Green Acres Program Forms and Regulations

Green Acres provides forms, regulations, and guidance to help protect and preserve open space throughout New Jersey. The listed documents are available for download or online viewing. You can download a file by selecting the underlined file name and following the download instructions specific to your browser. Some tips for downloading files are given in the Site Remediation Program’s Website Help page.

Description
Format
Updated
NEW JERSEY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE (NJAC) 7:36 REGULATING THE GREEN ACRES PROGRAM PDF 12/2019

State Land Acquisition Applications

Description
Format
Updated
APPLICATION FOR SALE OF REAL ESTATE TO NJDEP GREEN ACRES PROGRAM PDF
MS Word
6/2024

APPLICATION TO DONATE REAL ESTATE TO NJDEP GREEN ACRES PROGRAM PDF ““
MS Word ““
7/2010

BLUE ACRES – APPLICATION FOR SALE OF LAND TO THE STATE BY LANDOWNERS

Please see the Blue Acres website

Local Government and Nonprofit Assistance - New Applications

10/202401/2024

 

Description
Format
Updated
2025 ACQUISITION APPLICATION – LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFITS PDF ““
MS Word ““
10/2024

2025 PARK DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION – LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFITS PDF ““
MS Word ““
10/2024

2025 STEWARDSHIP APPLICATION – LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFITS PDF ““
MS Word ““
10/2024

2025 JAKE’S LAW PLAYGROUND FUNDING APPLICATION – LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PDF ““
MS Word ““
10/2024

2024 URBAN PARKS APPLICATION – LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PDF ““
MS Word ““
10/2024

NONPROFIT ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION PDF ““ 12/2024

RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE INVENTORY (ROSI)
Part of the application for Green Acres funding, the local unit is required to complete and certify to a Recreation and Open Space Inventory (ROSI). The primary purpose of the ROSI is to document all restricted lands and provide notice of the restrictions to title searchers.

Please see the OTPLA website


Local Government and Nonprofit Assistance - Supplemental Funding Requests

Description
Format
Updated
2025 SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING REQUEST FORM – FOR ACTIVE ACQUISITION PROJECTS MS Word ““ 10/2024

2025 SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING REQUEST FORM – FOR ACTIVE PARK DEVELOPMENT AND STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS MS Word ““ 10/2024

ENABLING RESOLUTION FOR SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING REQUEST PDF ““
MS Word ““
01/2023

NONPROFIT ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION FOR SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING PDF ““ 10/2023

Local Government and Nonprofit Assistance - Planning Incentive Applications and OSRPs

Description
Format
Updated
2025 PLANNING INCENTIVE ACQUISITION APPLICATION PACKAGE PDF 11/2024

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLANS: OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PLAN APPLICATION GUIDELINES (OSRP)
OSRP items needed to participate in the Local Government Planning Incentive (PI) funding category are outlined.
PDF 2/2025

PLANNING INCENTIVE AND SITE SPECIFIC INCENTIVE GRANT ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION PDF 10/2024


Description
Format
Updated
LOCAL AND NONPROFIT ACQUISITION PROCEDURE CHECKLIST PDF ““
MS Word ““
1/2025

Preliminary Assessments

Description
Format
Updated
PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS FAQ Please see our Preliminary Assessments page

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS: CHECKLIST PDF ““
MS Word ““
10/2022

PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES GUIDE PDF ““ 2/2017

Appraisals


Description
Format
Updated
GREEN ACRES APPRAISAL SERVICE SCOPE OF WORK


APPRAISERS, GREEN ACRES APPROVED LIST


ACQUISITION PROPERTY APPRAISAL PROCEDURES


PRE–APPRAISAL PACKAGE


GREEN ACRES PROGRAM APPRAISAL REPORT REVIEW CHECKLIST


BLUE ACRES APPRAISAL REQUIREMENTS


BLUE ACRES BUYOUT PROGRAM, HOMEOWNER OUTREACH APPRAISAL MEETING FORM

For these documents, see the Appraisals and Appraisers section of this website

PROPOSED COOPERATIVE ACQUISITION INFORMATION FORM PDF ““ 7/2024

PROPOSED EASEMENT ACQUISITION INFORMATION FORM PDF ““ 7/2024

ACQUISITION PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT CHECKLIST PDF ““
MS Word ““
8/2024

