NJ town erupts after $27M land grab kills warehouses

🌳 Monmouth County buys 115 acres to stop warehouse project, preserve open space.

💰 Upper Freehold officials warn the loss of $13M in taxes will hit residents.

⚖️ Fight over land use fuels debate on New Jersey’s warehouse-driven economy.

UPPER FREEHOLD — The mayor and committee of this Monmouth County town are furious that land meant for warehouses will instead be preserved as open space.

The Monmouth County commissioners approved a plan to buy 115.5 acres of land in Upper Freehold off I-195 and Old York Road from developers. Thursday's 3-1 vote came after years of protests to stop developers from building warehouses on the Stein Property, as it's locally known. Instead, it will be preserved as open space.

The buy was championed by Allentown Mayor Thomas Fritts, who said the commissioners' vote was "a truly historic moment." Some of the largest protests came from residents of Allentown, which sits next to the land.

"Together, we have permanently protected another vital piece of our green belt —preserving our rich history, the historic byway, our residential neighborhoods, and our cherished village," Fritts said on social media.

Fritts also congratulated Upper Freehold. Many residents came out to last week's commissioners meeting to thank them for stopping the warehouses. But the neighboring township's officials aren't celebrating.

Upper Freehold leaders warn of lost tax revenue and local control

There's fury from Upper Freehold Mayor Stanley Moslowski Jr. and the local committee. They condemned the commissioners' decision, which takes away the town's autonomy over its land that was zoned for warehouses.

Moslowski and the committee questioned why Monmouth County spent $27.75 million — over $240,000 an acre — to buy the land from developers who spent $15 million on the same land four years earlier.

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And new warehouses would have brought in vital tax revenues for the township for at least the next decade, said a resolution the officials sent to the Monmouth County commissioners. The warehouses would have generated $13 million in local taxes, including over $9.5 million in school taxes.

"This commercial rateable would ease the tax burden of the residents of Upper Freehold and provide much needed funds to the Upper Freehold Regional School District," the resolution said.

READ MORE: NJ schools install AI cameras as privacy concerns grow

New Jersey warehouse economy fuels jobs, schools

Upper Freehold isn't the only township that's counting on warehouses to support local schools. According to a recent study from researchers at Rutgers University, warehouses generate over $11 billion in local and state taxes in New Jersey.

Warehouses have become the lifeblood of New Jersey's economy. The study found that the Garden State has more than 1 billion square feet of warehouse space, and 95% of it is being used.

The study shows that nearly 764,000 workers are employed in New Jersey warehouses. And, directly or indirectly, the giant buildings support over 1.3 million jobs in the state.

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