Hunekes rescind fight to keep family farm Acreage will soon be up for sale at www.hunekeway.com BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Staff Writer PHOTOSBYJEFF GRANIT staff Above: Bob Huneke walks with his son, Chris, on the family's farm on Huneke Way in Millstone Township. The family wanted to subdivide the property but could not do so due to a number of factors. Today is a painful day for Millstone Township's Huneke family. After spending more than $100,000 and a few years with an application for a subdivision pending in front of the township's Planning Board, Robert Huneke, 63, the owner of 21 Huneke Way, has decided to give up the fight to try to keep his family's farm. The 36-acre property on the street named after Huneke's family has been in the family for about 63 years. Robert Huneke built his house on the property in 1974 next to his dad Fred's place. His father's home burned down in 1998, and Fred perished in the house fire. According to Robert, from the beginning the Huneke family kept the property without regard to lot lines. When Fred's house burned down, the family didn't rebuild it but kept the driveway and a barn on that portion of the property. The entire parcel is located in the township's rural preservation zone, which usually requires 10 acres per building lot. Chris Huneke (l-r) stands with his father, Bob, among the forest of pine trees that Bob planted in 1977. The forest is considered a habitat for the endangered wood turtle. Due to ever-increasing living costs and taxes and upon thinking about retirement in the early 2000s, Huneke decided that the best way for him to be able to afford and keep the farm in the family would be to subdivide the property and let a friend build a house where his father's home used to be. Huneke had a dream of one day building another house on the farm as well so that his children, Chris and Nicole, could ultimately have places there. "My son, Chris, was born here," Huneke said. "I was born here, but the party is over. We're going to leave and put this place up for sale." When Huneke first decided to subdivide, he hired Kenneth Pape, an attorney based out of Millstone Township, who Huneke heard was a "heavy hitter" when it came to going before the Planning Board. Although the family didn't keep the property according to lot lines, Huneke said Pape recommended that he first designate the lot lines between his own lot and what's considered his father's lot and then go before the board. "I put the lot-line adjustment in as part of the subdivision," Huneke said. "I moved the lot line to try to prevent a problem between my kids and to square the property up." Moving the lot line started "a wheel of fortune," according to Huneke. "People look at things for what they can get," he said, "and moving the lot line started a wheel of fortune for the lawyer, the engineer and the township." With an application for what was now considered a major subdivision, Huneke had to contribute $10,000 to the township's road department for road widening and $5,000 to its Recreation Commission. By township ordinance, he would also fall subject to having to donate an easement to the township for use as a bridle path. Another snag Huneke hit while trying to subdivide his property came when the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) deemed his property suitable habitat for the endangered wood turtle, which tripled the necessary buffers from 50 feet to 150 feet. "Fifty-six thousand dollars into it and the DEP changed the wetland classification, and that just killed me," Huneke said. "The entire property became a wood turtle habitat and buffer zone that would leave only a 200-foot circle around the existing house and a 200-foot circle on the property to be subdivided." Huneke said he never saw a wood turtle on his property. "I've got box turtles and snappers," he said, adding that the DEP did not offer any evidence that it had discovered wood turtles on his property either. "It would be different if the wood turtle was here having babies, but they're basically saying that they're going to hold this property in case they show up," Huneke said. "They want to take care of the wood turtle, but what about Huneke?" JEFF GRANIT staff Robert Huneke and his son, Chris, take a stroll beneath the row of pine trees planted on the perimeter of the family's farm in Millstone Township. What frustrated Huneke even more was finding out that the properties surrounding his are not considered habitat for a wood turtle and would not fall subject to the same constraints if the owners wanted to subdivide. His property is considered such a habitat because of the pine trees his family planted there in 1977. "That's our crop," he said. "The white pine is not a native tree to New Jersey. We planted them to harvest for lumber used to build houses. The wood turtle is millions of years old. If they haven't found Huneke Way in a million years, I doubt they ever will." Besides the wood turtle habitat designation, Huneke considered it another snag when the township told him that he would have to dedicate a portion of the property to the township as a trail easement. "They said if you don't give us a path to ride, we're not going to approve it," Huneke said. "Where did they want to put the horse trail? Right where I hunt." Not only did Huneke not want people walking or riding on a trail that could easily be seen from the comfort of his