Mayor Chris Smartt
Township of Yourtown
123 Main Street
Yourtown, NJ 07777
RE:
Land Preservation and Open Space Management :
Dear Mayor Smartt:
We
all know
that
land is being acquired by real estate developers in New Jersey at a record
pace. Have you reserved the land you want and need
for open space, recreational and/or public use? In order to
realistically meet these goals, a Strategic
Plan for Open Space Preservation and Land Acquisition is
necessary. Only in this manner can your town’s quality of life be
preserved.
Strategic
and Financial Plan
This
is the development of an overall plan for land preservation and
acquisition in your municipality. It is your blueprint or “game plan”
for land acquisition. It demonstrates that you have determined not only
what land you want but, more importantly, how you will preserve and
acquire it for your purposes. It requires knowledge of the funding
available in New Jersey and what ground rules and conditions
the County
and State loan and grant programs have attached to those funds. It
considers all of your revenue sources and which
funding
is best suited for which
acquisition.
At the same time, it helps ensure that your bonding capacity is used in an
economically responsible manner.
The
development of such a plan helps to ensure that your financial
capabilities are there when desirable property becomes available for
acquisition. It enables you to compete with the real estate developers who
have also set their sights on the same property. With a Financial and
Strategic Plan, you give yourself the best chance to obtain the land you
need and want, when you want it.
A
priority list or “wish list” of those properties you desire and the
creation of an Open Space Trust Fund and Ordinance alone is not the
solution. It is only the beginning of the process, not the end. Are you
aware of all sources of loans and grants? Do you know the ground rules and
conditions that attach to each of those loans and grants? What is the
financial impact on taxpayers? have you made the most effective use
of the money at your disposal?
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