Concern voiced that proposed ordinance would have tied the hands of planner of 350-acre redevelopment area
By: Molly Petrilla
WEST WINDSOR Based on a vote Wednesday night, the township Planning Board’s attorney and consultant will draft amendments to a proposed ordinance that would restrict development along Princeton-Hightstown Road.
Last month, the Township Council decided not to take action on the draft ordinance, which referred to the acreage just east of the Princeton Junction railroad tracks as "Town Center District" and called for a combination of commercial, office, civic and residential buildings in a pedestrian-friendly setting.
Though Planning Board Attorney Gerald Muller and consultant John Madden helped create the draft ordinance, both urged the council and the Planning Board not to adopt it.
Mr. Muller told the Planning Board on Wednesday it would be "putting the cart before the horse" to place specifications on the site before Hillier Architecture creates a plan for the entire 350-acre redevelopment area which includes the Princeton Junction train station and the area covered by the draft ordinance.
According to Mr. Muller, the document placed too many restrictions on the site a key location in the redevelopment area and could make things difficult for Hillier.
He also said the draft ordinance would betray the public-driven redevelopment process township officials have promised, and could intensify development in the Princeton Junction area "at the very point in time we want development to hold off."
Though most board members acknowledged Mr. Muller’s arguments regarding the draft ordinance, others thought there should be something in place to help the Zoning Board of Adjustment evaluate construction applications that are filed during the redevelopment process.
As some members pointed out, it could be a year or more before Hillier creates a plan for the redevelopment site, and in that time, the board could see several applications for development including one from Rite Aid drug store scheduled for early 2007.
For that reason, Councilwoman and Planning Board member Heidi Kleinman suggested that the board agree to some parts of the existing draft ordinance but discard any that could hinder the redevelopment process.
Planning Board President Marvin Gardner agreed, saying he, too, felt something should be put in place.
"It’s worth the effort," he noted.
When Ms. Kleinman asked Mr. Madden what lessons he learned from past negotiations with developers interested in building in the Princeton Junction area, he said buildings should be close to the street, have roofs at least 40 feet high and have first floors that are as transparent as possible.
The councilwoman then asked Mr. Madden to mark off parts of the ordinance that are workable within the framework of redevelopment.
During public comment, the zoning board’s president and vice president urged the Planning Board to put some type of guidelines in place for the Princeton Junction area pushing for a document that falls between nothing and the complete town center draft ordinance.
Though Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh and Planning Board member Chuck Chang both said the draft ordinance could serve as a set of guidelines rather than a legal document, Mr. Gardner moved to have Mr. Madden and Mr. Muller re-work the existing draft, which the board passed unanimously.

