< Back 65 RIDGE ROAD Year Built: 1885 Property Description Block: 95 Lot: 1 Year Built: 1885 Style: Shingle Style Historic Name: Ehrick Parmly house. Architect: Frederick B. White Structure: Wood Frame This structure is considered: Significant Comment: A classic Shingle Style home that has been well rehabilitated and maintained. See Rumson p 113; Shaping a Superlative Suburb p 19 for additional information.

Borough of Rumson Employment Opportunities. Job Posts Job postings for the Borough of Rumson are posted here as they become available, and remain until they expire. Click here to download the Borough of Rumson Job Application form. VIOLATIONS CLERK – PART TIME The Municipal Courts of Fair Haven and Rumson are seeking a qualified individual to perform detailed municipal court clerical work with strong customer service skills. Responsibilities include but are not limited to data entry, maintaining accurate records, filing, scheduling appearances, correspondence, recording payments and related duties as required. This position is part-time, requiring coverage for court sessions on the 2nd Wednesday, 2nd Thursday and 4th Monday of each month starting at 4:30pm, with flexibility to cover office hours for vacation schedules. Successful candidates should possess experience in customer service, detail-oriented work, handling money and financial transactions. Knowledge of ATS/ACS/MACS is preferred. Applicants must be willing to attend POMCA/training classes when required. Applicants will need a smartphone to download the Microsoft Authenticator app as required. Please submit a cover letter and current resume to: Michele Smallze, Court Administrator Michele.Smallze@njcourts.gov The Municipal Courts of Fair Haven and Rumson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. *NOTE: The above local job posting was submitted to the vicinage by the local municipality and is not a State job posting. Rumson PD Job RUMSON POLICE DEPARTMENT Part-Time Emergency Telecommunicator/Dispatcher Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements: At least 18 years of age. High School Diploma or GED. Have a valid NJ Driver’s License. Possess the ability to multitask under pressure and communicate clearly. Ability to accurately and timely provide information to emergency responders. Available for various day, night, and weekend shifts, as needed. Must be knowledgeable with computers. Must successfully complete training program. Applications can be completed at www.policeapp.com and must be submitted no later than May 8, 2024. Please direct questions regarding this position to Sgt. Richard Torres, rtorres@rumsonnj.gov .

Shade Tree Commission The regulation, planting, care and control of shade and ornamental trees and shrubbery upon or in the highways (except county highways), parks or parkways of the borough shall be exercised and be under the authority of the Shade Tree Commission. The commission, to be known as the "Shade Tree Commission of the Borough of Rumson," shall consist of no fewer than five (5) members no more than seven (7) members appointed by the Mayor and shall serve without compensation. ABOUT US FIND-A-TREE RESOURCES FAQs Shade Tree Commission Membership Seated: Stephen Barret, Wayne Greenleaf; Standing: Burke Honnold, William Beattie

Building & Construction Office Borough of Rumson, Fair Haven & Little Silver Building & Construction Office Borough of Rumson, Fair Haven, & Little Silver (732) 842-3022 Nicholas A. Fabiano Construction Official Building Inspector a nd Electrical Subcode Official Sabine O'Connor Senior Technical Ass istant Stephanie Higgins Technical Ass istant James Ammaturo Plumbing Subcode Official Frederick Corcione Building Subcode Official Plumbing In s pector Scott Melski Fire Subcode Official The Building and Construction Department enforces the New Jersey State Uniform Construction Code and our local building and zoning codes. Construction Permit Written Inspection Form NJ U.C.C Regulations & Codes Permitted Construction Hours - Rumson Prohibited Hours - LS & FH All permits must be obtained before work is started except for emergency replacement of furnaces, boilers and water heaters. The Building Department must be notified of the replacement at the time of installation and a permit obtained within 5 days. New Construction Checklist Construction Permit Packet Generator Install Requirements Recycling Coordinator Sewer Connections Fact Sheet CO New Construction Checklist Demolition Checklist Visit or call your Municipal Construction Office. Your first step should be a visit to the Building and Construction office. Explain your intentions and he/she will explain the requirements (codes and ordinances) regarding your project. This visit will help you avoid potential problems that could cost you time and money. Rumson HIP Contractor Opportunities

Stormwater Management Plans provide a strategy for municipalities to plan for and manage increased runoff associated with future development and land use changes. This municipal Stormwater Management Plan is designed to provide a municipal-wide approach to stormwater management planning. Raffle License Process This application is for use by non-profit organizations that are registered with the Legalized Games of Chance Commission (a New Jersey State agency). These Raffle licenses must be approved by the Mayor and Council and the State before a license can be issued for the event. There are fees required by both the Borough and the State based on the type of raffle event being held. For more information visit the State of New Jersey Website . Raffle Application PDF Filing shall be filed in quadruplicate with the Municipal Clerk and the Registration Certificate must be provided with each application. The application must be filed at least seven (7) days prior to the Governing Body of the municipality making its findings and determination. (i.e. Borough Council meets on Monday evenings, so the application must be filed with the Borough Clerk no later than the Monday prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting.) Following approval of Borough Council the Municipal Clerk files the application with Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission (LGCCC) within three days of its approval. The Municipal Clerk may not issue the License for fourteen (14) days after its approval by the Governing Body. This means that organizations may not have tickets printed until at least 2 weeks after the approval of the Governing Body. 3. Contents of the Ticket: off-premises raffles (selling tickets prior to the date of the raffle). Whenever a licensee shall submit an application to the Municipal Clerk, two sample ticket forms must accompany the application. Name and identification number of the qualified organization and number of the license issued for the occasion Place where the occasion will be held and the date and time A list of the prizes and the retail value of each The number of the ticket Price of the ticket The purpose to which the entire net proceeds will be devoted The statement: "No substitution of the offered prize may be made and no cash will be given in lieu of the prize." The presence of the holder of a ticket shall not be required in order to win unless the ticket bears the statement "NOT VALID UNLESS HOLDER IS PRESENT AT THE DRAWING." The stub of each ticket shall bear the name and address of the holder, the number of the ticket, the raffle license number issued for the occasion and the identification number of the organization. 4. Off-premises 50/50 cash raffle Same as above, except for item c. shall read the statement: "this is a 50/50 cash raffle and the winner will receive 50 percent of the amount received for all tickets or rights to participate." If the prize pool is to be divided among multiple winners, the ticket must indicate the percentage of the prize pool that each winner will receive. 