Town Talk

Defining Preservation Area

Prior to the April 23rd deadline, the Township Committee submitted a grant application to the State Agriculture Development Committee for more funding to preserve an additional 600 acres of farms and woodlands from future residential development. This new grant program, known as the "Planning Incentive Preservation Grant" will provide funding directly to Plumsted for preserving the smaller farms and woodlands which, because of their size (less than 50 acres), have not been able to qualify in the Statewide competition. Plumsted was only one of a few Municipalities in the State that applied and qualified for this new source of grant funding.

Within the heartland (center) of Plumsted, we have a Farm belt containing more than 2,000 acres, nearly 4 square miles, of farmland preserved from future residential development. To put that in perspective, the following six (6) Ocean County Municipalities could be placed in a land area of less than 2,000 acres: Ocean Gate (320 acres), Island Heights (384 acres), Mantoloking (282 acres), Pine Beach (380 acres), Harvey Cedars (352 acres) and Seaside Heights (224 acres). According to the 2000 Census, these six (6) Municipalities have a population of 9,714 people, which is 2,500 more people than our entire Township of Plumsted. If the Township Committee did not preserve nearly 4 square miles from development in the 1990's, Plumsted's population could have doubled.

The Planning Board and Township Committee recently took another step to preserve our rural character and protect our source of drinking water. For the land area west of Route 539, comprising the heartland of our farmland, the intensity of conflicting residential uses around farmland has been reduced by changing the permitted density of residential housing from 3 to 5 acres. Most importantly, this same land area has been designated by the State DEP as a "Critical Acquifer Margin Area". Protecting the water supply and quality has now become a major component of all Master Plans and zoning regulations.

The Township Committee has opened our recycling center an additional day for residents. Effective Wednesday, April 4^th, the recycling center will be open every Wednesday afternoon and evening from 1:00 to 7:00 P.M. through Wednesday, October 24^th. This is the period of time that we have daylight savings time, also on Wednesdays, our Township Offices are open until 7:00 P.M. for the convenience of the public. The new Wednesday hours are in addition to the regular Saturday hours of 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

In addition to opening the recycling center an additional day for our residents, the Township Committee will also expand the container service for non-recyclable bulk items to Wednesdays, by appointment only, during the after work hours of 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. for residents that can not make the Saturday morning hours. Residents are required to call our Township Office at 758-2241 for an appointment prior to the end of business hours, 5:00 P.M., on Tuesdays. Only residents with an appointment will be permitted to use the bulk waste dumpsters on Wednesdays from 6 to 7 P.M.

Residents are reminded that property tax payments that were due on May 1^st1st and not paid by May 10^th, will accumulate interest charges at the maximum amount allowed by State Law which is as high as 18%, depending upon the amount owed. .

Residents may communicate with me by e-mail at rondancer@plumsted.org. I would like to know the concerns of our residents, their ideas and suggestions. If I cannot answer questions directly, I will have one of our department officials respond.

The next meeting of Township Committee members Ken Francis, Bonnie Quesnel, Mike Roberts and Deputy Mayor Joe Przywara is June 14^th . Residents can preview our business agenda items, to the extent known, 48 hours prior to the meeting on our web site: www.plumsted.org.

For more information on our Township, residents are also encouraged to visit website: www.mainstreetsusa.com.