I would like to respond to the letter submitted by Mr. Pete Weale in the October 7 issue titled Herons’ Good News Bad for Taxpayers. The property, now known as the Great Blue Heron Preserve, has a total of 27.59 acres. Of this, the undevelopable acreage is 8.84 or 32 percent of the property. The developable acreage is 18.75 or 68 percent of the property. Public utilities (sewer and water) are available to the property. Both the Township and the Friends of West Windsor Open Space sought purchase of this property not only to preserve the blue heron rookery but because of its ecological importance as part of the Duck Pond Run watershed.
Discussions regarding this purchase were held at numerous Council meetings and covered in the press. My department followed required governmental procedures in getting appraisals from state-approved, listed appraisers. Ultimately, the Township purchased the property for less than the appraised value and less than a recent transaction for property nearby. The money for purchase came from the Township Open Space Fund and was $1,358,725. Of this, $567,617.50 has already been received by the Township in the form of grants from the Friends of West Windsor Open Space and Mercer County. Additional grant funding for this purchase may also be available from the N.J. State Green Acres Program.
M. Patricia Ward
Director, West Windsor Community Development
