Two Tracts Of Land Preserved In Ocean County

Overdevelopment has been a growing problem in the Garden State and around the country. It seems no matter where you look a housing development or shopping center is going up someplace. It makes you wonder sometimes that if the economy is as bleak as we're told it is, how is all of this new construction helping? Where's the money coming from?

When it comes to preservation of open space, Ocean County Freeholders take that very seriously and continue to make tremendous strides with keeping land in it's natural state for residents and tourists as well as plant and animal life.

Two tracts of land that sit in Ocean County are being donated by the property owner for that very reason. It would be a new mega-store or condos but instead, just undeveloped land filled with grass and trees. The properties are owned by Stavola Construction of North Jersey and they're giving the land away at no charge in order to obtain permits for a project in the northern section of the state.

The first section of land sits in northern Jackson Township near the headwaters of the Metedeconk River. The second is 85 acres in Toms River and Manchester along the river. Ocean County Planning Director Dave McKeon says both sit near land previously obtained by officials. In addition, there's another section they're looking to possibly obtain.

McKeon says "there is a critical need to have these two sections of land all set to go by the end of the year. The first was something we had wanted to purchase several years back but that fell through. It was worth about $600,000 at that time and is worth more today. Now we are getting it for free."

At the present time, an independent review of the land is being done to make sure everything is environmentally sound.