Development looms in golf club’s future

BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

UPPER FREEHOLD — The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders will not purchase the Cream Ridge Golf Club (CRGC) as open space.

The owners of the golf course, including Deputy Mayor William Miscoski, may now pursue development of the approximately 130-acre golf course located on Route 539 near the intersection of Sharon Station Road.

Miscoski said his mother, Ellen Miscoski, will also sell her 57-acre farm — which is adjacent to the golf course — as part of any development deal.

James Truncer, director of the Monmouth County Board of Recreation Commissioners, said the county does not have the money to buy the golf course.

Last week, the Monmouth County Freeholders passed a bond ordinance for $31.5 million to fund the acquisition of several properties, most of which are in the Middletown area.

According to Truncer, who discussed preservation with the Miscoski family, the board had a lot of projects that needed funding but could not recommend funding for the CRGC.

Freeholder William Barham said the county is trying to preserve open space, “but we can’t afford to preserve every piece.”

The Monmouth County Park System (MCPS) currently operates six golf courses: Bel-Aire in Wall Township, Charleston Springs in Millstone, Hominy Hill in Colts Necks, Howell Park in Howell, Pine Brook in Manalapan and Shark River in Neptune.

Miscoski, who owns the property with several other family members, said he was not happy that Truncer told the freeholders that his family was unwilling to preserve the land using an installment purchase agreement (IPA). He said his family had been willing to consider this option.

Truncer said IPAs are used in Burlington County, but have never been used in Monmouth County. He said an IPA is a valuable tool especially when the land has been owned for a long time, when it has a low-cost basis and when its seller is looking for income long term.

“It has to meet needs,” Truncer said. “It’s not a magic bullet.”

Earlier this year, Truncer sent a letter to Township Administrator Barbara Bascom indicating interest in preserving the CRGC. In the letter, Truncer noted that “the location of this site is at the gateway to existing county parklands at Walnford, and its open space and public recreation values make this property of particular interest to the county for preservation.”

The letter, which acknowledged that the owners have received proposals for possible residential development of the site, states, “We would like to work with the owners and the township to acquire the development rights on this property to permanently preserve it for our present and future generations.”

Miscoski said he and his family have exhausted every avenue of preservation for their land.

“We were willing to take much less money [to preserve it],” he said. “Now we are forced to speak to developers.”

While the property is not yet under contract, Miscoski said family members do not want any more delays in selling the land. Miscoski is one of seven family members with an interest in the property. He added that the county has put them in the position of having to sell, as they must compete with six county-owned courses and three courses owned by nearby Mercer County.

At the May 19 Township Committee meeting, Mayor Sal Diecidue said he had spoken to Assemblyman Ron Dancer and the secretary of the State Agricultural Development Committee (SADC), and “just about pleaded for any assistance” possible for preserving the CRGC. He said he was given the names of a few people to speak to, and that the committee would follow up.