Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Open Space Acquisition topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Princeton council approves purchase of 24.85-acre Cherry Valley parcel to expand connected open space
Summary
After a public hearing with broad support from conservation groups, schools and students, Princeton's mayor and council voted to acquire roughly 24.85 acres on Cherry Valley Road to link nearby preserved forests, protect wetlands and expand outdoor classroom access.
The Princeton mayor and council voted March 10 to acquire 24.85 acres of vacant land on Cherry Valley Road (660 and 680 Cherry Valley Road; Block 102, Lots 10 and 11.01), a move supporters said will connect existing preserved parcels, protect wetlands and provide school access to an expanded "emerald necklace" of green space.
Council members moved and seconded the ordinance and, after a public hearing that drew conservation organizations, Princeton Academy representatives, and student volunteers, the council carried the item by roll call.
Supporters at the hearing described the parcel as a key connector. Wendy Maker, president of Friends of Princeton Open Space, said the lots would link the 53-acre parcel on Province Line, Princeton Academy's recently preserved land, Woodfield Reservation and the Great Road, and that Department of Environmental Protection mapping marks Lot 10 as core habitat and Lot 11.01 as core area and high-ranked wildlife corridors. "These lots are very important to wildlife," Maker said.
Mark Sullivan, representing Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart, said the school will grant an easement along the property's west side and plans to use the forest as classroom space and to welcome other schools and the public. Several high school students and Ridgeview Conservancy volunteers described hands-on educational use: Aleif Cam, a Princeton High School junior and Ridgeview Turtles leader, told council the parcel will make a 153-acre forest accessible to the entire town and cited the area's habitat value for species including the wood turtle and barred owl.
Patricia Shanley, a Ridgeview Conservancy leader, described the property as "an older, intact forest" with wetlands and a stream that she said functions as a natural climate-resilience asset. Rob Tangen and other longtime volunteers said the parcel fills a critical gap in Princeton's master-plan greenway loop.
Mayor Mark Frieda and several council members thanked the public speakers and moved to a vote. The motion passed on a roll call with council members present voting yes.
The council and speakers noted multiple funding partners and conservation organizations involved in preserving the surrounding lands: New Jersey Green Acres, Mercer County, New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Bridgeview Conservancy and local donors, along with municipal open-space funds. Princeton Academy will provide—and the council said it expects to formalize—an easement to connect school property trails to the newly preserved parcel.
The council took no additional directive at the meeting; staff and partners will handle closing, easements and implementation details. The acquisition was described repeatedly by speakers as both a wildlife habitat and public-access enhancement with educational uses for Princeton schools and youth volunteers.
