Open Space Forever: 32-Acre Breton Woods Purchase Finalized In Brick

BRICK, NJ — "Save Breton Woods." That was the simple request of a petition started two years ago by Ryan Gittler-Muñiz, seeking to try to stop a 59-home development on a 32-acre wooded parcel in Brick Township.

The petition has been updated with a single word: Victory. On Wednesday, Brick Township and Ocean County finalized the $8.55 million purchase of the Breton Woods tract from developer D.R. Horton, to protect it permanently as open space.

"For the past two years, I haven't been able to enjoy Breton Woods without imagining what might be bulldozed and lost," Gittler-Muñiz said by email. "Today I’m ready to walk into the forest and breathe a deep sigh of relief!"

Brick Township paid $500,000 and received a $1.2 million grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection, and Ocean County contributed the remaining $6.84 million from the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund.

D.R. Horton, the developer that had planned to construct the 59-home development, accepted the negotiated offer, officials said.

"We had a lot of people step up from that community to create Save Breton Woods," Mayor Lisa Crate said Tuesday night at the Brick Township Council meeting, where she announced the purchase was closing on Wednesday.

"I'm very proud of you guys," she said to a group of the residents who formed Save Breton Woods. "I want to thank the county and state for helping us out."

"The concerns over the possible residential development of this property can now be formally laid to rest as the parcel will now forever remain open space," said Ocean County Commissioner Virginia E. Haines, liaison to the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund Advisory Committee. "We are very pleased that this purchase is now complete."

For the residents who fought to save the property, the finalization of the sale has brought a range of emotions.

"I am still astonished when I look at the woods and think what could have happened and what will now remain," Vicky Gianakos said. "I am so thankful that the scary part is over, so glad to have met all these amazing, compassionate, selfless folks, relieved ... it was exhausting!"

"But mostly delighted, she said. "I look out each morning, listen to the birds in our yard, enjoy watch the critters, and listen to the breeze through the leaves ... I thought that might be gone forever."

"The successful campaign feels like one of the greatest achievements of my life. It still is hard to believe it's being preserved," said Christina Weaver, who in addition to participating with Save Breton Woods is a member of the Brick Floodplain Management Planning Committee.

Crate said it was a collaboration of all of the entities, with everyone putting party politics aside — a fact highlighted by the Ocean County commissioners at their March 1 meeting when they approved the purchase — that made the purchase happen.

The 32-acre site consists of mature, upland, oak and pine forest. The NJDEP has identified the site as an area of special concern for the Eastern box turtle and it also serves as an important migratory bird habitat, county officials said.

"I'm anxious to get in there and get rid of the garbage and to foster the woods' existence going forward. It needs us just as much as we need it," Gianakos said.

Preservation of this tract also protects a groundwater recharge area and prevents further development and stormwater runoff which would impact the environmentally sensitive Metedeconk River and Barnegat Bay.

"Save Barnegat Bay is delighted to see this outcome for the community, wildlife, and our waterways," said Britta Forsberg, executive director of Save Barnegat Bay. "It’s wonderful to see so many people working together to do something good, especially in the face of such greed. We are especially grateful to the dedicated neighbors and officials in Brick as well as the County, Trust for Public Land and Green Acres. This is a win-win-win!!"

Brick Township is carving out 6 acres for a playground and a driveway, and that plan to subdivide the site is set to be presented to the township's Planning Board Wednesday night. The plan has received the approval of the Ocean County Planning Board.