Princeton Acquires 153 Acres For Conservation, Nixes Development

Princeton NJ

25 October, 2021

12:25 PM

Description

PRINCETON, NJ — Good news for Princeton residents. The Township recently reached an agreement with a development company to preserve 153- acres of land for conservation and passive recreation use, Princeton said. Princeton made the agreement with Bryce Thompson and Lanwin Development, LLC to acquire the land located in the northwest corner of Princeton, with frontage on Province Line and Cherry Valley Roads. The land was earlier slotted for development. "Large homes had been approved and would have resulted in significant deforestation – the loss of approximately 4,000 trees that form part of an old-growth forest on this site," the township said in the statement. The acquisition costs $8.775 million and will be paid for with $3 million in private donations, including a leadership gift from the George H. and Estelle M. Sands Foundation, grants to the municipality and non-profit partners from the State Green Acres program and Mercer County's Open Space program, and monies from the municipal open space tax trust fund. An ordinance will be introduced at Monday's Council meeting to enable the town to take necessary financing steps so that the full purchase price is available at closing. All municipal costs, including debt service, related to the acquisition, will be covered by Princeton's open space tax trust fund, a fund approved by Princeton voters on two separate occasions. The acquisition is part of an initiative called "Princeton's Emerald Necklace" that aims to connect open spaces throughout the town and provide greater access to a more diverse group of community members. The Lanwin tract has long been listed in Princeton's Master Plan as a property that should be acquired because of its environmental significance. A group spearheaded by Council members Mia Sacks and Eve Niedergang, along with Municipal Administrator, Bernie Hvozdovic were meeting regularly with representatives from The Watershed Institute, the Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS), the Ridgeview Conservancy, and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation to collaborate and make the agreement possible. "The acquisition represents a model public-private partnership to support the goals of Princeton's Climate Action Plan. We are deeply grateful to the County, and to our community partners, for stepping up so quickly to ensure the future sustainability of our town. We are excited to preserve an important ecological resource in a way that is consistent with the smart growth principles guiding our development decisions," Sacks and Neidergang said in a statement. Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes helped the Township in securing county funding. "The County is pleased to participate in the purchase of this environmentally sensitive property along the Princeton Ridge, ensuring its permanent preservation, a primary goal of the county's open space trust fund," Hughes said in a statement. Hvozdovic meanwhile thanked the Thompson Family "for making the conscious choice to work with the town and our open space partners to ensure that this unique parcel is protected." The Watershed Institute, which is accepting private donations secured by the project partners, said protecting this parcel of land was part of its core mission. "This beautiful and important tract of undeveloped land will be an outstanding, permanent natural asset for the town of Princeton and a critical link in a regional complex of preserved open space," Jim Waltman, executive director of The Watershed Institute said. "Preserving this property will have many benefits, from protecting fragile wetlands and streams, to conserving habitats for imperiled wildlife, to sustaining mature forests that help soak up precipitation and mitigate flooding." Michele Byers, Executive Director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation said the land was home to endangered and threatened species like the Red-shouldered hawk and Barred owl. It also connects vital habitats and provides a link to neighboring communities through walking and biking trails. "The benefits to Princeton and Mercer County are irreplaceable and New Jersey Conservation Foundation is thrilled to support this amazing preservation partnership," he said. Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email [email protected] Get breaking news alerts on your phone with our app. Download here. Sign up to get Patch emails so you don't miss out on local and statewide news.