Politics & Government

Freeholders Authorize Purchases to Expand Open Space

The county governing body approved the purchase of nearly 160 acres, including additions to Turkey Swamp Park.

Monmouth County will acquire nearly 160 acres of land for additions to existing parks and open space parcels recently. The Board of Chosen Freeholders approved resolutions authorizing the purchases during regular meetings of the governing body on Thursday, April 12 and Thursday, April 26.

“We’re going to see a lot of (land purchases) right now because the Parks Department just got their funding,” said Andrea I. Bazer, Monmouth County counsel. “They’re all being funded through the Monmouth County Open Space, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.”

The acquisitions include land in Freehold Township, Howell Township, Roosevelt, Tinton Falls and Upper Freehold and cost $3,213,250. Land may be purchased through the open space trust fund for conservation or for use as public park space.  

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The specific county land purchases include:

  • 61.75 acres of Howell Township property bought at $187,500 for additions to Howell Golf Course and the Manasquan River Greenway
  • 20.53 acres in Freehold Township and Howell Township owned by Apostle Acres Development Company bought for $1,000,000 for additions to the Manasquan River Greenway
  • 6 acres in Howell Township owned by Bob Goldstein bought for $341,250 for additions to the Manasquan River Greenway
  • 31 acres in Freehold Township owned by Thomas Reagan and Theresa Raimondi bought for $450,000 for additions to
  • 9.59 acres in Freehold Township owned by Metro NY Rugby Union bought for $35,000 for additions to Turkey Swamp Park
  • 13.59 acres in Roosevelt owned by Lieberman Investment Company, LLC bought for $129,500 for additions to Perrineville Lake Park
  • 9.05 acres in Upper Freehold owned by Bernard Development, LLC bought for $357,500 for additions to Union Transportation Trail
  • 6 acres in Freehold Township owned by Michael and Elizabeth Fishtein bought for $230,000 for additions to the Metedeconk River Greenway
  • 2.41 acres in Tinton Falls owned by Christopher and Dawn Pollard bought for $482,500 for additions to Swimming River Greenway

In addition to land acquisition, the Board of Chosen Freeholders also approved farmland and conservation easement agreements for property in Freehold Township, Marlboro and Manalapan.

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The board authorized the purchase of a conservation easement for $290,000 for 17.92 acres of land in Marlboro owned by Harbor Road Properties, LLC.

In Freehold Township, the county will contribute $216,288 toward the purchase of a development easement for 15.5 acres of property owned by Caroline Olbis. The state will contribute $540,722 and Freehold Township will contribute $144,192 toward the total $901,204 purchase price of the Olbis property.

In Manalapan, Monmouth County will contribute $57,667 toward a development easement purchase for 98.3 acres of land owned by the Sigismondi family. The resolution indicates the state will contribute $216,264 and Manalapan will pay $168,426 toward the $442,359 purchase price.


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