Toms River officials voted unanimously Wednesday night to acquire about 4.3 acres of land split between two lots on Clifton Avenue and Batchelor Street, north of Washington Street in the southern portion of the township.
The governing body introduced an ordinance, as well as a companion bond ordinance, to purchase the properties at 554 Clifton Avenue, consisting of four acres, and the adjacent property at 525 Batchelor Street, consisting of 0.31 acres. The properties will be purchased by voluntary acquisition at $1,950,000. The properties are not being condemned nor taken under eminent domain laws.
A pending purchase consists of two properties, a 4-acre lot at 554 Clifton Avenue and a 0.3 acre lot at 525 Batchelor Street. (Photo: Shorebeat)
The council also passed a bond ordinance appropriating $2,000,000 to finance the sale.
According to county property records, the Clifton Avenue property is owned by a real estate firm based in New York, N.Y. and is located within the township’s R120 zone. It is improved with a single-family home that was built in 1910 and has fallen into disrepair. It was last sold in 1981.
The Batchelor Street property has the same owner, records showed, and is developed with one home built in 1971. It was acquired by its current owner in 2005. Likewise, it is located in the township’s R120 single-family home zone.
A pending purchase consists of two properties, a 4-acre lot at 554 Clifton Avenue and a 0.3 acre lot at 525 Batchelor Street. (Photo: Shorebeat)
A pending purchase consists of two properties, a 4-acre lot at 554 Clifton Avenue and a 0.3 acre lot at 525 Batchelor Street. (Photo: Shorebeat)
A pending purchase consists of two properties, a 4-acre lot at 554 Clifton Avenue and a 0.3 acre lot at 525 Batchelor Street. (Photo: Shorebeat)
Officials did not speculate on future plans – if any, besides preservation – for the property.
The purchase will be up for a public hearing followed by a second vote to adopt the purchase and financing of the property at the council’s next meeting, scheduled for Sept. 27, 2023 at 6 p.m.
