(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats Gary S. Schaer (D-Bergen/Passaic) and Eliana Pintor-Marin (D-Essex) to specify that county and municipal open space trust funds may be used to demolish structures and remove debris from lands that are being acquired for recreation and conservation purposes has been signed into law.
“There seemed to be some confusion about how local governments are able to use these funds,” said Schaer. “It was necessary to eliminate any erroneous interpretations that can limit local preservation and revitalization efforts. This clarification will help to breathe new life into our urban areas, where there are lands with lots of debris and dilapidated structures that would have to be cleared before they could be used for recreation or beautification.”
“If the purpose of these funds is not clear, it can hurt local governments who want to protect certain lands from development,” said Pintor-Marin. “By making it clear that demolition and debris removal are included, we will help counties and municipalities run these preservation programs more efficiently and prevent misinterpretations that can delay conservation projects.”
Under former law, counties and municipalities were authorized to establish county and municipal open space trust funds. One of the allowable uses for these funds is the acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes. The new law (A-1645) specifies that “acquisition” includes the demolition of structures on these lands, the removal of debris from these lands and restoration of these lands to a natural state or to a state useful for recreation and conservation purposes.
