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Branchburg Flooding and Stormwater, Explained: The SPPP, Ordinance 2024-1477 and Floodplain Ordinance 2026-1519
What the Township's stormwater permit requires and what its plan records, what Ordinance 2024-1477 changed, what floodplain Ordinance No. 2026-1519 would do, and where it stands: introduced Oct. 12, 2026, with its public hearing carried to Nov. 9 for the Planning Board's review.
The short version
- Branchburg’s storm sewer system (an “MS4”) operates under NJPDES permit NJG0148539. Its Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan is titled 2023 and was last reviewed Sept. 10, 2024.
- The plan’s own inventory form leaves most MS4 counts “TBD”, though the form says they were due Jan. 1, 2026; the plan posted on the Township website still shows those entries.
- Ordinance 2024-1477 (adopted August 2024) rewrote the stormwater rules for major developments to match NJDEP’s July 2023 amendments, with green infrastructure required.
- Ordinance No. 2026-1519, revising the floodplain rules to keep Branchburg in the National Flood Insurance Program, was introduced Oct. 12, 2026, 3–0 with two members absent. The Committee’s Oct. 26 agenda said its public hearing would be carried to Nov. 9, 2026 to give the Planning Board time for its master plan consistency review.
The permit and the plan
The SPPP names Township Engineer Doug Ball, P.E. as Stormwater Program Coordinator and records an annual review on Sept. 10, 2024 that “updated ordinances and personnel.” The plan’s revision history lists three stormwater-control ordinances: 2006-1020 (April 10, 2006), 2021-1411 (June 14, 2021) and 2024-1477.
What the plan says the Township does:
- Street sweeping: all 89 miles of municipal roadway three times a year and 10 miles of industrial roadway nine times a year, not outsourced.
- Inlet and basin inspection: DPW inspects MS4 inlets annually and inspects municipal catch basins in January/February for labeling, condition, dry-weather flows, illicit discharges, erosion and debris; it may use a municipal camera and a vacuum/jet truck.
- Mapping: the “most current” outfall and infrastructure map is the 2018 version; the plan says the map is updated as new facilities are accepted or built, and that the Township will use GPS devices to locate infrastructure.
- Public information: Branchburg News, Facebook, the Township website, dog-license mailings and the county fair.
These are the program’s written commitments at the 2024 review, not completed-work logs.
The inventory form
The SPPP’s MS4 inventory form, with totals “due 01 Jan 2026,” reads:
| MS4 infrastructure | Count in the plan |
|---|---|
| Outfalls | TBD |
| Groundwater discharge points | TBD |
| Interconnections | TBD |
| Storm drain inlets | TBD |
| Manholes | TBD |
| Length of conveyance | TBD |
| Pump stations | 0 |
| Stormwater facilities | TBD |
| Maintenance yards / ancillary operations | 2 |
The plan posted on the Township website is the 2024-reviewed version with these entries. Its Watershed Improvement Plan form also reads “TBD” for how the Township is developing its plan and where its public-meeting records are, and “None” for regional projects.
Ordinance 2024-1477
The ordinance amends the Land Development Ordinance’s “Stormwater Control for Major Developments” in response to NJDEP amendments to N.J.A.C. 7:8-1.1 et seq. adopted July 17, 2023. Its text:
- states a policy of using green infrastructure best-management practices and nonstructural strategies to reduce runoff, erosion and pollution, support groundwater recharge and maintain natural hydrology;
- applies to nonresidential major developments, the aspects of residential major developments not preempted by the Residential Site Improvement Standards, and major developments undertaken by the Township, with transition rules for applications submitted before July 22, 2024 and an exception for certain transportation projects;
- defines “major development” to include disturbance of one or more acres since Feb. 2, 2004, creation of at least one-quarter acre of regulated impervious surface since Feb. 2, 2004, at least one-quarter acre of regulated motor-vehicle surface since March 2, 2021, or a combined one-quarter acre of the latter two, without double-counting;
- requires stormwater measures for major development to provide erosion control, groundwater recharge, runoff-quantity control and runoff-quality treatment, with green infrastructure required to meet the minimum standards.
