Sayreville Residents Push to Preserve Kennedy Park Land Amid Development Debate
SAYREVILLE, NJ — A growing group of residents is urging borough officials to protect the wooded land behind Kennedy Park from potential development, saying the open space should remain a part of Sayreville’s identity and history.
Resident Alberto Rios has become a leading voice in the effort, telling officials the community is united in its opposition to proposed housing on the site. “I’m here on behalf of the many Sayreville residents who strongly oppose the development of 250 apartments on the 40 acres of land behind Kennedy Park,” Rios said. “This land is part of who we are as a community, and we have to do everything we can to preserve it.”
Rios said the grassroots movement has grown quickly. “In just a short time, we’ve gathered hundreds of signatures from residents across town — a clear and unified message that our community does not want this open space turned into another apartment complex,” he said.
Mayor Kennedy O’Brien explained that the property’s inclusion in Sayreville’s Fair Share Housing Plan is required by state rules that compel municipalities to identify all potentially developable parcels. “Many residents have asked why this land was included,” O’Brien said. “The state of New Jersey requires every municipality to identify all potentially developable properties when preparing their housing plans.”
The mayor cautioned that removing the property could expose Sayreville to Builder’s Remedy lawsuits, which allow developers to override local zoning if a town is found noncompliant with affordable housing obligations. “By including the property in our plan, the borough maintains control over how it could be used,” O’Brien said.
O’Brien added that the borough had reached out to the landowner to explore purchasing the property for open space, but the offer was declined. Quoting a January 29, 2025, letter from property owner Peter Maco, the mayor said, “I have no intentions of listing for sale or selling the land purchased over 35 years ago.”
Resident Jim Robinson questioned whether the borough’s efforts reflected a genuine commitment to preservation. “In your 22 years as mayor, you never bought one parcel of open space, not a single square foot,” Robinson said. He argued that if the borough intended to preserve the property, “it wouldn’t have been included in the affordable housing plan.”
Mayor O’Brien clarified that there are no current plans or proposals to build on the site. “Any development would likely be many years away, if it happens at all,” he said, noting that the borough’s plan limits any potential future use to “age-restricted housing with an affordable component.”
Some residents have suggested the borough consider using eminent domain to acquire the property, but O’Brien firmly opposed that idea. “That would be a very dangerous precedent,” he said. Rios concluded by reaffirming residents’ determination: “We’re committed to exhausting every possible option to see this land preserved as open space. It’s too valuable to our community to lose.”
To see everything that happened at the council meeting, check out our latest newsletter here: The Sayreville Insider | Joe Murray | Substack
