HOWELL – Howell Township is making more room for open space with the passage of two ordinances at the most recent Township Council meeting.
“Preserving as much land in our township and (to) reduce development is one of my personal goals,” stated Councilman John Bonevich to his official social media page.
Two land parcels will be purchased from Howell Township by Monmouth County for the purpose of open space.
The first ordinance proposed vacating paper streets located on Block 155, Lots 8.06 and 8.11. This parcel is made up of detention basins. The paper streets – streets that can be found on a map but have yet to be constructed – are Waterside Way, Timber Court and Reservoir Run in Reservoir Woods.
“While I do not like to acquire basins as open space due to the cost of maintaining them, I do not mind having the county acquiring them for open space,” stated Bonevich. “Our (Department of Public Works) is stretched far enough as it is, so this is a nice way to preserve open space and save some money and resources.”
The second ordinance proposes that the Monmouth Conservation Fund will purchase 13.5 acres open space at the Berger-Wind property, located on Preventorium Road.
“On or about December 11, 2018, The Township of Howell and the Monmouth Conservation Foundation entered into an agreement entitled the Open Space and Farmland Preservation Consulting Services Agreement…under which the MCF would identify potential opportunities within Howell for the preservation of open space,” according to the ordinance.
Per this agreement, the MCF identified the vacant property at Block 51.01, Lot 22, known as the Berger-Wind property, as suitable for open space.
The finalization of the purchase is contingent on “satisfactory title and environmental review of said lands and property.” The initial price for the land is set as $47,600, subject to adjustments for exact acreage, taxes and other closing costs.
Both ordinances passed unanimously.
