Bill Text: NJ A4559 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Chaptered


Bill Title: Appropriates $88,592,361 from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond funds for local government open space acquisition and park development projects.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 32-16)

Status: (Passed) 2015-08-10 - Approved P.L.2015, c.105. [A4559 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2014-A4559-Chaptered.html

Approp.

 


P.L.2015, CHAPTER 105, approved August 10, 2015

Assembly, No. 4559

 

 


An Act appropriating $88,592,361 from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond funds to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    As used in this act:

     "Densely or highly populated municipality" means a municipality with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile, or a population of at least 35,000 persons, according to the latest federal decennial census.

     "Densely populated county" means a county with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census.

     "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" means the fund established pursuant to section 19 of P.L.1999, c.152 (C.13:8C-19).

     "Green Acres bond act" means P.L.2009, c.117, P.L.2007, c.119, P.L.1995, c.204, P.L.1992, c.88, P.L.1989, c.183, P.L.1987, c.265, and P.L.1983, c.354.

     "Highly populated county" means a county with a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile according to the latest federal decennial census.

 

     2.    There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the following sums for the purpose of providing grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to section 3 of this act and for the purpose of providing grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes pursuant to section 4 of this act:

     a.    $1,700,000 from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," made available due to loan repayments;

     b.    $19,330,422 from the "1995 New Jersey Green Trust Fund," established pursuant to section 23 of the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995," P.L.1995, c.204, made available due to loan repayments and interest earnings;

     c.    $7,147,246 from the "1992 New Jersey Green Trust Fund," established pursuant to section 22 of the "Green Acres, Clean Water, Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 1992," P.L.1992, c.88, made available due to loan repayments and interest earnings;

     d.    $24,205,185 from the "1989 New Jersey Green Trust Fund," established pursuant to section 19 of the "Open Space Preservation Bond Act of 1989," P.L.1989, c.183, made available due to loan repayments and interest earnings;

     e.    $31,285,106 from the "Green Trust Fund," established pursuant to section 16 of the "New Jersey Green Acres Bond Act of 1983," P.L.1983, c.354, made available due to loan repayments and interest earnings; and

     f.     $4,924,402 from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and any Green Acres fund established pursuant to a Green Acres bond act, made available due to project cancellations, withdrawals, and cost savings.

 

     3.    a.  The following projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:

 

     (1)   Planning Incentive Acquisition Projects:

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT

 

COUNTY

PROJECT

APPROVED AMOUNT

Oakland Boro

Bergen

Open Space & Recreation Plan

$550,000

 

Ridgewood Village

Bergen

Open Space Project

415,000

 

River Vale Twp

Bergen

Watershed Property Acq

550,000

 

Bordentown Twp

Burlington

Bordentown Twp Open Space Acq

 

550,000

Eastampton Twp

Burlington

Planning Incentive

550,000

 

Medford Twp

Burlington

Open Space Incentive

550,000

 

Moorestown Twp

Burlington

Open Space Preservation Plan

550,000

 

Gibbsboro Boro

Camden

Greenway Acq

3,000

 

Haddonfield Boro

Camden

Open Space Acq

550,000

 

Voorhees Twp

Camden

Planning Incentive Grant

199,000

 

Cumberland County

Cumberland

Trails & Open Space Acq

500,000

 

Upper Deerfield Twp

Cumberland

Open Space Acq

550,000

 

Gloucester County

Gloucester

Open Space Plan

1,100,000

 

Harrison Twp

Gloucester

Planning Incentive Grant

315,750

 

Woolwich Twp

Gloucester

Open Space Plan

375,000

 

Clinton Twp

Hunterdon

Open Space Acq

550,000

 

Delaware Twp

Hunterdon

Open Space Acq

550,000

 

East Amwell Twp

Hunterdon

Open Space & Recreation Plan

310,000

 

Franklin Twp

Hunterdon

Franklin Open Space Plan

220,000

 

High Bridge Boro

Hunterdon

Open Space Plan

550,000

 

