Program Summary 1999-2013
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BERGEN COUNTY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION, FLOODPLAIN PROTECTION, FARMLAND & HISTORIC PRESERVATION TRUST FUND An alphabetical listing of grant awards from the Trust Fund Programs from 1999 through 2013. PROGRAM SUMMARY 1999-2013 July 2014 BERGEN COUNTY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION, FLOODPLAIN PROTECTION, FARMLAND & HISTORIC PRESERVATION TRUST FUND Open Space, Recreation, Floodplain Protection, Farmland & Historic Preservation Trust Fund Under State Law, the Board of Chosen Freeholders needed voter approval to create and fund such a trust. The County of Bergen recognized the merits of a trust and, on November 3, 1998, placed a public question on the ballot to determine whether the County should establish such a trust fund. The ballot question was approved by a two-to-one majority of those who voted. The vote of approval allowed the Freeholder Board to establish a trust fund, which they did via Resolution #1853 on November 24, 1998, entitled the Bergen County Open Space, Recreation, Farmland & Historic Preservation Trust Fund (hereinafter “Trust Fund”). Bergen County’s Trust Fund had an initial life span of 5 years, ending in 2003. Based on the success of this initial effort, the County of Bergen sought to re-authorize the Trust Fund, via a public question to the electorate on the ballot of November 4, 2003. The ballot question was approved by a two-to-one majority of those who voted. The vote of approval allowed the Freeholder Board to re-authorize and modify the Trust Fund, which they did via Resolution #1753 on December 17, 2003, which took effect in 2004. The Trust Fund is divided into two separate programs, each having its own distinct goals and objectives. The County Program uses Trust Fund dollars on a countywide basis for the following: 1. acquisition of land for conservation or recreation purposes; 2. development and redevelopment of land existing or acquired for recreational and/or conservation purposes; 3. beginning in 2014, the acquisition of flood-prone properties along waterways for floodplain protection via open space conservation/restoration; 4. acquisition of agricultural lands for farmland preservation purposes; and, 5. historic preservation activities such as acquisition or upgrade. Those that are eligible to apply to the County Program include: County agencies, local municipalities, and non-profit corporations with Qualified Charitable Conservancies under tax section 501(c). The second program of the Trust Fund is the Municipal Park Improvement and Land Acquisition Program. Each of Bergen County’s 70 municipalities is eligible to apply to this program in order to acquire land for recreation or conservation purposes and to improve their municipal open space and recreational facilities. This program is designed to supplement municipal efforts and does not serve as a full funding resource. In September of 2011, the state’s Trust Fund Law was amended to include an additional purpose to acquire flood-prone properties, otherwise known as “Blue Acres Projects.” Based upon this amendment, the County of Bergen sought the approval of the voters, via a 2013 ballot question, to add this new program category. The ballot question was approved by nearly a two-to-one majority of those who voted. The vote of approval allowed the Freeholder Board to amend the Trust Fund, which they did via Resolution # 1762-13 on December 18, 2013, and to rename the program the “Bergen County Open Space, Recreation, Floodplain Protection, Farmland & Historic Preservation Trust Fund. “ July 2014 1 BERGEN COUNTY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION, FLOODPLAIN PROTECTION, FARMLAND & HISTORIC PRESERVATION TRUST FUND Trust Fund 1999-2003 During its first five years, 1999-2003, the Trust Fund was financed through a property tax assessment authorized annually be the county’s governing body at a rate not exceeding one-half cent per $100 of total county equalized real property valuation. It was also funded through the issuance of county indebtedness in an amount not to exceed $20 million during the five-year period. All Trust Fund money was allocated to the Trust Fund Programs as follows: 75% to the County Program and 25% to the Municipal Program. In these first five years of operation (1999-2003), the Trust Fund collected $23,238,929 through the dedicated property tax assessment and authorized $19,343,558 in County capital bonding. Trust Fund 2004-Present Beginning in 2004, the Board of Freeholders instituted the following changes in the Trust Fund via Resolution #1753 on December 17, 2003, which resulted from the passage of the referendum question in November 2003: property tax assessment authorized annually by the county’s governing body is at a rate not to exceed one cent per $100 of total county equalized real property valuation; elimination of dedicated county capital bonding; allocation of Trust Fund money is to be 70% to the County Program and 30% to the Municipal Program; and elimination of a sunset provision for the Trust Fund’s operation. Trust Fund Open Space Tax 1999-2014 YEAR TAX COLLECTED This chart and graph illustrate the amount of open space tax collected in each year 1999-2013. The Board of Chosen Freeholders set the open space tax assessment rates per $100 of total county equalized real property 1999 $ 3,614,280 valuation as follows: 2000 $ 4,268,955 2001 $ 4,726,655 • 1999-2003 at ½ of 1 cent (An additional $20 million in County bonding was also available in years 2002 $ 5,249,107 1999-2003.) 2003 $ 5,737,688 • 2004-2009 at 1 full cent 2004 $ 12,160,170 • 2010-2013 at ¼ of 1 2005 $ 13,646,599 cent 2006 $ 15,398,469 The Board of Chosen 2007 $ 17,286,350 Freeholders set the 2014 open 2008 $ 18,276,751 space tax assessment rate at ¼ 2009 $ 18,758,007 of 1 cent. 2010 $ 4,585,302 2011 $ 4,331,463 2012 $ 4,218,700 2013 $ 4,135,912 $ 136,394,408 July 2014 2 BERGEN COUNTY OPEN SPACE, RECREATION, FLOODPLAIN PROTECTION, FARMLAND & HISTORIC PRESERVATION TRUST FUND Trust Fund Grant Award Totals Through the 2013 funding round, the Board of Chosen Freeholders have provided grants to 902 project totaling almost $140.5 million to a variety of projects located throughout all of Bergen County. The list of grant awards begins on the following pages. The graph below shows project grant awards approved by funding year. The Trust Fund Public Advisory Committee The Trust Fund Public Advisory Committee consists of 15 members appointed by the County Executive and approved by the Board of Chosen Freeholders, who participate in the project review process by making final project recommendations for selection and funding. Members of the Trust Fund Public Advisory Committee are representatives from county government, municipal government, environmental organizations, and members of the public.