East Windsor accepts state grant
By: Marisa Maldonado
EAST WINDSOR Although farms used to be a vital part of the township, pressure from developers has shrunk the amount of such land.
The township took a step toward preserving its farmland Tuesday night by accepting a state grant that will be used to buy a farm and preserve several other plots of open space.
Assemblymen Robert L. Morgan and Michael Panter presented the check of about $646,000 at the Township Council meeting.
The grant also will provide tax relief for township residents, Assemblyman Morgan said.
The township will use about $246,000 of the grant to help buy the development rights to a 39-acre farm on Etra Road, Mayor Janice Mironov said. The township already has preserved about 15 farms, she added.
"It’s not usual that the municipality is the owner," the mayor said. "Normally a private farmer does that, so they can keep the farm and own it."
Township officials hope to close a deal on the farm, which currently is in active use, next month, the mayor said. Officials then either will lease or sell the land and any new owner or renter must promise to farm the property.
Such funding from the state is crucial to ensuring that more farms can be acquired, the mayor said.
"Sometimes people forget that officials in general don’t have a magic wand and say a property will not develop," she said. "The only way we can ensure the future of property is to use money to acquire the property and development rights."
The township also plans to use a $166,000 grant from Mercer County to buy the farm, the mayor said.
The remaining $400,000 from the state grant will go toward the township’s open space fund, the mayor said.

