X. COMMUNITY FACILITIES PLAN

INTRODUCTION

The Municipal Land Use Law provides for an optional community facilities plan element as part of a municipal master plan.

A community facilities plan element showing the existing and proposed location and type of educational or cultural facilities, historic sites, libraries, hospitals, firehouses, police stations and other related facilities including their relation to the surrounding areas.

The overall purpose of this plan is in general:

• To predict trends in public demand and need for community facilities.

 

• To inventory existing Township community facilities and assess their adequacy or inadequacy.

 

• To make recommendations for future improvements to Township community facilities.

BACKGROUND AND ASSUMPTIONS

In the 1990s and early 2000s, the Township has undergone a period of sustained growth, increasing enrollment in schools and putting pressure on other municipal facilities. This pressure, which could affect the size and scale of Township facilities, can be at odds with the increased desire among residents, and the new Township Master Plan’s overriding goal, to preserve the Township’s unique historic/rural character and distinctive sense of place.

Presently, the Township is nearing "build-out". A large percentage of the Township has recently been rezoned (2001) reducing the total amount of development that will be permitted. In addition, the Township has an active open space acquisition program in place, which will further reduce future development potential. As a result, future development may not be as important a factor in increasing the need for additional facilities as it has been in the recent past.

Following are the major factors affecting community facilities and the need for them in Mendham Township.

• Volunteers.

  The Township has traditionally depended on citizen volunteers to provide many of the services on which Township citizens depend. This has enabled the provision of quality services at lower cost. Quality facilities are important to maintaining the current high level of citizen volunteer spirit.

• Inter-municipal services.

  The Township has for many years cooperated with adjacent municipalities in providing various services to residents. They have ranged from informal sharing of equipment to formal mutual assistance agreements for fire fighting to a combined court. More inter-municipal cooperation and/or consolidation in providing services and facilities may be possible.

• Preserving the Township’s character and sense of place.

  The new Township Master Plan’s overriding goal is to preserve the Township’s unique historic character and distinctive sense of place. Community Facility decisions concerning the location and design of future facilities can affect this goal.

ASSESSMENT OF

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

In 1995, the Township Mayor appointed a committee of citizen volunteers (Building Facilities Committee) to analyze the current status of Township buildings, space use of all departments, and future space needs. Since that time, the Township Committee hired architectural firms to conduct two additional analyses, a process that is still ongoing. The following inventory and assessment of Township community facilities is a result of all of these preceding efforts.

Municipal Complex - Cherry Lane and West Main Street (Block 137 Lot 16).

General comments. The Township’s municipal complex is located in the small historic crossroads hamlet of Brookside and in many ways is the center of community life and focus of interaction for Mendham Township residents. The three-acre site contains three buildings and five important municipal institutions. The Township Administrative offices and the Mendham Township Library occupy the largest building located on the corner of Cherry Lane and West Main Street. Brookside Engine Company # 1 and the Mendham Township First Aid squad occupy the second largest building which faces Cherry Lane. The Police Department is housed in its own building, the smallest of the three, also fronting on Cherry Lane.

The concentration of municipal activities and interaction in one location near the Post Office, Brookside Community Club, and Community Church contributes to Brookside’s traditional role as the center of community life and as such reinforces the Township’s traditional character and unique sense of place. These municipal institution lands and the Community Club property are zoned R-10 (single family - ten acres). The size and design of buildings are compatible with the surrounding single-family residential neighborhoods. These facilities, and surrounding area, are in a State and National registered Brookside Historic District. The Municipal building, Community Club, and Post Office building are important contributing structures in the district. Expansion of facilities in the municipal complex should be compatible with the surrounding residential character and with the historic value of these structures when practical and where appropriate. The impact on the nearby stream should also be considered. Township Administrative Offices. The administrative office, along with the Mendham Township/Mendham Borough Joint Municipal Court, occupy 5,500-sq. ft. (gross floor area), the entire second floor of the Township Municipal Building. The Mendham Township Library occupies the first floor. The second floor houses the offices of the Township Administration, Municipal Court (joint Court with Mendham Borough), Finance, Tax, Recreation, Building, Planning and Zoning Boards, Board of Health, and Historic Preservation Committee. It also includes a room for public meetings and municipal court sessions. Administrative office space is inadequate for office, storage, and meeting room needs for both the paid administrative staff and for the volunteer committees and boards. Additional space for administrative offices, storage, and meeting rooms should be provided. Mendham Township Library. The Mendham Township Library is a private, non-profit "Association" library that enjoys substantial volunteer support as well as support from the municipality. It is an important and well-used Township institution. The Library takes up the 5,500-sq. ft. (gross floor area) first floor of the same building that houses the municipal administrative offices. The Library reports the need for more storage, work, and office, space; a meeting room; and space for children’s activities. In addition, space for computers, a study area for senior students and adults, and more stacks is also needed. The Mendham Borough Public Library has also expressed the need for more space and facilities. Both communities have a strong desire for improved library facilities and the two library boards and municipalities are open to consolidation in one larger building, if feasible. Brookside Engine Company # 1 & Mendham Township First Aid Squad. There are two fire companies in Mendham Township, one located in Brookside and one in Ralston. There is one Mendham Township First Aid Squad with its main office in the Brookside firehouse and an additional station in the Ralston firehouse. Brookside Engine Company No. 1 and first aid headquarters are housed in the 5,299-sq. ft. firehouse, located on Cherry Lane between the Municipal Building and the Police Department. Three of the four bays garage fire trucks and other related equipment. The fourth bay houses one of the two ambulances operated by the Mendham Township First Aid Squad. The second floor of the firehouse contains offices, meeting rooms and a kitchen for both the fire company and first aid squad. From the standpoint of the fire department, the main deficiency in the firehouse building is the small size of the fire truck bays. Development trends towards very large homes are increasing pressure for larger trucks which can only be accommodated in larger bays. In addition, more storage space for new and more sophisticated equipment is also needed. The principal deficiency in the Brookside firehouse from the standpoint of the First Aid Squad is the need for a larger office, additional storage space, and new facilities to address health and safety issues. The squad notes the increasing difficulty of attracting volunteer members and requests that the Township consider ways of addressing this issue, including making housing available to volunteers. Township Police Department. The Police Department is located in the smallest building in the municipal complex site, a converted split-level residence. The Department is basically satisfied with its existing facilities although it would benefit by a detention cell and records space.

