Clinton Township agrees to preserve swath of land in danger of development

For more than 20 years, a 292-acre property in Clinton Township was a key battleground in New Jersey's sprawl wars.

Environmentalists saw it as a vital buffer to a major reservoir.

Residents saw one last open tract needed to protect the rural aesthetic they cherished.

Builders saw a wonderful opportunity to provide housing in great demand, a place to build up to 1,000 houses for commuters near Route 78. They would call it Windy Acres.

Years of marathon meetings and lawsuits failed to resolve the issue. Then, the housing market crashed.