Preservation of farm in works

HOWELL — At no cost to the township, a $1 million land acquisition deal, when closed, will add 140 acres to Howell’s land preservation program.

Barry Lefkowitz, the township’s economic development consultant, announced that a deal brokered between Councilman George Pettignano and the Monmouth County Park System and Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commis-sioners is coming to fruition.

According to Pettignano, when the deal is consummated the expenditure of the county funds will put deed restrictions on the 140-acre Mozart farm on Birdsall Road that will prevent residential development from taking place.

Lefkowitz said there are a few minor details of family tenancy that have to be worked out before the deal can close.

According to Lefkowitz, he expects the property will be officially conveyed to Howell for open space preservation and passive recreation by early 2003. Lefko-witz said Pettignano pushed the county to purchase the property on behalf of the township.

Pettignano said he made the Mozart property a "priority project" once he became aware a developer "had its eye on the property."

"With a little luck and a lot of hard work we were able to make this happen," the councilman said.

Lefkowitz also credited state Sen. John O. Bennett and Spencer Wickham, chief of acquisition and design for the park system, as being instrumental in the acquisition of the property for Howell.

— Kathy Baratta