5. Fees due to LGCC and Borough of Rumson Off-premises raffle: $20.00 for each $1,000. or part thereof of the retail value of the prize. (i.e. a raffle with the total amount of the prizes being $2,559. Would pay both the LGCCC and the Borough $60.00.) Fees are due at the time the application is filed with the Municipal Clerk. Off-premises 50/50 raffles: $20.00 fee shall be paid the LGCC and $20.00 to the Borough at the time the application is filed. In the event that the awarded prize exceeds $1,000, then an additional fee of $20.00 per thousand or part thereof in value of the awarded prize shall be forwarded to LGCCC together with the Report of Raffles Operations. On-premises raffles: (a raffle conducted in which all tickets are sold only at the event and not prior to the event) $20.00 to both LGCCC and the Borough for each day a drawing is to be held. Checks should be made payable to Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission and the Borough of Rumson. 6. Prohibited Prizes No licensee shall offer any prize of real estate or an interest therein, bonds, stocks, securities, weapons, live animals, personal or professional services, alcoholic beverages, foreign or domestic coins, or any merchandise refundable in any of the foregoing or in money or cash. No prize consisting of cash or money may be offered or awarded except in the case of a 50/50 raffle. 7. Report of Raffles Operations The report of operations shall be on a form provided by the LGCCC. The report shall contain the following information: Gross receipts derived from each game; Expenses incurred or paid, to whom paid and a description of the merchandise purchased or the services rendered therefore; Net profit from each game and the uses to which the net profit has been or will be applied; A list of prizes offered or given and their respective values; The licensee shall file one copy of the report with the LGCCC no later than the 15th day of the calendar month immediately following the calendar month in which the licensed activity was held. Off-premises raffle licensees shall secure from the printer of tickets a certificate showing: The number of tickets printed The first and last numbers used That the tickets were consecutively numbered A sample of the actual ticket For any additional information you may need, please contact the office of the Borough Clerk 732-842-3300 or Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission (973) 648-2710 or http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/lgccc.htm

410cdd18-2853-49a8-bfc5-bc4cf22b6656 < Back ASK YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER Now is the perfect time to collect seeds from your native plants! - Heather Robinson To begin, make sure you have the correct plant identification. iNaturalist is a free app that can help you identify your plants through a combination of AI and crowdsourcing. Once you know what plant you have, label your container with important information such as: Common name Scientific name Collection date Your name or initials as the harvester The Rumson Environmental Commission has envelopes available at the Oceanic Library if needed. For effective seed collection, opt for paper bags or envelopes. Glass and plastic containers can retain moisture and lead to mold. It’s best to gather only 20% of the seed heads to allow an ample supply for wildlife. When you’re gathering seeds, it’s important to ensure they’re mature, thoroughly dried and ready for harvest. For many species, a sign of maturity is when the seeds easily come off the plants once they’re fully ripe. A handy test for seed maturity is to see if you can make a dent in the seed with your fingernail. If the seeds can be dented, they are not yet ripe. Ripe seeds will be firm and resist denting. For plants like golden alexander, sneezeweed and black-eyed Susan, mature seed heads will readily separate from the stem. With these, you can easily extract the seeds by rubbing them against your palm to separate them from the seed head. The seeds of purple coneflower and rattlesnake master are encased in spiky seed heads that are best harvested when they’ve turned a dark brown or black. To collect them, cut the seed heads off the plant. Place them in a cylindrical container with a lid (a take out container works great) and shake! You’ll need to sift a bit to separate the seeds from the chaff but this is a great first step. Some plants will hold on to their seeds, which can be easily collected by gently shaking the seeds into a container. This technique works well for plants with tiny seeds such as Monarda and Hyssop. Legumes such as wild indigos and lupine have pods that are quite easy to crack open. You can even use the pod shells as scoops to extract the seeds. Milkweeds also have podded seedheads. They’re at their prime when they’ve begun to turn brown and are just starting to crack open. At this stage, hold the pod with the open side facing up and gently flex it back and forth using your thumbs and forefingers to free seeds. Then you can open the pod with your thumb to keep the feathery down in place while pouring the seeds out from the wider end of the pod. What Changes Does Autumn Trigger in Nature? - Jody V. Sackett Although the calendar would deny it, fall seems like the beginning of a new year. There’s so much new stuff happening for us, especially Back to School. Autumn is like the start of a new year for wildlife too, with migrations beginning for birds and marine creatures, daylight shrinking, and trees changing colors in the cooler weather. We know what fall means for people – but let’s dig in here to see what autumn means in nature. Fall is Time to Fly South. Believe it or not, September is launching time for many birds; ducks, geese, and of course our beloved coastal bird, the osprey. Their babies are now grown, flying, and trained to hunt, so it’s time for them to head south to Florida or Central/South America. Although monogamous for life, the female osprey leaves the nest first at the end of September, followed by the male about a month later. Both overwinter in different places but will return to mate in the same northern nest. About 75% of North American birds migrate, and since we are fortunate to live along the coastal Atlantic Flyway, we have a front row seat to view many migrating birds. Fun Stuff: Snap a photo or keep a list of the birds you see around your neighborhood or near waterways, and you’ll discover how transient our local feathered friends truly are. You may want to be a Citizen Scientist and share your info on iNaturalist or eBird. Don’t forget to get winter birdfeeders ready for our resident birds though. Autumn is Time to Swim South. Leatherback sea turtles and whale pods are legendary for their long ocean migrations. But local anglers know fall is time to fish for those big striped bass or bluefish that are now migrating towards the Chesapeake and Virginia. Sometimes nicknamed the Migratory Blueway, stripers and bluefish love this migration path along the Atlantic Coast, as they swim from cooler to warmer waters, feeding on pods of baitfish along the way. Fall is Cocooning Time. While not all butterflies migrate, the most famous is undoubtedly the astounding Monarch. Fat caterpillars, who grew from tiny whitish eggs laid on milkweed, pupate in their chrysalis and emerge in late summer as gorgeous butterflies, ready by fall to fly 2500 miles south to central Mexico or to California. Late September or October is peak migration season, so look for dozens of them resting on seaside goldenrod along our coast, enjoying the nectar of the yellow flowers. Fun Stuff: Create your own Butterfly Farm, using an inexpensive plastic lidded aquarium (the 2 or 3 gallon size) for the “farm.” In September, search for common