Brookside Community Club – East Main Street (Block 139, Lots 1, 3, 9).

The Brookside Community Club is also located in the village of Brookside, across the street from the municipal complex, although access is limited to East Main Street. As such it contributes to the Township’s focal point for community interaction and its traditional sense of place. It is a private non-profit (501[c]3) organization open to all Township residents and supported by the Township with services. It is housed in an historic clubhouse building of 2,256-sq. ft. that includes large meeting room, a kitchen and storage. The building, originally a schoolhouse and later as a church, is currently used for a variety of civic and social activities.

The site is large (about 41 acres) and contains two baseball fields and a soccer field. These recreational and athletic facilities are available to all residents as well as local league play. The club supports a variety of inter-generation activities and provides meeting space for community groups. Membership is open to all Township residents for a nominal fee.

General comments. The Ralston complex is located in the small historic crossroads of Ralston and is a focal point of community activities for the western part of the Township. The 38.39-acre site contains two buildings: the Ralston Fire House and the Old Ralston Firehouse considered by some to be the Ralston Community Center. The site is also used for active recreation (ball fields) and is proposed to be improved as a community playground. Also in the area are community facilities not owned by the municipality, including the historic Nesbitt Cider Mill and Ralston General Store.

These community facilities contribute to Ralston’s traditional role as a focal point for community activities and as such reinforces the Township’s traditional character and unique sense of place. These municipal uses are compatible to the single-family residential zone they are located within. A substantial portion of the surrounding area is in a State and National registered Ralston Historic District. Both firehouse buildings currently are architecturally and of a scale that is compatible with the residential and historic character of the area. Expansion to facilities in this area should continue this compatibility. Ralston Engine Company #1 and First Aid Squad. The Ralston Fire Company and Mendham Township First Aid Squad are in a 6,000-sq. ft. 4-bay building located on the western part of the site on Route 510. Three bays contain fire trucks and one bay contains a first aid ambulance. The second floor contains a meeting room, offices and a kitchen. The main deficiency of the Firehouse is the need for additional space for equipment maintenance and storage. The department also points out the need for use of the land behind the Firehouse for fire fighting drills and training. Old Ralston Firehouse. This 1,832-sq. ft. building is utilized for storage on the first floor for Public Works, Recreation, and apparatus for the First Aid Squad. The basement, accessed from behind the building is used as a polling place for residents who live on the western side of the Township. It is considered by some as their Community Center accommodating meetings of the Ralston Historical Association, Mendham Garden Club, BSA, and Chess Club. Ralston General Store – Route 510 (Block 108 Lot 1). This one-story historic building of 787.5-sq. ft. dates from 1786 and is used to exhibit artifacts of the 18^th and 19^th centuries and for storage. The Ralston Historical Association, a private non-profit (501[c]3) organization, owns and maintains the property and building.

Public Works includes the Road and the Building and Grounds sections. The Mount Pleasant Road Complex houses both Departments on 17.13 acres. The complex includes a 7,500 sq. ft. main building (offices, equipment maintenance and garage), a 3,000 sq. ft. pole barn garage, and sheds for storage of materials. The Department also uses various small buildings scattered around town for storage of equipment and materials. The Department has also been impacted by the growth in the Township, particularly the construction of new public roads and detention facilities as part of new subdivision developments. In addition, the Township’s open space acquisition program has increased the Department’s responsibilities for open space maintenance. The main building is over capacity and some equipment must be stored outside unprotected from the elements. As a result, the Department will need to creatively use its limited resources, and additional facilities may also be needed. The Department complex is located in an R-3 Zone bordered by single family residential dwellings and parkland. The site has additional room for expansion of facilities and is fairly well buffered by surrounding woodlands and recreation facilities.

