FARMLAND PRESERVATION
After years of mounting development pressure on Roosevelt’s historic greenbelt, the Fund for Roosevelt successfully preserved three large farm parcels on the north side of town in 2001 and 2002. A total of 270 acres was preserved with support from the County and State Farmland Preservation Program, and with grant assistance from the Monmouth Conservation Foundation and a community campaign that raised $80,000 in private donations. No Roosevelt municipal funds were used for these preservation efforts. Through the leadership of founder and former president Dr. Rodham Tulloss, the Fund for Roosevelt bought, preserved and resold $3.6 million worth of quality farmland that now has agricultural deed restrictions in place that ensure its permanent preservation.
Soon afterwards the NJ Green Acres Program, working with the Fund for Roosevelt, entered into an agreement to purchase a 109 acre farm tract on the east side of town that was the subject of a contentious proposal for high-density housing. After an award to the Fund for Roosevelt for its achievements in open space preservation, the Monmouth County Park System purchased 198 acres on the northeast side of town between 2007 and 2018 as additions to Perrineville Lake Park, adding to the preservation of Roosevelt’s greenbelt.
WHAT IS PRESERVED FARMLAND?
Preserved farms are forever protected for agricultural use. The rights to develop the land have been purchased by the state through the Farmland Preservation Program. The sale of development rights does not make farmland public property. The public has no right to use or access a preserved farm without the landowner’s permission. Landowners who own or buy farms with their development rights removed can still sell their land at any time. Deed restrictions prohibiting non-agricultural development run with the land, however, so future owners of preserved farms also would be required to comply with the deed restrictions that limit the use of the land to agricultural uses.
ROOSEVELT’S PRESERVED FARMLAND
The three parcels of Farmland Preservation were protected by the Fund for Roosevelt.
By preserving farmland in the northern portion of the Borough, the Fund for Roosevelt has protected agricultural areas that are major components of the original Jersey Homesteads plan and helped to preserve the integrity of the greenbelt design of Roosevelt.
Preserved farmland in Roosevelt protects water and soils, reduces flooding and storm water runoff, limits suburban sprawl, provides a means for farms to be purchased at a lower price, and makes available locally grown farm products.