yellow and black striped Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars, who love to eat garden parsley, dill, carrot tops, and Queen Anne’s Lace. Put the caterpillars and plenty of the plants they’re eating in your “farm,” along with some longer twigs. Replace the food every other day, and sprinkle a tad of water over it. When the larvae get big, they’ll crawl to a twig and form a “J” shape, attached by a thin thread; this means they are about to pupate. Watch them make their cocoon, which will change from bright green to “twig brown” when it’s finished. The caterpillars basically dissolve into a nutrient soup inside the cocoon, and after a few weeks the butterflies will emerge, ready to fly. You can safely release them now. If the caterpillars pupate late in the chilly fall, they will go dormant until spring. Put your “farm” with the dormant cocoons in your cold garage over the winter, so they can safely emerge as butterflies in the warm springtime. Autumn is Leaf Coloring time. Local plants, from trees to marsh grasses, begin to show off their fall colors as chlorophyll production declines because of decreased daylight and cooler temperatures. Lucky for us, it’s easier to spot pesky poison ivy now as the leaves become a brilliant red in autumn. Since wildlife always need food, leave some dead leaves on the ground for insects to eat, and this will attract hungry birds and small mammals too. Fun Stuff: Adopt a tree (or three) in your yard, and take one photo of it every two weeks or so until next summer, to really see how your adopted darling changes with the seasons. Bye Bye, Daylight. During autumn, the tilt of the Earth means the sun’s light hits the Earth lower on the horizon, resulting in a longer, weaker ray of light. We’ll have less daylight, longer shadows, and more night sky. The Earth’s position changes as it orbits the sun, so the constellations in the autumn night sky will also change, with new ones appearing now. Fun Stuff: Using a stargazing app, find the planets and stars, and see how many zodiac shapes you can find in autumn that weren’t there in summertime. 3 Ways to be Sustainable this Autumn. School. Back to school doesn’t have to mean purchasing new supplies; check your household inventory to see what you have before buying things you might not actually need, and be sure to choose eco-friendly supplies. Recycle the old stuff with TerraCycle. A reusable water bottle replaces endless plastic waste, and bottle-filling stations are popping up everywhere now. Use brown paper bags for lunch, or even better is a more sustainable insulated lunch bag. Ditch the plastic sandwich bags for a reusable container. Plogging Along. In Sweden, hikers routinely “plog” or pick up trash as they travel. Plastic is deadly to wildlife, who get caught in it or consume it by mistake. Whenever you are walking around, pick up two discarded plastic items you see on the ground. That’s two less pieces of plastic that could have harmed wildlife or polluted the waterways. If you did this every day, in just one year you’ve vastly improved the Earth by cleaning up 730 bits of icky plastic with minimal effort. Imagine if you got your friends to help too! Less Light Aids Migration. Most birds migrate during the longer autumn nights, so leaving our suburban outdoor night lights on hurts them by causing migration disorientation and collisions. We don’t need outdoor lights when we’re in bed, so let’s turn them off – or at least use timers or motion detector lights instead. Why Do we Need to Protect Our Butterflies? - Jody V. Sackett We all love seeing those delicate butterflies flutter around our yards. Not just eye candy, they are also phenomenal pollinators and essential to the ecosystem. There are over 160,000 species of butterflies and moths, in all shapes and sizes, ranging from the giant Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing butterflies with one-foot wingspans to the tiny Western Pygmy Blue that’s barely visible with its half-inch wingspan. Our own local butterflies include the Monarch and common black swallowtail butterfly, which is the NJ state butterfly. Most active during the day, they enhance our gardens by flying around drinking flower nectar and pollinating the plants. Alas, both species are declining due to pesticide and herbicide use, habitat loss, and climate change. Just this year, Monarch butterflies were declared an endangered species. But we can help the little butterflies, and here’s a few simple ways to protect them. Water please! Butterflies need water, and we can easily provide it for them. While butterflies like birdbath water, they don’t want to be gobbled up by a bird while they’re there. A better idea is to give them their own water source by simply placing a large saucer on the ground, and putting a few stones or a floating piece of wood in it. That provides a platform for the butterflies to rest on when they come for a drink. Misting from lawn sprinklers is good too. You can also make them a “waterless pond” by simply digging a small shallow hole and lining it with plastic, then filling the lined hole with rocks. The morning dew will collect on the rocks, which is enough for the butterflies to drink. Migration Season’s Here. While not all butterflies migrate, the most famous is undoubtedly the astounding Monarch. Fat caterpillars, who grew from tiny whitish eggs laid on milkweed, emerge from their cocoons in late summer as gorgeous butterflies, ready by fall to start flying 2500 miles south to central Mexico or California. Autumn is peak migration season, so look for dozens of them flying through our coastal Migration Corridor, perhaps enjoying seaside goldenrod nectar. Keep an eye out for them again in spring when the Monarchs (descendants of the original migrants) will make their spectacular return to our shores. Create a Butterfly Waystation. Migration is a long road, so why not help the butterflies a bit. By planting native trees, shrubs, and flowers in your yard or even just patio pots, you’ll create a “waystation” or rest stop for the migrants and also attract local butterflies too. The flowers provide nectar to hungry butterflies who pause for a rest and snack along their route. It’s also a safe habitat, and native plants like butterfly weed not only produce delightful orange flowers but also provide an ideal spot for Monarchs to lay their eggs. You can also build butterfly boxes as shelter for our flapping friends in your waystation. These are similar to a birdhouse but have slits where butterflies can tuck in for protection. No matter the size, have your butterfly waystation officially designated as a Certified Wildlife Habitat at https://www.nwf.org/certify . No Bug Sprays or Bug Zappers, Please. Pesticides kill insects, and what do you think a butterfly is? Chemicals kill targeted bugs but also non-target ones like our butterfly friends, so instead of chemically killing them, use organic pest controls like eucalyptus and citrus essential oils, and plant natural deterrents like marigold. Bug Zappers are not effective in killing mosquitoes but are great at killing other useful flying bugs and pollinators, so please turn them off and protect our butterfly friends. It doesn’t take much effort to help protect our local butterflies, but it’s well worth it - and the widespread benefits will last a long time. Why Scoop the Pet Poop? - Jody V. Sackett While dog owners adore their dogs, frankly none of them like to pick up dog poop. While this can’t come as a surprise, it is a responsibility that needs to be done to protect the precious waterways surrounding our beautiful peninsula. If left behind, stormwater runoff will wash dog feces into our local rivers and the ocean, causing degraded water quality. The result is health risks to humans and fish, increased algae and weed growth