The Princeton Council voted on July 9 to acquire the Herrontown Woods Arboretum, a 142-acre natural area on Snowden Lane, from Mercer County in a deal for $1.
“It’s been in the works for years,” Mayor Liz Lempert said about the acquisition. “Essentially, the county felt like it couldn’t do proper maintenance on it, and it hadn’t been out there doing maintenance.”
She said the town reached an agreement with the Friends of Herrontown Woods, a volunteer group, to maintain the trails on the land.
“This way, we’re in control and can better ensure trash is picked up routinely and the parking areas are maintained,” Lempert said.
The council voted 5-0 to authorize the purchase.
Last year, the town and the county announced they had a deal for Princeton to obtain the property. As part of the agreement, the county will provide the town $100,000 in case any of the old structures on the land have to be torn down.
The Mercer County freeholders still have to formally act to approve the sale, a step expected in August.
“The administration anticipates closing on the property at the end of August or beginning of September,” county spokeswoman Julie Willmot said.
The land originally belonged to the late mathematician Oswald Veblen, who taught at Princeton University starting in 1905 and later at the Institute for Advanced Study from 1932-50, and his wife, Elizabeth. The couple gave their land to the county, which added more acreage to it.
