Millstone to strengthen preservation commitment BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer MILLSTONE - An amendment to the township'smaster plan will likely go before the Township Committee later this month. Township Planner Richard Coppola praised Open Space and Farmland Preservation Council Chairwoman Pat Butch and othermembers of the council for their work on the comprehensive farmland preservation plan amendment to the township's master plan at the Planning Board's April 9 meeting. The board unanimously approved the document, which must now go before the Township Committee for final approval. Members of the council including Butch, CoryWingerter, Anthony Romano and Kristin Schloss attended the board meeting, as did Agricultural Advisory Council member Shirley Pinhas. Coppola told themthat the township would not have such a plan if it hired a consultant to do the work. "The document really turned out to be something special and will probably be used as a model in the county and possibly the state," he said. Wingerter called the document a feather in the township's cap. "I can't say enough about Pat Butch as a volunteer spearheading this," he said. "It's not boilerplate. The document is a piece of Millstone Township." Mayor Nancy Grbelja said the document shows the state and anyone who reads it the commitment the community hasmade to preserve open space and farmland. Coppola said that the township has only received comments fromthe county and the state about embellishing and expanding the document, not about changing its purpose. "It will be a freestanding document now as part of the master plan," he said. "It can be amended as needed without going to the full master plan document." Butch said those who worked on the plan took a close look at how much farmland is still available in the township. "It's changed dramatically due to development and other preservation for open space," she said. Butch said the plan also provides an analysis of what farmers are doing in town. She said the plan notes what they are raising, what commodities they are selling and how the township can help keep farming in town. According to the proposed plan, agricultural lands are found throughout Millstone, with larger farms consisting of Asian vegetable production, equine farms, and nursery operations. The plan states that Millstone ranked in the top 5 percent of municipalities in the state of New Jersey for the highest concentrations of agricultural land as reported by the state Agriculture Development Committee in 2006. The plan notes that farmland contributes to the economic base of the township, is essential to the rural landscape that characterizes much of the community, and is important to maintain the community as a rural environmentally sensitive planning area. The plan further notes that a significant area of the township, roughly 11,000 acres or 46 percent, continues to be farmed. The plan states that the number of farms has declined. According to 2006 farmland assessment data, agricultural lands account for approximately 9,242 acres or 38.6 percent of the township, which represents a nearly 10 percent decline in farmland since 2002. The plan states that in order to maintain its rural environment and landscape, the township needs to preserve as much farmland as possible. To date, there are 712 acres of preserved farmland and 461 additional acres under contract to close by the middle of 2008, according to the plan. Butch later said that the township has applications for and is awaiting funding for the preservation of at least 300 more acres. To see the plan in its entirety, visit www.millstone.nj.us.