Kingwood Twp

Hunterdon

Open Space Plan

550,000

 

Raritan Twp

Hunterdon

Land Acq Plan

550,000

 

Readington Twp

Hunterdon

Greenway Incentive Plan

550,000

 

Tewksbury Twp

Hunterdon

Recreation and Open Space Plan

350,000

 

East Windsor Twp

Mercer

East Windsor Open Space Acq

550,000

 

Hopewell Boro

Mercer

Hopewell Boro Greenbelt Acq

 

100,000

Hopewell Twp

Mercer

Hopewell Open Space Acq

550,000

 

Pennington Boro

Mercer

Pennington Greenbelt Planning Incentive

 

200,000

 

Princeton Boro

Mercer

Princeton Open Space Acq

550,000

 

West Windsor Twp

Mercer

West Windsor Planning Inc.

550,000

 

Millstone Twp

Monmouth

Millstone Planning Incentive - Project Evergreen

550,000

 

 

Tinton Falls Boro

Monmouth

Tinton Falls Acq

550,000

 

Chester Twp

Morris

Chester Twp Open Space Acq

205,000

 

Hanover Twp

Morris

Open Space Acq

300,000

 

Harding Twp

Morris

Harding Open Space Acq

550,000

 

Madison Boro

Morris

Madison Boro Open Space Acq

500,000

 

Mendham Twp

Morris

Mendham Twp Open Space Acq

187,800

 

Pequannock Twp

Morris

Planning Incentive

302,000

 

Rockaway Twp

Morris

Open Space Acq

550,000

 

Ocean County

Ocean

Planning Incentive Grant

1,375,000

 

Little Egg Harbor Twp

Ocean

Planning Incentive

550,000

 

Point Pleasant Beach Boro

Ocean

Open Space & Recreation Acq

550,000

 

 

Bedminster Twp

Somerset

Bedminster Parks Exp

521,000

 

Montgomery Twp

Somerset

Open Space Acq 5

550,000

 

Peapack-Gladstone Boro

Somerset

Open Space Acq

550,000

 

Wantage Twp

Sussex

Wantage Twp Open Space Plan

550,000

 

Warren County

Warren

Warren County Open Space Plan

1,000,000

 

Allamuchy Twp

Warren

Allamuchy Twp Open Space Acq

150,000

 

Alpha Boro

Warren

Alpha Borough Open Space

350,000

 

Blairstown Twp

Warren

Blairstown Township Planning Incentive

 

165,000

Frelinghuysen Twp

Warren

Open Space & Recreation Plan

200,000

 

TOTAL

 

 

$24,193,550

 

 

     (2)   Site Specific Incentive Acquisition Projects:


 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT

 

COUNTY

PROJECT

APPROVED AMOUNT

Mantua Twp

Gloucester

Fossil Park Acq

$550,000

 

Lambertville City

 

Hunterdon

McCann Tract Acq

470,000

Long Hill Twp

Morris

Passaic River Basin Property Acq

500,000

 

TOTAL

 

 

$1,520,000

 

 

     (3)   Standard Acquisition Projects:

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT

 

COUNTY

PROJECT

APPROVED AMOUNT

Brigantine City

Atlantic

Former Gulf Station Acq

$27,125

 

Hammonton Town

Atlantic

Hammonton Lake Park Expansion

 

550,000

 

Westwood Boro

Bergen

Flood Damaged Properties Acq

200,000

 

North Caldwell Boro

Essex

North Caldwell Boro Open Space Acq

 

550,000

 

Secaucus Town

Hudson

Downtown Recreation Acq

 

550,000

Milltown Boro

Middlesex

Acquisition for Public Park

311,750

 

Ocean Twp

Monmouth

Blue Acres Matching funds

550,000

 

Lincoln Park Boro

Morris

Lincoln Park Floodplain Acq Project

550,000

TOTAL

 

 

$3,288,875

 

