Monmouth County Planning Board Awards Dinner

Neptune Township Receives Two Honorable Mention Awards from the Monmouth County Planning Board Members of the Neptune Township Land Use Boards attended the 2011 Planning Award program and dinner hosted by the Monmouth County Planning Board on October 3, 2011 and were awarded honorable mention for two of their projects. "Rain Garden at Jumping Brook Road" was commmended by the Board for the creation of the educational, self-sustaining planted area which requires minimal maintenance. The garden reduces the runoff from the new baseball fields and filters stormwater runoff and pollutants that would normally enter into the drainage system in accordance with Monmouth County's Best Management Practice. The collaborative effort included Neptune's Environmental Commission, Department of Public Works and Engineering Department as well as the Jumping Brook Villas Garden Club and Rutgers Extension Service. A second garden, which will be adjacent to the current one, will soon be completed. "Schoolhouse Square Housing Development" also awarded honorable mention, is a 58 unit townhouse development in Neptune Township's Midtown neighborhood . Schoolhouse Square serves as key to the revitalization of an economically challenged area by helping to strengthen real estate values. The first 24 units were completed in March of 2011; the reminder will be completed by 2013. Units are priced to be affordable to families earning less than 80% of the area's median income. Twenty units will have income restrictions and 38 will be affordably priced without income restrictions. The project meets the 'smart growth goals' established by the state. Each unit is NJ Energy Star certified and uses high quality modular construction.