Moorestown To Explore Options For Farmland On Westfield Road

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Farming will not continue at two locations on Westfield Road for the next year while Moorestown discusses what can be done with the land.

Residents have expressed concern with the use of chemicals by farmers at Swedes Run Farm, which is near the dog park on Westfield Road, officials said during Monday night’s council meeting at town hall.

The 90-acre farm and a 13.74-acre farm formerly known as Winter Farm just down the street were both purchased using state Green Acres funding. However, that funding is generally set aside for open space, and the state would like to see the funding discontinued for that use, according to officials.

“Green Acres doesn’t like the land being farmed, but they permitted it,” Moorestown Township Manager Tom Merchel said.

The properties were purchased between 2001 and 2003, Merchel said. In addition to the dog park, there are walking paths in the area. Parents walking their children in strollers in the area are concerned when they see farmers using chemicals, Merchel said.

The lease expired in 2017, but the township has allowed the farmers to remain there for the existing price. Merchel has spoken with the farmers, and said they understood the lease wasn’t a long-term lease, Mayor Nicole Gillespie said.

The township will soon come into possession of 13 acres of land by the Burlington County Agricultural Center, and the township has to decide what it will do with all the land.

Council is referring the issue to its various committees, and will decide in about a year what to do with the land.

During the workshop portion of Monday night’s meeting, the township also discussed 1245 North Church Street, which the township purchased back in 2018 for use by the police department. At first the township only purchased one building, but it then decided to assume the lease from the neighboring tenant for $5,000. The current lease expires in February, but the township has decided to extend it two months at the existing rate while the current owners move. That will be done by resolution at a future meeting.

Council also discussed the attendance policy for volunteer boards and committees. Councilwoman Lisa Petriello proposed including a space in the minutes for attendance. Councilwoman Victoria Napolitano said each committee has its own method for keeping minutes, and that process should be streamlined.

The discussion came after Councilman Mike Locatell previously said d his attendance for the committee he is a liaison to was wrong for 2019. He questioned the validity of the numbers and said it shouldn’t be automatic when it comes to using them to remove members from committees.

Attendance and qualifications are taken into consideration when deciding on who should continue to serve on boards and committees at the beginning of the year, which was a point of contention at this year’s reorganization meeting. No official decision was made Monday night.

Editor's Note: A previous version of the story said farming will continue for the next year while the township decides what to do with the land. Farming will actually not continue during this period.