By: David M. Campbell
WEST WINDSOR – Friends of West Windsor Open Space has acquired 29.5 acres that will go toward creating a nature preserve in the heart of the township.
On Thursday, the conservation group closed a $401,150 deal with local property owners Hanna and Tom Liao, Chung Kuan Lin and Lung Fong Lin to acquire their property as open space, said FOWWOS President Michael Schuit.
The land, which is located on North Post Road across from Jacob Drive, will be turned over to the township as part of its planned Duck Pond Run Preserve.
The deal came on the heels of another acquisition last week, the $11.8 million purchase of more than 530 acres in the southern end of the township, the largest open-space acquisition ever in West Windsor.
"This is the most important week for preservation of open space since November 1998, when citizens of West Windsor passed the FOWWOS open-space referendum," Mr. Schuit said.
The referendum raised the township’s open-space tax from 2 to 7 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
The Liao-Lin purchase was made using funds from the state’s Green Acres preservation program, Mr. Schuit said. FOWWOS received about $500,000 from the state, and used about $200,575 of that money. The township put in about $140,400, and the county put in about $60,175.
The balance of state funds will go toward future purchases in the same area as part of the planned Duck Pond Run preserve, Mr. Schuit said. FOWWOS is negotiating for other properties in the vicinity, he said.
The Liao-Lin property is located in "the heart of the town," and within walking distance for a large portion of the community, Mr. Schuit said. The property will be used for passive recreation, and is important as a stream corridor and wildlife habitat preserve, he said.
"It’s great to have a wildlife habitat among the populated areas of West Windsor, and it’s great to walk to such an area," he said.
The Liao-Lin property was zoned residential and was being considered by developers who wanted to build six homes there, Mr. Schuit said.
