By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR — Nearly 36 acres of land, located at 174 Clarksville Road and 180 Clarksville Road, will be added to West Windsor Township’s open space inventory.
Township Council gave final approval to an ordinance authorizing the purchase of the two adjacent parcels, owned by Monroe Township resident Richard Cella, for $525,000 Monday night.
Funding for the purchase comes from the township’s Open Space and Recreation Trust Fund. Money in that fund is generated by a 3-cent open space tax.
Half of the $525,000 purchase price will be covered by a $262,500 grant made available through the Mercer County Open Space Assistance program.
During a public hearing on the ordinance, Alison Miller, who is president of the Friends of West Windsor Open Space, urged Township Council to vote “yes” for it.
West Windsor Township Council President Bryan Maher pointed out that “any chance” to acquire land in West Windsor Township — with the ability to get back half of the purchase price, in this case through a grant — is worthwhile.
The Cella property is located within the Duck Pond Run drainage basin. The township’s open space plan calls for the preservation of properties along the four major stream corridors, of which Duck Pond Run is the second largest stream.
Prior to World War II, the land was used mostly for pasture. Today, about half of the property is covered by low-land shrubs, and about one quarter is covered by low-land forest that consists mostly of red maple trees. The remainder is upland forest, mostly of oak trees.
