Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Natural Lands Trust topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council discusses Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund ballot question; places support resolution on regular agenda
Summary
Council reviewed a county proposal to put a Natural Lands Trust Fund rate increase on the ballot and clarified the borough resolution would merely authorize placement of the public question; members flagged concerns about qualifying parcels and potential impact on housing.
At the Aug. 6 work session, council members discussed an Ocean County ballot question to increase the Natural Lands Trust Fund rate and considered a borough resolution to place the public question on the upcoming ballot. Council members and staff said the town’s resolution would authorize the question’s inclusion on ballots rather than unilaterally increasing the tax rate.
A council member asked for clarification whether the resolution signaled support for the specific increase or only for putting the matter to voters. “Is this then just the resolution is just authorizing that we would support it to be a public ballot question, not that we're supporting necessarily the increase…?” the council member asked. Members also raised concerns about which lands might qualify for purchase under the program and whether acquisitions could affect low‑income housing sites; the item was placed on the regular meeting agenda as a resolution for consideration.
