The joint purchase will preserve open space on Clementon Road.
At its Oct. 12 meeting, Berlin Borough Council passed the Simone Farm acquisition upon second reading.
The deal, which has been in motion for more than a year, is a joint purchase between the borough and the Berlin Farmer’s Market of a 24-acre parcel at 41 Clementon Road.
A property previously zoned as residential, the deal will prevent the construction of nearly 90 single-family homes.
The Berlin Farmer’s Market will acquire 10 acres, which will be zoned commercial.
The remaining 14 acres, owned by the borough, will be zoned as open space.
“This has to do with reducing some of the density within the town overall,” Mayor Jim Bilella said. “We didn’t feel that Clementon Road could support another 90 houses.”
The Berlin Farmer’s Market is granting an easement, allowing the construction of a trail that will connect the property to the county park.
The addition of space will enable the Farmer’s Market to get rid of unsightly trailers on the property.
The entire purchase will cost $2.5 million. The borough will spend approximately $1.7 million on their 14-acre portion. Mayor Bilella says property taxes will not increase.
This is the first use of the borough’s open space fund for acquisition of open space land since the fund was approved by voters in 2008.
In other news:
• Council approved a budget insertion of $1,865.87 into the 2017 budget for new bulletproof vests for the Berlin Police Department.
• Council awarded the soccer field pathway lighting project to ABS Electrical Inc. for $89,795.
• Throughout September, the Berlin Police Department handled 108 investigations, 17 drug arrests, 40 criminal arrests and 26 warrant arrests. As of September, 465 arrests have been made in the borough this year.
• For October, police concentrated on the “No Need to Speed” campaign along the length of Tansboro Road, South Franklin Avenue between Clementon Road and the soccer field, and the entire lengths of Rondon Avenue and Coleman Avenue.
• Council approved a resolution recognizing October as Camden County Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
• Upon citizens’ requests, Bilella is considering declaring September Lymphoma Awareness Month in the borough. Any residents who wish to get a proclamation for this cause, the mayor urges them to reach out to the borough hall.
• At the 7th annual Fall Fest, Bilella will make a proclamation officially declaring October as breast Cancer Awareness Month in the borough.
• Council recognized the recent passing of Marie Knott, the first woman to serve on Berlin Borough Council from 1987 to 2001.
