Authorizing Submission of
Planning Incentive Grant (Pig) Application to
the State Agriculture Development Committee Requesting Farmland Preservation Funding and Documenting Municipal Commitment and
Support for Development Easement Acquisition and
Farmland Preservation
in The
WHEREAS, the Township Committee of the Township of
Bernards has responded to the the recommendations of the Bernards Township
Master Plan to preserve farmland in the
WHEREAS, the Township Committee appointed the Bernards
Township Agricultural Task Force in 2004 comprised of local farmers and residents
to investigate the feasibility of farmland preservation in the
WHEREAS, the
Bernards Township Agricultural Task Force prepared a report that was delivered
to the Township Committee on December 28, 2004, which recommends the establishment
of a local farmland preservation program, identifies the Township’s
agricultural base and properties appropriate for farmland preservation; and
WHEREAS, the
Township Committee supports and is committed to the goal of farmland
preservation in the
WHEREAS, the
Township Committee has adopted a local right-to-farm ordinance to demonstrate
the local commitment to farmland preservation and the continuation of
agriculture in
WHEREAS, in
furtherance of the Township Committee’s commitment to farmland preservation the
Committee created the Bernards Township Agricultural Advisory Committee
comprised of 5 regular members plus 2 alternate members, of which a majority of
the regular members
are actively engaged in farming on their own land, to oversee and
provide guidance to the Township Committee on farmland preservation and issues
affecting the continuation of agriculture in the Township; and
WHEREAS, the
Bernards Township Agricultural Advisory Committee has recommended that the
Bernards Township Committee identify a local funding commitment of $11,000,000
(eleven million dollars) to acquire development easements to preserve farmland
in the Bernards Township PIG Project Area (shown on the attached map) as the
local share of funding to acquire development easements in conjunction with
State Agricultural Advisory Committee (SADC) Planning Incentive Grant Funding
and in accordance with the SADC and Somerset County cost share funding
formulas; and
WHEREAS, the
Township of Bernards accepts the Agricultural Advisory Committee’s
recommendation to allocate $11,000,000 as Bernards Township’s local share of
funding for farmland preservation in the Bernards PIG Project Area; and
WHEREAS, the Township Committee of the
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Township Committee of the Township of
Bernards, that the Committee hereby authorizes submission of a Planning
Incentive Grant Application to the State Agriculture Development Committee for
funding to preserve farmland in the Bernards Township PIG Project Area; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
by the Township Committee of the Township of Bernards that there is hereby
committed not less than $11,000,000 from the Township’s Open Space Tax revenue
that is to be allocated toward development easement purchase for farmland
preservation to be used in conjunction with State Agriculture Development
Committee Planning Incentive Grant Farmland Preservation Funding, should the
Township be successful in obtaining funding from the SADC for farmland
preservation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the Township Committee of the
Dated: 1/11/05
TREASURER’S CERTIFICATION I, Bruce
McArthur, Treasurer of the Township of Bernards, hereby certify that
conservative projections of anticipated revenue collections under the
Township’s dedicated open space tax are expected to generate sufficient
revenue over time to provide the above referenced grant match in the amount
of $11,000,000, and that the municipality has bonding capacity to provide
such funding as may be required to provide the local match for farmland
preservation as proposed in the Township’s SADC(State Agricultural Advisory
Committee)PIG
Application dated January 2005. |
|
Date: 1/11/05 |
Bruce McArthur, Treasurer |
Explanatory Statement:
This grant will
enable the township to establish a farmland preservation program and request
matching State and County farmland preservation funding to acquire development
easements and preserve farmland in the Bernards Township Farmland Preservation
PIG Project Area. The Township’s
contribution match of $11,000,000 is to be funded from revenues generated from
the Township’s open space tax and maintained in the Township’s open space trust
fund.