BERKELEY – The county will be buying about half an acre that is currently wooded land, forever preserving it as open space.
The resolution making the purchase was unanimously approved by the Board of Commissioners. It is approximately 0.52 acres to be purchased for no more than $50,000 plus up to $200 for property tax adjustments. Deputy Director Virginia Haines said that the land is within the Mill Creek headwaters. It is on the west side of a previous purchase the county made, a roughly 800-acre site of a former pulverizing company west of Route 9.
Berkeley Township Mayor Carmen Amato was present at the Commissioner meeting to provide support. Commissioner Director John Kelly asked Mayor Amato if he had anything to say about the purchase and his response was short and to the point.
“Thank you,” Mayor Amato replied to much laughter from the audience and the dais.
“Thank you,” Director Kelly responded.
No one else spoke on the matter.
The Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund brings in more than $10 million in funding every year based on a 1.2 cent tax on every property in the county – both residential and commercial.
Berkeley has its own open space fund. Many towns find that they don’t have the buying power to make large purchases, so they ask the county to do it instead. Often, towns will wind up borrowing money to buy land and then use the open space tax to pay off the principal and interest over a number of years.
The county, on the other hand, has the buying power to make the purchase all at once. The county requires the town’s governing body to pass a resolution stating that they approve of the sale. This is done because it will take the land off the town’s tax rolls, so the county wants to make sure that the governing body is on board. Officials generally say that preventing land from becoming a housing development saves money down the line, as taxes get raised for services and schooling.
The township isn’t actually involved in the purchase. That is done between the county and the owner of the land.
-Chris Lundy contributed to this story
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