home, but he also questioned who would maintain the trails and who would be liable if someone got hurt there. "The only place they can ride is in the swamp," Huneke said, referring to the wetlands on his property. Huneke said that although he has to abide by environmental and wetland restrictions, it seems that "the horse people can ride anywhere." The board granted Huneke's application preliminary approval in a vote of 6-2, with Mayor Nancy Grbelja and Manny Blanco voting against the measure. He was set to go before the board for final approval on Feb. 12 but withdrew his application before the board could vote on it. Grbelja said, "Originally when he took a look at subdividing, he thought he would need a 50-foot buffer, but the DEP classified it as a 150-foot buffer. Since he would need a 150-foot buffer, he doesn't have a buildable area so he is withdrawing his application." Grbelja said Huneke wanted to take advantage of a clause in the master plan that would allow him to use an average of 10 acres per building lot, but he didn't want to abide by the rules of the same master plan when it came to designating a bridle path on his property. "He decided to subdivide his property utilizing the plan to give him a 4-acre lot and two other lots of fewer than 10 acres, but he wanted to disregard the other part of the master plan regarding the horse trails," Grbelja said. On Monday night, Huneke withdrew his application before the board, which approved his withdrawal without prejudice. "It's over," Huneke said. "I didn't ask any questions. I didn't give a speech." Huneke said he felt that some members of the Planning Board would have given his application final approval without his having to provide an easement for a bridle path but that he didn't want to take that chance, nor did he want the property's value decreased by it mostly being deemed a conservation area where he would not easily be able to add on to his home or build another shed, outbuilding, etc. While walking the property, which is farmland assessed and was formerly a chicken farm, Huneke described it as a natural paradise. It's where he keeps pleasure horses, hunts the woods and plays "farm golf" with holes named after himself, his son and his dad. Huneke's son called the place "golden handcuffs." "This place is gorgeous and I planned to stay here, but this has gone on long enough," Chris said. "I feel for my dad, and I am concerned about his health." On Tuesday afternoon, Huneke expected to pick up "For Sale" signs for the property. He said he intends to put his property up for sale by owner at www.hunekeway.com. "I can't afford to pay a Realtor," he said. Having to give up his family's farm "is making me sick," Huneke said. "I can't sleep at night. "After 63 years of taking pride in this road and my heritage and trying to hold on to it for my kids," he said, "once it is sold I will never come back here. I could never go back. I'm hurt, and I'm beat." Huneke said he feels his father looking down on him. "Right now I know, man, is he upset," Huneke said. the same master plan when it came to designating a bridle path on his property. "He decided to subdivide his property utilizing the plan to give him a 4-acre lot and two other lots of fewer than 10 acres, but he wanted to disregard the other part of the master plan regarding the horse trails," Grbelja said. On Monday night, Huneke withdrew his application before the board, which approved his withdrawal without prejudice. "It's over," Huneke said. "I didn't ask any questions. I didn't give a speech." Huneke said he felt that some members of the Planning Board would have given his application final approval without his having to provide an easement for a bridle path but that he didn't want to take that chance, nor did he want the property's value decreased by it mostly being deemed a conservation area where he would not easily be able to add on to his home or build another shed, outbuilding, etc. While walking the property, which is farmland assessed and was formerly a chicken farm, Huneke described it as a natural paradise. It's where he keeps pleasure horses, hunts the woods and plays "farm golf" with holes named after himself, his son and his dad. Huneke's son called the place "golden handcuffs." "This place is gorgeous and I planned to stay here, but this has gone on long enough," Chris said. "I feel for my dad, and I am concerned about his health." On Tuesday afternoon, Huneke expected to pick up "For Sale" signs for the property. He said he intends to put his property up for sale by owner at www.hunekeway.com. "I can't afford to pay a Realtor," he said. Having to give up his family's farm "is making me sick," Huneke said. "I can't sleep at night. "After 63 years of taking pride in this road and my heritage and trying to hold on to it for my kids," he said, "once it is sold I will never come back here. I could never go back. I'm hurt, and I'm beat." Huneke said he feels his father looking down on him. "Right now I know, man, is he upset," Huneke said said. Having to give up his family's farm "is making me sick," Huneke said. "I can't sleep at night. "After 63 years of taking pride in this road and my heritage and trying to hold on to it for my kids," he said, "once it is sold I will never come back here. I could never go back. I'm hurt, and I'm beat." Huneke said he feels his father looking down on him. "Right now I know, man, is he upset," Huneke said