T.F. prioritizes open space acquisitions

T.F. prioritizes open space acquisitions
Farmland preservation tops list of properties
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer

TINTON FALLS — The Borough Council may look at adding to the borough’s open space inventory now that the Open Space Committee has compiled a priority list of properties.

The list, which includes eight properties around the borough, was read by Councilman Andrew Mayer at the June 1 council meeting.

“We had some really good discussions on what our priorities should be for open space,” he said. “Of course, there were some challenges with the current reductions in the open space tax, so we need to start balancing things out to get the most bang for our buck.”

Mayer said the committee began by looking at preserving more farmland.

“One of the areas that the committee really tried to focus on was farmland preservation,” he said. “We really have no farmland preserved in town, and there are potential funds available for acquiring that property or purchasing the developer’s rights, which would maintain that land in perpetuity as farmland.”

The first two properties given priority on the list are a 57-acre farm and a 44-acre farm.

“The first two are really focused on farmland preservation,” Mayer said.

The third property on the priority list is a parcel on Green Grove Road that could be used for recreation.

“This is an area that is currently not farmland, but it is very well cleared, and the committee has taken time and actually walked that property and feels that if there is an opportunity to acquire land for recreational purposes, it would be a well-suited area for fields and such,” Mayer said. “Perhaps we can add a band shell for all types of future recreational purposes.”

Mayer described the fourth property on the list that could be used as a skate park.

“The fourth item on the list would be the skate park, and the purposed site for that would be right behind Borough Hall,” he said. “We are currently looking at different estimated costs for that. There is a possibility of donations, and many [municipalities] have received matching grants from the county. [Skate parks] have been very successful in receiving open space grant money, which is one of the reasons it’s high on the priority list.”

Fifth and sixth on the list are both farmland properties that are between 15- and 20-acre parcels.

The seventh property is a landlocked 3.5-acre parcel on the banks of the Swimming River that, according to Mayer, has been for sale for a while.

“The Open Space Committee has taken time and walked it,” Mayer said. “The actual price of this property continues to drop, so it might be a property we want to keep our eye on.

“This is a property we would acquire for recreational purposes. It is adjoining the Swimming River. It has a lot of potential uses as far as picnic areas and boating and fishing.”

Open Space Committee member Frank DeVita explained why the borough is particularly interested in that property.

“One of the reasons we are interested in that property is that even though it is only 3.5 acres, it touches a piece of property that is in excess of 7 acres that we already own but is land-locked,” he said. “It would potentially be a 10- or 11-acre piece of property if we are able to access the property we already own, which we can’t get to.”

The final priority on the list is the much-discussed lighting for the football fields at Liberty Park II, which Mayer said still has some unanswered questions.

“The committee would like to have some feedback from the recreation department as to what other uses those lights would be used for,” he said.

“Are we looking at lacrosse or anything else? Is there an opportunity to share costs with Eatontown or Pop Warner?”

Mayer said the Open Space Committee has started conversations with property owners and will look to formalize the conversation on the purchase of the lands.

“We have had some informal discussions with many of the property owners, and some of them have expressed interest,” he said. “What we really need to do is formalize our approach with the landowner and have a negotiation with the landowner.”

Mayer said the borough could work with New Jersey Preservation Conservation to help property owners maintain farmland.

“The administration could also work with the New Jersey Preservation Conservation to help create ways to preserve the land,” he said. “Especially with farmland, it is a way to preserve it without having to maintain it.”

Pop Warner representative Robert Missi criticized the list, saying the lighting at the sports field is too low on the list.

“I am a little disappointed to find out that the lighting for the field dropped down to the bottom of the list,” he said. “To me, it seems that nothing is going to happen, so

guess we have to go rent the lights again.

“My whole thing is, let’s finish one park first and then we can start on another one.”

Baldwin responded that the council hasn’t decided which project to make their priority.

“What was given to us tonight was simply recommendations from that committee; no decision has been made,” he said. “The committee doesn’t make that decision, the council will at some point in time.”

Contact Kenny Walter at kwalter@gmnews.com.