7. COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND UTILITIES PLAN

Mountain Lakes has for many years been an essentially fully developed community.  Development in recent years has been largely limited to redevelopment of pre-existing developed properties and infill development on relatively small parcels of land in otherwise developed areas.  This trend is expected to continue in coming years because of the limited availability of vacant developable land.  As such, no major additions to community facilities or extensions of public utilities in Mountain Lakes are projected to be needed.  Therefore, the focus of this element is to provide a general description of the facilities and utilities that currently exist in the Borough and to make recommendations for maintenance and relatively modest improvements.

FACILITIES AND UTILITIES OVERVIEW/BACKGROUND

The following are the major events and significant issues relating to Facilities and Utilities in Mountain Lakes leading up to this point.

FACILITIES AND UTILITIES OBJECTIVES

The following are the major facilities and utilities-related objectives that should be pursued by Borough officials and should be reflected in Borough policies.

  1. Maintain, and replace where necessary, existing facilities in a manner that minimizes public expenditures.
  2. Promote capital budgeting for ongoing maintenance/replacement of facilities/utilities in a manner that will maintain them in good condition and spread out the costs.
  3. Encourage inter-municipal cooperation for the provision, maintenance and upgrading of municipal services, facilities and utilities where possible.
  4. Promote the efficient utilization of all community facilities.

COMMUNITY FACILITIES

The following are the major public facilities in Mountain Lakes.

Public Schools

Public schools are the most important public facilities in the Borough.  The Borough has a long tradition of commitment to public education and its public schools, which is reflected in its state-wide reputation for excellence.  70 percent of local taxes are committed to their support.  A high level of commitment to public education has been a cornerstone of Mountain Lakes' attractiveness to families and should be continued.  A 5-year school facilities plan was submitted recently to the County Superintendent to outline the District's plans for renovations and maintenance.  The Borough Board of Education is currently (1996) in the process of evaluating future facility needs.  The proposals will need to be carefully evaluated by the entire community when completed.

Existing School Facilities - Three school buildings, located in a campus setting, are currently utilized for regular classes.  There is one school building for classes for the hearing impaired.

EXISTING SCHOOL FACILITIES
(Source: Mountain Lakes Board of Education)

SCHOOL / LOCATION (Site Acreage)YEAR BUILT / CONDITIONSIZEFUNCTION
Lake Drive School Lake Drive and the Boulevard (2.4 acres)1914 (expanded 1920) Excellent condition (ADA compliant)175 student capacityRegional facility for the hearing impaired, more than 90 sending Districts
Wildwood Elementary School Glen Road (14.1 acres)1953 (expanded 1965) "Good" condition (except for roof*.)23 classrooms (450 student capacity)K through 4th Grades
Briarcliff Middle School Briarcliff Road (12.7 acres)1936 "Excellent" conditionHouses three grades (260 student capacity)Grades 5, 6 and 7
Mountain Lakes High School Powerville Road (41.1 acres)1958 (expanded 1972) "Good to fair" condition**Houses five grades (600 student capacity)Grades 8 through 12

* Roof replacement scheduled for 1996. ** Recent renovations have been completed including heating and roof replacement and major classroom and office renovations.

Future School Improvements - The Board of Education is currently (1996) planning or contemplating a number of improvements to school facilities.  An architect has been hired to develop plans for possible additions and alterations including:

School Enrollment - Resident school enrollment in 1995-96 was 923, down from a peak of 1,793 in 1969-70 but up from a low of 795 in 1990-91.  This is consistent with a trend toward a smaller average household size (See: Number and Size Of Households and Children Per Household, Tables in the Community Characteristics section).  Although the decline in the average household size is very long term and expected to continue (long term) there has been an upward trend since the late eighties and early nineties.  To an extent, this current upward trend results from the recent short term increase in the birth rate among the Baby-Boom Generation which can be expected to again decline as this large generation passes out of the child bearing years.  Total 1995-96 enrollment was 1,317 including non-resident enrollment.  Non-resident enrollment totaled 394, including 171 in the Lake Drive School regional hearing impaired program and 148 high school students (Grades 9-12) from Boonton Township under a receiving district contract established in 1992.

