The West Windsor Township Council is expected to introduce a version backed by the Planning Board.
By: Gwen Runkle
WEST WINDSOR The Township Council is expected to put a doomed downzoning ordinance it introduced a few months ago to rest Monday and introduce in its place a version of an alternative developed by the township Planning Board.
The council’s ordinance was introduced by Councilwoman Rae Roeder. It would reduce the amount of allowable development on the Route 1 properties of Sarnoff Corp. and Wyeth Inc., formerly known as American Home Products, from 30 percent to 18 percent, with the goal of reducing peak-hour traffic generated from the sites by 40 percent.
Since its introduction, the council has been sharply divided with Ms. Roeder, Council President Alison Miller and Councilwoman Jackie Alberts in support and council members Kristin Appelget and Charles Morgan opposed.
Ms. Miller said she anticipates the public hearing on the ordinance, which has been extended several times, will be closed Monday and a vote on the ordinance taken.
It is highly unlikely the ordinance will be adopted, due to a formal protest filed by Sarnoff in early February. Because Sarnoff owns more than 20 percent of the land affected by the proposed zoning change, the introduced ordinance, or any similar alternative, must have four affirmative votes to be adopted.
"The council’s ordinance has served its purpose," Ms. Miller said. "Without it, I don’t think we would have gotten the ordinance from the Planning Board. It started an important process and now I think we can get rid of that one."
Once the council’s ordinance is off the table, the council can consider introducing the Planning Board’s alternative, Ms. Miller said.
But at least one council member is not willing to support the alternative unless there is a commitment to include Wyeth’s 640-acre property in the zone.
"It is something we need to seriously discuss," said Ms. Alberts. "If not Wyeth now, then when? I’m not comfortable dealing with only one half of Route 1."
The Planning Board’s alternative creates a research and development zone for just Sarnoff’s 345-acre property, with a maximum floor-area ratio of 21 percent.
To reduce traffic, a minimum of 30 percent of that floor area must be devoted to low traffic-generating uses such as hotels, conference centers and research laboratories.
In addition, Sarnoff would have to implement transit-friendly designs to accommodate a bus rapid transit or light rail line and would be required to phase its development with the construction of certain road improvements, such as the Millstone Bypass.
The Planning Board did not include Wyeth because the company has not filed any development plans with the township and the board did not want to hinder an upcoming cooperative effort between the township and the company to solicit community input on developing the property.
In addition, Wyeth officials have written a letter to the township that, according to township attorneys, binds them legally to the commitment of limiting the development allowed on the site to 21 percent and to reducing traffic generated from the site by 40 percent.
Ms. Appelget and Mr. Morgan both have said they are ready to support the Planning Board’s alternative without Wyeth wholeheartedly.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh plans on attending Monday’s council meeting to push the council to support the Planning Board’s alternative as well.
"Wyeth is different from Sarnoff in many ways," he said. "They have committed to working with the community. We should not limit that process."
Ms. Roeder declined to discuss the issue.