Third parcel joins list of land
town eyes for preservation
By jeanette M. eng
Staff Writer
FARRAH MAFFAI Fred Brandigon is working with Marlboro officials who want to purchase the 20-acre tract of land he owns on Brown Road, between Tennent Road and Route 79, and preserve it from development.
MARLBORO — The township has added a third piece of property onto its "to acquire" list.
The addition of the latest tract brings to 107 acres the total land that is in the process of being added to Marlboro’s open space inventory.
The latest piece of land to come before the Farmland, Historic, Open Space Preservation Committee is a 20-acre tract owned by Fred and Adele Brandigon. The wooded land on Brown Road, between Tennent Road and Route 79, has belonged to the Brandigons since 1972 and is currently used for Christmas tree sales and harvesting trees for firewood.
After deciding that New Jersey weather just wasn’t for them anymore, the Brandigons believed the best fate for their land would rest in open space to the township.
"There’s enough development in Marlboro," Brandigon said, describing the change she has witnessed since moving to the Morganville section of the community. "It’s time for Marlboro to look at preserving some land. I see that the deer have no place to go. Our area is wooded and I’d like to see it remain that way."
After reading in the News Transcript about the Dimeo property the township is pursuing for open space preservation, Brandigon contacted the open space commission with a request to do the same on her parcel.
At a March 27 Township Council meeting, resolutions were passed by the governing body to authorize the appraisal services of Buchalski, Reynolds and Brodowski at a fee of $3,000 and of Stuart Appraisal Company Inc. at a fee of $3,100. In addition, the professional services of Schoor DePalma for grant administrative services and other services for a fee not to exceed $10,725 was also authorized.
According to John S. Mullan of Schoor DePalma, the appraisals were presented and discussed during an April 10 executive session of the council. The council authorized the township attorney to draw up an offer to the Brandigons for the potential purchase of property, Mullan said.
"Things seem to be moving along and happening," Brandigon said.
Mullan has been providing his financial grant assistance services in the workings of all three properties.
According to Mullan, the three properties in the process of negotiation are all at different levels of due diligence, but the council is interested in pursuing all three tracts.
The first property to come into the picture, a 10-acre wooded parcel off Beacon Hill Road, belongs to Larry Amorosi. Two companies were hired on Nov. 20, 2001 to conduct appraisals of the property. As of now, the council has authorized the township attorney to proceed in contract negotiations with Amorosi, according to Mullan.
Negotiations for a second piece of property began in late February 2002. The 77-acre Dimeo property is at the corner of Pleasant Valley and Conover roads and belongs to Gerard Dimeo, 75, and his brother Ralph, 83. The farm has been in operation since 1927.
At a March 27 council meeting, the council passed a resolution for an extension of time on the Dimeo property negotiations.
"They [the Dimeos] have agreed pending council agreement to allow an extension in the time period for us to complete our studies," Mayor Matthew Scannapieco said.
According to Mullan, the extension was necessary to allow for additional environmental studies; a third series of studies which the state Green Acres program required.
"After a preliminary environmental assessment, the conclusions made can trigger two or three more studies," Mullan explained. "It is not uncommon for existing agricultural farms to have areas of concern that require additional studies."
The Green Acres program, which provides state funds to help pay for the purchase of land to be preserved, is a crucial factor in realizing the acquisition of open space property, Mullan said.
According to Mullan, the funding for open space preservation comes primarily from taxes, bonding and other sources such as the county or nonprofit organizations.
"We could not acquire open space without any one of these sources of money," he said.
The Green Acres program allocates grant money to cover up to 50 percent of the fair market value of a potential open space acquisition, Mullan explained.
Because of the additional land in consideration for open space acquisition, Marlboro has recently requested additional funds from Green Acres to the tune of $1.75 million. According to Mullan, this amount, in conjunction with the already secured $1.15 million, will provide half the estimated amounts needed to acquire all three parcels. The estimated cost for all three properties is $5.8 million. The township is hoping to receive Green Acres funding for half of that amount, or about $2.9 million.
Mullan said he believes Marlboro has maintained a good balance between competing with development and keeping property owners interested in securing open space property for the township.
"I believe that the Farmland, Historic and Open Space Committee, led by Steve Dick, has done an excellent job over the last 18 to 24 months," Mullan said. "The council’s desire and dedication in acquiring this open space is also evident in their due diligence."