| The Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders
established the Somerset County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland and
Historic Preservation Trust Fund to further the preservation of
farmland, open space and historic resources in Somerset County.
Potential purchases and grants are discussed and recommended to the
Freeholders by the appropriate boards, commissions or committees (e.g.,
County Open Space Advisory Committee, County Park Commission, County
Agriculture Development Board, County Planning Board and Cultural and
Heritage Commission) and are then discussed and voted on in public by
the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Open Space Preservation
Program
The creation of the County Open Space, Recreation and Farmland Trust
Fund was approved by voters on November 7, 1989. The Board of Chosen
Freeholders created the bi-partisan Open Space Advisory Committee in
1991 to assist the Freeholders with Open Space Master Planning and
acquisition initiatives. The Park Recreation and Open Space Master Plan,
adopted in 1994, reaffirmed a goal of 10,500 acres to be acquired for
the County Park System. The County re-examined its acquisition goals and
in 2000 completed the Parks Recreation and Open Space Master Plan Update
which recommends increasing the goal from 10,500 acres to 20,500 acres.
Somerset County and Park Commission staffs administer the Program with
an inventory that currently exceeds 11,600 acres.
Open Space Partnership
The County/Municipal Open Space Partnership Grant Program was
established in 1995 to assist municipalities in the acquisition of open
space, which would advance local preservation efforts. Since the
program’s inception, nearly $14 million dollars has been awarded through
the Partnership to help preserve 3,240 acres of open space. The grant
program is only open to municipal governments in Somerset County. County
Planning Board staff administers the program, which operates as a
competitive grant process on an annual basis. The County Planning Board,
Park Commission and Open Space Advisory Committee review applications
based on a number of criteria and recommend awards to the Board of
Chosen Freeholders.
North Branch Greenway – Preserved Open Space
Farmland Preservation
The Farmland Preservation Program was
created by the Board of Chosen Freeholders in 1983 in response to State
Enabling Legislation, PL1983, Chapters 32 & 33 that was passed the same
year. The Somerset County Agriculture Development Board leads the
preservation program, with staff assistance from the County Planning
Board. The program’s principal objective is to create critical masses of
preserved farmland to stabilize the loss of our agricultural land base.
Since the program's inception, the County has preserved 86 farms totally
over 8,100 acres. The Agriculture Development Board serves as advisor,
monitor, mediator and approval body to farmers, county and municipal
government agencies and the general public in all matters relating to
agricultural development and retention.
Use the link below to download and save a copy of the new County
Planning Incentive Grant Easement Purchase Application For An Individual
Farm. Please complete the form electronically and email it to Tara
Kenyon at
kenyon@co.somerset.nj.us. There is no deadline for these
applications, as it is a revolving annual application process. For more
information, contact Ms. Kenyon at (908) 231-7021 or via email.
Preparing Preserved Farmland for Planting
Historic Preservation
The Historic
Preservation Grant Program is administered by the Somerset County
Cultural and Heritage Commission with assistance from County Planning
Board staff. Eligible applicants for funds from the program are Somerset
County government, municipal governments within Somerset County and
non-profit organizations as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the
Federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986 whose purpose includes historic
preservation. Eligible property criteria include historic sites, which
are listed or certified as eligible to be listed on the New Jersey
Register of Historic Places or contribute to a historic district
listed on the New Jersey Register. Acceptable activities include the
acquisition, stabilization, rehabilitation, restoration and/or the
preservation of a historic site, as well as plans and reports related to
the implementation of a historic preservation project, National Register
of Historic Places nominations and required project signs. Since the
program’s inception in 1999, approximately $5.15 million dollars for 55
projects has been awarded.
Hageman Horse Barn, Franklin Township
|
