Community Corner
Vote No: Save our Open Space Program
Vote no on Hillsborough’s open space ballot question on November 5th to safeguard the future of our successful open space program.
The Township Committee wants to divert up to 20% of our Open Space Trust Fund monies - $300,000 annually - from its original purpose, the acquisition and preservation of open space property, to other unspecified projects vaguely referred to as “development and improvement.” This while the Open Space Advisory Committee (OSAC) has up to 2,000 acres still on its wish list
What exactly is proposed and why? At the May OSAC meeting, Township Committeeman Carl Suraci said that we need a turf field and that trails were not a priority. Recently Mayor DelCore mentioned trails, but $300,000 per year - $3 million over ten years - seems excessive for trail construction.
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When Somerset County proposed the diversion of open space funds in 2005, they did a thorough independent professional needs analysis and presented the results to the voters well before Election Day. When asked for specifics, Hillsborough’s Township Committee says that if we approve the diversion of the funds, then they will do a needs analysis to determine how they will be used and that the resulting report will “provide guidance to prioritizing any improvements.”
Two former Township Committee members have erroneously stated that township residents do not have access to the open space that we currently own. Apparently our township has not done enough to make residents aware of our numerous parks and extensive walking trails.
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Additionally, open space serves a purpose even when humans are not using it, including flood control, clean air, groundwater recharge, and provision of animal habitat. Preserved land also helps to reduce the future costs associated with development including infrastructure and municipal services and passive open space can increase nearby property values.
Hillsborough is lucky to be a municipality that still has property available for preservation. A large portion of the approximately $9 million currently in the trust fund would be used up with purchases currently under discussion.
If this land is not purchased while it is available – before it is developed – the Township Committee won’t have to worry about where to improve and develop our open space.