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT
(Source: Mountain Lakes Board of Education)

 1969-701979-801989-901995-96
K through 121,7931198878910
Perceptually impaired1 -261712
Non-resident (tuition)1612252223
Hearing impaired-513142171
TOTAL1,8091,2871,0891,317

1Students with one or more learning disabilities. 2Perceptually impaired. 338 hearing impaired, 13 pre-K hearing impaired.

Public Library

The Mountain Lakes Free Public Library is located at Elm Road adjacent to the Post Office.  The Library has over 50,000 books.  A major renovation was made in 1996 for better utilization of the existing space.  A large meeting room is in the lower floor of the building, specifically dedicated to and heavily used by community organizations.  Mountain Lakes residents also have access to the Morris County Free Library.

Borough Hall

The Borough Hall houses the Borough Administration, School District Administration, Police and Volunteer Fire Departments, Communications Desk and meeting rooms.  In 1996, an individual stair elevator was installed in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The office space is marginally adequate for its administrative uses, and the building's meeting rooms are tightly scheduled and meetings often spill over into office spaces.  In particular, meeting space for volunteer committees is currently inadequate.  This is an important consideration because the Borough is heavily dependent on the work of these volunteers.  Additional document storage space and some limited expansion of office space is also needed.  The Heating, ventilation and air conditioning system is inadequate and needs to be upgraded or replaced.

Fire Department

The Mountain Lakes Volunteer Fire Department is housed within the Borough Hall.  Facilities available to the Fire Department are fully utilized.  The facilities consist of three bays which house two pumpers and one salvage vehicle.  Custodial supplies for this building are also stored in a storage room area of the fire bays.  There is a small meeting room/kitchen facility which serves multiple functions primarily for the Fire Department office and meeting space, but also for the Police Department lunch room, holding/interview room and various other functions on an as-needed basis.  A recent renovation and reconfiguration has maximized utilization of this space making multi-use occupancy workable.  The facility does not have a decontamination area for hazardous materials which the Fire Department considers to be a risk.

The following objectives remain paramount to the Department in order to maintain, and improve, the level of service and protection.

Attention to the water system is a continuing long-term issue which the Borough is addressing.  Some areas of the Borough have two and four inch water mains which are inadequately sized for fire-fighting purposes.  Fire Department recommendations regarding the adequacy of the water system are contained in a report issued to the Borough in 1994.  Hydrant availability can have a material impact on the rating assigned by the Insurance Service Office.  Mountain Lakes' current rating (1996) is 5-9.  The Borough's practice of periodically replacing aging fire trucks and upgrading water delivery for fire-fighting should continue.  Mutual aid arrangements continue to exist on a voluntary, reciprocal and "as available" basis.

Although additional development in the future is projected to be modest, the regulatory and compliance environment affecting the Fire Department is expected to continue to be more stringent.  In addition, it has become more difficult to attract volunteers in recent years.  The Borough will need to monitor these trends and respond accordingly to avoid diminution of fire protection service.

Department of Police

The headquarters for the Department of Police is housed in the lower level of the Borough Hall as is the Fire Department and its equipment.  Currently, in 1996, plans are under way to renovate and reorganize this area to permit a more efficient use of the building.

The Department also operates and maintains, on a 24-hour per day basis, a Communications Desk serving the Police and Fire Departments and handling 911 emergency calls.  It also handles calls from the public, and other Borough entities where feasible.  It provides 911 emergency, fire and police dispatch services to Boonton Township on a contract basis.

Department of Public Works

The Department of Public Works headquarters is located in the same block as the Borough Hall, with access from Pocono Road.  The facilities include the Borough Garage and storage area as well as an office for the Director and personnel rooms.  The eleven bays in the garage are used to capacity by the Department's twenty vehicles of various sizes and types.  Vehicles and other equipment are replaced in accordance with a schedule reflected in the Capital Improvement Program.

Most of the normal Borough maintenance (streets, drainage facilities, parks, lakes, buildings and grounds) and some of the construction of new facilities are done by the Department of Public Works.  Other responsibilities include the public water, sanitary sewerage and storm drainage systems and the Recycling Center (behind the Borough Garage).  The Department's buildings and equipment are generally adequate for the purposes and no major expansions are expected to be required as a result of expanded responsibilities.  A small addition has been added to house lubricants and small parts, and a second small addition is planned to provide a carpentry work area.

