{"id":21622,"date":"2023-02-15T00:53:30","date_gmt":"2023-02-15T05:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shorebeat.com\/brick\/?p=21622"},"modified":"2023-02-15T00:53:30","modified_gmt":"2023-02-15T05:53:30","slug":"brick-approves-8-5m-breton-woods-land-acquisition-here-are-the-details","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/2023\/02\/brick-approves-8-5m-breton-woods-land-acquisition-here-are-the-details\/","title":{"rendered":"Brick Approves $8.5M Breton Woods Land Acquisition: Here Are the Details"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Breton Woods property where 59 homes have been proposed as part of a new development, Dec. 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)<\/p><\/div>\n

The Brick Township council on Tuesday night unanimously supported the introduction of an ordinance to issue bonds that will fund a portion of the cost of purchasing the 31-acre Breton Woods parcel, on which a developer proposed to build 59 homes.<\/p>\n

The vast majority of the cost to preserve the sprawling property will be borne by funding from the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust, with the majority of the township\u2019s portion likely to be covered by additional grants from the state Green Acres fund. The township, however, is obligated under the law to pass a bond ordinance to cover the cost of the project before the state issues a reimbursement.<\/p>\n

Borough Attorney Kevin Starkey said the township and county negotiated with D.R. Horton, a Texas-based home building that remains under contract to purchase the tract from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. The land was donated to the Church of the Visitation decades ago, however the diocese is the ultimate authority on all church-owned real property. The deed for the property continues to reside with the diocese, though D.R. Horton handled the land preservation talks.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are the contract purchaser of the property,\u201d said Starkey, referring to Horton. \u201cWe are acquiring the rights, through them, to the property. They are under contract to buy it but they have not closed on it yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

The township and Ocean County are partnering to purchase the property for a total of $8,550,000. The township will be responsible for $1,710,000 and the county will contribute $6,840,000. The township has also agreed to be responsible for the maintenance of the property. Along with the bond ordinance that financed the township\u2019s share of the project, the council adopted a resolution that would allow the municipal government to receive $1.2 million in funding to offset the cost of the township\u2019s share. Township officials are confident that the funding request will be approved by Green Acres.<\/p>\n

As part of the agreement, the property will be subdivided, with the township receiving an apportionment of roughly 6.33 acres \u2013 or 20 percent of the total property. The township plans on building a playground and parking area on this portion. While the playground area will be located adjacent to the Osbornville Elementary School, the park will be owned and operated by the township and will be open to the public. The parkland will be permanently preserved.<\/p>\n

The township has been in communication with the Trust for Public Land about the construction of the playground, officials said.<\/p>\n