from nutrient pollution, and unsafe drinking, fishing, and swimming water. Doggie waste is a significant source of bacteria, viruses, and parasites, which can leach into groundwater or be washed into local storm drains and waterways by the rain. An average dog poop contains 3 billion fecal coliform bacteria. Diseases such as campylobacteriosis, salmonellosis, and toxocarisis, which are harmful to humans, can be spread. Many parasites require days or weeks to reach the infective stage, so the waste becomes more hazardous to your health the longer it sits. Roundworms can remain alive in the soil for years. And dog waste attracts rats, who feed on the feces. Poop also contains organic matter and nutrients, including excess phosphorous and nitrogen. When this is washed into the waterways by rain or lawn sprinklers, the organic matter decays and uses up aquatic oxygen as well as releases ammonia. A lack of oxygen and increased ammonia levels are leading causes of fish kills. While one poop seems like a miniscule impact, consider that there are an estimated 5 million dogs in NJ. The average dog produces about ¾ pound of feces each day (okay, maybe we’re not looking at you, Teacup Yorkies). Multiply daily dog waste production by five million dogs, and it’s a lot of waste washing into our state’s waterways. Plus, it takes about two months for dog feces to decompose, which is a long time for it to be hanging around causing a ruckus. Thus, not picking up dog waste cumulatively creates a huge problem. Luckily, it’s a source of pollution that be easily managed with just a bit of effort, and there are simple solutions. Bag It. Simply picking up the poop in a plastic or biodegradable bag is the easiest. While you can purchase such bags, you can also just reuse your old plastic grocery store produce bags or newspaper delivery bags, accomplishing two environmental goals in one fell swoop. Just toss the whole caboodle into the trash when the waste is picked up. Often public parks offer not only dog baggies but also trash can receptacles too. Flush It. This is probably the best environmental option if you can handle it, and you’re connected to the local sewage treatment system instead of a septic system. The waste will be properly treated and disposed of through the sewer system, instead of being added to a landfill. You can pick up the poop with a plastic baggie and simply empty the contents right into your toilet bowl and flush. Don’t flush the bag too, or you’ll have clogged pipes; dispose of the bag in the trash. Some folks just use a trowel or fancy Pooper-Scooper instead of a plastic bag to pick up backyard dog waste and flush it away, saving the bag for another time. Digest It. Don’t just throw the poop in your composter, as it contains pathogens. There are dog waste digesters and composting systems designed just to deal with the poop. However, since there’s a risk of potential pathogens, before you purchase a digester, make sure you can install the system far away from well water and gardens. Hire a Poop Pick-up Service. When all else fails, call someone else to come and pick up the waste. There are several local dog waste management services you can hire to come on a regular basis. Use these services and protect our waterways. It’s Time to Procrastinate - Jody V. Sackett Falling leaves strike fear into the hearts of homeowners, who know they’ll have to spend their Sunday raking or blowing those leaves. But the same dead leaves spark joy for Mother Nature, who wants you to put your feet up instead of getting rid of the brush stuff. Yes it’s true –while manicured lawns look great in magazines, they can be wildlife deserts. We usually prefer to create backyard havens instead, as we install bird feeders, baths, and houses to ensure feathered company all winter long. The secret’s out now…you can make your backyard wildlife happy by simply by not cleaning up the yard until springtime. Too good to be true? Well, here’s how it works. Leaf Litter 101. Falling leaves may look pretty dead, but they still contain lots of nutrients. As they break up and decay over time, the rotting detritus provides food and shelter. You can just let the leaves lie on your lawn where they fell, and the magic will happen all by itself; you won’t kill your grass, since the leaves will decompose and naturally fertilize your lawn. Or you can speed things up a bit by running over the dried leaves with your lawnmower, which breaks them into small mulch pieces that will decay faster. Oak leaves take a bit longer to decompose than other tree leaves, so mulching might work better for them. Dead Leaves = Habitat. While the piles of dead leaves and small branches are slowly decomposing over the winter, they are providing hiding spaces for insects to hibernate, insulating shelter from winter cold, and rotting detritus for food. Who’s hiding there? Although you probably won’t see them, lots of insects love living here, including pollinators like butterflies. Some butterflies overwinter as adults under tree bark, under rocks, or in leaf litter; and others as chrysalises attached to stems, tucked into soil, or hidden in fallen leaves. Some species even overwinter as eggs or caterpillars, rolled inside a dead leaf or hiding in a seed pod. They are happy you left your leaf piles for them, as are ladybugs, fireflies, beetles, spider eggs, bees, and a host of other beneficial insects that overwinter there as well. You can also create a simple sheltered winter habitat for our little mammal friends by putting together small piles of branches and leaves in a corner of your yard; it won’t take long for critters to find it and call it home. Dead Leaves = Food for Birds. Birds are happy you purposely procrastinated with your autumn yard cleanup. Insect-eating birds are great for controlling pests and mosquitoes. But they need to eat bugs year-round. So where will they find food in January? There will be plenty in your leaf litter. Birds know to poke around in leaf litter or peeled bark or cracked rocks to find a tasty bug dinner. Hungry little chickadees and wrens can pick out hibernating insects from your leaf litter, so the more leaf piles around, the bigger the buffet for them and the less annoying bugs for you. Dead Flower Stalks = Food and Shelter. The flowers were gorgeous but now they’re dead, so what to do? Leave them! They are a fabulous source of food and shelter right in your dead garden, whether it’s potted flowers, a big garden, or even just shrubs around the house. Don’t cut down the flower stems please, as hollow stems are great places for insects to hide. There are 3500 species of native bees in North America, and many are tiny solitary bee species that don’t live in hives. These essential pollinators need a place to overwinter that’s protected from predators and the cold. A perfect place for them is the hollow stem of your dead flowers or grasses. They may hide there as adults, larvae, or eggs. Not just hollow stems but the dead seed heads are valuable to wildlife. Birds and small mammals will love feasting on these seeds over the winter, so why not just leave them standing there to feed backyard wildlife during the cold months. Dead Leaves = Hassle-Free Lawn Fertilizer. Finally, while we are feeding the birds and bugs and mammals, why not also feed your lawn and plants? Leaving the leaf litter on the grass restores nutrients for spring growth. Leaves still contain 50%-80% of the nutrients plants extracted from the soil while alive, so why not just tap into this rich free source to feed your lawn? It saves you time and money from having to fertilize in the spring, without the concern for chemicals washing off lawns into our waterways. And leaving leaves on the ground helps maintain moisture and reduce stormwater runoff, which helps your lawn and our beloved rivers. Procrastination