Montgomery Friends-Loraine Otis 908-359-2845
D&R Greenway-Linda Mead 609-924-4646
Montgomery Township-Lori Savron, Open Space Coordinator 908-359-8211
MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, JUNE 6, 2003 -- Montgomery Friends of Open Space, a local nonprofit formed in Spring 2002 to preserve land in Montgomery Township, saw its first preservation efforts come to fruition this week. Montgomery Township purchased the 39 acre Platz farm on Dutchtown-Harlingen Road, near the foothills of the Sourland Mountains and permanently protected this land as open space.
“This is really an exciting moment for us,” said Loraine Otis, President of the Montgomery Friends. “We worked very hard to reach out to the property owner and to communicate our preservation goals. This property provides a crucial link to the Sourland Mountain Preserve and to the already preserved Runyon-Fulper tract to the southeast.”
Montgomery Friends faced a challenge since the property was already under contract to a developer, Wildflower Estates, which had planned to put 10 houses on the tract. “As a new land trust, this isn’t the kind of deal you would choose as your first, since an existing contract with a developer creates an added level of complexity in this kind of a transaction,” explained Ms. Otis. “But we were very fortunate to be dealing with a developer, James Harrison, who was open minded and willing to meet with us and hear what we had to say.”
Montgomery Friends was guided through their first preservation effort by Delaware & Raritan Greenway, central New Jersey’s leading land trust. D&R Greenway has a record of accomplishment recognized by the NJ DEP Green Acres Program as among the highest in the state: since its inception in 1989, D&R Greenway has preserved 5,649 acres of land valued at more than $112 million. Executive Director Linda Mead was recognized in June 2002 with the prestigious International Paper Conservation Partnership Award for demonstrating innovative leadership and for forming partnerships with businesses, public agencies, residents, government and conservation organizations -- exactly what was needed for a successful conclusion to this complicated transaction.
Ms. Otis was quick to point out the benefit of this partnership. “D&R Greenway’s real contribution was in finding a way that everyone – the developer, the landowner, the township and the local land trust – could come out a winner and meet the goal of permanent preservation of the Platz land.” D&R Greenway Executive Director Linda Mead added, “By using our years of expertise to jump-start Montgomery Friends, we’ve all come out ahead.”
Wade Martin of UBS PaineWebber, a financial advisor to both D&R Greenway and Montgomery Friends, provided the crucial financial planning tools to create a convincing case for preservation that both the landowner and the developer could understand.
The Township of Montgomery partnered with Montgomery Friends and D&R Greenway to complete the purchase of the Platz farm, with Montgomery Friends paying the costs of an appraisal. Loraine Otis described the township’s involvement, “Once we had some real numbers and had reached an agreement in principle, we then brought in the township. The township really took the ball and ran with it. They moved the transaction to completion in what is probably record time.”
Montgomery Township Mayor Louise Wilson had high praise for this new partnership and the decisive role played by the new non-profit. "This deal illustrates the power of partnerships. Without Montgomery Friends of Open Space making an effective overture and bringing the right players to the table, this land would have gone under houses. A concept plan for development already had been presented to the Planning Board. It was a delicate time, with a very beautiful piece of property on the brink of becoming another subdivision. Montgomery Friends did an outstanding job, as did the Greenway. Montgomery Township is happy - and lucky - to call them our partners."
Montgomery Friends is hoping to receive its first New Jersey Green Acres grant in June. “We had hoped to be funded much earlier on,” explained Ms. Otis. “But for a number of reasons beyond our control, including the state budget crisis, our funding was delayed. It was because of the support of the people of Montgomery who have joined Montgomery Friends and made donations to our cause that we were able to proceed with the appraisal that was the critical first step in the preservation of this parcel.”
Montgomery Friends has pledged a portion of its first Green Acres grant to fund a pathway along the perimeter of the Platz property.
For more information about how you can become a partner in land preservation in your area, please contact Montgomery Friends of Open Space at 908-359-2845 or D&R Greenway at 609-924-4646.