MARCH 13, 2008

MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE MAYOR AND COMMITTEE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WANTAGE, HELD AT THE WANTAGE TOWNSHIP MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 888 STATE HIGHWAY 23, WANTAGE, N.J. ON THE DATE OF MARCH 13, 2008

Mayor Parker Space called the Work Session meeting of the Mayor and Committee of the Township of Wantage to order, and requested the Clerk to call the roll. Upon roll call, the following members of the governing body were present: Mayor Space, Committee members DeBoer and Nuss. The following member was absent: None.. Also present: Township Attorney Representative Ursula Leo.

Mayor Space stated, “This meeting is being held in compliance with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act, Public Laws 1975, Chapter 231. It has been properly noticed and posted to the public, and certified by the Clerk."

Mayor Space invited all present to join in the Salute To The Flag.

Mayor Space stated that the purpose of this meeting was to hold a public hearing on the proposed Open Space Plan of Wantage Township.

Administrator Clerk Jim Doherty offered background information to explain the work which has been done by the Wantage Township Open Space Advisory Committee, in cooperation with the Morris Land Conservancy, to prepare the Draft Open Space Plan. Mr. Doherty explained that no action would be taken with respect to adopting the draft plan this evening. Rather, the purpose of the meeting was to allow Morris Land Conservancy to obtain final input and comments from the governing body, the Open Space Advisory Committee, and members of the general public, in preparation for the final draft of the proposed plan. Once the final draft is completed, the Open Space Committee will formally present the proposed Open Space Plan to the Wantage Township Land Use Board, for consideration of including this plan as an element of the Wantage Township Master Plan. Mr. Doherty stated that the proposed plan has been posted on the Township website, and placed on file in his office, for the benefit of any members of the public who may have wished to review the draft plan. Mr. Doherty commented that the one item shown in the draft plan which has already been targeted for removal by him, as well as the Open Space Advisory Committee, is any mention of eminent domain as a tool of open space preservation. Mr. Doherty explained that the position and philosophy of both the Wantage Township Open Space Advisory Committee and the Mayor and Committee of the Township of Wantage is that open space preservation must involve the willing participation of a land owner, and that condemnation would not be utilized in order to accomplish open space preservation in Wantage Township.

Mr. Andrew Szwak of the Morris Land Conservancy offered an overview of the proposed plan, and supplemented his commentary with several maps and handouts to explain the details of the proposed Open Space Plan.

Mayor Space invited members of the Wantage Township Open Space Advisory Committee to offer comments on the proposed plan.

Mr. Thomas Davis offered his support for the proposed plan.

Ms. Victoria Gill offered her support for the proposed plan.

Mayor Space invited the members of the governing body to comment on the proposed plan.

Mr. DeBoer thanked the members of the Open Space Committee for their hard work on this project. Mr. DeBoer inquired regarding the potential impact of the upcoming C-1 Stream regulations on open space planning.

Mr. Szwak responded that this would most likely affect the decision-making on which tracts of land are most attractive for preservation through local open space funds.

Mr. DeBoer asked if it might be wise to delay adoption of the Open Space Plan until the full impact of the C-1 Stream Rule is known.

Mr. Szwak recommended moving forward with the open space plan adoption, citing the benefit of becoming fully eligible for state and federal matching funds with an adopted open space plan.

Ms. Nuss expressed agreement with the removal of the wording regarding eminent domain.

Mayor Space opened the meeting to the public at this time, for any questions or comments with respect to the proposed Open Space Plan.

Mr. William Gettler expressed his opposition to eminent domain, and suggested that the plan should pro-actively declare that eminent domain would never be used, rather than to remove its reference from the plan document.

Mr. Al Liland, representing the Lusscroft Heritage and Agriculture Association, complimented the Township on preparing a thorough and professional document. Mr. Liland stated his belief that the first priority needs to concentrate on the purchase of lands that will provide links for Greenways, and suggested the establishment of a communication network for finding potential funding partners.

Ms. Maggie Kolicko inquired if the proposed plan had been prepared with a focus on consistency with existing zoning in the Township, wondering if the proposed Open Space Plan is consistent with the Master Plan.

Mr. Szwak and Mr. Doherty explained that the Open Space Plan was prepared with this goal in mind.

Ms. Christine Feoranzo inquired if the draft Open Space Plan had been prepared with the details of the proposed expansion plan of the Wallkill Wildlife Refuge as a consideration.

Mr. Szwak stated that this proposed plan was taken into account.

Ms. Feoranzo stated that her home is in close proximity to the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum on Route 23, and wondered if the proposed open space plan contemplated any regulations which might impact her property in that region.

Mr. Szwak replied that the Open Space Plan was not regulatory in nature, but rather serves as a planning tool to help focus priorities and guide decision making about development trends.

Ms. Kolicko asked for details regarding how the process works in terms of locating potential property owners who may be interested in open space preservation.

Mr. Doherty explained that the process involves a marketing strategy being used by the Open Space Advisory Committee to actively reach out to the Wantage Township property owners. So far, two meetings have been held in which the Open Space committee send letters out, first to all property owners of Wantage Township with property of 50 acres or more, and then a follow up meeting with property owners who own property of 20 acres or more. This marketing strategy is complemented by the coordination efforts of the Land Use Board, Construction Office, and Tax Assessor, who alerts the Open Space Committee of potential sites where development pressure may be developing, so that an analysis can be made regarding the potential and likelihood of open space preservation on those sites.

Mr. Szwak added that Donna Traylor at the Sussex County Farmland Preservation office, and Morris Land Conservancy also serve as active proponents of preservation in Wantage Township.

Ms. Feoranzo expressed her support for the efforts of the Open Space Committee to preserve the beauty of Wantage Township.

Mr. DeBoer and Mayor Space encouraged the members of the public to reach out and communicate with the members of the Wantage Township Open Space Advisory Committee, if they have any questions or would like to provide any thoughts in the future regarding preservation.

Ms. Kolicko inquired as to what factor or factors might be utilized to explain the benefits of preservation to existing property owners who are contemplating development.

Mr. Szwak stated that there are many, varied motivations and reasons why a property owner may wish to consider preservation rather than development, but experience shows that the bottom line factor in these discussions almost always winds up being “price”. If a reasonable offer can be made to compete with the return on investment that is possible from development, then property owners are more likely to consider preservation.

There being no other items for consideration at this time, Ms. Nuss moved to close the meeting to the public and adjourn the meeting. Mr. DeBoer seconded the motion.
Upon roll call,
Ayes: DeBoer, Nuss, Space Nays: None. Absent: None. Abstain: None.

Mayor Space declared this meeting to be adjourned.

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James R. Doherty, Administrator/Clerk