This property was recently purchased by the Township. It contains a total of 103.5 acres, about 18.5 acres of which is in Randolph Township. It contains a 4,205-sq. ft. three-family dwelling, a 2,266-sq. ft. two-family dwelling, 2,400-sq. ft. garage/office building, three dog kennels totaling 10,149-sq. ft. and seven garages. A portion of the property will be preserved as part of the Township’s open space system. However, the existing buildings and substantial areas of cleared and usable land may be suitable to conversion to municipal uses. The site is located in a residential zone but most of the existing buildings are isolated from surrounding residential areas by the size of the property and geographic features making them appropriate for a variety of municipal purposes. Mendham Township Elementary School – West Main Street (Block 137 Lot 48). The Mendham Township Elementary School houses grades pre-K through 4 and the offices of the Township Board of Education. The total size of the building (after construction) will be 64,820-sq. ft. on 14.37 acres. Construction of a new wing, adding classrooms and a new library, is intended to address the recent growth in elementary age school children in the Township in recent years and to satisfy standards set by the State. The Board of Education has announced that, based upon projections of future enrollment, the school district will need one additional classroom per grade by the year 2004-2005 school year. In addition, they report that important renovation projects, some involving health and safety issues, will also need attention in the next few years. These include: ADA accessibility, leaking roofs, bathroom upgrades, ventilation problems, and lack of storage space. The Elementary School borders the Brookside Historic District. Within easy walking distance to the center of Brookside, the school is to an extent buffered from adjacent residential neighborhoods by a Township-owned natural area and a pond known as "Brookside Beach." Future additions and improvements to the school should continue this compatibility with the Historic District and surrounding neighborhoods.

The Mendham Township Middle School houses grades 5 through 8. The total size of the building (after construction) will be 41,046-sq. ft. on 21.95 acres. New construction of additional classrooms and a new multipurpose room with kitchen is intended to address the recent growth in middle school age children in the Township in recent years and to satisfy standards set by the State. As with the Elementary School, the Board of Education has announced that, based upon projections of future enrollment, the school district will need one additional classroom per grade by the year 2004-2005 school year. Also as with the Elementary School, they report that important renovation/repair projects have been deferred and have to be addressed within the next few years. These include: ADA accessibility, bathrooms, deteriorating façade, science lab safety features and ventilation. The Middle School borders the Washington Valley Historic District. About 1.5 miles from the center of Brookside and without sidewalks in the area, the school is to an extent buffered from adjacent residential neighborhoods by the large size of the property and its location set back from the public road. Further development of the site will be limited by wetlands and drainage problems. Future additions and improvements to the school should continue the compatibility with the Historic District and surrounding neighborhoods.

There are currently approximately 2,200 students in the West Morris Regional High School system. Representatives of the Board of Education have reported that both schools are overcrowded. In the short term, there are plans to make modest additions to both school buildings, which will be funded out of the Regional Board of Education’s capital savings, operating budget, and state aid. However, since it is expected that school enrollment will increase by 800 to 1,000 within the next ten years, the Board of Education anticipates the need for either an entirely new school at a new location or building significant additions to both of the existing schools.  

COMMUNITY FACILITY RECOMMENDATIONS

The overall conclusion of this plan is that improvement to community facilities, a desire expressed by many residents, appears to be justified. However, this should be balanced with the fundamental goals of this Master Plan, most particularly, to maintain the Township’s historic/rural character and traditional sense of place. Following are additional specific recommendations concerning community facilities.

• Storage, record keeping, and meeting space.

  Many of the Township’s departments report the need for more storage of records and equipment, and for meeting space. These additional areas could be provided on a cooperative basis, especially utilizing excess space in various existing Township-owned buildings.

• Improving municipal services.

  The Township should continue to explore ways to provide municipal services through shared arrangements with other communities, and continue efforts to improve interdepartmental cooperation, where services can be improved and/or provided more efficiently.

• "Seeing Eye" property – Ironia Road.

  This newly acquired Township property has limitations imposed by Green Acres. However, to the extent possible and appropriate, the Township should seriously consider the reuse of existing buildings for garage space, storage and for living quarters for Township Fire Department and/or First Aid Squad personnel and for active recreation.

• Future acquisition sites.

  If the Township Committee determines that additional building sites are necessary to provide for growing need for services, they should be purchased when available and where appropriate to the overall goals of this plan.

LANDS RECOMMENDED TO BE RESERVED

FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES

In order to fulfill the goals of this plan element, it may be necessary to acquire property to accommodate expansion of community facilities. The Appendix at the end of this Master Plan contains a list of properties that are recommended to be reserved for public purposes. They should be reserved in accordance with C.40:55D-44.                       INSERT MAP COMMUNITY FACILITIES, OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION