Old Bridge officials approved a bond ordinance for the purchase of the Cottrell Farm and Whitney Estates on Monday night after years of work took to obtain the properties.
The $4.2 million bond was unanimously adopted at a Sept. 16 meeting of the Township Council, allowing Old Bridge to move forward with the acquisition.
The 27 acres that were formerly home to the Cottrell Farm, and an adjacent 36 acres known as Whitney Estates at Route 516 and Cottrell Road, will be purchased for $10.6 million through a joint effort between the township, county and state, and the New York/New Jersey Baykeeper. The land is slated to be preserved as open space.
“This is huge for the township,” said Councilman Patrick Gillespie. “Let’s pause and take a moment to acknowledge that by voting for this, we’re doing a lot to preserve the future of Old Bridge. It’s certainly been a long road.”
In 2003, Old Bridge granted Wall Township based development firm Jerald Development Corp. a 10-year general development plan (GDP) approval for Carriage House Crossing, which called for the construction of a 120,725-square-foot retail and office space, 83 age-restricted townhouse units, and 129 second-floor apartments on the property in question.
The Planning Board rejected Cernero’s plan in December 2008 “without prejudice,” meaning that the developer could ask for an interpretation from the Zoning Board of Adjustment, an opportunity the builder chose to pursue. After several rounds of testimony, the zoning board voted that aspects of the plan were not permitted under township ordinances, and therefore the applicant would need to seek a use variance. The new application never materialized, and the township negotiated to purchase both properties from the builder.
For the impending purchase, the Middlesex County Open Space Acquisitions Fund will be offering up $6.36 million, the largest portion of the purchase price. Old Bridge will contribute $2.4 million in funds derived from the township’s open space tax over the past 10 years. NY/NJ Baykeeper will spend $200,000, and the state Green Acres program has pledged $1.6 million.
Phillips said the township is bonding for $4.2 million in order to expedite the purchase process, since Old Bridge’s open space trust and the state’s Green Acres funds are not immediately available. The mayor noted that the state will reimburse the township as soon as that money is accessible.
While the acquisition of the Cottrell Farm and Whitney Estates was generally praised Monday night, several questions arose, particularly from resident Robert Lewicki, who has expressed opposition to the purchase over the years. Lewicki believes that the land was not adequately assessed for development, and inquired about the county’s due diligence process and appraisal, as well as many other technical issues related to the evaluation of the property.
Though Township Attorney Jerome Convery answered a few of Lewicki’s concerns, he mostly referred him to the mayor’s office, where he could view all pertinent documents.
Resident Linda Seiler also spoke during the public hearing, expressing concerns about ownership of the land. Phillips said that Old Bridge will not possess the title to the land, since the owner would be required to keep up with property standards. The county will hold the title.
“Old Bridge doesn’t have the title because the standards of the land may change, and the county has far deeper pockets that would be able to accommodate such changes,” the mayor said.
Despite this, the township will have total control over what becomes of the property, Phillips assured.
Council members were pleased with the deal, and many noted that the purchase price was far more reasonable than the land was originally appraised at.
“This was a long time coming. The numbers were excruciating in the past,” said Councilman Edward Testino. “Now Old Bridge can put this deal to bed. I hope everyone understands that this open space trust fund really allowed us to do this, and has helped the township maintain its character.”
Phillips said that the fund, which was established by a public referendum in 2000, will again be put to a referendum in November. He encouraged residents to vote in favor of the trust, noting that the township has spent $4.5 million over the past 10 years and has attracted nearly $40 million in funding from other sources.
“Thousands of acres have been preserved because of the open space trust fund,” Phillips said. “This goes to the credit of people 10 years ago who put this on the ballot and had the vision of preserving Old Bridge’s rural aspects despite continuing development.”
He said there is now $2 million left in the fund.
“We have $2 million left, which is an enormous amount of money. The possibilities are endless,” said Councilman-at-Large Brian Cahill. “Once we come out of this financial conundrum, we’ll look at what we can do with this property.”
Jerald Development will be required to fix some environmental issues on the property before the land is officially handed over, according to Phillips. He noted that minor asbestos and mold in some of the tracts’ buildings will be remediated, as well as arsenic residue in the orchard.
As for the future of the properties, Phillips has said he would like the township to get back to its agricultural roots by restoring the orchards and opening them to the public as a “pick-your-own operation.” He also mentioned the possibility of holding the Old Bridge Farmers Market on the land, as well as opening a pumpkin patch or petting zoo.
The mayor noted that he would extend an offer to Herbert Cottrell, whose family has farmed the land for generations, to stay on the property and run the farm.
“With this land purchased, it’s ours to enjoy. So go out and make the most of it,” said Councilwoman Mary Sohor. “Here’s to us.”