Green Acres Hearing On Plans For Holmdel's Crawford Hill Is Tuesday

HOLMDEL, NJ — Conservation groups are planning to offer lots of ideas for how a state Green Acres grant application by the township can help develop Crawford Hill, which the township is acquiring.

The grant will help support plans to complement the famous Horn antenna located there.

And Holmdel is encouraging groups and individuals to attend a public hearing Tuesday night to learn more about the proposed project and to ask questions or provide comments.

The meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23, in the Town Hall, 4 Crawfords Corner Road, 07733, as part of the regularly scheduled Township Committee meeting. The meeting will be available for virtual viewing via the following link: https://www.facebook.com/Holmdel/.

The 35-acre site off Holmdel Road, Crawford Hill is actually the highest point in Monmouth County.

Through an agreement with a proposed developer of the site, the land will be in township hands and is the topic of lots of thought about how the public can experience the open space.

The site will also become a gateway for the public to gain insight into an antenna from the 1960s that was used by two Bell Labs researchers who ultimately gathered data that confirmed the Big Bang theory of the creation of the universe. The Horn antenna is a National Historic Landmark.

The hearing is at a "very early stage of the process," said Township Administrator Jay Delaney Monday.

He said the township has a concept plan, but it already hearing ideas from the public via email.

The fate of the Horn antenna site saw a year of discussions and public comment, and was the subject of a global petition put forth by local conservation groups and signed by thousands.

In the words of one scientist, the antenna is considered a "shrine to cosmology."

And now this scientific treasure is slated to be part of an environmentally sound and scientifically meaningful setting, the township and supporters have determined.

Citizens for Informed Land Use, for example, has developed a six-part social media presentation about the potential use of the site.

"At CILU, we have been busy dreaming about the potential of Crawford Hill," said Jennifer Ashkar of CILU.

You can see the plan here at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081610534821.

"A Vision for the Future of Crawford Hill" includes consideration of these possibilities:

• Historic preservation, world class educational exhibits and security for the Horn Antenna.
• A next generation STEM playground to encourage critical thinking, experimentation and problem solving while exploring elements of physics.
• A monument dedicated to Monmouth County's highest point with spectacular views of Raritan Bay.
• A public, open air observatory deck with telescopes, a viewing platform and reclined seating for stargazing.
• Outdoor meeting spaces, seating and multi-use trails with potential connectivity to the PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel Park and beyond.
• Construction of an educational center to allow for community and school maker spaces, park restrooms and more.

Preserve Holmdel is another conservation organization that will provide input:

The organization "continues to be supportive of the Holmdel Township Committee's plan to ask for Green Acres funding for development of Crawford Hill."

Apart from some basic fencing and safety actions, "Preserve Holmdel envisions a more expansive Crawford Hill - Horn Antenna Park. This might include a larger education center, an area dedicated to the highpointers (those who climb the highest land in that city), playground, restrooms, picnic areas, more trails of many uses, and open observatory decks."

The group is also suggesting that the Township Committee form an ad hoc committee of Holmdel citizens "to help shape the vision of the park and make the Holmdel Horn- Crawford Hill Park a shining light here in Holmdel."

But work is now at the beginning stages, the township notes.

The proposed improvements include repaving the existing access road and parking facilities; demolition of obsolete structures; construction of an education center, restrooms, and support facility; signage, security, fencing and other improvements needed to make the site suitable for public use, the township said in its meeting notice.

You can see documents pertaining to initial plans here on the township website.

In October, the township reached an understanding with Crawford Hill Holding to purchase the 35-acre site, on Lots 6 and 6.01. (Lot 7, the location of the former Nokia research facility on Holmdel Road, is not included in the deal.)

Under the terms of the agreement, the township is to acquire the Crawford Hill property, including the Horn Antenna, for a net sale price of $4.75 million. The purchase price of $5.5 has the seller donating $750,000 back to the township for improvements to Crawford Hill, according to a previous news release by the township.

A draft preliminary concept plan, cost estimates, and an environmental impact assessment for the project will be available for review at: www.holmdeltownship.com.

Written comments on the proposed project may be directed to Jay Delaney, Township Administrator by email at jdelaney@holmdeltownship.com.

The hearing will take place later in the meeting, according to the agenda. There is also an open space grant hearing unrelated to Crawford Hill - a hearing on improvements at Cross Farm Park Playground, located on Longbridge Road between County Route 520 on the North and Swimming River Reservoir on the South.