Conservation

by NY/NJ Baykeeper
Posted 08/16/2004

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East Village Association Campaign to Save Pulda Farm in South Brunswick

Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership Inc. opposes proposal to change zoning of farm in Davidsons Mill Road to permit warehousing to be constructed.

At their February 15 meeting, the Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership Members and Trustees discussed the question of the rezoning of the Pulda Property (Block 21, Lots 4.01 and 5.02), heretofore referred to as the Van Dyke Farm, from the RR to the LI-4 zone for conversion to warehouse development. This is an issue that has been a concern of ours for nearly a year now. In reviewing the information on the property, we have found that one need look no further than the latest edition of the Township of South Brunswick Master Plan for support for protecting the property from such development.

The aforementioned Master Plan contains multiple references to the Van Dyke Farm and environs. The Historic Preservation Plan Element, lists the farm, dating from the early 1700’s, within the historically significant district of Fresh Ponds, and as an individual resource eligible for State and National historic registers listing. This element of the Master Plan also details the significant economic benefits of historic preservation.

The Master Plan also lists farmland preservation as one of its objectives. The RR Zone is so designated to “promote the preservation of farms and the rural character of these areas.” The township has gone further and established an Agricultural Development Area (ADA), certified by the Middlesex County Agricultural Development Board. The Plan’s Farmland Preservation Element lists the Van Dyke Farm as a parcel in the ADA. Note also that the Soil Survey of Middlesex County from the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, lists the majority of the Van Dyke Farm area, which contain Sassafras and Woodstown loams, as prime farmland. Farms provide distinct economic benefits as their requirement for town services is lower with approximately two thirds of the tax dollar being kept by the municipality. The Van Dyke Farm has been listed in the top 10 most desirable parcels for protection by the Township Open Space Committee. There is a tremendous need for farmland in Central New Jersey to grow crops for farm markets in Central and Northern Jersey. It makes sense to grow produce on top quality farmland close to where it will be consumed. Any other approach is unsound from an economic and quality of produce point of view.

The Conservation Plan Element and the section on Comparison with Other Planning Documents also provide important information on the Van Dyke Farm as a natural resource. The Van Dyke Farm lies in Planning Area 5, Environmentally Sensitive, in the New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan. This designation was achieved through a cross acceptance process with State and County staff. The township has reaffirmed its commitment to the PA5 designation for this parcel with their recent submission of
cross acceptance documents to the County. The PA5 planning area is designated to “protect natural systems and environmentally sensitive features by guiding development into centers” and “maintain open space networks, critical habitat and large contiguous tracts of land in the environs…” Fragmentation and disruption caused by warehouse development on the Van Dyke Parcel would be deleterious to existing agriculture, and destructive to an already stressed greenbelt. Such a disruption of that corridor is unacceptable to the LBWP. The Conservation Plan Element makes mention of two important points that address the environmental sensitivity of the Van Dyke Farm. First, a large portion of the parcel lies upon an area with the highest aquifer recharge. Aquifer recharge is a critical issue as the Township derives nearly one-half of its potable water from wells. Furthermore, much of the highest recharge areas of the Township are compromised by high impervious coverage. Second, westerly portions of the Van Dyke Parcel contain wetlands and are adjacent to Pigeon Swamp State Park. This area contains the headwaters of the Lawrence Brook, a potable water impoundment of the New Brunswick Water Utility, and, according to the Master Plan, “must be protected from pollution.” The DEP has determined the water quality to be currently “moderately impaired” in this portion of the watershed. It is not acceptable to add further degradation in this portion of the watershed. Lawrence Brook also requires groundwater recharge in terms of dry weather and drought in order to provide adequate base flow. Such type of development as proposed would put the waterway further at risk.

Recent reports in the press by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign predict an increase in truck traffic by the year 2020 to approximately three times the current volume on major roads in the area. The Township should consider what effect their own contribution will have to this problem and the resulting additional air pollution from trucks. Please note that Middlesex County has the second most polluted air in New Jersey, according to the NJDEP, and a major portion of this comes from locally generated sources. There is also a significant amount of warehousing in other parts of South Brunswick planned but not yet constructed, not yet in use, or about to become vacant. Why does the Township want to consider permitting more warehousing development in an area totally unsuited to such a purpose and when there is clearly a lack of demand for more warehousing? Besides its environmentally sensitive character and rural setting, the area has no rail linkages and road connections are of limited capacity. This type of development would change and maybe destroy the character of the area and does not take into consideration the desires of the residents of the area.

In light of the above, we support the South Brunswick Environmental Commission’s opposition to this proposed change of zoning and proposed development.

From review of the Master Plan of South Brunswick, it’s clear that there is no sound basis for the rezoning of this property for light industry. The LBWP considers farming as the highest and best use of this property, with open space as a distant second priority. We regard these as the only acceptable options for the Van Dyke Farm.

In closing, the Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership Inc. urges the Planning Board and the Council of South Brunswick Township to reject this proposal and take measures forthwith to permanently preserve the Van Dyke Farm and the rural nature of the area. We stand ready to assist the township in any way we are able, to produce this result.