Monroe moves forward with open space plans
Council doles out $1M for addition to Thompson Park
BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer

Monroe Township and county officials are living up to their commitments to preserve open space in the township.

One completed acquisition added about 76 acres to Thompson Park, while another will preserve about 120 acres near Matchaponix Avenue.

"As far as I'm concerned, any time we can add more acreage or more open space, I'm in favor of it," Councilman Henry Miller said.

The council voted Monday to amend an open space ordinance, and to adopt a resolution that authorized the township to pay out the town's $1 million contribution to Middlesex County for the 75.8-acre parcel. The land is located adjacent to Farmer Al's Market on Route 522, on the eastern border of the existing Thompson Park land.

Middlesex County purchased the land through eminent domain, which involved a lengthy legal process over the past decade. Developer Jack Werbler fought the condemnation, which the town and county had pursued after Werbler received Planning Board approval to build 69 singlefamily homes on the property. The development was to be known as Hawthorne Acres.

Monroe Township Administrator Wayne Hamilton said the township had previously set aside the $1 million now being allocated for the acquisition. The total cost of the property was $8,280,000, and the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders paid the balance.

The council's vote on Monday included three amendments to the open space ordinance, which the township created in 2000. The first changed the ordinance to allow the township to conduct open space mapping, which will help to pinpoint what areas are to be targeted for acquisition, and which are in the process of being acquired.

The second amendment allows the township to pay for its share of the 120- acre Adventure Realty property, which consists of two parcels between Matchaponix and North State Home roads and is to be purchased in concert with the county.

"It's a real sensitive area towards the north end of Monroe Township that we'd like to preserve," Hamilton said of the 120 acres.

As that parcel is currently in the condemnation process of acquisition, it remains to be seen what the total cost will be, and what the township's portion of that will amount to, Hamilton said.

The third amendment to the ordinance decreased the total funding for open space acquisitions by $1.9 million, due to expected funding from the state Green Acres program that was lost due to delays during condemnation on the part of the county, Hamilton said.

"They withdraw the funding and distribute it to other properties if you don't spend it fast enough," Hamilton said.

After the deductions for the lost Green Acres funding and the $1 million for the new Thompson Park addition, a total of $4.7 million is left in the township's open space fund, Hamilton said.

According to Miller, about 60 percent of Monroe consists of undeveloped land. The township has the largest land area of any municipality in Middlesex County.

"We expect by the time growth is finished, about half the town will never, ever be developed," Miller said.