Dams

The federal and state governments have required inspections and upgrading, repair and /or replacement of all earthen dams to withstand a 1,000 year storm.  This has resulted in a program to substantially rebuild the Boroughs dams.  Active monitoring and maintenance of the dams in the Borough should continue.

PUBLIC UTILITIES

The utilities in or serving Mountain Lakes include:

UTILITIES

FUNCTIONAGENCY
ElectricityJersey Central Power and Light Co
Natural GasNew Jersey Natural Gas Company
Telephone servicesBell Atlantic
Cable TVTele-Communications, Inc
Potable waterMountain Lakes Water Utility
Sanitary sewage collectionMountain Lakes Sewer Utility
Sanitary sewage treatmentParsippany-Troy Hills Sewer Utility
Solid wastes collection/disposalMountain Lakes Solid Waste Utility*
RecyclingMountain Lakes Solid Waste Utility
Storm drainageBorough of Mountain Lakes

*Municipal contract with private scavenger for residential and public building pick-up, individual private contracts for businesses.

Energy, Telephone and Cable TV

Electricity, telephone and cable TV utilities are furnished primarily through overhead lines.  These services are available throughout the Borough.  Future wiring for these utilities should be placed underground.  Natural gas is available in most sections of the Borough.  Heating oil is truck delivered to individual homes by a number of purveyors.

Public Potable Water

For the most part, all homes and non-residential units in the Borough are served by public water provided by the municipal system (53 homes in the Lake Arrowhead area are served by Denville.) The number of customers is about 1,450 (1995), including some out-of-town customers.  There are no major industrial water consumers in the community.

Water Supply - There are three wells serving the community.  The major one (Well #5) is located near the Boulevard, south of Route 46, and provides for most of the needs.  Another well located at Tower Hill Road and one well in Denville provide reserve capacity.  Excessive pumping of the reserve wells may lower their water quality.  There has been a small increase in the level of PCE contamination detected in the Borough's water in recent years.  However, the treated water meets all quality requirements and the Environmental Commission reviews the monthly quality read-outs for all the wells.  1995 showed the best water quality in five years.  The long term impact on groundwater quality and quantity from development in our region is a major concern, especially because the aquifer, upon which the Borough depends for its water, crosses municipal boundaries into areas of rapid development.

Distribution System - The water is stored in two tanks, with a combined capacity of 1,500,000 gallons, located on Lookout Road opposite Summit Avenue.  The Borough pumps about 750,000 gallons of water per day.  The distribution system does not show any major weaknesses in serving the Borough's existing development.  Pressure is adequate except for some spots in the vicinity of the storage tank.  A few sections with inadequate pipe diameters have been identified for replacement.  The same holds true for a few fire hydrants with two-inch pipe supply.  However, an unacceptable high leakage problem, in the order of 40 percent, was discovered in 1994.  Numerous leaks, mostly small, were eliminated in 1994-95; this program is ongoing.

Water System Needs - Regular maintenance and gradual improvements and extensions of the public water system should provide adequate services to the existing development and any additional users.  The primary area of concern is that the water supply is largely supplied by a single well (Well # 5).  Accidental pollution of that well could create significant problems.  Substantial groundwater resources are available at depths of about 200 to 300 feet and it may be desirable to investigate and discuss the potential of adding another well to the water supply system.  Consumption patterns and trends should be studied.

Sanitary Sewer System

The Borough's sanitary sewerage system is relatively new, installed in 1977-78.  Residential and commercial development since then has been integrated into the system.  The one residential street (Arden Road) not included in 1977-78 was added in 1996; it is the only residential street using a pumping station in the otherwise all-gravity collection system.  The only other pumping station is on Morris Avenue by the former Fusee property.

The Parsippany-Troy Hills Sewer Utility provides secondary and tertiary treatment of the collected wastes, under a contract based on a maximum flow of 520,000 gallons per day generated by the estimated volume from an ultimate 1,300 homes.  Another 120,000 gallons per day has been allocated for non-residential customers.  This capacity should be adequate for present and future development in Mountain Lakes.