 

       b.    The following projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes located in municipalities eligible to receive State aid pursuant to P.L.1978, c.14 (C.52:27D-178 et seq.), either as of June 30, 2014 or the effective date of this act, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT

 

COUNTY

PROJECT

APPROVED AMOUNT

Bloomfield Twp

Essex

Third River Park and Preserve

$1,100,000

 

Union City

Hudson

Weehawken - Union City Reservoir Acq

 

1,100,000

 

Weehawken Twp

Hudson

Weehawken - Union City Reservoir Acq

 

1,100,000

 

Carteret Boro

Middlesex

Noe Street Park Acq

1,042,500

 

Asbury Park City

Monmouth

Bradley Cove Acq

1,100,000

 

TOTAL

 

 

$5,442,500

 

     c.    The following projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservation purposes, located in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by densely populated counties or highly populated counties, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT

 

COUNTY

PROJECT

APPROVED AMOUNT

New Milford Boro

Bergen

New Milford Open Space Plan

$425,000

 

North Arlington Boro

 

Bergen

River Road Acq

362,500

 

Evesham Twp

Burlington

Planning Incentive

570,000

 

Mount Laurel Twp

Burlington

Mt. Laurel Acq Plan

825,000

 

Gloucester Twp

Camden

Open Space Acq

1,100,000

 

Washington Twp

Gloucester

Open Space & Recreation Project

825,000

 

Harrison Town

Hudson

Waterfront Park Walkway Acq

825,000

 

Mercer County

Mercer

Mercer County Planning Incentive

1,375,000

 

 

Hamilton Twp

Mercer

Hamilton Twp Open Space Acq

410,000

 

North Brunswick Twp

Middlesex

North Brunswick Plan

825,000

 

 

South Brunswick Twp

Middlesex

Open Space Acq

744,000

 

 

Monmouth County

Monmouth

Planning Incentive Acq

1,375,000

 

Marlboro Twp

Monmouth

Marlboro Open Space Acq

825,000

 

Middletown Twp

Monmouth

Middletown Twp Planning Incentive

825,000

 

 

Morris County

Morris

Morris County Planning Incentive

 

1,175,000

Manchester Twp

Ocean

Planning Incentive

825,000

 

Seaside Heights Boro

 

Ocean

Marina Acq

825,000

 

Somerset County

Somerset

County Open Space Acq

1,375,000

 

Franklin Twp

Somerset

Open Space Plan Acq

825,000

 

Union County

Union

Union County Open Space & Recreation Plan

1,650,000

 

 

TOTAL

 

 

$17,986,500

 

 

 

 

GRAND TOTAL

 

 

$52,431,425

 

 

     4.    a.  The following projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT

 

COUNTY

PROJECT

APPROVED AMOUNT

Buena Vista Twp

Atlantic

Michael Debbi Park Improvements

$550,000

 

 

Cape May City

Cape May

Lafayette Street Park Development Phase 1

 

500,000

Wildwood City

Cape May

Fox Park Improvements

550,000

 

Manasquan Boro

Monmouth

Mallard Park Improvements

550,000

 

Barnegat Twp

Ocean

Barnegat Blvd Rec Complex

550,000

 

TOTAL

 

 

$2,700,000

 

 

     b.    The following projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, located in municipalities eligible to receive State aid pursuant to P.L.1978, c.14 (C.52:27D-178 et seq.) either as of June 30, 2014 or the effective date of this act, or sponsored by densely populated counties, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT

 

COUNTY

PROJECT

APPROVED AMOUNT

Garfield City

Bergen

20th Century Field Improvements

$1,100,000

 

Burlington County

Burlington

Willingboro Lakes Park Development

 

1,100,000

Mount Holly Twp

Burlington

Mill Dam Park Redevelopment

1,100,000

 

Pemberton Twp

Burlington

West End Park Development

1,100,000

 

Camden City

Camden

Whitman Park Improvement Project

 

300,000

 

Winslow Twp

Camden

Daniel Calabrese Memorial Park

306,500

 

Bridgeton City

Cumberland

City Park Splash Park

400,000

 

