"Open Spaces ~ Simply Beautiful"

An open letter to our residents from Charlie Fineran, Director Open Space Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission - Chairman Allamuchy Historical Society - President (March 3, 2014)

Over 280 Acres Preserved in Frelinghuysen Township

Frelinghuysen Township, Warren County, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection are pleased to announce the preservation of over 280 acres of forested land in the heart of the municipality.  A priority of the Township’s Open Space Committee and governing body, the purchase and preservation of the properties straddling Route 94 and Lincoln Laurel Road will permanently protect the forest and create an opportunity for trails and hiking in the municipality. The latest acquisition was the Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve.

.To strategically preserve township land for the purpose of safeguarding environmental, agricultural, historical, and recreational attributes and opportunities. This includes protecting scenic vistas, ridgelines and riparian corridors, and forestland, and preserving their wildlife habitats.

History and Funding

The Township of Frelinghuysen is located at the northwestern edge of Warren County, New Jersey, comprising 23.6 square miles (or 15,104 acres). The Township is an agricultural community, historically rich and environmentally sound. But like New Jersey as a whole, the character of the Township of Frelinghuysen is at risk in the face of future development.
In 1999, Frelinghuysen Township voters approved establishment of a Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, allocating one cent ($.01) per hundred dollars in assessed property value. In 2003, voters increased collection to two cents ($.02) per hundred dollars. Then in 2005, voters approved a referendum to amend the Farmland Preservation Trust Fund to create a combined Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. The two cents ($.02) per hundred dollars in assessed property value that landowners currently pay amount to approximately $53,000 annually.
Maintenance of the Trust Fund entitles Frelinghuysen to apply for state, county, and federal funding in addition to pursuing monies from private agencies which likewise support and promote preservation. Both the Open Space  Committee and the Farmland Preservation  Committee work diligently to obtain funding in order to maximize the preservation power of our tax dollars. Collectively they focus on protecting our local farmland, preserving ecosystems, and enhancing recreational opportunities. To have a better endowed Trust Fund is to be better empowered in seeking funding assistance. It also demonstrates to our potential benefactors that the township’s voters are serious about preservation.
Statistically speaking, each new home in Frelinghuysen adds to the cost of running our township, contributing to increased school use, road use, administration, and emergency services. For every $1.00 collected in taxes, residential development in New Jersey costs between $1.14 and $1.51 in services – and these services continue forever. Farmland, on the other hand, costs less than each dollar it generates in taxes. Preserved open space increases the value of adjacent private properties, and has the long-range benefit of avoiding future costs. Even including the initial cost of acquisition, open space is less costly to taxpayers over the long term than development of the same parcel.

Frelinghuysen Township updates its Open Space and Recreation Plan

The Township of Frelinghuysen has received a $5,000 matching grant from the Association of NJ Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) to help finance the updating of their 2006 Open Space and Recreation Plan. Funded by Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, this Sustainable Jersey Planning Grant has helped the municipality with the process of comprehensive planning to create livable and environmentally sustainable communities.

The Project Team has re-examined the township’s needs and goals, as well as established priorities and strategies for continued future preservation. The Plan is intended to serve as a guide, providing broad-based policies and concepts for achieving open space preservation goals that use a variety of funding sources.  The updated Plan replaces the 2006 version that is incorporated in the Frelinghuysen Master Plan. This Open Space and Recreation Plan was submitted to the State of NJ Department of Environmental Protection and was approved. Having an approved plan will enable the Township to apply for maximum funding from Green Acres to assist with future open space acquisitions.

The Project Team includes representatives from the Open Space Committee, Environmental Commission, Recreation Committee, Planning Board, Township Committee, and a resident historian. This team has worked with The Land Conservancy of NJ and a representative from ANJEC.

Open Space and Recreation Plan 2012 update

The Frelinghuysen Open Space Committee and Environmental Commission have begun a Resource Library at town hall.  Residents may borrow books and DVDs for a two-week period, on topics such as:  choosing native plants for your garden, how native plants attract wildlife, identifying invasive plants and trees, and some information on moving from oil to other fuel sources.  We hope these materials will a helpful source of information a and ideas for you.

Open Space Committee Members

Wendy Buttgereit - Chair, Martin Connor - Vice Chair, David Boynton IIr,  Daniel Carson, Chris Kuhn, Ralph Corvino and Donna Zilberfarb - Secretary.

Agenda for July 5, 2017.

Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes for the Open Space Committee and Farmland Preservation Committee are listed jointly, as they sometimes meet together. Read minutes here>>

2017 Meeting Dates

OSAC Archives >>

Open Space and Recreation Plan:

2012 Open Space and Recreation Plan

2006 Open Space and Recreation Plan

Pages 1-30 (1.3MB)
Pages 31-60 (704KB)
Pages 61-90 (3.7MB)
Pages 91-120 (2.9MB)
Pages 121-135 (166kB)

Ordinances:

2006-12 To create the Open Space  Committee (4.6MB)

2006-13 To create an Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund (2.9MB)

Hikes with the Open Space  Committee

Learn more about the the recreation areas within our township by joining the Open Space  Committee on their annual hike.

Online References:

Websites related to "open space" in our community, more...