Jackson Township Mayor Michael Reina and the Jackson Township Council have announced they are planning to purchase a 114.3-acre tract of land from the Jackson Township School District in order to save it from being developed as well as to assist the public school district with much-needed funding.
The land, which includes several parcels in the area of West Commodore Boulevard near Goetz Middle School and Elms Elementary school will be purchased for $970,000.00
The property could have possibly been sold to developers to help overcome a multi million dollar shortfall due to the States S2 funding cuts. Mayor Michael Reina says the purchase now allows the Township to preserve the land therefore adding these 114 acres to the Open space inventory list that has been growing steadily over the last 6 years.
Jackson Council President Jennifer Kuhn noted that the purchase will not translate to a tax increase on the municipal side as the purchase is being made with open space trust funds.
“Our goal has been to increase the inventory of open space to 3,000 acres by the end of the year,” Councilwoman Kuhn said. “This purchase allows us to meet that goal months ahead of schedule and to satisfy two needs in the community at one time.”
“The Mayor and Council have been looking for properties to preserve for open space and while the community has offered us some great ideas, we felt it was important to not only preserve open space and protect land from being developed, but to help the school district in their time of need,” said Councilman Mordechai Burnstein. “This purchase relieves the school district of some financial burden and takes the need to sell those properties to private entities off the table at the same time.”
Jackson is a growing community. Sensible development serves a better purpose to the community than overgrown trees that cause forest fires. Jackson has very few commercial or industrial zones to serve the community, this causes much unneeded local congestion as people travel miles to find a grocery or pharmacy. Besides creating more open space for the frogs & birds to enjoy, consider the long term needs of the human citizens as well.
There’s plenty of grocery stores and pharmacies in Lakewood so what’s with all the traffic and the residential zones are actually commercial zones to serve the community…parking issues? not a problem park anywhere
You’re a disgusting human being! That’s why Lakewood looks the way it does!!!! The animals have just as much of a right to live as you. And maybe educate yourself on the ecosystem and how it works.
No. Creating more green space will save the planet and stop global warming. When you demolish trees for development then your adding to global warming which is caused by more cars on the road (carbon emissions). We are inclined to save God’s green earth and stop destroying it! This is way scientists believe Ocean County is going to flood in the future because of overdevelopment.
Keep it up Jackson! We moved to Jackson for a reason. Let’s keep it the way it is.
Glad to see Jackson has the sense to preserve open land ,this does serve the long term needs of its citizens . Over development harms the environment and destroys habitat for all of natures creatures . Thank you Jackson !
maybe try moving back to Poland…
Question, aprox what is the total market value on these properties? 114 acres for under a mill?
What are we saving the land for ?
A buncha hermits who are anti development and watch satellite Tv all day?
Jackson is one of the largest townships in the state. Our young people have nowhere to live and are living with their parents . There’s not one Walmart hotel etc.
And we are preserving land for what reason?
I don’t believe in overcrowding but cmon , can’t we build the community up in a way that will be built smartly, efficiently with an economic boom for Jackson Twp residents ?
It’s 2024 and Jackson still looks like circa 1980. (Just look at the welcome to Jackson sign and you’ll see it all)
There are some people who still wanna live in the 80’s with a moosehead in their living room, an elk hat on their head ,sitting next to the fireplace roasting acorns they picked in the forest. But for the rest of us, lest move on to 2024
Wow! That’s harsh! Hermits? Please. People live in Jackson for the peace and quiet. After working in the city they don’t want to see or hear the same noise, traffic, and overcrowding. Jackson, Lakewood, Toms River, Brick and Howell are places for peace. This is not the city and it is not suppose to be one. It’s too much overdevelopment. Once it got started it is seems to be neverending. Look at Lakewood. You can’t drive down the street without some type of construction going on. Too much!!!
REALLY!!! ,for those who love city life ,the may I suggest Jackson is not the place for you ,plenty of cities to go to if thats your life style .
Nothing wrong with circa 1980 , in fact those were much better times in so many ways !
And just what is wrong with wanting the peace and solitude we bought into. Do you live in Jackson? Considering the rate that it’s being over run by folks trying to get out of Lakewood because of what they’ve done there , there is no reason to think that the invasion won’t bring about the same nightmare in Jackson. If you feel the need to live in an over developed area that’s your choice. No one is telling you how to live please allow us to enjoy the land we pay extremely high taxes to enjoy
The streets of Jackson were not built to handle all of this housing development! If you are not fond of nature and don’t want to preserve it.. You are in the wrong town. Move somewhere else. It is not Jackson’s fault a nearby city is crazily overcrowded and has no where to put anyone…
I’m not sure what Chaimel is talking about when it come to grocery stores and pharmacy. I live in Jackson and there are 3 grocery stores within a 5 minute drive. Same thing with pharmacies.