Three host towns seek fort land for open space
Oceanport, Eatontown, Tinton Falls ask gov't for 350 acres
BY CHRISTINE VARNO
Staff Writers

FILE PHOTO Despite public protest, the Pentagon has decided to close Fort Monmouth, with the closing scheduled for 2011.

The three boroughs that host Fort Monmouth have joined forces to advocate for preserving open space and recreational areas at the fort when it closes.

Oceanport, Eatontown and Tinton Falls have passed resolutions asking the federal government to convey some 350 acres of fort property that are situated within their borders.

At the Dec. 21 Oceanport municipal meeting, the council adopted a resolution to enter into a memorandum of agreement with Eatontown and Tinton Falls for the purpose of acquiring federal property at the fort.

"We want the open space," said Mayor Lucille Chaump in an interview after the meeting.

"The facilities are something we are going to use. People in the three towns do use it.

"It is part of the public benefit," she added.

The three boroughs are seeking to acquire four parcels of land, totaling just over 350 acres, on Fort Monmouth property.

Eatontown Mayor Gerald Tarantolo said last week that Monmouth County is the lead agent for the land request, and that the next step is for the mayors of the three municipalities and a representative from the county to sign a memorandum of agreement that will be handed over to the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority (FMERPA).

"Copies will be sent to the Department of the Interior and the Department of the Army," he said. "The memorandum will indicate the intent of the agreement."

Tarantolo said that the hope is to obtain the property through a public benefit conveyance.

"Hopefully," he said, "we could obtain the property for less than market value. Hopefully we could get it for a nominal amount, for a dollar or so."

Tarantolo said that this is the usual process for counties and municipalities that seek out portions of surplus military property for public use.

"[The memorandum of agreement] is not finalized," he said, "but it's getting close."

Tarantolo said that one of the portions of the property has been used by Eatontown in the past for its annual Fourth of July fireworks display.

"I would love to have that maintained," he said.

FMERPA will have the final say in the conveyance of the land to the municipalities when it announces its plan for the future of Fort Monmouth.

"Hopefully the plan will reflect our intent," said Tarantolo.

He said that Eatontown went through a similar process when it submitted a request to FMERPA to obtain a building on the Fort Monmouth property for future use as the Eatontown municipal building.

Tinton Falls passed the resolution asking that the federal government set aside open space at a Dec. 19 meeting.

Mayor Peter Maclearie said, "It is our understanding that we should go at this jointly rather that as individual towns. We are willing to support the approach that the three towns should work in concert with the Monmouth County Park System in a joint effort to acquire these properties."

Maclearie said that borough officials take the view that open space benefits Tinton Falls.

"We would like to see as much of it remain open space/recreation as we can. The property at Fort Monmouth that is undeveloped today should remain in that state, he said, adding that it doesn't all have to be developed.

"There are some natural wetlands in there. It would be nice to have some green areas for passive recreation, too."

Parcel A of the open space lies in Tinton Falls and contains a gymnasium, an outdoor swimming pool and a picnic area, according to Chaump.

Oceanport and Eatontown share parcel B, which contains a marina, a fitness center with an indoor pool, a football complex with a track, a community center, two picnic areas, a central parade ground, Oceanport Creek, Huskey Brook and Huskey Brook Lake.

Parcels C and D lie in Eatontown and consist of a 20-lane bowling center, an 18-hole golf course and a banquet facility, according to Chaump.

"The resolution is just so all three towns are on board," Chaump said, adding, "A formal application to acquire the properties will follow. We have until March 8 to file."

According to the resolution, FMERPA published a notice of availability of the surplus federal property at the U.S. Army Fort Monmouth.

"Publicly funded park, recreation and open space within Fort Monmouth have served Monmouth County residents who were contract employees, civilian employees and retired military," the Oceanport resolution states.

It continues, "The elimination of these facilities upon closure of the base would result in a net loss of park and recreation services to the residents of the boroughs of Eatontown, Oceanport and Tinton Falls and other communities within the County of Monmouth."

Chaump said the mayors of the three towns have been talking about acquiring the properties since August.

If the land is acquired, Chaump said plans for maintaining and overseeing the park and recreational areas are still in its initial phases.

"We are only in the talking stages," Chaump said, "But discussions have included possibly establishing a Fort Monmouth Commission.

"We just haven't gotten that far yet," she said.

- Layli Whyte and Linda DeNicola also contributed to this article.