For Immediate Release.

For more information, contact:
Kenneth W. Daly, Township Manager
732-873-2500, ext. 201

 

Franklin Township Preserves another two farms
And Township Planning Board adopts Farmland Preservation
Plan Element to the Master Plan

Franklin Township.  November 29, 2007.  Franklin Township today announced that it has preserved another two farms totaling over 39 acres.  The Planning Board at their November 28th meeting, also adopted as an Element of the Township’s master Plan, a completely revised Comprehensive Farmland Preservation Plan. 

These two purchases of the development rights on the 21.9-acre Lake Farm on Cedar Grove Lane and the 17.3-acre Riya Farm on South Middlebush Road, make the third and fourth farms, respectively, that the Township has preserved in 2007.  In August the Township purchased the development rights on the 58-acre Wegner-Anderson Farm on Amwell Road and the 17.6-acre Madden Farm on Rt. 518.

When a farm is preserved, the development rights are purchased such that the property can never be developed.

Bob Puskas stated, “As Chairman of Franklin Township’s Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC), I am pleased that these farms are now preserved--forever.  In 2001, the Township applied for, and received, a PIG grant from the State Agricultural Development Committee (SADC).  We knew that the State’s financial contributions, when paired up with the Township’s Open Space Fund, would likely result in significant farmland being preserved.  With yesterday’s purchases, the Township has preserved 14 farms totaling over 369-acres.   And another two farms, totaling 208-acres, are under contract to be preserved.”

In addition to the farms that Franklin has preserved, Somerset County has preserved  four other farms, totaling another 329-acres.  And the SADC is under contract to preserve the 69-acre Griggstown Quail Farm, likely in December.

The Farmland Preservation Plan, prepared by John Loos of Loos Consulting and the Township’s Planner, Mark Healey, in consultation with the AAC, outlines new preservation strategies and targets preserving another 25 farms totaling over 1,100 acres.

Ted Chase, Planning Board Chairman, stated, "This Plan will allow Franklin Township to apply for the next round of Planning Incentive Grants and preserve more farms in the township, keeping them farmed and preserving the rural  ambiance loved by many township residents."

The new Farmland Preservation Plan will be submitted to the SADC which will be awarding a new round of Farmland Preservation grants under a new Planning Incentive Grant Program.  Loos advised the Planning Board at the November 28th meeting that the new funding could amount to as much as $20 million over the next ten years.

The cost of preserving the 21.9-acre Lake farm was $645,888.  The Township paid $258,355 and the SADC contributed $287,532.

The cost of preserving the 17.26-acre Riya farm was $816,480.  The Township paid $326,592 and the SADC contributed $489,888.

“The addition of these farms to the other preserved farms continues Franklin Township’s and its funding partners’ commitment to preserving land so that all may enjoy the beautiful landscape that still exists here in the Township,” Loos said.  Currently 8,837-acres in the Township are preserved, either as open space, parks or farmland.  This is over 31.5% of the Township’s land base, Loos concluded”

A map showing the location of the two newly preserved farms is attached.