A Southampton zoning official and a member of the Pinelands Commission own property in the proposed site. Before the state buys more land, public hearings should be held, he said. But officials in rural areas said they don't see a problem. It doesn't concern me. And it doesn't even particularly surprise me.
Farmland preservation happens in rural towns with small populations.
He said he was unaware that officials owned farms in the Pinelands area targeted for additional preservation money. And they figured the only way to do that is to sell their development rights. In return for accepting money, farmers surrender their right to build homes on their property. In most cases, they are allowed to keep their land and may continue to use it for agriculture. Whitman has captured national attention for her commitment to stop suburban sprawl by buying open space.