Preservation Trust Fund

The Preservation Trust Fund is divided into five program areas with Open Space further divided into four sub-program areas as follows:

• County Park Improvement Program
• Historic Preservation program
• Morris County Agriculture Development Board
• Open Space Preservation program allocated as follows:
  • Municipal and/or Qualified Charitable Conservancy projects
  • Morris County Park Commission
  • Morris County M.U.A.
  • Flood Mitigation Program
• Trail Construction Grant Program

Background

On December 22, 1992, the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders (now County Commissioners) established the Morris County Open Space & Farmland Preservation Trust Fund with the voter approval of the 1992 referendum(PDF, 297KB). Collection of funds for the Trust Fund commenced on July 1, 1993 with a tax equal to ½ cent per $100 of total county equalized real property valuation.

The subsequently approved referenda modified the Trust Fund as follows:

• 1998(PDF, 493KB): (2 referenda): Increased maximum collection to 3.0 cents and provided 0.25 cents for the MCPC Improvement Fund
• 2001(PDF, 339KB): Increased maximum collection to 5.25 cents
• 2002(PDF, 243KB): Established the Historic Preservation Fund utilizing 1/8 to 1/4 cent of existing tax
• 2014(PDF, 94KB): Established Trail Development as an eligible activity of the Fund

2023 Funding Allocation

The levy for 2023 is 5/8 cent per $100 valuation and, as approved by County Commissioners Resolutions #2023-150 and #2023-151, adopted January 25, 2023:

• ¼ cent ($.0025) for the County Park Improvement program
• ¼ cent ($.0025) for the Historic Preservation program
• 1/8 cent ($.00125) – to Municipal and/or Qualified Charitable Conservancy projects

Rules and Regulations

Morris County Open Space, Farmland, Floodplain Protection and Historic Preservation Trust Fund Rules and Regulations – Complete set of rules(PDF, 821KB)

• Chapter 1 – Introduction(PDF, 88KB)
• Chapter 2 – Definitions(PDF, 132KB)
• Chapter 3 – Open Space Preservation(PDF, 264KB)
• Chapter 4 – Farmland Preservation(PDF, 80KB)
• Chapter 5 – Historic Preservation(PDF, 406KB)
• Chapter 6 – Flood Mitigation Program(PDF, 250KB)
• Chapter 7 – Trail Construction Grant Program(PDF, 221KB)
• Chapter 8 – Amendments(PDF, 135KB)
• Figure 1 – Open Space Regions(PDF, 39KB)
• Figure 2 – Historic Preservation Regions(PDF, 38KB)