sketch showing the location of all wetlands on the site would be helpful.
B. Greenbelt
The West Windsor Township Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) shows proposed Greenbelt along both stream corridors (Little and Big Bear Brooks) and along the Millstone River. Greenbelt is also shown in the area between the confluence of the Bear Brooks and the Millstone. This area of proposed Greenbelt is substantial and contains some beautiful areas of forest. The applicant has shown development in this area (Buildings B and 14-17 and associated parking). Building C and its associated parking is also located in that area, albeit to the south of the superimposed Millstone Bypass. The applicant should give consideration to reducing the amount of development in that area. The Bypass appears to cut through a considerable amount of woodland including the apparent elimination of the picturesque Boy Scout Bridge.
This property contains some of the most spectacular views that can be found anywhere in West Windsor. The bluffs overlooking the Millstone need to be preserved so that future generations are able to enjoy them. Upland forested areas support specimen trees of a variety of species (beech, oak, hickory, etc.).
C. Water Quality
The site is located mainly in the Millstone River Basin with lesser area in the Little Bear Brook Basin and a tiny part in the Big Bear Brook Drainage Basin. D & R Canal Commission approval is required for this project primarily from the extensive proposed parking areas and impervious surfaces being added to the site
The site plan indicates that four wet detention basins/ponds are going to be located on site. The basin closest to the Amtrak lines is not depicted with an aeration feature that will assist in keeping the contents of the basins in an aerobic state as the other basins are. The stormwater collection system appears to be extensive. We defer comment to the Township Engineer.
D. Environmentally Sensitive Areas
The Sarnoff Corporation site is underlain by the Stockton Sandstone geologic formation with adequate yield potential. The aquifer recharge potential is high in some areas and low in other areas. Areas of high aquifer recharge potential occur along the Millstone and its tributaries. Please try to limit the amount of impervious surfaces applied to this site. The impact from vast amounts of impervious surfaces being applied in West Windsor is cumulative. Depth to seasonally high water table is primarily deep with some areas being moderately shallow to very shallow. The areas with a high water table occur primarily along the Millstone and the Bear Brooks. The site contains considerable acreage of floodway and flood hazard areas. Again, these areas occur along the Bear Brooks and the Millstone River.
Some steeply sloping areas occur on the bluffs along the Millstone where the views are the most scenic. They also occur along the west bank of the Little Bear Brook and therefore don't appear to have much of an impact on proposed construction. An area of potential high erosion occurs in the far northeastern portion of the site along the Millstone. There is no development shown in that area although it extends down to the intersection of the Big Bear Brook and the Amtrak lines.
E. Historic Resources
The Township Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) indicates that there are two known historic sites near the property (Penns Neck Baptist Church and Cemetery and the Red Lion Inn-both date to the early 1 800s).
Three archeological sites have been identified on the subject property. All three are along the Millstone River. One of these sites is located near the confluence of the Millstone and Little Bear Brook.
F. Other Environmental Concerns/Comments
Portions of this site have scenic views like no others in West Windsor Township. It appears that none of these areas will be directly impacted by the proposed development. However, I feel that the level of development proposed is excessive given the characteristics of the site and the unfortunate decision of NJDOT to place the proposed Millstone Bypass through the site. I am questioning the decision to expand from the current 600,000 square foot facility to 3,530,000 square foot facility. There have been several hotel proposals that have been recently granted approvals. Is a 400-room hotel really necessary at the site?
The potential for rare or endangered species to be present on site is possible. During a sight visit last week many deer and various waterfowl species were seen.
III ITEMS PROVIDED FOR REVIEW
· West Windsor Township Development Application.
· Conceptual Development Plan, prepared by Sarnoff Corporation, dated January 3, 2001.
· Sarnoff Technology Campus Bulletin.
· Preliminary Traffic Assessment prepared by Schoor DePalma, undated.
· Sarnoff Site Wetlands Letter, prepared by Schoor DePalma, dated January 5, 2001.If you should have any questions or concerns regarding these comments please contact me at this office.
cc: Applicant
S. Surtees, WWT CD
J. Madden, Madden & Assoc.
D. Dobromilsky, Landscape Architect
Planning Board Members
Gerald Muller Esq., Miller, Porter & Muller
G. Fries, Township Engineer
G. Davies, Urbitran/Garmen
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