Millstone attempts to preserve land slated for development

BY JANE MEGGITT Correspondent

MILLSTONE — The plans to develop two subdivisions on Route 526 received third and final one-year extensions at the Feb. 9 Planning Board meeting.

PerlAcres North consists of 44.69 acres, and received preliminary major subdivision approval for 11 lots in 2003. Nine of the lots would be located on a cul-de-sac with access to Route 526, while two of the lots would have direct access to Route 526. The board gave the subdivision final approval on April 11, 2007.

The PerlAcres South subdivision across the street consists of 158 acres, and received preliminary major subdivision approval for 43 residential lots and two lots dedicated to the township in 2003, with the same memorialization date as Perl Acres North.

At the time of the approvals, the properties were zoned residential (R-130), but zoning has since changed to rural preservation (RUP). The time extension allows the applicant, Perl Acres Realty Inc., to retain the right to develop under the R-130 zoning in place at preliminary approval.

The time extension also gives the township an opportunity to try to purchase Perl Acres North for open space purposes, according to Pat Butch, chairwoman of the township’s Open Space and Farmland Preservation Council. The Township Committee introduced an ordinance on Dec. 1 authorizing the township’s purchase of approximately 14.7 acres of Perl Acres North for open space and recreation and approximately 28 acres as a development easement for farmland preservation.

The township may purchase the property with or assign its interests to the state Green Acres program. The township may purchase the acreage cited for farmland preservation with or have its interests assigned to the state Agricultural Development Committee (SADC) or the Monmouth County Agricultural Development Board, according to the proposed ordinance. Perl Acres Realty would receive a total of approximately $1,622,450 for the property.

Butch told the Planning Board that she has been working on preserving Perl Acres North for the past three years. She said the SADC took seven months to get the necessary approvals for appraisals of the land. For final SADC approval, three items are still required, she said.

“One is a problem, two are not,” Butch said. “The money is there, and it’s under contract. I hope it will take place by this summer.”

Butch later explained that the issue for SADC is that open space is located next to farmland. Butch told the board that without an extension, there is no possibility of preservation.

This was the first meeting of the year for the board, because the January meeting was canceled due to snow. Newly re-elected Chairman Mitchell Newman noted that the extension benefits both the applicant and the township. Kenneth Pape, the applicant’s attorney, said that David Perlman, a principal in Perl Acres Realty, has “great faith in Pat Butch and the township.”