Now = Happy Spring Garden. By putting your feet up now, you have just made your life easier come springtime. Your lawn and garden will have been fed wonderful nutrients over the winter so they’re ready to pop. And the predatory insects like ladybugs, beetles, spiders, and more who hibernated all winter in your leaf litter are now already living in your yard, thanks to your leaf habitat, so they’ll be ready to roll and control and those early-emerging pesky insects for you when warm weather arrives. No pesticides required. So what are you waiting for? Grab a nice hot cup of tea, put your feet up, and tell Mother Nature you’re on it. How to Get on the “Nice List” with a Sustainable Holiday - Jody V. Sackett he Holiday Season can be the Clash of the Titans, with so many contrasting expectations. But whether you prefer elaborate traditions or modern streamlining, sustainability is the popular new buzzword for the holidays. Sustainability improves the quality of our lives, protects our planet, and preserves natural resources for future generations. Recognizing that our lifestyle choices impact our environment, it makes sense to strive for a sustainable holiday season. Here’s how. S o Much Trash. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, household waste increases by over 25%, as gift wrap, Christmas trees, excess packaging, and food waste contribute over a million tons to our landfills. This seems crazy for holidays born from modest roots, but a few simple ideas can reduce this impact. Even if you only implement just one idea here, you’re still helping the planet. Basic Sustainability Principles: Evaluate your needs before even starting to shop, to avoid unnecessary and impulsive purchases. Buy local to support your community and reduce carbon emissions. Buy durable so there’s less waste. Buy products made of recycled materials, with sustainable design and energy efficiency. Avoid needless packaging which takes up landfill space for decades. Batteries end up as environmental hazards, so look for non-battery gifts. Reduce your carbon footprint and gas costs by online window shopping and purchases. Buy Less Stuff. Assess whether you really need to give a gift in the first place. Studies show over half of recipients get gifts they don’t even want, and Millennials especially prefer experiences over stuff. Reduce your gift list by using the Secret Santa approach to limit whom you need to buy for. Avoid gifting pressure by purchasing utterly unique intangible experiences to give the gift of learning and adventure, reduce clutter, and eliminate waste. You’ll also be supporting important local facilities. Consider buying fun experiences like Broadway or local theatre tickets, cooking lessons at community colleges, interior design gift cards, zoo or aquarium admissions, digital streaming subscriptions, gym passes, music lessons online or from a local teacher, Escape Room gift cards, camping or park passes, fortune-telling sessions, CSA pre-loaded gift cards, train tickets and restaurant gift card packages, kayaking trips, or microbrewery event tickets. Alternative Gift ideas: Make a date to share a meal, a drink, or movie together instead of purchasing a physical present. Don’t underestimate the value of your company - you wouldn’t be friends if you didn’t enjoy spending time together. Donate to a favorite charity like the SPCA, or perhaps an interactive non-profit. KIVA gift cards for curated micro-loans allow the recipient to decide which borrowers they want to support, in what country, for how much money, and for which purposes (from education to business-building). Heifer International gifts enable the recipient to give a flock of chickens, a cow, or even a drinking well to a needy international family. DIY gifts like flavored liqueurs, a homemade ornament, holiday cookies or nuts, dog biscuits, homemade cereals or snack mixes in glass canning jars, or even a framed letter explaining why you love and admire the recipient, are always appreciated. Colorful beeswax candles are simple to make by just rolling up sheets of it around a wick, and it’s perfect for Hannukah. Re-Gift. It’s not a crime or a sin to share a new present you received but won’t use, with someone who would like it – it’s more sustainable that way. If you are hesitant, host a fun ReGifting party that requires guests to bring only nice unwanted new presents that they won’t be using. Presto! You’re done with your Book Club or tennis group gift list. Gift Wrapping: If you need an excuse to simplify your gift wrapping, here it is. A Yale study found that nicely-wrapped packages raised expectations for the gift inside and increased the risk of the recipient being disappointed, like giving a Walmart gift card in a Tiffany box. Gift wrap and bags add four tons of landfill waste each year, and gift wrap often can’t be recycled because it is made of low-fiber paper, laminated and shiny, has foil, or has dyes and other unrecyclable designs. Instead, make it easy on yourself by using eco-friendly and recycled materials such as old maps, newspaper comics, or leftover blueprints from your local planning board. Decorate plain brown craft paper and bags with your kids or host a cocktail party (maybe Skype with distant friends) while creating holiday wrap and personalized gift bags together. Furoshiki, the Japanese art of cloth gift-wrapping, uses just squares of cloth to cleverly wrap everything from boxes to wine bottles. By using upcycled materials like pretty scarves, leftover fabric, dishtowels, old tablecloths or Goodwill shirts in Furoshiki, you’ve hit the environmental and artistic jackpot here. Use Seed Paper, which contains embedded plantable seeds, for gift tags. Decorating. Use LED instead of incandescent lights, and you’ll use 95% less energy (more savings with solar). Timers will automatically turn off your lights at night, which is cheaper, better for the environment, and honestly, who needs lights at 3 am. Make your own centerpieces and decorations with pinecones or greens found in your yard. Homemade tree ornaments crafted with photos (maybe glued to a seashell and tied on with a ribbon) preserve memories and will be cherished for years. Avoid plastics, which take decades or centuries to decompose. Host a group decorating party by collecting and using natural stuff scavenged from your yard, such as pine branches and pinecones, sprigs of boxwood, branches with holly berries, and tiny alder cones. NO glitter – it’s often made from PET plastic and takes a century to degrade either in landfills or in our precious rivers when it’s washed down the drain. No need for artificial room scenters when you can simply poke fragrant clove buds into sweet Clementines, as it gives off a holiday scent while it dries. Start New Family Traditions. Now is the perfect time to create sustainable family traditions to emphasize your eco-values. It can be as simple as constructing a Grateful Tree with a branch from your yard; guests write what they are thankful for on construction paper leaves and hang them on the tree, to help us realize how much we already have. Stretch your legs and go for a birding walk together, using apps like iNaturalist or Merlin to identify birds you hear and see. Even little ones love making simple pinecone-and-birdseed peanut butter bird feeders to hang in your trees, as winter gifts to your backyard wildlife. Bad weather? Have a family jam session using the Garage Band app on their own devices, so everyone can participate regardless of talent. Live vs. Artificial Plastic Christmas trees. This debate is really up to you. Artificial trees come primarily from China and are made from plastics, although lead-stabilized PVC content has been reduced. They cannot be recycled, take literally centuries to degrade, and the manufacturing and distribution