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# Lambertville’s Response to Climate Change Demands Our Leadership
- URL: https://www.lambpage.com/lambertville-climate-change-response-demands-leadership/
- Published: 2026-09-15T04:00:07.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T04:00:06.000Z
- Author: Karen Kominsky
- Tags: Voices

***It is the five-year anniversary of Ida, which was a devastating, landmark event for our community. We have repeatedly discussed different measures to address the issues it raised, and it's time for a solid plan. I wrote much of the following proposal over a year ago and wanted to share it again with you all today. Simple steps for a plan that evaluates our stormwater system, identifies our needs, and develops projects with budgets and timelines to make it work best.*** 

Over the past two decades, Lambertville has faced more than its fair share of flooding. From the devastation of Storms Ida and Henri to the increasingly intense rainfall events driven by climate change, it's clear: our city is under pressure—and that pressure is mounting.

Flooding in Lambertville isn’t just a nuisance. It threatens our homes, businesses, infrastructure, and public safety. This is a challenge that demands action.

### **Adopt Comprehensive Solutions**

There are a range of viable options on the table: upgrading and maintaining hard infrastructure, creating and enhancing green spaces and streams, implementing smarter zoning, and participating in programs like Blue Acres buyouts for flood-prone properties, to name a few. All of these approaches share two core goals:

1. **Expand and modernize our stormwater management systems** to move water efficiently and prevent backups and overflow.
2. **Create and protect green space** to hold and absorb stormwater, reducing the speed and volume of runoff that leads to flooding.

Our current stormwater infrastructure was not designed for the pressures of decades of development and worsening weather. We must re-engineer it—and deter development practices that increase impervious surfaces and runoff.

### **Ten Practical Steps for Lambertville**

Here’s a clear path forward—within the authority of our existing city government:

1. **Immediate maintenance funding.** Add a line item in the city budget for routine inspection and maintenance of storm drains, culverts, and known trouble spots.
2. **Assess internal capacity.** Evaluate our city’s structure for stormwater oversight. Determine if additional public works personnel are needed and estimate the costs.
3. **Explore shared services.** Explore a maintenance partnership with the Lambertville MUA to see if we can benefit from shared services.
4. **Continue mapping infrastructure.** Public Works staff and the mayor have started mapping our stormwater system using the City’s new camera equipment. This work begins to assess the weaknesses and possible upgrades.
5. **Hire experts to analyze the system.** Using our mapping capabilities, bring in engineering consultants to recommend system improvements and cost estimates.
6. **Prioritize projects and funding.** Itemize projects, rank them by urgency, and develop a 5–10 year implementation plan. Identify funding sources and explore bond financing through an improvement authority.
7. **Coordinate regionally.** Begin discussions with West Amwell and Hunterdon County to promote regional stormwater and zoning reforms. Our flooding problem is regional—it demands a regional response.
8. **Enhance tree protections.** Review and improve our tree removal and replacement regulations and pursue tree planting grants to support natural stormwater absorption.
9. **Adopt a five-year plan.** The Mayor and City Council should formally adopt a comprehensive flood mitigation strategy and commit to supporting it through budgeting and policy.
10. **Review our master plan and zoning ordinances.** It is time to take a look at our master plan and zoning and what we envision for our city. By reviewing our plan with an eye toward flood awareness and resiliency we can create the right balance as we plan for our future.

### **Plan First, Pay Second**

Lambertville has already taken some important steps and initiated infrastructure examination and mapping. That’s the right move. But we must finish the assessment and develop a plan of infrastructure projects and talk about how to fund the work. Plan first. Pay second. Set priorities and a timetable, and clearly articulate and share the planning with the community.

Lambertville’s municipal government has the authority to manage infrastructure projects. Our city budget is developed, debated, and approved and the content is directly accountable to our citizens. That’s the kind of transparency we need.

### **A Smarter Path Forward**

We need a smart, transparent, and coordinated plan—led by those we elect. With thoughtful planning, funding, and partnerships, with governmental agencies, we can continue to build a flood-resilient Lambertville.

Let’s fix the problem at its source. And let’s keep planning, accountability—and responsibility—where it belongs: right here, with us. Let’s move forward now.

*Karen Kominsky is a Councilwoman in the City of Lambertville. She is a former NJDEP Deputy Commissioner and Licensed professional planner. Karen has worked in State Government affairs for her entire career, having served two Governors and the Judiciary as special master in Superior Court.*