Mid'town, county, state partner to preserve farm Farmland preservation, open space funds will keep McCormack Farm BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN- The public hearing on the acquisition and bond ordinance for the easement and development rights for McCormack Farm saw aMcCormack family member and the deputy mayor clarifying two separate issues. Before the two ordinances could be voted on at the Dec. 17 Township Committee meeting, William McCormack spoke for his family to clear up some issues. "Thank you very much for this opportunity, as it took eight years to get to this point," McCormack said. "It's a very good appropriation but the development and easement rights will be held by the county. The purchase of the development and easement rights is combined with the county, with Middletown as a participant." The development easement would be purchased in partnership with the New Jersey and Monmouth County boards of agriculture for a total of $4.65 million. Middletown will contribute $1,627,823, the state will contribute $1,898,750 and the county will put up $1,123,427. "Middletown will not be the holder of the easement,"McCormack said. "I'm hoping that this will not be a problem down the road that the easement for zoning purposes will go to the county." TheMcCormack family has farmed the land on Tindall Road since the mid-1880s. Jane McCormack and her children, Leah and William, would still own the farm after the easement/development rights are sold. The easement is a permanent one and would apply to current and future owners of the approximately 31-acre tract. Under the agreement, the land could not be sold to a developer, and must remain as a farm under all future owners. Under current zoning laws, the farm could have been sold and subdivided to allow development with some 45 homes. Approval of the ordinance would prevent any building on the land. Township Attorney Bernie Reilly agreed with McCormack. "The township is participating in the joint purchase. The rights per se are held by the agricultural board and are subject to regulations." According to the bond ordinance, the township will provide "an appropriation of approximately $1.6 million for purchase of easement/development rights of property known as McCormack Farm." The ordinance authorizes the issuance of approximately $1.5 million in bonds or notes by the township for financing part of the appropriation. A second ordinance authorized the acquisition of the property, which is located on Tindall Road. Both measures passed by a 4-to-1 vote, with Deputy Mayor Pamela Brightbill as the lone no vote. During the committee member comment period, Brightbill explained to the people in attendance why she voted against these ordinances on that night and a year earlier when it was brought up. "My no votes came from a feeling that the development rights and effort to spend money were against my feelings at the time," Brightbill said. "I feel that buying the rights and spending the money on this, though it is a really good cause, is not why people voted for me when I was elected.Also, knowing coming in to today's vote that…even with my no vote, it would pass anyway and that my vote really didn't matter in the end." The township's share of the purchase will be funded from the voter-approved 2- cent municipal open space tax, and the state and county share from their respective Farmland Preservation programs. SinceMiddletown established its Open Space Preservation Program in 1999, it has preserved nearly 300 acres of open space. Land has been preserved using multiple preservation methods, including joint agreements, acquisitions, land swaps, donations, conservation easements and farmland preservation.