Part of the nearly 12 acres of Flying Feather Farm land on Garwood Road in Moorestown being preserved as open space. The home on the right, owned by Christine Renee Vesaki of Flying Feather, was not included.Â
An ordinance to purchase nearly 12 acres of the Flying Feather Farm in Moorestown to preserve as open space was approved unanimously on Monday night by the Township Council.
The Council also approved an ordinance to borrow $948,100 in bonds or notes to finance the $998,000 acquisition of the property at 621 Garwood Road owned by Christine Renee Vesaki, who also owns the home next to the property. The land is at the corner of Garwood and Westfield roads and next to an area already preserved as open space by the Township.
Since 1954, Vesaki's family has operated the Flying Feather Farm, which still owns nearby farmland.
"When you think about what the real estate market looks like in this environment, the fact that we have been able to save land from development is remarkable," Council member David Zipin said before the vote. "There is development happening that is going to be beyond the Township's control."
The property acquisition has been in the works for years and Council member Jake Van Dyken, who said the purchase brings him "a lot of joy," recalled the Garwood Road purchase was before the Open Space Advisory Committee when he was a member.
Mayor Nicole Gillespie said: "That family could have very easily sold to developers. It is zoned for residential use. They could have made a lot more money. They sold it to the township for what I think is a reasonable price."
A straight-on view of some of the nearly 12 acres that will be preserved as open space on Garwood Road in Moorestown.
The land, subdivided by the Planning Board, was a recommended acquisition by the Open Space Advisory Committee, according to the ordinance.Â
"The property is being acquired for open space purposes and will be subject to recorded restrictions that will prohibit the development of the property for any other purpose," the acquisition ordinance states.
"It's a great accomplishment and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts," said Barbara Rich, of East Central Avenue, who was the only member of the public to speak at the Monday night hearing on the open-space acquisition.
The yellow border approximates the 11.53 acres of open space that Moorestown Township will purchase. The land to the west of the site already is owned by Moorestown and preserved as open space. The site is across Garwood Road from the CareOne at Moorestown senior facility.