process creates harmful petrochemical and carbon emissions. However, fake trees are good because they’re reusable year after year, which means fewer real trees need to be trucked to us. A 2007 study found an artificial tree would have to be used for at least 20 years before its carbon impact fell below that of a live tree, so be prepared if you choose this option. Real trees provide oxygen, air filtering, soil protection, wildlife habitat, carbon storage, can be recycled, and ideally, sustainable farming plants more trees than are cut down each year. However, it takes a lot of fuel to cut them and bring them to you, accelerating carbon emissions. Hanukkah: For your Menorah, use vegan or eco-friendly candles, which contain natural ingredients instead of the petroleum-based paraffin ones with synthetic chemical ingredients for color and scent that can be released when burned. Beeswax, canola, or coconut wax are organic and clean-burning. Use a Menorah made of recycled materials or hand-crafted by a local artisan. Buy healthy and environmentally sound organic latke ingredients like potatoes, onions, oil or sour cream, and make your own applesauce from organic apples. Finally, use the eight days of Hanukkah to implement eight Days of Action. As part of the menorah lighting each night, commit to being more environmentally sustainable by having all family members identify at least one way to achieve that. Perhaps Instead of giving chocolate gelt, have the family choose a charity they’d like to support with real money. Sustainable New Year’s Resolutions: When the packages are opened and guests gone home, put your feet up, and heartily congratulate yourself on reducing waste and having created an admirable sustainable holiday. But why stop now? Muse over these eco-friendly New Year resolutions to start off 2023 right; even if you only swap in just one or two ideas, you’ll have already improved your community’s environment. Remember, the mantra is always reuse, recycle, repurpose, and reduce. Sustainable household ideas include composting leftover food; using eco-friendly cleaning agents to avoid washing harmful chemicals into our rivers; carefully assessing purchases to reduce impulse buying that results in unused excess or spoiled food; recycling everything you can, even if it means bringing plastic bags or incorrigible Styrofoam to specific collection centers; substitute reusable cloth napkins or cleaning rags for paper towels; and avoiding disposable items like plastic utensils or cups. Try buying reusable products like old-fashioned razors and metal straws so you aren’t constantly throwing away plastic ones. Reuse whatever you can before buying a new item – you’ll be surprised how clever you (and your family) can be, like giving homemade cookies in decorated coffee cans or using glass jars for gift vases. Pursue organic food, which is healthier for you and eco-friendly especially when bought from nearby farmer’s markets or local stores. Cultivate native plants and rain gardens to help local insects and wildlife, and reduce the contaminated stormwater runoff entering our waterways. Join your town’s Environmental Commission or Green Team, or at least participate in community cleanups. Go plogging while hiking, and pick up a few pieces of trash wherever you go. Finally, use your power as a constituent and citizen to let your environmentally-aware voice be heard at local, state, and federal governmental levels – it only takes 10 minutes and a simple email to make a difference. Previous Next

85793c84-67bd-45a4-bab2-dbb788d3b066 < Back ABOUT US MISSION Our mission is to work with the community to protect our unique natural resources. We educate our residents on what we can do to maintain and protect our land, water and air, facilitate the adoption of behaviors that will meet those ends, and motivate residents and local businesses to join in the effort. ABOUT We host a number of activities and events throughout the year in the community to raise awareness for the environmental issues we face. Join us for cozy winter movie nights tailored to both children and adults, active outdoor family events such as "Clean Up Your Parks Day" each spring or "Rally for the River Eco-Fest" each summer. Check our website for information on recycling in our town or sign your children up for the newly formed middle school environmental club. Each year, we add more fun and educational activities for our community to enjoy. HISTORY Although originally established in 1969, in 2016 the Rumson Environmental Commission was a subcommittee of the Shade Tree Commission. It did not have its own mission statement, its membership was the same as the Shade Tree Commission, but there no separate meetings nor was there a separate chairperson. We set out to build partnerships and collaborations that would help educate the community on what we can do to maintain and protect our unique natural resources in Rumson and beyond. Through our collaboration with the schools, we established an Environmental Club, installed bottle filling stations, created an “Idle Free” campaign and introduced educational programming to educate the kids on the history and importance of our waterways. Through our collaboration with the DPW and Monmouth County Recycling, we clarified the recycling practices in our community and engaged in outreach on recycling and “No Wipes in the Pipes” campaigns. Through our collaboration with the Rumson Recreation Department, we established an annual “Clean Up Your Parks Day” to bring awareness to single use plastics and recycling. Through our collaboration with Clean Ocean Action, we established an annual environmentally themed family festival to celebrate our two rivers. Modeled after a green fair established in Millburn, NJ that won the 2010 NJ Governors Award for Environmental Excellence, this festival brings together stakeholders from across the Two River area to educate families in our community and beyond. Together with Clean Ocean Action and the Rumson School District, we established community movie nights to teach children and families how to become more sustainable. Through our collaboration with the American Littoral Society, we brought river-focused educational programming the Rumson School district and established a Film+Food for Thought series. Below are some highlights of our accomplishments since 2016. 2016 Created a mission statement and developed aworking plan; Published article in Two River Times. 2017 Established Forrestdale Environmental Club; Established Annual Clean Up Your Parks Day; Initiated Rumson School District “Idle Free” Campaign; Installed bottle-filling stations in Rumson School District; Facilitated Littoral Society collaboration with Rumson School District. 2018 Created a more detailed website; Aided DPW in clarifying recycling practices, created instructional materials, and engaged in community outreach; Established annual Family Movie Night “WALL-e” & “Finding Nemo”; Assisited DPW with the “No Wipes in the Pipes” campaign materials and outreach; Established Annual Rally for the River Eco Fest. 2019 Established Community Movie Night: “The Oyster Farmers”; Maintained annual events and passed resolution to seek Sustainable Jersey certification, Formed Green Team. 2020 Achieved Bronze status certification from Sustainable Jersey Program. Previous Next

< Back 30 WARD AVENUE Year Built: 1885 Property Description Block: 104 Lot: 1 Year Built: 1885 Historic Name: Church of the Holy Cross Style: Shingle Style Church Architect: Patrick C. Keely Foundation: Masonry Structure: Timber Frame and Wood Frame Fenestration: Stained Glass Windows This structure is considered: Significant Comment: Church was extensively renovated and a large addition was added. The architects were very faithful to the character and style of the original church.

