Nearly $7.7M in tax money spent to stop development of Colts Neck, Howell land near Earle

COLTS NECK - Twenty acres of mature hardwood forest and 235 acres of farmland have been protected from development at a cost of nearly $7.7 million as part of a federal program to create a permanent buffer around Naval Weapons Station Earle.

The Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program by the U.S. Department of Defense places conservation easements on the 20 acres behind Barrister Court in Howell and the 235-acre Overbrook Farm, a thoroughbred horse breeding and training farm in Colts Neck.

According to Jena Cosimo, director of acquisitions with the Monmouth Conservation Foundation, the conservation easements would prevent further housing, warehouse or other development. The Monmouth Conservation Foundation is a nonprofit that relies on donations to fund its work in preserving land from development.

According to resolutions passed by the Monmouth County commissioners, the conservation easement for Overbrook Farm cost $7,310,000 and the conservation easement for the tract of forest in Howell cost $379,500. Most of that comes from taxpayers at the federal, county and municipal level.

Colts Neck: Monmouth County commissioners send housing project back to township Planning Board

For the farm, the Navy would pay $3,655,000, the county would pay $2,924,000 and Colts Neck would pay $731,000. For the forest in Howell, the Navy would pay $189,750, the county would pay $94,875, Monmouth Conservation Foundation would pay $34,155 and Howell would pay $60,720.

According to Nicholas Ginther, Naval Weapons Station Earle Community Plans and Liaison Officer, conversations about protecting the two tracts of land began seven years ago.

“These two parcels were intended to serve as the pilot projects acting on the recommendations of the Joint Land Use Study completed by Monmouth County in partnership with Naval Weapons Station Earle and the local municipalities,” Ginther wrote in an email.

Change of command: Naval Weapons Station Earle boss retires, having made sure nothing went 'boom!'

According to the Department of Defense website, REPI is a cost-sharing program that seeks “avoid land-use conflicts near military installations, address environmental restrictions that limit military activities and increase resilience to climate change.”

The program requires that at least half of the funding is covered by local governments or private entities.

Cosimo, who started the initial paperwork for the federal program, said the last few years were spent on negotiating the language of the conservation easement.

Howell: Amateur boxer had more than a puncher's chance starting K.O. Plumbing and Heating

The farm, which is owned by the Bailey family, would still remain within private hands, but it would be restricted to agricultural uses in the future. Cosimo said all properties are unique, but the cost of placing an easement on a property can range from 40% to 60% of the property’s value.

Ginther wrote, “These particular parcels were selected because the current owners wanted to preserve the character of their properties and protect against future development should the property be transferred to new owners with different motives in the future.”

Ginther said the current owners can sell their property, but the restrictions with the conservation easement would transfer to the new owners.

Cosimo said the Monmouth Conservation Foundation hopes that it would eventually be able to buy the farm that is located near Dorbrook park in Colts Neck and turn it into a public space.

“The Board of County Commissioners is committed to preserving open space that makes sense for all parties like the two parcels in Howell and Colts Neck,” Monmouth County Commissioner Tom Arnone wrote in an email. He wrote that the preservation was important to protect the Naval Weapons Station Earle and to protect the habitats of animals living in the area.

Olivia Liu is a reporter covering transportation, Red Bank and western Monmouth County. She can be reached at oliu@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Nearly $7.7M spent to stop development near Earle in Colts Neck, Howell