MILLSTONE – The Township Committee had plans to define passive recreation this week, with or without input from the recreation commission.
Committee members have been looking to define the term "passive recreation" so that they can effectively deed restrict open space parcels on Rocky Brook Road, Gravatt Circle and at the orchards on Per-rineville Road. Committee members told the recreation commission several months ago that it could look at developing uses for those properties.
Residents who live near the three properties have said they don’t want loud or disturbing recreation near their homes and members of the Township Committee and recreation commission have agreed that only passive recreation is appropriate for the sites, if anything is to be done with those properties.
Passive recreation is typically associated with quiet, non-obtrusive facilities such as horse trails or bicycle paths.
Committee members have said that despite the recreation commission’s pledge to only look at passive uses, a deed restriction is needed to guarantee that no active uses would be allowed on the three properties. In order to make such a restriction, the township first needs to adopt a definition for passive recreation.
Deputy Mayor Even Maltz, at a July 5 meeting, said the committee has reached out to the recreation commission many times for input on the definition.
He said despite those efforts, the recreation commission had yet to give the committee any feedback.
The governing body may have taken action on the passive recreation definition at its July 19 meeting.
"I don’t want to exclude the recreation commission, but they’re pushing us to the point of no return," Maltz said recently.
Committeeman Charles Abate said the governing body needs to realize summer is a busy time of year for the recreation commissio. But Abate said it’s the committee’s responsibility to adopt a definition and said it should move ahead soon.
The committee plans to base the definition for passive recreation on one provided by the New Jersey Land Trust. It will also add to the allowed uses agriculture and horse trails.
Resident Tom Foley questioned whether a planned deed restriction would be enforceable in coming years.
Maltz said the deed restriction would limit the parcels to passive uses as defined at the time of the restriction. Even if a new definition for passive recreation were adopted later, the soon-to-be adopted definition of passive recreation would apply to those parcels, he maintained.
Maltz also said the committee has been working on ways to make sure the deed restriction stays in effect despite changes that the members of future governing bodies might want to make.
— Louis C. Hochman