The Monmouth County Board of Freeholders will purchase land in Howell and add the parcels to the Yellow Brook Tract.
According to the Monmouth County Park System website, the Yellow Brook Tract was established in 2000 with an initial purchase of 225 acres. The undeveloped property is wetland, woodland and wildlife habitat with potential for trail development.
During a meeting on April 7, the freeholders authorized the acquisition of the land on Merrick Road and on Yellowbrook Road from Manzo Business Ventures, LLC. There are six lots being purchased by the county, totaling 58.7 acres, according to a resolution.
According to the resolution, the Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners deemed it “necessary and advisable to acquire and preserve certain lands and property for county open space preservation, natural resources conservation and public park and recreation purposes.”
The freeholders said a formal offer of purchase in the amount of $765,000 has been accepted. The purchase is contingent upon a satisfactory title review and environmental review of the property.
The funds for the purchase are covered under the Monmouth County Open Space, Recreation, Floodplain Protection, Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.
The recreation commissioners recommended that the freeholders purchase the acreage and the freeholders acted on that recommendation. The funds are available in the 2020 budget, which was adopted by the board on April 7.
