Permeable Resin-Bound Surfacing in Morristown, NJ

Article 5C, the state rules and the 2026 reconstruction trigger

Morristown's Stormwater Control Regulations sit in Part 5 of Chapter 30 and were last amended in March 2025 by Ord. O-5-2025. They apply to nonresidential major developments, to the parts of residential major developments not preempted by the Residential Site Improvement Standards, and to the town's own major projects. The thresholds follow N.J.A.C. 7:8: one acre of disturbance, or a quarter acre of new regulated impervious or motor vehicle surface. Since January 20, 2026, the state definition also counts reconstruction of a quarter acre or more of existing impervious or motor vehicle surface. Article 5C as published does not include that trigger yet, and towns have until January 20, 2027 to add it, so ask the board engineer which version applies to your application.

Pervious paving systems appear in the code's green infrastructure table with an 80 percent TSS removal rate, and the water quality design storm is 1.25 inches of rain in two hours. Because the state BMP Manual names porous asphalt, pervious concrete and permeable pavers as surface courses, a resin-bound surface would be submitted as an alternative measure for the board engineer to accept.

Hills, river bottoms and winter: site questions for the design engineer

Grades change quickly between the ridges and the Whippany River, and soils range from glacial deposits to shallow rock. For an infiltrating system, the state rules require 2 feet between the bottom of the stone bed and the seasonal high water table or bedrock; with an underdrain the minimum is 1 foot. Near the river, flood hazard area rules and high groundwater often push the design toward underdrains.

The BMP Manual also limits the surface slope to 5 percent, requires the storage bed to drain within 72 hours, and limits extra run-on to three times the paved area. Winters bring freeze-thaw and plowing, and the manual prohibits stockpiling snow treated with sand, cinders or deicers on a pervious system, so a separate snow storage area belongs on the plan. The section can pair Rock Crete or another permeable base with an open-graded aggregate reservoir, sized by the engineer for loads and frost.

Good fits around the Green and beyond

The strongest candidates are flat or nearly flat areas where water can be stored and released slowly:

• Courtyards, dining patios and pedestrian passages behind the commercial blocks near the Green and South Street.
• Walkways and small parking bays at multifamily projects near the train station, where redevelopment may cross the quarter-acre thresholds, including the state's reconstruction trigger once it applies.
• Paths and terraces at churches, schools and older institutional campuses that want a softer look than asphalt.
• Garden paths and level parking pads at historic homes, where a natural stone finish suits the setting; check whether historic design review applies.

Approval in Morristown and what Resin Rock provides

Stormwater plans are reviewed with site plan and subdivision applications before the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment, with the board engineer checking compliance with Article 5C. Soil erosion and sediment control certification runs through the Morris County Soil Conservation District when the disturbance triggers it. The board will expect a maintenance plan, and for major developments a recorded deed notice describing the measure. The town code shows land development amendments adopted in July and August 2026, so confirm the current text before design.

Resin Rock is a manufacturer-supplier. We provide the UV-stable binder, stone blends, trims and Rock Crete, plus data sheets for the alternative-measure package. We do not install; we connect owners with an approved installer and train New Jersey contractors through our installer training. Acceptance by the board is never guaranteed.