Surveys

Description
Format
Updated
SURVEY GUIDELINES ABOUT DELIVERABLES:
Information about required deliverables, and copy of Local and Nonprofit Land Survey Overview
PDF ““ 08/2023

SURVEY SCOPE OF WORK and SURVEYOR INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING ACQUISITION DOCUMENTS

For scope of work, forms, and checklists, see the Green Acres Survey Section pages of this website


Title and Deeds

Description
Format
Updated
DEED CHECKLIST: Instructions for preparing deeds PDF ““ 9/2017

TITLE INSURANCE COMMITMENT AND TITLE INSURANCE POLICY CHECKLIST:
Checklist of items needed for title insurance binders and policies
PDF ““ 10/2022

BASELINE DOCUMENTATION REPORT CHECKLIST (EASEMENTS) PDF ““ 7/2017

Park Development

Description
Format
Updated
DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURE CHECKLIST FOR APPLICANTS PDF ““
MS Word ““
8/2024

PARK DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT CHECKLIST PDF ““
MS Word ““
8/2024

PRE–CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING CERTIFICATION FORM PDF ““
MS Word ““
6/2023

COMPLETELY INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND PRE–CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING CERTIFICATION FORM PDF ““ 12/2024

DEVELOPMENT COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST PDF ““
MS Word ““
8/2024

LOCAL PUBLIC CONTRACTS LAW MEMORANDUM PDF ““
MS Word ““
3/2022

POST–CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING CERTIFICATION FORM PDF ““
MS Word ““
3/2022

COMPLETELY INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND POST–CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING CERTIFICATION FORM PDF ““ 12/2024

TREE REMOVAL EVALUATION FORM PDF ““ 8/2024

CONSTRUCTION SIGN DETAILS

GREEN ACRES CONSTRUCTION SIGN (LOCAL GOVERNMENT)

PDF ““ 7/2021

GREEN ACRES CONSTRUCTION SIGN (NONPROFIT)

PDF ““ 7/2021

URBAN PARKS GRANT CONSTRUCTION SIGN DETAIL

PDF ““ 08/2023

Fiscal and Payment

Description
Format
Updated
ACQUISITION PAYMENT REQUEST FORM PDF ““
MS Word ““
7/2023

DEVELOPMENT PAYMENT REQUEST FORM PDF ““
MS Word ““
7/2023

BANK ACCOUNT INFORMATION FORM PDF ““
MS Word ““
1/2022

CERTIFICATE OF DEBT REPORTING PDF ““
MS Word ““
12/2012

Checklists and Forms

Description
Format
Updated
INITIAL APPLICATION CHECKLIST PDF ““
MS Word ““
3/2022

INITIAL STATEMENT (Submit with Form GAR–031) PDF ““ N/A

INITIAL APPLICATION (Form GAR–031) PDF ““
MS Word ““
3/2022

RECERTIFICATION APPLICATION CHECKLIST PDF ““
MS Word ““
3/2022

FURTHER STATEMENT (If physical, use, and/or ownership changes, also submit forms GAR–032 and GAR–033) PDF ““ 1/2014

RECERTIFICATION APPLICATION (Form GAR–032) PDF ““
MS Word ““
3/2022

PROPERTY USE ANALYSIS (Form GAR–033 – Submit with Form GAR–032) PDF ““
MS Word ““
2/2012

Rules and Statutes

Description
Format
Updated
HIGHLIGHTS OF REVISED TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM RULES PDF ““
MS Word ““
2/4/2008

STATE STATUTE
(N.J.S.A. 54:4–3.63 et seq., P.L. 1974, Chapter 167)
PDF ““
MS Word ““
2/2006

PROGRAM RULES
(N.J.A.C. 7:35, Real Property Taxation of Recreation and Conservation Lands Owned By Nonprofit Organizations)
PDF ““ 1/31/2008

Upload application forms here

If possible, please submit your application or supplemental funding request as one PDF with bookmarks for navigation to each required application item.  Please contact us with any questions.

If you have followed all the instructions on the portal submission page (link above) and your submissions still won’t go through, please break up your application into sections no larger than 20MB and send each section in an email to: GreenAcresApplications@njdepwptest.net.  We apologize for any inconvenience.