By Bob Vosseller and Chris Lundy
MANCHESTER – Property off Cherry Street and Lacey Road that was eyed for development as a future apartment complex will instead be preserved.
Mayor Robert Arace told The Manchester Times that the property is 35.5 acres.
“We were able to work with the county. The apartment project has been stopped,” he said. It would have been 96 units.
There will be some development on that property, but it will be much less intense than multi-family housing. U.S. Homes will instead be using a small portion of that land to build four homes which will be donated to veterans, he said.
“This heartwarming initiative aims to give back to the brave men and women who have selflessly served the nation. Manchester has the largest population of veterans in the state, so this initiative is a great accomplishment for the four veterans who will reside there,” he added.
The mayor noted the entire plan was the end result of work by the Ocean County Natural Land Trust Fund, U.S. Homes, and his commitment to uphold promises made during his campaign “to protect the rural and suburban character of our community.”
There is also a vernal pond that was identified on the property, which provides a unique habitat of upland and wooded wetlands to shelter several important state threatened species, county officials said.
The owner accepted a negotiated offer of $1,125,000. This money comes from the Natural Lands Trust Fund, which is fueled by an open space tax on every property in the county.
One of the requirements for the county buying land for open space is that the town’s governing body has to officially approve it, which Manchester’s Township Council did. The reason for this rule is that making land open space takes it off the tax rolls. However, the cost of providing education and services for residents usually is much more expensive than the amount of property taxes coming in. Therefore, town leaders have found that making the land open space saves money.
Members of the governing body discussed real estate and other issues at the latest Township Council meeting. (Photo by Bob Vosseller)
“By preventing the construction of apartment buildings and preserving these parcels, we have taken a vital step towards safeguarding our environment and maintaining Manchester’s natural landscape,” the mayor added. “This is a huge, huge win. We know the people of Whiting wanted it. The County (Commissioners) voted yes on it on August 2 so we thank the county and the council who passed a resolution in support of it.”
He added, “we know that preservation is important to our residents, and while we can’t promise this outcome for all properties, we will continue pursuing these preservations whenever possible.”
Arace said he looks forward to continuing this trend and “protecting Manchester’s character.”
The resolution that the Township Council passed noted that they were in support of the property being subdivided to create those few homes for Wounded Warriors or veterans.
This land is adjacent to 105 acres of existing open space that is already owned by Ocean County, officials said. It is just north of a 1,200-acre county owned preserve known as the Roosevelt City Project.
According to county figures, the property is located at Block 109, Lots 14.01 (p/o), 14.02 & 14.03. It was submitted to the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust program on April 3, 2023.
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