09ef519b-03c3-4ff4-b9e6-cd4d24c65891 < Back EVENTS The Rumson Environmental Commission is thrilled to partner with Clean Ocean Action once again this year to bring the fifth annual Rally for the Two Rivers Eco-fest to Victory Park on Saturday, June 3rd. This FREE annual family friendly event is a fun-filled day of educational activities that help illustrate ways YOU can help protect our local waterways. Hundreds of families come out each year to take the Passport Challenge! Attendees received a stamp after completing a fun game or activity at each of the tables to earn enough stamps to complete the challenge and head out to local businesses to redeem for a special treat or discount. To reduce the environmental footprint we encouraged folks to walk, ride a bike or carpool, bring a reusable water bottle to refill at the water station, only accept giveaways that you will use, and access information online instead of taking handouts. Rumson ENV Passport Challenge .pdf Download PDF • 2.45MB Since 2018 the Rumson Environmental Commission, in collaboration with Clean Ocean Action, has hosted this Eco-Fest in the spring to celebrate our most unique natural resource, the two rivers. Each year hundreds of people come out to this family-friendly community event to learn ways we can help protect our rivers for generations to come. Organizations, schools and clubs host tables with fun educational activities for children and adults alike. Joining COA and the Rumson EC this year are American Littoral Society, Rumson Junior Green Team, Mission Milkweed , Little Silver Environmental Commission, Fair Haven Green Team, Mazza Recycling, Garden Club of Fair Haven, Master Gardeners of Monmouth County, Navesink Maritime Heritage Association, the Rumson Department of Public Works, the Rumson Fair Haven High School Crew Club, Monmouth County Parks, Monmouth Museum, NJ Sea Grant Consortium, NJ Audubon, Oceanport Water Watch Committee, Rumson Shade Tree Commission, Rumson Garden Club, Seabright Solar, Waterspirit, RFH Project Terrapin and more. Providing entertainment this year is Pop Radio 77. Due to COVID-19, we were unable to host an in-person event in 2020, but please check out the virtual toolkit link below for fun videos on a variety of environmental topics. Please contact Kristen Hall at info.rumson.environemntal@gmail.com if you would like to join or help with this event in any way. Learn about the Rally For The Rivers Waterway Mindfulness Toolkit The Rumson Environmental Commission is partnering with American Littoral Society to host a free Rain Garden Ambassador Training Workshops. The first was held on January 25th at Bingham Hall. This workshop is a part of the $30,000 in grants received from Sustainable Jersey, PSEG Foundation and New Jersey American Water to install and promote Green Infrastructure projects in Rumson Borough. Rumson Rain Garden Ambassadors .pdf Download PDF • 4.99MB MOVIES FOR THE WATERWAYS “Movies for the Waterways” is a collaborative project that aims to foster a better understanding of how our actions impact our delicate ecosystem. The Rumson Environmental Commission, together with stakeholders that share the Navesink River watershed, will screen films with an environmental message with the hope of raising awareness about protecting our natural resources. COMMUNITY 'DINNER & MOVIE' NIGHT: TUESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2019 Together with the American Littoral Society, The Rumson Environmental Commission screened the award-winning documentary film The Oyster Farmers, which beautifully illustrates life on the Barnegat Bay for oyster farmers who are trying to bring these delicious and environmentally beneficial bivalves back to New Jersey waters. ( See the movie trailer here. ) Forty North Oyster Farms, featured in the film, brought in a raw bar, rolled up their sleeves and shucked fresh oysters for the guests during the cocktail hour. As the film played on multiple screens throughout room, attendees enjoyed a casual and delicious prefix dinner. Afterward American Littoral Society and Forty North Oysters hosted a Q&A filled with lively and thoughtful questions. SECOND ANNUAL MOVIE NIGHT FOR THE WATERWAYS ENVIRONMENTAL THEME: ALL DRAINS LEAD TO THE OCEAN (AND RIVERS) More than 50 children attended the second annual Movies for the Waterways event at Surf on Tuesday January 29, 2019. The Forrestdale Middle School Environmental Club kicked off the event with a presentation to help the kids understand what Environmental themes to look for in the film. Cindy Zipf from Clean Ocean Action played a fun and informative guessing game before the movie and Forrestdale science teacher Jen Crow played an educational game of Kahoot after the film. If you would like more information or if you would like to host a film at your local place of business, please contact Kristen Hall at 917.733.8235 or kristen.rumson.environmental@gmail.com . ANNUAL CLEAN UP YOUR PARKS DAY Each Spring town residents come out to help clean up five of Rumson’s parks used for spring sports: Meadowridge Park, Victory Park, Rogers Park, Piping Rock Park & Riverside Park. The Rumson Department of Public Works provides bags and gloves and the Rumson Environmental Commission provides prizes for the most unique garbage finds. Kids and families have the opportunity to lean more about proper recycling in Rumson Borough and community service hours are provided. Thank you for joining our community to help start the season off right with clean parks! Previous Next

< Back 33 CHURCH STREET Year Built: 1904 Property Description Block: 31 Lot: 1 Year Built: 1904 Style: Early American Colonial Structure: Wood Frame Fenestration: Double Hung Comment: Rehabilitated using modern materials.

