Post by admin on Mar 16, 2009 4:54:38 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2009/0311/front_page/020.html
Town wants close look at land
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — Municipal officials may want to take a closer look at a vacant property on Throckmorton Street.
At a recent meeting, members of the Borough Council discussed the possibility of acquiring grants in order to study the Colaner property for possible contamination.
The half-acre property is on the section of Throckmorton Street between West Main and South streets.
Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina said officials are in the process of applying for grants that would be used to fund an investigation.
The Colaner property, which was once the location of a radiator repair shop, is now an empty lot. Bellina said a building was abandoned after the owner died several years ago and the family was not claiming any ownership or responsibility for the property.
He said the building was deemed an unsafe structure by municipal officials and was demolished at a cost of about $10,000. Bellina said Freehold Borough and other entities have liens on the property.
"We don't want the parcel to sit abandoned for too long. It's right in the middle of town," the administrator said.
Bellina said the process to discover if there is ground contamination would have three steps.
The first step would be a preliminary assessment of the site during which investigators would take a look at records and tax maps if someone believes there is possible contamination. The second step would be a site investigation and testing of the property. The third step would be a remedial investigation to determine the scope of the problem.
At some point remediation of the contamination could be required in order to secure a "no further action" letter from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
"Grants will pay for steps one, two and three," Bellina explained. "If the site is to be used for recreation or conservation, then the state will pay for 75 percent of the remediation (costs). If it will be used for affordable housing, the state will pay 50 percent."
Although Bellina did not specify what the Colaner property might be used for after an investigation and (if necessary) a cleanup, he did state that Freehold Borough will not be building affordable housing on the site.
Town wants close look at land
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — Municipal officials may want to take a closer look at a vacant property on Throckmorton Street.
At a recent meeting, members of the Borough Council discussed the possibility of acquiring grants in order to study the Colaner property for possible contamination.
The half-acre property is on the section of Throckmorton Street between West Main and South streets.
Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina said officials are in the process of applying for grants that would be used to fund an investigation.
The Colaner property, which was once the location of a radiator repair shop, is now an empty lot. Bellina said a building was abandoned after the owner died several years ago and the family was not claiming any ownership or responsibility for the property.
He said the building was deemed an unsafe structure by municipal officials and was demolished at a cost of about $10,000. Bellina said Freehold Borough and other entities have liens on the property.
"We don't want the parcel to sit abandoned for too long. It's right in the middle of town," the administrator said.
Bellina said the process to discover if there is ground contamination would have three steps.
The first step would be a preliminary assessment of the site during which investigators would take a look at records and tax maps if someone believes there is possible contamination. The second step would be a site investigation and testing of the property. The third step would be a remedial investigation to determine the scope of the problem.
At some point remediation of the contamination could be required in order to secure a "no further action" letter from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
"Grants will pay for steps one, two and three," Bellina explained. "If the site is to be used for recreation or conservation, then the state will pay for 75 percent of the remediation (costs). If it will be used for affordable housing, the state will pay 50 percent."
Although Bellina did not specify what the Colaner property might be used for after an investigation and (if necessary) a cleanup, he did state that Freehold Borough will not be building affordable housing on the site.
