Princeton Township imposes deadlines for Toll Brothers to complete paving, landscaping and other projects at the 117-house development.
By: Jane Karlicek
James Cosgrove said he sees one car a weekend lose its oil pan on an exposed manhole and has even seen someone taken away in an ambulance after a car hit the manhole triggering the vehicle’s airbag.
And that was just one of the complaints made to the Princeton Township Committee on Monday night by about 30 Ettl Farm residents, including Mr. Cosgrove, president of the Ettl Farm Homeowner’s Association.
The residents of the housing development off Rosedale Road say the developer, Toll Brothers, has not completed many of the items required by the Princeton Regional Planning Board.
"The last house closed last October," Mr. Cosgrove told the Township Committee. And since that date, he said, "virtually nothing’s been done."
Princeton Township Engineer Robert Kiser confirmed that many of the punch list items required in order for Toll Brothers to build the 117 homes at Ettl Farm, including final paving of the roads, landscaping and bike paths, have not been completed.
As a result, the Township Committee on Monday set several deadlines for completion of the work, with a final deadline of Oct. 31. Committee members said they would use the developer’s $1.5 million performance bond if any of the deadlines aren’t met.
More specifically, if the developer doesn’t meet the new deadlines, the performance guarantee, which are bonds put in place by the developer to assure the work will get done, will be "pulled." That means the township will use the bond money to complete the work itself or require the bonding company to do so, Mr. Kiser said. Toll Brothers’ performance guarantee totals a little more than $1.5 million, he said.
Ettl Farm resident Jerry Covello said the development was an $80 million project, and he isn’t sure the approximate $1.5 million performance bond will cover the cost of doing all the necessary work.
"There’s just over $1.5 million in bonds left and we have about $3 million of work left to do," he said. "They’ve done nothing. What is the assurance they’re going to do it? I suggest the town look at this in a much more aggressive way."
Another Ettl Farm resident, Cathy Cage, said the earth around fire hydrants in the development is so high, the hydrants can’t be cranked to allow water to come out if there is a fire.
Representatives from Toll Brothers, a Pennsylvania-based developer, were not present at Monday’s meeting, although the company was invited to attend, according to Mr. Kiser. Toll Brothers was seeking an extension at Monday’s meeting, from Aug. 15 to Oct. 31, to complete the work, Mr. Kiser said, following numerous extensions in the past.
Phone calls to the company Thursday were not returned.
The Township Committee approved the following schedule for the developer:?
* By today, safety issues must be addressed such as filling in a hole at the bike path near Rosedale Road, replacing a missing grate at the Christopher Drive culvert at Rosedale Road, providing temporary regrading around the fire hydrants and feathering the pavement around the manholes.?
* By Sept. 1, underground storm drainage repairs must be completed.?
* By Sept. 15, fire hydrants must be raised to final grade; curbs and sidewalks replaced; the bike path repaired and new bike paths installed in other areas; split rail fences installed; detention basins completed; and some of the lawn area must be restored where there isn’t sufficient topsoil, along with about 17 other items.?
* By Oct. 1, final paving of the roads and road striping, among other things.?
* By Oct. 15, all the shade trees and other plantings must be completed.?
* By Oct. 31, everything must be completed, including all the associated administrative work, Mr. Kiser said.?
The township staff will closely monitor Toll Brothers’ progress, Mr. Kiser said.
If Toll Brothers doesn’t complete the necessary work, Mr. Kiser indicated, it will take the township a lot longer to complete it.
"If we pull all the bonds, the work won’t get done until next year because we don’t have the ability to move fast because we have to put them (the projects) all out to bid.
Township Committee member Bill Enslin said it would be difficult for Toll Brothers to return to Princeton to build another development if the township is forced to pull the bond.
"Life can be very difficult for them to do business in Princeton ever again," he said.