Sale stalled, township will condemn land for park

DINGMAN - The Dingman Supervisors have filed a “notice of taking” on 62 acres of land where they plan to begin construction of the Dingman Township Recreation Park off Log Tavern Road. The land in question was to be sold to the township at a reduced price by Robert and William Ramagosa, owners of Sunrise Ventures. Township officials said the sale has been delayed after negotiations over their related demands could not be met. Sunrise Ventures was served with the action on Oct. 20. They have 30 days to appeal. Meeting in executive session earlier this month, the Supervisors discussed the option of filing a motion in the Court of Common Pleas in Milford with township legal advisors and the supervisors decided to take this action. “We have been in negotiations with the Ramagosas for over one and a half years and they have not finalized the purchase as promised. We need to protect the township’s interests,” said Tom Mincer, supervisors chair. William Ramagosa confirmed receiving the township’s notice, which he said came as complete surprise. “I’m at a total and complete loss as to why they’ve done this,” he said Wednesday. Ramagosa said the Sunrise proposal for the reduced price sale remained in place at the time of their action. “There was to be an exchange of land and some payment of money, and the township was to build a road. Our position hadn’t changed; they changed. I can’t figure it out. The deal was certainly better than their paying market value,” he said. The township and the Ramagosas have been at odds concerning green-space other zoning concessions sought in a proposed 49-lot expansion at the Ramagosa’s Sunrise Lakes development. Dingman Township is planning to start construction of the 100-acre public recreation park in the spring of 2007, which is more than a year later than planned. By the end of summer 2007 most of the park is to be completed. Plans call for the park’s grassy areas to have been planted and ready for use by the spring of 2008. The park is to contain walking trails, baseball fields, a combination soccer/football field, bathrooms and a snack stand. “There are grants we are getting to help with the purchase and there are time constraints on us. We just can’t wait any longer,” continued Mincer. “We intend to pay ‘fair market value’ for the property and we need to get the project underway. “We had to reconfigure the park a bit. There will now be a township road leading into the park from Log Tavern Road. There will also be some reserve area set aside for future township growth. The plan to start construction of the park can now get underway in a time frame that meets our needs.” He said the park will be of benefit to all the residents of Dingman Township and will also provide a needed recreation area for use by sports leagues in Dingman, as well as neighboring municipalities.