ANNUAL REPORT SOMERSET COUNTY OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

ANNUAL REPORT SOMERSET COUNTY OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE JANUARY, 2018

January 31, 2018 Patrick Scaglione, Director Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders County Administration Building 20 Grove Street P. O. Box 3000 Somerville, NJ 08876 RE: 2017 Open Space Advisory Committee Annual Report Dear Freeholder Scaglione: On behalf of the Somerset County Open Space Advisory Committee, I am pleased to submit our Annual Report for 2017. The Somerset County Open Space Preservation Program had another successful year with respect to implementing the County's duly adopted "Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan". With the addition of over 176.5 acres, the total park inventory now exceeds 14,760 acres. 2017 was extremely busy in terms of land acquisition and related parks, recreation and open space initiatives. Key target areas saw an increase in activity and many noteworthy property acquisitions were negotiated. The continued support of the Board of Chosen Freeholders is greatly appreciated. Without the Board's endorsement and follow through, the Open Space Preservation Program would not be as successful as it is today. We look forward to the combined efforts of the Freeholders, Somerset County Park Commission and Open Space Advisory Committee in 2018 to continue the past success of the Open Space Program. Attachment c: Freeholders Park Commissioners OSAC Members Sincerely, Christopher Kelly Christopher Kelly, Chair Open Space Advisory Committee

2017 ANNUAL REPORT SOMERSET COUNTY OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEE Membership The ten members are chosen, two each by the Democratic Party, Republican Party, Planning Board, Park Commission and Board of Chosen Freeholders. Ten individuals were appointed and served on the Committee in 2017 for a term of one year. Officers were determined by election in accordance with adopted bylaws. Staff/Non-Voting County Counsel Summary of Meetings Chris Kelly, Chair Helen Haines, Vice Chair Mark Caliguire, Freeholder A.D. Amar James Jones Randy Jones Suzanne Ochse Walter Rusak Thomas Boccino, Principal Planner, County Engineering Parks Section Adam Bloom, Principal Engineer, County Engineering Parks Section Raymond A. Brown, Director, Park Commission Walter Lane, Director, County Planning Board William T. Cooper, III, Esq. Carl Taylor, Esq. The Open Space Advisory Committee met on eight occasions at the Somerset County Administration Building: January 18, 2017 March 8, 2017 April 12, 2017 May 10, 2017 July 12, 2017 September 13, 2017 October 11, 2017 November 15, 2017 1

2017 Attendance Name 1/18 2/8 3/8 4/12 5/10 6/14 7/12 8/9 9/13 10/11 11/15 12/13 Total A.D. Amar Abs. C Abs. Abs. X C Abs. C X X X C 4 Mark Caliguire Abs. A X X Abs. A Abs. A Abs. Abs. X A 3 Helen Haines X N Abs. X X C X C X X X N 7 James Jones X C X Abs. X E X E Abs. X Abs. C 5 Randy Jones Abs. E X X Abs. L Abs. L X X X E 5 Chris Kelly X L X Abs. X L X L X X X L 7 Suzanne Ochse X E X X X E Abs. E X X Abs. E 6 Walter Rusak X D X Abs. X D Abs. D Abs. X Abs. D 4 2017 Land Acquisition Summary Sourland Mountain Preserve 115.64 Thompson (Montgomery) B 3001 L 1, 2 58.26 Thompson (Montgomery) B 1001 L 42.01 0.89 Thompson (Hillsborough) B 169 L 36.03 18.94 Thompson (Hillsborough) B 169 L 36.05 17.05 Thompson (Hillsborough) B 169 L 36.07 3.54 Thompson (Hillsborough) B 169 L 36.08 3.39 Todaro (Hillsborough) B 171 L 106 1.52 Todaro (Hillsborough) B 171 L 107 1.18 Todaro (Hillsborough) B 169 L 16 3.85 Toto (Hillsborough) B 169 L 32 3.45 Gaspar (Hillsborough) B 171 L 77 3.57 Lord Stirling Park 33.80 Ord (Bernards) B 3201 L 5 33.80 Second Watchung Greenway 23.66 Raritan Headwaters (Bernards) B 10401 L 38 18.74 MTGLQ Investors (Bridgewater) B 907 L 20.01, 20.02 4.92 North Branch Greenway 2.00 N. Branch Ref. Church (Bridgewater) B 413 L 1(p/o) 2.00 South Branch Greenway 0.97 Thul (Hillsborough) B 8 L 5 0.97 Washington Valley Park 0.46 Tullo Rd. Associates (Bridgewater) B 706 L 15 0.46 2

