Benchley seeks moratorium on Witherspoon Street development

A freeze on building while future of a key corridor is worked out.

By: Jennifer Potash
   With many variables regarding the future development of Witherspoon Street still undecided — including the pivotal question of whether the University Medical Center of Princeton will relocate from its current site or seek to expand where it is — one Princeton Borough Council member is seeking a temporary moratorium on development applications on the street.
   Borough Councilwoman Wendy Benchley raised the idea Friday at a meeting of the Community-Based Neighborhood Retail Initiative, which is a subcommittee of Princeton Future, the nonprofit citizens group that promotes holistic planning and development.
   "It is such an important street," Ms. Benchley said. "The Borough Council and the Township Committee should consider some kind of moratorium on (building) permits."
   She suggested a moratorium of six months to a year.
   "It will give us a chance to think this through," Ms. Benchley said.
   Princeton Future is conducting a six-month study of Witherpsoon Street with the aim of developing a series of plans and maps for improvements, preservation and possible development options.
   Since Princeton Future launched the project in November, Ms. Benchley said, the borough’s zoning office has been inundated with requests for what she termed "tear-down" permits for existing properties.
   Borough Zoning Officer Frank Slimak, who was not at the meeting, said Friday he had received many requests for information about the zoning process but no applications by property owners seeking to tear down existing structures in the John-Witherpsoon neighborhood.
   Redevelopment projects in the neighborhood are in different stages of completion. A house at Witherspoon Street and Torrey Lane was removed and redeveloped into four townhouses and an office, Mr. Slimak said. The Hunan Kitchen at Witherspoon Street and Shirley Court was torn down for an expanded restaurant but will have the same number of apartments as the previous building, he added.
   The owners of a two-family John Street house, which was heavily damaged in a fire, recently obtained approval from the borough Zoning Board of Adjustment to build a slightly larger residence, Mr. Slimak said.
   Michael Mostoller, an architect and one of the leaders of Princeton Future’s Witherspoon Street project, said the recent redevelopment of properties in the John-Witherspoon neighborhood might represents "a tipping point."
   Property owners, seeking the maximum return on their investment, may want to sell to developers, who want to build what the zoning code allows and not what is best for the neighborhood, Mr. Mostoller said.
   Borough Attorney Michael J. Herbert said he did not know if the borough could impose a temporary moratorium and would research the issue.
   On Saturday, Princeton Future will present its initial findings, gleaned from comments and discussion with residents during three open meetings held in December.
   Key items in the report include encouraging a more residential character on Witherspoon Street such as reverting converted houses that now host commercial uses back to residential properties, Mr. Mostoller said.