d201190a-c2a2-4505-b9a6-61c5f1157ef8 < Back GREEN SEAL The Rumson Environmental Commission invites local businesses to join us in helping to protect our beautiful town by adopting at least five (5) sustainable practices from at least two (2) different categories to earn the Rumson Green Seal . By implementing “green” practices, your business can not only become more efficient and more profitable, but it can be a role model and leader in the community for ways to help protect our unique natural resources and provide a safe and healthy environment for both customers and employees. VISIT THE RUMSON GREEN SEAL REGISTRY Below is a suggested list of actions you can adopt or may already be doing to be more sustainable. We are open to hearing about other ways that you are “green” that might not be listed but would qualify under this program. Please contact info.rumson.environmental@gmail.com to set up an appointment to begin this process and take steps to earn your Rumson Green Seal ! General Set Annual Environmental Goals Waste Reduction: Offer Employees and/or Customers Reusable Items (e.g., Reusable Utensils and Other Kitchenware) Offer Employees and/or Customer Alternatives to Single-use Containers (e.g., Filtered Tap Water Instead of Individual Bottled Water) Cancel Unwanted Catalogs ( https://www.catalogchoice.org/ ) and Mailings Install a Compost Bin for Food Scraps and/or Leaf and Garden Waste https://learn.eartheasy.com/guides/composting/ Set Printer to Two-Sided Printing and Use Only Recycled Paper Transition to Virtual Distribution of Materials to Reduce Reliance on Paper Products. Water Conservation: Install Water-Efficient Equipment, Appliances, And Plumbing Fixtures https://www.epa.gov/watersense Switch to On-Demand Hot Water System Install Rain Barrels to Water Plantings: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/e329/ Landscape with Native and Drought-Resistant Plants and Minimize Turf . Reduce Use of Fertilizer and Pesticides or use organic alternatives. Energy Conservation Invest in Energy Efficient Equipment and Appliances. Look for The ENERGYSTAR Symbol When Buying Office Equipment. Improve Energy Efficiency of Lighting. Replace Incandescent Lighting with Energy Efficient Fluorescent Lighting and Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) Or Other Energy Efficient Lighting. Replace All T-12 Fluorescent Lighting with Energy Efficiency T-8 Or T-5 Fixtures, Install LED Exit Signs. Install on-Site Renewable Energy System: NJ Clean Energy Program – Renewable Energy. Community Building Provide Safe Access and Accessible Programming to Serve Customers with Disabilities. Visit ADA for More Information Support Community Initiatives: Participation or Sponsorship of Community Environmental or Social Projects or Events (Outreach to Citizen Groups, Schools, Etc.). Adopt a Cause or Project in Your Community. Promote This Cause Through Advertising at Your Business and Through Social Media, Support the Cause by Organizing Volunteer Hours with Business Staff, And Offer Incentives to Employees and Customers for Supporting the Cause. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLYCOMPLETED THE REGISTRATION PROCESS NJ Sustainable Business Registry Businesses may also choose to become registered with the NJ Sustainable Business Registry. To do so, a business must complete the registration process which is self-explanatory, but more detailed than our local program described above. To learn more, please visit http://registry.njsbdc.com/ . Previous Next

The Rumson Zoning & Code Enforcement Department is responsible for reviewing Zoning Permit Applications and ensuring that applicants follow the Borough Ordinances when making improvements to their property. ​ Local Zoning is a requirement to construction.  The Planning Board is charged under the Land Development Ordinance with the responsibility to review all site plans, parking projects and major building projects for proper design and drainage according to standards. Land Use & Development Code Enforcement Marie DeSoucey Land Use and Development Official Planning/Zoning Board Secretary 732-842-3300 x107 Brett Hunger Project Manager Code Enforcement Officer Tree Conservation Officer 732-842-3300 x127 Applications & Forms Land Use Devel. (Zoning) App Non-Pool Fence Permit Tree Removal Permit Request For 200' Property Owners List The Borough of Rumson Land Use & Development Official is responsible for reviewing all zoning permit applications for compliance to the Borough of Rumson Ordinances and Development Regulations. Zoning permits are required for all new construction on a property, installation of a pool, renovations to an existing home such as adding a habitable floor to an existing structure or expanding the existing footprint of any structure. Land Use & Development Permit approvals are needed for any landscaping where one renovates, modifies, removes, or adds to any impervious surfaces such as a driveway, walkway, or adding a patio. For more information, click here . Prior to undertaking any improvements to your property or any of the structures on it, applicants should also confirm all other outside agency permits In accordance with Borough of Rumson Ordinance: Enforcement Code Enforcement Officers are responsible for the enforcement of all Borough Ordinances related to the maintenance of properties within our Borough. This includes construction sites, vacant lots, and all residential and commercial properties. Land Use & Development Information Chapter 22 Development Regulations Landscape/Tree Mitigation Requirements Borough Zoning Maps Rumson Master Plan Zoning Tools Zoning Ordinance Quick Links Helpful Links Land Use & Development Information Land Use & Development Basics Process Flow Chart Submission Requirements Landscape Plans & Tree Mitigation Information The purpose of this chapter is to preserve trees and woodlands throughout the Borough, and to restrict the removal of trees, thereby maintaining the beauty and character of the Borough of Rumson, preventing erosion, and restricting any action that could create a hazard to persons or properties. A permit is required to remove or relocate any tree greater than six inches in diameter at breast height (DBH), one inch DBH or larger for any Dogwood (Cornus Florida) or American Holly (Illex Opaca); and two and one-half (2 1/2) inches DBH or larger for any other ornamental tree. Click here to view additional restrictions. A Tree Mitigation Plan is required when replacement trees are required. The Borough of Rumson has adopted Tree Protection Permit Requirements. Click here to view the latest permit application regulations and fees prior to submitting an application. Zoning Tools Rumson Zoning Map Zoning Schedules Zoning Chart SFH Checklist Accessory Use Chart Coverages, Attic/Half Story, Basement Quick Links Code: Permits Code: Nonconforming Building/Lots Code: Fees Code: Definitions Code: Accessory Building & Structures Code: Fences & Walls Rumson Building Department Rumson Tax Map Rumson Grading Plan Requirements Rumson Stormwater Control Regulations Rumson Floodplain Management Regulations Land Use Development Information Zoning Tools Landscape Plans Tree Mitigation Zoning Quick Links Helpful LInks Helpful Links NJDEP CAFRA Lot/Block UCC Code FEMA MC Open Public Records Freehold Soils Conservation District