Vineland City

Cumberland

Multi-Field Improvements

330,000

 

Essex County

Essex

Multi-Park Improvements

1,650,000

 

East Orange City

Essex

Elmwood Park Court Reconstruction

 

990,000

 

Irvington Twp

Essex

40th Street Park Upgrades

650,500

 

Newark City

Essex

Jesse Allen Park

850,000

 

Orange City Twp

Essex

Multi-Park Development Project

1,100,000

 

Glassboro Boro

Gloucester

Town Square Park Improvements

850,000

 

Monroe Twp

Gloucester

Monroe Township Dog Park

780,000

 

Woodbury City

Gloucester

Woodbury Creek/Stewart Lake Improvements

 

700,000

 

Hudson County

Hudson

Lincoln Park West Development Project

 

1,650,000

 

Jersey City

Hudson

Berry Lane Park Development

1,100,000

 

Kearny Town

Hudson

Gunnell Oval Sports Complex Reconstruction

 

1,100,000

North Bergen Twp

Hudson

76th Street Little League Field Improvements

 

1,100,000

West New York Town

Hudson

Donnelly and Veteran's Park Rehab

 

1,100,000

Middlesex County

Middlesex

Medwick Park 2

1,375,000

 

Perth Amboy City

Middlesex

Raritan Riverfront Park

1,100,000

 

Woodbridge Twp

Middlesex

East William Street Park Development

 

105,000

Long Branch City

Monmouth

Manahassett Creek Park

624,800

 

Neptune Twp

Monmouth

Shark River Marina Improvements

 

400,000

Brick Twp

Ocean

Multi-Park Improvements

1,100,000

 

Lakewood Twp

Ocean

Multi-Park Improvements

1,100,000

 

Passaic County

Passaic

Garret Mountain Improvements

1,375,000

 

Passaic City

Passaic

McDonald Brook Improvements Ph II

 

1,100,000

 

Plainfield City

Union

Multi-Parks Improvements

1,100,000

 

Roselle Boro

Union

Arminio Field Park Improvement

1,100,000

 

TOTAL

 

 

$29,836,800

 

     c.    The following projects to develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, located in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by highly populated counties, are eligible for funding with the moneys appropriated pursuant to section 2 of this act:

 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT

 

COUNTY

PROJECT

APPROVED AMOUNT

Cliffside Park Boro

Bergen

Zalewski Park Improvements

$79,000

 

Teaneck Twp

Bergen

Terhune North Trail

60,136

 

Caldwell Boro

Essex

Kiwanis Oval Field Improvement

825,000

 

Guttenberg Town

Hudson

Multi Park Improvements

185,000

 

Belmar Boro

Monmouth

Maclearie Park Improvements

825,000

 

Red Bank Boro

Monmouth

Count Basie Park Phase III

825,000

 

Wayne Twp

Passaic

Alps Road Ballfields

825,000

 

TOTAL

 

 

$3,624,136

 

GRAND TOTAL

 

 

$36,160,936

     5.    a.  Any transfer of funds, or change in project sponsor, site, or type, listed in section 3 or 4 of this act shall require the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.

     b.    To the extent that moneys remain available after the projects listed in section 3 or 4 of this act are offered funding pursuant thereto, any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes, or that receives funding approved pursuant to this act, shall be eligible to receive additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.

 

     6.    a. There is reappropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection the unexpended balances, due to project withdrawals, cancellations, or cost savings, of the amounts appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for the purposes of providing:

     (1)   grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for projects approved as eligible for such funding pursuant to this act; and

     (2)   additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, to any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes or that receives funding approved pursuant to this act, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.  Any such additional funding provided from a Green Acres bond act may include administrative costs.

     b.    There is appropriated to the Department of Environmental Protection such sums as may be, or may become, available on or before June 30, 2015, due to interest earnings or loan repayments in any "Green Trust Fund" established pursuant to a Green Acres bond act or in the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," for the purpose of providing:

     (1)   grants or loans, or both, to assist local government units to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes, for projects approved as eligible for such funding pursuant to this act; and

     (2)   additional funding, as determined by the Department of Environmental Protection, to any project of a local government unit that previously received funding appropriated or reappropriated from any Green Acres bond act, any annual appropriations act, or the Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund for recreation and conservation purposes or that receives funding approved pursuant to this act, subject to the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee or its successor.  Any such additional funding provided from a Green Acres bond act may include administrative costs.