Open Space Preservation Highlights 1) The County acquired parcels from 10 property owners totaling 176.53 acres. The total Open Space Inventory now exceeds 14,759 acres. 2) The County acquired the majority to the acreage in 2017 from W. Bryce Thompson. Two parcels totaling 59.15 acres were preserved in Montgomery Township and are a combination of woodland and open agricultural fields (photo right). The remaining 42.92 acres located on top of the Sourland Mountain in Hillsborough Township are vacant and completely wooded. The Montgomery property creates a buffer between the Preserve and adjacent residential development while the Hillsborough parcels continue the expansion of the Preserve toward the County boundary. 3) The remaining 13.75 acres preserved in the Sourland Mountain Preserve consist of five parcels from three owners that serve to fill in gaps in the Preserve and provide additional access points from public roads. Three of the parcels contain the remains of residential structures that will be removed and the land restored. In addition to preserving land within the Preserve, the removal of the residential structures also eliminates three potable wells that would have continued to impact the aquifer recharge area of the mountain had the properties been redeveloped. 4) The Ord property is the latest addition to the Lord Stirling Park Environmental Education Center and is a combination of woodlands and open fields. The acquisition of this property adds 1,800 linear feet of Passaic River frontage to the center and allows for the expansion of the existing trail network and programming which benefits from access to the river. The existing residence on the property will be demolished and the land restored to its natural state. 5) Raritan Headwaters Association donated 18.74 acres of wooded land in Bernards Township. The property will remain in its natural wooded state and serve to expand the Second Watchung Greenway north of Interstate Route 78. 3

6) The acquisition of the MTGLQ properties in Bridgewater Township preserve a portion of the slope of the Second Watchung Mountain and connects to land already preserved by the County for open space while providing road frontage for access. 7) The County acquired a 2.0 acre easement from the North Branch Reformed Church in Bridgewater. The acquisition of this land was critical to allow for access to lands recently acquired along the North Branch of the Raritan River to the north. The property will remain in its natural state and provide access for fishing. The preservation of this property was funded by the Somerset Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority as partial compensation for the proposed diversion of parkland in Bridgewater through the NJDEP Green Acres Program. 8) The Estate of Louise Thul donated 0.97 acres of land with approximately 350 linear feet of frontage along the South Branch of the Raritan River. The land will continue the preservation of river frontage within the South Branch Greenway. 9) The County acquired a 0.46 acre parcel of wooded land in Washington Valley Park in Bridgewater. The property is adjacent to an existing trailhead and small parking area accessing the park and will allow for future improvements to these facilities. 10) The County is negotiating or under contract for approximately 200 acres totaling approximately $5,400,000. 11) In 2017, Somerset County awarded a professional services contract to Heritage Strategies to prepare Open Space, Farmland and Historic Preservation Master Plans. A single document will be prepared that coordinates all programs as well as three stand-alone documents. OSAC will receive periodic updates and will have input into the content of the Open Space Master Plan. 12) The Somerset County Engineering Division Parks Section continues to assume administrative responsibilities for the Open Space Advisory Committee. 4

Open Space Trust Fund During 2017, open space acquisition costs totaled $3,862,857. $815,189.95 of that acquisition cost was contributed by outside agencies. Montgomery Township contributed $594,211.20 toward the County s acquisition of the Thompson property. Hillsborough Township contributed $204,778.75 towards the acquisition of the Thompson properties. Somerset Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority reimbursed the County $16,200 for the County s acquisition of the easement from North Branch Reformed Church as compensation for a Green Acres diversion application. Somerset County assisted several municipalities with open space acquisition and development projects totaling $7,550,000. The agreement was finalized for the County s $1,000,000 grant to Bernardsville Borough for the construction of a synthetic turf field at the Polo Grounds. The grant was authorized in 2016. The County authorized a $6,000,000 grant to Bridgewater Township for the acquisition and preservation of the 100 acre Camp Cromwell property. The Freeholders authorized a $550,000 grant to Montgomery Township for the acquisition and preservation of the 33.5 acres 901 Realty, LLC property. In 2017, Somerset County assisted with the preservation of 133.5 acres of open space in two municipalities. As of December 31, 2017, a balance of $6,484,290 was available for acquisitions. This available amount includes the $3,946,158 Freeholder allocation from the Open Space Preservation Trust Fund for open space acquisitions. In 2017, the NJDEP Green Acres Program authorized two 50% matching grants in the amounts of $1,375,000 and $1,250,000 through its Planning Incentive Grant Program to be applied toward future open space acquisitions. To date the NJDEP Green Acres Program and the Garden State Preservation Trust Program has awarded the County $14,525,000 million in matching grants and $4,500,000 in loans through this Program. 5