Co-Cathedral of St. Robert Bellarmine is currently selling the lots they own at the corner of Iron Bridge and Elton Adelphia Rd. in Freehold Township.  The land is being sold to a property developer who is planning to build 21-25 homes that will sell for prices similar to those in College Park.  As residents of Freehold Township, we do not want the church to sell this land to be developed into a subdivision.

Catholic values include doing everything in our power to love and care for all of God's creations.  Selling open space to a property developer who will build large homes that will sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars while eliminating critical habitat for many species defies Catholic values. St. Robert's and the Diocese of Trenton should leverage their real estate holdings to address pressing issues like environmental destruction.  St. Robert's and the diocese have the opportunity to do just that with this plot of land.  The lots currently being sold are surrounded on two sides by Turkey Swamp Park.  The space should be preserved for habitat protection, restoration, and management as they have high biological value/opportunity/need according to NJDEP and the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Pope Francis, in his encyclical Laudato Si’, speaks about the importance of protecting nature: “Praise be to you, my Lord”. In the words of this beautiful canticle, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. ‘Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.’” It is disappointing that St. Robert's is selling to a developer who is seeking a drastic rezoning change from R-E and R-80 to R-15.  The parish should abide by Catholic values and the Pope's guidance and look for alternatives that would contribute to creating a more verdant and environmentally-just future for our society.  Perhaps the land could be sold at cost to the Township or Park System as open space.  Perhaps St. Robert's could create a park, a cemetery, or another passive use that will not disturb the species that live on this land.  

This land is currently farmland and forest that would be detrimentally affected by development of any kind.  The land in question includes a large farmed field, forest, and wetlands.  The field hosts snow geese in the winter, deer and foxes year-round, and a wide variety of birds who use the wetlands and forest during migration.  The forest is home to a pair of great horned owls, pileated woodpeckers, and vernal pools that host salamanders frogs, and turtles.  It is popular with hunters during hunting season.  According to the National Wetlands inventory, the lots also include wetlands.  According to Cornell University's E-bird lists, species listed on the NJ Endangered and Nongame Species Program Special Concern lists are found in the area in question. This includes Eastern Whip-poor-wills, Blackburnian Warblers, Brown Thrashers, Cooper's Hawks, Nashville Warblers, Northern Parulas, Red-shouldered Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Spotted Sandpipers, Veerys, Winter Wrens, Woodthrushes. This land would be much better preserved as green space for local residents both now and in the future.