Womack defends rezoning of farm
Mayor and group
of residents question each other’s motives
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

Francis “Mac” Womack

The North Brunswick mayor has extended a hand to a residents’ organization hoping to preserve the Pulda farm as open space.

Mayor Francis "Mac" Womack held a press conference Monday to address issues raised by North Brunswick Residents Against High Density Housing (NBRAHDH) and the Web site www.savethepuldafarm.org.

"It appears the organization’s goal is to preserve the Pulda farm as open space," Womack said.

He said the Web site "reflects a change in focus" of what the same residents said at public meetings about the rezoning of the property.

FILE PHOTOS Advocates of preserving the 70-acre Pulda farm, off Old Georges Road, say it is a pristine piece of lakefront property with prime farming soil and historical structures.

The Township Council voted on Aug. 2 to rezone the Pulda farm from R-1, which would provide for the construction of single-family homes on 20,000-square-foot lots, to PAC for a planned adult community.

"Some residents opposed the rezoning," Womack said. "They believed the character of the area would be better maintained if a development of very expensive single-family homes was constructed on the Pulda farm."

If NBRAHDH has a "realistic plan" for keeping the Pulda farm as open space, Womack said the township would cooperate with them and work to acquire the land.

"We are ready and willing to entertain any ideas or proposals with the exception of eminent domain – condemnation," Womack said.

NBRAHDH member Ben Galioto said, "It is disappointing Mayor Womack would hold a press conference where he pretended to want to speak with representatives from NBRAHDH, but never even invited any residents to the meeting."

Galioto alleged the mayor knew how to contact members of the NBRAHDH "since the Web site received hits from the North Brunswick Township Municipal Building several times on Monday."

Womack said members of his administration did take a look at the Web site to see what the group’s mission was.

"If the goal of NBRAHDH is to sue the township to obtain a court ruling that compels a single-family home development rather than a planned adult community, then I ask that its spokesmen be clear on this point," Womack said.

Womack said without clarification, people might wrongly believe their money contributions will go to trying to preserve the land as open space, when the group’s primary objective is to favor single-family home development over a planned adult community.

"This may all be based on the assumption that property values of a few surrounding homes will increase if the developer is allowed to build mansions rather than a planned adult community," Womack said.

Galioto said the mayor should not question the motives or credibility of NBRAHDH.

"We would ideally like to preserve the Pulda farm as open space," Galioto said.

Galioto said he questions the mayor’s motives and credibility.

"He claims to have not accepted any campaign funds from developers," Galioto said. "However, the money in the Middlesex County Democratic Organization’s political action committee, which he drew from to fund his campaign, contains many contributions from developers."

New Direction Through Responsible Leadership, a political action committee in Red Bank formed by former Democratic Sen. John Lynch, contributed money to Womack’s campaign for mayor last year, according to New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) reports.

Among the developers that contributed money to the political action committee is Jack Morris of Piscataway-based Edgewood Properties, the company that is the contract purchaser of the Pulda farm.

"The reality of the situation is that the integrity of Mayor Womack is in question," Galioto said. "The mayor made the decision to allow the development of high-density housing so the developer could maximize his profits."

Womack said the rezoning was not the result of campaign contributions made by Morris at the county level. The township has tried for years to purchase the Pulda farm from the Pulda family, he said.

"The Puldas never entertained many of the township’s advances," Womack said.

In addition, the township sought to employ Farmland Preservation Fund and other land trust mechanisms to sallow the land to remain as a farm.

"None of these offers were ever entertained by the Puldas," Womack said. "Sometime last year the family entered into a contract with Edgewood Properties to sell the property."

Womack said representatives of the township met with representatives from Edgewood Properties. Jack Morris, a principle of the company, told members of the township’s Open Space Committee that he would only sell the farm for an amount of money he would make in developing it.

Womack did not give a specific figure, but said Morris alluded to a price between $35 and $50 million.

Womack said Green Acres funding from the state would assist in purchasing the property.

"However, the new owner will not sell the farm at a price the town would be legally permitted to pay," Womack said.

Womack said the Pulda farm remains on the township’s open space inventory.

"We are always hopeful that the county would step in and help us purchase the farm," he said. "Every member of the coun­cil has expressed a desire to acquire the farm for open space, but Mr. Pulda will not sell the township the farm."

The Planning Board and council, Womack said, believed a planned adult community on the Pulda farm would best serve the township.

"The PAC represents a housing stock that currently does not exist in North Brunswick," Womack said. "Additionally, the quality of life impact of a planned adult community is believed to be less than that, which would result from a development of single-family homes."

Womack said the planned adult com­munity would not put new children in the schools and would not increase the school property taxes.

"The benefit of property taxes paid by homeowners in the PAC would be spread to all homeowners in the township, without requiring additional taxes for education," Womack said.

Another benefit over single-family homes, Womack said, is that a PAC would generate less actual traffic impact during peak travel hours on the community’s sur­rounding roadways.

Womack said, "The best argument for the community is the fact that North Brunswick seniors who can afford to pur­chase homes in the PAC ought to have the opportunity to remain in North Brunswick."

Galioto said he is not against the devel­opment of more senior housing in the township, but he is against building it on the lakefront property.

Members of the NBRAHDH want the township to exhaust every effort in trying to preserve the Pulda farm as open space. The organization has already raised $10,000 and has retained an attorney, he said.

"We must raise another $10,000 to sup­port this legal action," Galioto said. "It is crucial that we move forward and do not let them defeat us."