The ordinance says it becomes effective upon adoption, publication and approval by the Somerset County Planning Board (or automatically after 60 days without county action), and that the Clerk must post it and notify NJDEP and the soil conservation districts within 30 days.
The dates. The SPPP’s ordinance table gives the adoption date as Aug. 25, 2024; the ordinance scan’s closing page reads Aug. 26, 2024 (handwritten, visually checked). The vote pages show a first reading on July 22, 2024 with five yes, and a final reading of four yes and one absent. The SPPP says the 2024 review “updated ordinances and personnel” to reflect the new ordinance.
Floodplain Ordinance No. 2026-1519
Introduction. At its October 12, 2026 meeting, the Committee introduced Ordinance No. 2026-1519, “An Ordinance amending … Article VIII ‘Flood Plain Management’ of Chapter LDO ‘Land Development Ordinance’ to revise the Township’s Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance to continue participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).” Mayor James Schworn said the ordinance is required by the NJDEP to comply with changes to the Flood Management Plan and to maintain participation in the program. It was introduced on motion of Mr. Thomas Young, seconded by Mr. Brendon Beatrice. Vote: 3–0 (Aye: Young, Beatrice, Schworn; Absent: Columbus, Owens). It was published October 13, 2026.
What it would do. The full text, with new language underlined and deletions struck through, is in the Committee’s October 26 agenda packet:
- Why. The Township joined the National Flood Insurance Program on June 1, 1978, and wants to keep meeting its requirements; state law requires flood-fringe rules at least as strict as NJDEP’s.
- Maps. It adopts by reference FEMA’s Flood Insurance Study for Somerset County (revised November 4, 2016) and the listed map panels, changing the effective date of eight panels from September 28, 2007 to November 13, 2026. It also directs use of FEMA’s March 26, 2021 preliminary maps and other best available data where they are more restrictive.
- State flood hazard areas. For state-regulated waters, the flood hazard area runs to NJDEP’s “Climate-adjusted Flood Elevation.” The state-studied waters listed are the Raritan River, its South and North Branches, Holland Brook, Chambers Brook, the Lamington River and Pleasant Run; the ordinance says the state-regulated area may be larger than FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area.
- Building elevations. The local design flood elevation is generally the best-available flood elevation plus one foot of freeboard, or the ASCE 24 design elevation, whichever is greater.
- Administration. The Township Zoning Officer is the Floodplain Administrator, issuing floodplain development permits and making substantial-damage and substantial-improvement determinations.
- Penalties. Up to $2,000, up to 90 days’ imprisonment or up to 90 days of community service, each day a separate violation after a 30-day opportunity to cure; dumping solid waste in a floodway or floodplain, up to $2,500, or up to $10,000 under N.J.S.A. 40:49-5.
- Referral. After introduction the ordinance goes to the Planning Board, which has 35 days to report any inconsistency with the master plan.
The hearing. The Committee’s October 26 agenda listed the second reading and states: “The Public Hearing will be carried to the meeting on November 9, 2026, to allow the Planning Board additional time to complete its consistency review,” with a motion to carry it. The Planning Board’s October 27 agenda lists the consistency review. The minutes of both meetings had not yet been posted on October 31, 2026.
What comes next
- November 9, 2026: the Committee’s public hearing on Ordinance No. 2026-1519, with a possible final vote. If adopted, it takes effect on adoption, publication and filing with the Somerset County Planning Board.
- November 13, 2026: the effective date the ordinance lists for eight FEMA map panels.
- The MS4 inventory: the Township Engineer, the plan’s Stormwater Program Coordinator, can be asked for the current inventory counts and Watershed Improvement Plan status.
What residents can do
- Read the ordinance: the October 26 agenda packet on the Township’s Agendas/Minutes page (Township Committee folder of the Documents-On-Demand portal) has the full text.
- Speak at the hearing: Township Committee, Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, 7 p.m., Municipal Building courtroom.
- Read the stormwater record: the SPPP, the outfall map and the stormwater page.