Storm Drainage

The storm drainage system in the community has been mapped.  Most of the drainage water infiltrates the ground or ends up in the lakes.  Flooding does not constitute a major problem in Mountain Lakes as it is a headwater area.  Excessive rain storms will, on occasion, flood a number of basements.  Ten detention or retention areas have been built in the Borough as part of residential and commercial developments.  As a headwater area, the community should continue to take responsibility to provide zero increase in surface-water run off in connection with major developments for the benefit of the downstream communities.  In addition, the Borough's Surface Water Management regulations should provide for mitigation of pollution in storm water of such developments.  The water quality of the lakes is monitored regularly during the summer.

FACILITY AND UTILITY PROPOSALS

The following are the major community facility and utility related proposals that should be pursued by Borough officials and embodied in Borough policies.

Public Schools

The Borough's traditional strong commitment to public education should continue.  However, it must be recognized that there are limits to that commitment.  High property taxes, in large part resulting from that commitment, may make it difficult to address other important municipal needs.  High property taxes may also make it difficult for some residents (including many long term residents on fixed incomes) to afford to remain in the Borough.

The Borough's future school age population is not expected to grow substantially.  The Future Land Use Plan provides for only very modest residential development, due to the lack of vacant and developable land.  As a result, the increase in school age population, seen in recent years, is largely the result of variations in average family size.  This is expected to be a relatively short term phenomenon because, over the long term, declining average household size is also expected to continue.

These facts require that any future plans for expansions or improvements to public schools be very carefully considered.  In particular, any consideration of facility expansions, because of increases in enrollment, should be considered in terms of long term demographic trends of the Borough's school-age population.  Wherever possible, short term needs resulting from short term increases in the Borough's school-age population should be addressed with temporary solutions.  The mistakes made in the past, by many other school systems because of inadequate appreciation of boom/bust population cycles, should be avoided.

Utilization of Buildings

There has been increased emphasis on the efficient utilization of community facilities and activities by encouraging the efficient and flexible use of built space and better coordination between the Board of Education and Borough Council and among Borough service groups and agencies.  This practice should continue.  In the absence of a community center, numerous spaces are used for gatherings - Borough Hall, Library, schools, churches and Mountain Lakes Club (often for a fee unless sponsored by a club member).

To some extent, additional meeting room space for community group and volunteer committee functions may be provided through more efficient coordination of scheduling and dual use of existing facilities.  However, the need for additional facilities should be examined.  As a first priority, ways of encouraging the efficient and flexible use of built space and better coordination between the Board of Education and Borough Council and among Borough service groups and agencies should be pursued in order to minimize the need to build additional space.  The overall goal should be to ensure adequate accessible space for meeting and training for citizen committees, boards, organizations, and municipal employees and for storage of public records.

Inter-Municipal Cooperation

The Borough is a small community; as a result, some services cannot be provided as efficiently as would be the case in a larger municipality.  In order to control costs and maintain service quality, the Borough should look for additional opportunities to cooperate or contract with other communities or private vendors.  The identification of potential opportunities for such cooperation and alliances should be broadly-scoped, recognizing a 15-20 year planning horizon.

Infrastructure Upgrading/Replacement

Many of the pipes in the Borough water distribution system are old and in need of replacement or upgrading and additional hydrants are needed for fire protection.  This should be done in a systematic way, coordinated with other infrastructure projects.  Road resurfacing, curb replacement and storm drainage improvements should be coordinated with the important project of protecting the water quality in the Borough lakes.

Water Utility

Water Supply - There are serious concerns about the future quality and quantity of the Borough's water supply.  The resulting increased vigilance by the Borough in recent years should be continued, including the continued active monitoring for contamination.  In addition, alternatives for water supply should be explored as possible options if the situation should deteriorate.  Among the options that should be explored are:

Distribution System Improvements - The Borough water utility should schedule minor improvements to the distribution system in an orderly fashion with specific reference to the judicious replacement of the existing two-inch lines.  Water line loops should be completed where feasible to provide better fire-fighting flow conditions.  Water system leaks should be aggressively identified and eliminated.

Storm Drainage

The Borough's traditional approach of gradually improving the storm drainage system should be continued.

Americans With Disabilities Act Compliance

The passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act will require a major effort to make all public buildings and parks barrier free and accessible.