READINGTON -- Voters easily handed the Township Committee a major victory Tuesday when they approved the $22 million bond it needs to deed restrict Solberg-Hunterdon Airport and purchase more than 600 acres of open space that surround it.

The vote was 3,470 in favor of the bond to 2,775 against the bond.

"Today’s vote is a clear endorsement of the Township Committee’s continuing commitment to preserve Readington open space, natural resources and community character," Mayor Gerard Shamey said after the votes were tallied.

The mayor also was optimistic about a positive outcome of negotiations with the Solberg family.

"Immediately prior to the referendum, Thor Solberg indicated a willingness to preserve the current runway length in perpetuity," Shamey said in a prepared statement. "This vote ensures that we have the financial resources available to enter into just such negotiations. If the Solbergs assume the same posture regarding no development that they did during their campaign leading up to the referendum, then I’m very hopeful we can come to an agreement."

The vote means the Township Committee will soon re-enter negotiations with the airport’s owners -- siblings Thor and Lorraine Solberg and Suzanne Solberg-Nagle.

The purpose of the bond, township officials have said, is to prevent the 726-acre airport from expanding to accommodate larger planes and jet traffic. Currently, the airport, located on Thor Solberg Road, is used for general-use aviation and a host of community events, including the annual Quick Chek Festival of Ballooning.

But township officials have contended the airport’s master plan and conditionally approved layout plan, which show an expansion of the airport’s main runway from 3,735 feet to 4,890 feet, are extremely close to becoming a reality -- a reality they believe would depreciate neighboring property values, hurt residents’ quality of life and raise municipal infrastructure costs.

The township and its aviation consultant have said an expansion of the main runway beyond 4,000 feet makes it able to accommodate jet traffic.

The township has argued that unless the property is deed-restricted or municipally owned, the Solberg family could be in a position to apply for a federally funded expansion in as little as a year.

The Solberg family, who maintain that the airport is not for sale, were adamant in their opposition to the bond, saying they believe its ultimate purpose is to put the township in a position to condemn and seize the airport through eminent domain.

Most recently, Thor Solberg said his family would be willing to deed restrict the airport to calm residents’ concerns that an expansion is imminent. Solberg said that ideally, the family would be able to acquire funding for a deed restriction without having to use taxpayer dollars.

The Township Committee unanimously passed the $22 million bond in February after months of unsuccessful negotiations with the Solberg family over the future of the airport.

A petition was subsequently circulated to residents to force a special election on the township’s use of the bond. The cost of the $22 million bond to taxpayers depends on whether the township can obtain a state Green Acres grant and a low-interest loan from the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust. The township has applied for a $9.3 million loan and hopes another $9 million in grants can be obtained for the purchase.

With the anticipated funding, the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $400,000 would pay $60 more a year in property taxes, officials have said. Without the grant, property taxes would go up $55 a year for the first three years, then $165 a year for the next 20 years.

Township Committee member Julia Allen said the township’s commissioned appraisal of the property should be completed in about a month.

Christa Segalini can be reached at (908) 782-2300 or csegalini@c-n.com.

from the Courier News website www.c-n.com

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Date: May 17, 2006 Source: C-N.com — Courier News Online
URL: http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060517/NEWS/605170347/-1/NEWS06