Holmdel To Vote On Action To Restrict Development At DePalma Farms & Greenhouses

HOLMDEL, NJ — The Holmdel Township Committee has announced its intention to take formal action to prevent development at DePalma Farms & Greenhouses at their next township committee meeting, following calls for action on the farm's lease renewal.

The resolution (which can be found here) will be discussed and voted on at the town's June 13 committee meeting, which is set to begin at 10 a.m.

According to township officials, this action aims to permanently dedicate all portions of the property for recreation, conservation, and farming purposes, authorizing township officials to “take any and all reasonable steps necessary to do so.”

In addition, the committee will also direct the township engineer to conduct a comprehensive review of all township-owned open space properties, which aims to identify additional parcels that would be suitable for inclusion in the Recreation Open Space Inventory (ROSI) or be protected by other provisions of law.

"The preservation of DePalma Farms in its entirety is a priority for this Township Committee. We understand the deep historical and sentimental value this land holds for our community,” Mayor Brian Foster said. “Instituting deed restrictions for the property is a critical step to ensure that it remains a cherished part of Holmdel’s landscape for generations to come."

In an email statement sent to Patch, Sarah Biser, the attorney for Patrick DePalma (the farm manager and son of farm owner Patrick M. DePalma) and a longtime Holmdel resident, said the farm is still seeking to extend its lease with the town.

“It is disappointing that the Township has let Holmdel residents believe that the DePalma land can only be used for farming purposes. This is not true,” Biser said. "Currently, more than 60 acres of the 100-plus acre tract can be rezoned for high-density residential development. We are seeking to keep the DePalma family farming on their land by extending their lease – back with the Township – all in accordance with New Jersey law.”

In the proposed resolution, it states that the committee is committed to "ensuring that all of the properties remain preserved from development, including through the potential issuance of a new lease exclusively for farming and activities incidental to farming, issued pursuant to the applicable law."

The resolution goes on to authorize and direct the township administrator, township attorney and township engineer to prepare "any and all required governing body actions to restrict the DePalma Farms Properties in their entirety against development, whether by deed restriction or otherwise."

DePalma Farms was originally sold to Holmdel Township in 2000 with a 25-year lease and a verbal agreement for additional extensions, the farm said. Before that, the farm was originally purchased by the DePalma family in 1917.

Around January, Patrick DePalma said he was informed that the farm lease was about to expire and that the land was going up for bid.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, DePalma said the farm took a "large financial hit" and lost acres of produce due to a lack of fencing.

This led DePalma to request an emergency five-year extension and explain that he would accept a decrease in land and would only ask for 10 acres, the greenhouse and the homestead. According to DePalma, these requests were denied.

From there, the farm began calls for a lease renewal and started an online petition called “Save DePalma Farms & Greenhouses.” As of Friday afternoon, it has collected 170 signatures.

According to Patrick DePalma, the DePalma family had an offer from a builder with “significant financial gain” before Holmdel bought the farm in 2000, but the family refused it to maintain the land’s beauty and keep the property in the family for farming.

Since then, DePalma said the family has paid rent to the township for the past 25 years.

“If the DePalma family had not taken a financial hit, the beautiful farm with its rolling hills, sunflowers, and marigold fields would have been replaced by another development,” the farm said in an online post. “Holmdel Township residents have enjoyed the beauty of the land as well as the gorgeous flowers and produce from the farm.”

In an interview with Patch, the DePalma family said they're looking to continue their business on the farm and protect their family's heritage.

"This is his [Patrick's] livelihood," said Donna Orecchia, DePalma's fiancée. "He's a farmer. He loves farming, and this is his family's heritage. His heart and soul are in this business."

Shortly after the farm first posted about their calls for a lease renewal, the town took to Facebook to update the community on the farm’s status.

In their update on May 22, township officials said the property was listed on Holmdel’s Green Acres Recreation and Open Space Inventory (ROSI), which means “DePalma Farms must be preserved for recreation and conservation purposes.”

The town went on to say that Holmdel “may not and will not be approving this property for any other use than what is permitted by state Green Acres laws.”

Now, the committee plans to take formal action at their next meeting to “restrict the DePalma Farms Properties in their entirety against development, whether by deed restriction or otherwise,” according to the town’s draft resolution.

In a statement sent to Patch, Citizens for Informed Land Use (CILU) expressed their support for the town’s resolution and said the action will “honor the DePalma family’s deeply rooted agricultural legacy.”

“Citizens for Informed Land Use (CILU) strongly supports the Holmdel Township Committee’s intent to take this critical step,” the statement said. “This action will ensure the site's long-term protection, honor the DePalma family's deeply rooted agricultural legacy and serve as a firm commitment to protect one of the few remaining open spaces in the northern part of town.”

“CILU believes this move represents a thoughtful and proactive approach to open space preservation, and we remain committed to working alongside the Township to promote intelligent land use, protect our watershed and maintain Holmdel’s bucolic and historic character,” the statement continued.

Alongside the town’s pending action to restrict development at DePalma Farms, Holmdel has also initiated the acquisition and preservation of the Crawford Hill and Horn Antenna (a ten-acre parcel of land adjacent to St. Catherine’s Church) and Potter’s Farm (the “gateway to Holmdel”) within the last two years.

Editor's Note: The article headline has been updated to clarify that the town has not yet voted on the proposed action.