Politics & Government

Buying Up Open Space, Then Hearing About it

Public hearing on township's open space funding requests will take place next week.

Chatham Township officials will hear from the public about the municipality's recent request for funds to buy four pieces of open space property.

Mayor Nicole Hagner said there will be a public hearing on the township's applications for open space that it presented to the county at a Township Committee meeting Aug. 19.

"As part of the application process with the county, we have to submit an application and have a public hearing," Hagner said.

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It requested close to $2.4 million from the county's preservation trust fund, which would go toward purchasing the properties and preserving them as open space.

One of the purchases the township is looking at is closer to being completed than three others. Hagner said the municipality has already negotiated the price on a piece of land on Shunpike Road near an auxiliary parking lot close to Shunpike Field.

Find out what's happening in Chathamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The township has requested $300,000 from the county for that property.

It is also looking to buy a portion of Averett Farm across from the Chatham Glen condominium complex. It asked for $1.5 million for that property.

It also requested money for a property off of Evergreen Road and for a property on Southern Boulevard close to Nash Field. Those requests totaled $300,000 and $275,000, respectively.

Hagner said the township's Open Space Committee periodically sends out letters to residents who own property that meet open space qualifications.

"Our Open Space Committee is always looking at potential properties purchased through trust funds," she said.

Towns and groups throughout the county submitted requests for funding.


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