 

     7.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill appropriates $88,592,361 from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond acts to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide grants or low-interest loans, or both, to assist local government units in the State to acquire or develop lands for recreation and conservation purposes. 

     Of the amount appropriated:  $1,700,000 is from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund," established by the "Garden State Preservation Trust Act," made available due to loan repayments; $19,330,422 is from the "1995 New Jersey Green Trust Fund," established by the "Green Acres, Farmland and Historic Preservation, and Blue Acres Bond Act of 1995," made available due to loan repayments and interest earnings; $7,147,246 is from the "1992 New Jersey Green Trust Fund," established by the "Green Acres, Clean Water, Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 1992," made available due to loan repayments and interest earnings; $24,205,185 is from the "1989 New Jersey Green Trust Fund," established by the "Open Space Preservation Bond Act of 1989," made available due to loan repayments and interest earnings; $31,285,106 is from the "Green Trust Fund," established by the "New Jersey Green Acres Bond Act of 1983," made available due to loan repayments and interest earnings; and $4,924,402 is from the "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and any Green Acres fund established pursuant to a Green Acres bond act, made available due to project cancellations, withdrawals, and cost savings.

     The total amount of funding allocated for local government projects that are listed in this bill is $88,592,361.  Of this amount, $52,431,425 is for projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservations purposes, and $36,160,936 is for projects to develop lands for recreation and conservations purposes.

     Of the sum for projects to acquire lands for recreation and conservations purposes: $24,193,500 is allocated for planning incentive open space acquisition projects; $1,520,000 is allocated for site specific incentive open space acquisition projects; $3,288,875 is allocated for standard open space acquisition projects (i.e., projects located in municipalities that do not have an open space tax); $5,442,500 is allocated for projects in "urban aid" municipalities; and $17,986,500 is allocated for projects in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by densely or highly populated counties. 

     Of the sum for projects to develop lands for recreation and conservations purposes:  $2,700,000 is allocated for "standard" open space development projects (i.e., located in non-urban municipalities and counties); $29,836,800 is allocated for local park development projects in urban aid municipalities or sponsored by densely populated counties; and $3,624,136 is allocated for local park development projects in densely or highly populated municipalities or sponsored by highly populated counties.

     The projects listed have been approved by the DEP and the Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT). 

     The projects approved by the bill include projects in "urban aid" and densely or highly populated municipalities and counties.  The bill defines a "densely or highly populated municipality" as a municipality with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile or a population of at least 35,000 persons; a "densely populated county" as a county with a population density of at least 5,000 persons per square mile; and a "highly populated county" as a county with a population density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile.

     To the extent that there are funds remaining after those local government unit projects listed in this bill are offered funding, the bill also authorizes the DEP, with the approval of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee (JBOC), to use those funds to provide additional funding for local government unit projects listed in this bill as well as for local government unit projects previously approved for funding pursuant to various other laws.

     The bill also allows the DEP, subject to the approval of the JBOC, to re-distribute moneys, which have been returned to the department due to project withdrawals, cancellations, or cost savings, or which have or will become available on or before June 30, 2015 due to interest earnings and loan repayments from various Green Acres bond act funds, for the purpose of providing additional funding, for recreation and conservation purposes, to previously approved and funded projects of local government units, or to local government unit projects listed in this bill.  This additional funding, if provided from a Green Acres bond act, may include administrative costs.


                                

 

     Appropriates $88,592,361 from "Garden State Green Acres Preservation Trust Fund" and various Green Acres bond funds for local government open space acquisition and park development projects.

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