Open Space Public Question PASSED

In two separate articles published in the Burlington County Times this week, what was hoped for was approved. The residents of New Jersey, and specifically in Burlington County, approved additional funding for open space preservation.

Open space and partisan elections backed in county

By: FROM STAFF REPORTS

Burlington County Times

Even in tough economic times, Burlington County residents continue to support efforts to preserve what remains of the state's open space.

According to unofficial results, 24,902 county voters cast ballots in support of the state's borrowing $400 million to replenish the now-empty coffers of the Garden State Preservation Trust, which is the chief source of funding for open space, farmland and historic preservation.

Open-space funding approved in New Jersey

By: DAVID PORTER

The Associated Press

When all was said and done, New Jerseyans again decided to spend more green to be more green.

Despite warnings that harsh economic realities would finally lead to a 'no' vote on borrowing money to fund open space programs, Garden State voters approved the measure Tuesday, albeit by a smaller margin than in previous years.

With 98 percent of precincts reporting, 52 percent of voters said yes to the "Green Acres" ballot question that asked them to approve borrowing $400 million for open space initiatives. More than 1.5 million votes were cast.

In 11 previous votes dating back to 1961, New Jerseyans had backed some form of open-space funding, usually by a considerable margin. But a 2007 vote was closer, and a recent Rutgers-Eagleton Poll indicated voters were split over whether to approve the measure this time around.

"I'm so proud of the electorate for voting as they did, particularly in these extraordinarily difficult economic times," said Assemblyman John McKeon, D-West Orange, an open space advocate. "It shows that New Jersey voters are responsible stewards of the environment."

The money has been used over the last few decades to buy land for recreation and conservation, preserve farmland and pay for historic preservation projects. Opponents have said the state must stop borrowing money until it solves its current fiscal woes.

Tuesday's question passed in 15 of New Jersey's 21 counties, and met with the most resistance in the more rural counties of Sussex, Warren and Morris, all of which gave strong support to winning GOP gubernatorial candidate Christopher Christie.

According to McKeon, Christie was sympathetic to open space issues when he was a freeholder in Morris County, but it was impossible to tell whether that would inform his actions as governor.

"I hope philosophically he's intelligent enough to understand this issue not just from a quality of life standpoint, but also from an economic standpoint," McKeon said.

November 04, 2009 12:12 AM

Whose Future is being Plotted?

Pemberton Township is plotting the future
By: MARK ZIMMARO Burlington County Times

PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP - An environmental study of the township's 64 square miles will be conducted to help plan its growth over the next 20 years.

The township Planning Board approved amendments to its master plan in July and is waiting for the Township Council's approval. The master plan outlines the town's developmental goals.

The study will help planners better understand the community's environmentally sensitive areas before physically developing the land once the master plan is approved.

"We need to be able to protect our assets in the township," said Marilyn Loeser, spokeswoman for the township Environmental Commission. "In the end, if we know where we're going we can avoid making mistakes affecting our natural and historical areas. It seems like a very intelligent, chronological way to do things."

The study will take one year and is being supported by a $6,000 grant from the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, with matching funds allocated from the township.

The township Environmental Commission plans to invite residents to several meetings over the next year to gather information on areas about which officials might lack information.

"The residents will be a huge part of this," Loeser said. "Many of the places in town have no historical documentation and a lot of that information hasn't been shared. We are looking for people with specific local knowledge to come out and share that information to help us understand the area better."

A meeting was held last month that included commissioners, planners, council members and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. The purpose was to educate local officials on how to gather information and approach specific ecological options.

The finished project, which will be called the Environmental Resource Inventory, will provide information such as soil composition; surface and groundwater resources; archeological sites; plant and animal diversity, including endangered and threatened species; land-use patterns and preservation tactics.

The goal is to protect those resources from being wasted or inadvertently mismanaged.
"It's a lot easier to be able to do things right the first time instead of having to go back and correct problems," Loeser said. "We want to be able to understand all aspects of Pemberton Township before it's too late."

Contact: mzimmaro@phillyBurbs.com or 609-871-8059
October 05, 2009