Tracey and Jon Stewart's Colts Neck Farm Sanctuary Approved

COLTS NECK, NJ - Tracey Stewart, the wife of comedian Jon Stewart, had tears of happiness in her eyes Tuesday night after the Colts Neck Planning Board unanimously approved their application to open an animal sanctuary farm in Colts Neck.

Jon Stewart, now two years retired from "The Daily Show," just had one comment: "I'd like to know how much this is going to cost me," he joked, according to NJ.com. Both Jon and Tracey Stewart were present Tuesday night at the meeting, which was their final chance to get the board's approval of their dream to convert 45-acre Hockhockson Farm into a sanctuary for rescued farm animals and livestock that would otherwise have been slaughtered. Hockhockson Farm is located on Rt. 537 near Normandy Road in Colts Neck. The Stewarts plan to open the farm sanctuary in 2018.

Tracey and Jon Stewarts' plan must still be approved by the Monmouth County Planning Board and the state Department of Environmental Protection, but Tuesday night's approval was a pivotal landmark in their quest to open the animal sanctuary. As first reported by The Two River Times, the Stewarts bought Hockhockson Farm for $4 million last year. As previously reported by Patch, they hoped to open the animal sanctuary this year, but were stymied by noise concerns from neighbors and a slow-moving approval process from both Colts Neck Township and Monmouth County.

"It's one of those things like where after you give birth you forget about the pain. So right now I'm feeling really good and positive," Tracey Stewart told NJ.com Tuesday night.

Tracey has said she envisions about 150 visitors a day to the farm, where they can learn about sustainable agriculture. An estimated 20 farmhands will work on the property, tending to the four to six cows, two to four pigs, six to 10 sheep, six to 10 goats, two to four horses and up to 50 chickens that would live there — all rescued farm animals. The Stewarts envision local schools visiting the farm to learn about the animals and rescued livestock. They also plan to build a visitor's center, a greenhouse, a parking lot big enough to fit 60 cars and a turf field for overflow parking. Jon Stewart rescinded an idea to open a video production studio on the site, something he originally proposed.

The Colts Neck Planning Board also OK'd them to host nighttime educational programs for up to 100 people and special events for up to 250. However, due to concerns about traffic and noise from neighbors, they can hold no more than four of those special events per year.

Stewart and his wife currently live in Red Bank, and own a 12-acre working farm in Middletown. They originally wanted to turn the Middletown farm into an animal rescue center, but instead turned to the Colts Neck property.

Past Patch coverage:
Jon and Tracey Stewart's Colts Neck Farm Proposal Hits a Few Speedbumps
Yet Another Delay for Jon Stewart's Colts Neck Farm Proposal
Jon Stewart Wants to Buy Colts Neck Farm, Turn it into Animal Sanctuary

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