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Pinelands Commission moves into closed session as staff reviews single $3M conservation grant application
Summary
Commission staff said $3,000,000 is available through the Pinelands Conservation Fund and reported one application from the New Jersey Conservation Foundation; the body moved into closed session to consider staff recommendations and protect negotiations with the property owner.
The Pinelands Commission moved into closed session on Oct. 31 after staff said the Pinelands Conservation Fund (PCF) has $3,000,000 available for FY2025 acquisition grants and staff received a single application for a Burlington County project.
Amber Mel, identified in the meeting as a planning specialist in Lindy's grama office, told commissioners that the $3,000,000 allocation—provided by the South Jersey Transportation Authority—was intended for permanent land-protection acquisition projects and that staff had posted the application and evaluation matrix on the commission website. "We have $3,000,000 to to grant," Mel said.
Mel summarized the grant's application and scoring requirements: projects must be located in designated acquisition areas in the Highlands management area; applications were due Sept. 19, 2025; submissions must include an appraisal and a letter from the landowner showing willingness to sell; and projects are scored on location, presence of threatened or endangered species and habitat quality, parcel size, and continuity with preserved lands. She also said staff evaluates proposed maintenance and stewardship plans and considers environmental-justice indicators using "NGDP criteria." Mel said the commission requires a minimum 66.7% partner acquisition contribution so PCF covers 33% of acquisition costs, and that applicants proposing a larger match receive higher scores.
Mel told the commission that staff had reviewed and scored the only application and that "the staff recommendation and discussion will be held during closed session tonight" to protect negotiations between the property owner and the applicant.
During a brief discussion before the closed session motion, commissioners and staff noted that municipalities, counties and nonprofits sometimes have interest and funds but lack capacity or the will to hold property, and that small nonprofits may struggle to manage negotiations because they rely on volunteers. One participant said, "And it's just hard for volunteers to do that."
Before the commission went into closed session, the body approved adoption of the minutes from the earlier meeting and then voted to enter closed session. The transcript records the motion and a recorded "Aye" on the closed-session motion; no roll-call vote tally with names was provided in the public portion of the record.
The commission did not announce the staff recommendation or any final action during the public portion of the meeting. The meeting was paused on YouTube and Zoom for the closed session; staff indicated the public video would resume after the closed session adjourned.
