32-acre parcel at corner of New and Friendship roads cost $535,000
David Weinstein
South Brunswick has inked a deal that will allow it to expand one of its most heavily used parks, ending several years of pursuit of the property by the township.
The 32-acre parcel, known at the Kozachek property, abuts Sondek Park on New Road, which is home to most of the township’s recreation soccer and baseball leagues. The parcel is at the corner of New Road and Friendship Road.
"Finally," Jane Snyder, chairperson of South Brunswick’s Open Space Commission, said Wednesday.
The Township Council approved the purchase Tuesday night for a total cost of $535,000. Councilman Ted Van Hessen was absent from the room at the time of vote, but attended the meeting, according to the Township Clerk’s Office.
"There is a signed contract. We’re excited," township Mayor Debra Johnson said Wednesday afternoon.
"It’s a perfect lot, and allows us to expand the fields at Sondek. We desperately need to expand our soccer fields, and others, too, but especially our soccer fields," the mayor said.
In mid-February, township officials said a deal could be signed by late April or early May, allowing the township to significantly expand Sondek Park, which is adjacent to the Kozachek property.
The 32-acre site has long been of interest to the township. For five years, the commission has advocated buying the land. The township has been inquiring about the property for almost as long.
In 1996, township officials offered to buy the land for $350,000. Its owner at the time, Peter Kozachek, agreed, but negotiations broke down when South Brunswick balked at brokering a tax agreement between the owner and the township, citing a conflict of interest. The township, officials said then, could not simultaneously act as buyer and tax advisor.
Through the years, some officials considered condemning the land and subsequently, adding it to the open space inventory. At one point in 1996, the Republican-controlled Township Committee, agreed to condemn it, but the paperwork never went through, and the property was not bought.
Under condemnation, governments can declare property necessary for the public good and force the sale of the land. The price for the property then is set at fair market value by the courts.
Though both sides in 1996 agreed to the deal, the makeup of the committee changed, and the Democrats won a majority. South Brunswick Democrats long have favored condemnation only for health and safety purposes, not for the acquisition of open space.
"I’m glad we didn’t get this land through condemnation," Mayor Johnson said Wednesday. "I’m very excited we were able to negotiate a good price."
The township usually borrows money for open space purchases, paying 5 percent as a downpayment to the seller for each purchase, and paying off the remainder over a number of years with interest. In this case, the 5 percent downpayment would have been $26,750.
Instead, the township paid $315,000 up front to acquire the property, taking $288,250 from the Open Space Trust Fund and $26,750 from its general operating budget. The move decreased the amount borrowed to $220,000, reducing the amount of interest the township will have to pay.
Several years ago, a township ordinance made money available for the purchase of specific open space parcels. The Kozachek property was one of those properties.