Montgomery Township is advancing plans to acquire approximately 400 acres of state-owned land for open space preservation and future municipal use.
Township officials provided an update at the March 5 township committee meeting on a proposal to purchase land currently owned by the New Jersey Department of Corrections.
More than 80 percent of the property, or more than 320 acres, would be preserved as open space, while the remaining acreage could be used for future community needs.
The site includes land associated with the former North Princeton Developmental Center, as well as the former Brookview Farm and Skillman Dairy Farm properties.
The Brookview parcel spans about 188 acres near Montgomery High School, while the Skillman Dairy Farm property includes roughly 207 acres and features the confluence of Rock Brook and Bedens Brook, along with existing infrastructure including a wastewater treatment plant and a cemetery.
Mayor Neena Singh met with state officials in February to reaffirm the township’s interest in acquiring the land. The state has since confirmed the property is no longer needed, allowing the formal acquisition process to begin. Final approval would require action by the State House Commission.
The township is seeking to fund up to 50 percent of the acquisition through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program and is currently working through the program’s pre-appraisal requirements. Township staff and the Montgomery Open Space Committee are reviewing the proposal and evaluating potential future uses.
About 18 percent of the land could be reserved for uses beyond preservation, including potential public utilities, recreation facilities or relocation of the township’s Department of Public Works yard. Officials said relocating the DPW yard could reduce flood risks at its current site and eliminate the need for off-site storage.
The proposal also includes consideration of indoor recreation options, although officials noted that the YMCA is currently studying a separate potential project involving the former municipal building on Route 206.
Township officials said the acquisition would be the largest of its kind in the past two decades and would give the municipality long-term control over a significant tract of land. Additional planning and public input will be required as the process moves forward.
Montgomery Township, 100 Community Drive, Skillman. montgomerynj.gov
