BRICK – Officials laid out an updated draft to the Master Plan that sets forth a path for future management of open space preservation and recreation development for the township.
The special public meeting before the township Planning Board was presented by Brick’s Municipal Planner Tara Paxton and Planning Analyst Vincent Palmieri.
The first plan for open space and recreation was drafted in 2000, and as a result of that plan and the adoption of the township’s open space preservation tax around the same time – when residents voted for .1 cent per $100 dollars of valuation tax – the township became eligible for Green Acres funding.
Green Acres is a NJ Department of Environmental Protection program funded through public and private partners that makes grant funds available to municipalities, counties and non-profits for the preservation of open space and for the development of recreational amenities.
The township was preserving open space and developing recreation programs prior to 2000, but becoming eligible for Green Acres funding “opened the floodgates” for the ability of the township to purchase land that was environmentally sensitive, under development pressure, or connected to other open space parcels in town, Paxton said.
The Master Plan has been updated many times over the years – in 2006, 2008 and in 2012, the year the township used up all the open space funding to purchase what is now the Traders Cove Marina in response to pressure from development.
The site was purchased in a partnership with the state, the county and the local environmental group Save Barnegat Bay.
Since then, the administration has not focused much on open space preservation but more on the development and redevelopment of the township’s 25 park facilities, most of which are located within neighborhoods, she said. 13 parks have been completed since 2012.
Now the public has expressed a renewed interest in preserving open space, and to that end, former Mayor John G. Ducey started the Brick Open Space Savers Committee (BOSS), which looks at open space in the township that could potentially be purchased and preserved as open space.
“So that, combined with the need to update our Master Plan because Green Acres told us we have to update our plan…we are here before you today to present a draft plan,” which has had input from the Planning Board and the BOSS Committee, she said.
The draft plan also includes input from 818 township residents from a 10-question survey on what the public wants to see in the township’s open spaces and in recreational areas, Paxton said.
The survey questions ranged from how often, if at all, is the respondent aware of open space and recreation lands in the township; how often do they use the parks or trails; and what types of activities they do at the parks.
Also, would the respondent like to see more open spaces and bike trails or would they like to see more park amenities like playgrounds and sports fields?
“The Farmer’s Market was the overwhelming answer, everyone loves the Farmer’s Market,” Paxton said. “Pickleball seems to be the overarching theme, so that is a recommendation that will be in the plan, to look at where more pickleball facilities may be appropriate,” she said.
Residents want more walking trails and bike paths, more dog parks and better lighting, which were also frequently mentioned.
There were also questions about what are the most important factors for the preservation of open space.
The number one reason, “by a lot,” respondents want to preserve open space is to provide natural resources and habitat protection, and not to stop development – that came in fourth – which Paxton said was surprising.
The township has 1,570 acres of township-owned open space, which does not include land preserved and owned by the county, the state and the Department of Interior (the federal government), who own an additional 1,200 acres.
“There are really only about 185 acres left to potentially be preserved or developed…but in a community of over 16,000 acres, we’ve done a pretty good job of preserving,” she said. “But we’re not done.”
The BOSS committee has come up with 40 to 50 priority sites for preservation.
Paxton said the administration has developed very concise goals for open space and recreation for the next 10 or 20 years, which includes identifying properties for possible acquisition and to make recommendations based on open space methodology and the BOSS checklist.
For open space, the township should acquire environmentally sensitive properties; acquire fill-in preservation areas – properties that connect properties; utilize partnerships for funding; develop a stewardship plan; and coordinate that plan with the floodplain and wildlife management plan.
For recreation, the township should upgrade amenities as needed; develop ongoing replacement plans; evaluate trends in recreation, like pickleball; continue to apply for grant funding for development; and create opportunities for stewardship, and invite the public to participate.
“The goal is to get more public comment and comment from the board, and then over the next month adopt it at the Reorganization Meeting on January 15, just in time for the February 5 grant submission to get more money for open space,” Paxon said.
For questions or comments visit bricktownship.net where the documents and open space and recreation plans may be found.
