Open space purchase advances
The Township Committee unanimously approved two ordinances Oct. 13 that will move Hillsborough forward in its goal toward purchasing the development rights for the 163-acre Van Nuys farm.
With the first ordinance, the township has appropriated $3.7 million from the Open Space Trust Fund to acquire development easements and a right of way along Hillsborough and Willow roads to preserve the farm, but it has already been guaranteed to receive about $3 million back in federal, county and state funding.
”It is our policy to take advantage of preservation and look for other sources of funding,” Mayor Frank DelCore said.
The actual purchase price of the development rights is $3,696,118.47, but the township will only be responsible for paying about $690,000 from the Open Space fund.
In August, the township learned it will be receiving $1.74 million from the federal Farm and Ranchland Protection program, $750,000 from the state’s Agricultural Development Committee and $535,000 from the county’s Planned Incentive Grant (PIG) program, which reimburses municipalities for about 60 to 80 percent of the costs of development rights.
With this new purchase, Deputy Mayor Bob Wagner said, about 611 acres of land have been preserved in the township in 2009 alone.
The committee also unanimously approved an ordinance to appropriate capital improvement funds for the acquisition of right of way acres on Hillsborough and Willow roads, near the Van Nuys farm.
”We are purchasing four-tenths of an acre for a right of way if we ever need to widen the road,” Mayor DelCore said.
The cost of this purchase is $10,431 from the township’s Capital Improvement Fund.
Bypass light OK’d
As the Route 206 bypass project continues to move forward, the Township Committee unanimously approved a resolution to enter into an agreement with the state for the future installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of the Route 206 bypass and Hillsborough Road.
”This is another sign that the project is moving forward,” Mayor Frank DelCore said.
According to Mayor DelCore, the state will construct the traffic signal, but the township will pay all electrical costs, as is already done with traffic signals on the current Route 206.
In the coming months, Mayor DelCore said, the township will be asked to approve another resolution for the construction of a traffic signal at a jughandle between Amwell Road and the Route 206 bypass.
Firm hired for property appraisals
As the township looks to preserve even more land, the committee unanimously approved a resolution to authorize contracts with two companies for appraisal services in connection with seven acres on Amwell Road.
According to Mayor Frank DelCore, the township is looking to preserve seven acres that are currently owned by the Transco Pipeline Company.
The contracts are going to Robert McNeely Vance & Company for an amount not to exceed $1,500, and to Valuation Consultants, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $2,000.
”The firms will look for the appraised values of the property,” Mayor DelCore said.
Dukes Farms gets OK for treatment system
As Duke Farms moves forward with its renovation plans, the Township Committee took a step in allowing for the changes with the unanimous approval of a resolution allowing Township Clerk Kevin Davis to sign a sewer treatment works approval so the farms can construct a wastewater wetlands treatment system through a drip disposal field.
According to the resolution, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) requires the township to give its approval, which it did with the passage of the resolution.
This treatment system is in line with plans already submitted by Duke Farms and approved by the Planning Board.
Tim Taylor, executive director of Duke Farms, gave a small presentation about the plans for the farm, citing that the goals are to renovate old buildings, upgrade utilities and regenerate landscapes. He said they are currently in the process of getting all permits signed by the NJDEP.
”Once we get the permits, it should be a 15-month project,” he said. He said the goal is to be finished with all the work for a grand opening on Earth Day 2011.
More state grants requested
In order to obtain more grant money through the Green Acres program, the Township Committee unanimously approved a resolution to authorize Township Clerk Kevin Davis to administer an agreement with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to expand the maximum grant money allowed from $2.1 million to $2.45 million.
”Now we are eligible for an additional $350,000 in grants,” Mayor Frank DelCore said.
According to Mr. Davis, this change in the maximum amount will allow for additional money to be set aside for the recent purchase of development rights for the Scudder property, on Long Hill Road, which cost the township $885,000. With the additional $330,000 the township will be using from the state – in addition to $325,000 given from the Somerset County Open Space Partnership and $100,000 from the Delaware Raritan Greenway Land Trust – Hillsborough will be required to pay less than $100,000 of its own Open Space money for the purchase.
”With this, the Open Space funds will be available for later purchases,” Deputy Mayor Bob Wagner said.
Mr. Davis said the township always has to pass a resolution when it is looking for additional grant money from the state’s Green Acres Program for conservation purposes. The last time a resolution was passed was in 2003, when the township was authorized for the $2.1 million.
Work added to resources inventory contract
Because of additional required work, the Township Committee unanimously approved a resolution to rescind a formerly approved contract for the creation of a Natural Resources Inventory, and approve a new one at a slightly higher cost.
According to Mayor Frank DelCore, the committee had approved a contract in August with F.X. Browne, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $10,540, and with half to be funded by the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC).
”But the association has required some additional services, so the price has changed,” he said. “They had to give the final approval since they are paying half.”
The resolution states that ANJEC is requiring two additional meetings, which adds another $1,600 to the cost.
With the change, the committee unanimously approved another contract with F. X. Browne, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $12,140, still with ANJEC paying half the costs.
