By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
Greg ForesterStaff Writer
The Joint Princeton Environmental Commission did not intend to signal approval of a revised J. Robert Hillier plan for an age-restricted development on the Princeton ridge during its meeting last week, according to the commission’s chairwoman.
Chairwoman Wendy Kaczerski said Monday that although “the PEC noted several environmentally benign improvements,” the commission continues to have concerns about the development, which calls for the construction of three four-story structures containing more than 140 age-restricted units on a parcel off Bunn Drive.
”We are recognizing the reality that this development will probably proceed, given the township’s (previous position), but concerns remain despite his revisions,” Ms. Kaczerski said.
”It’s an improvement,” she said. “But we did not approve it.”
Those concerns include the amount of impervious surface, the generation of runoff and flooding, and tree loss, among others, Ms. Kaczerski said.
They will be communicated to the Princeton Township Committee and the Princeton Regional Planning Board via a memorandum that the body voted on last Wednesday.
The memorandum, stating that the commission still opposed development of the Princeton ridge but looked favorably on Mr. Hillier’s revisions, was passed unanimously and briefly shown to a Packet reporter during the meeting.
However, it was later taken from the reporter during the commission’s discussion, with the explanation by commission members that it was written in a “disjointed” manner and contained grammatical errors. They said that release of the document would be delayed until today, Tuesday. The Packet has protested the withholding of the document, citing New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act.
Asked about the overall purpose of Wednesday’s meeting, Ms. Kaczerski said it was scheduled to give commission members an opportunity to deliberate on the memorandum and not as a platform for Mr. Hillier to present his project. He was not invited, Ms. Kaczerski said, but rather showed up as a member of the public, prepared with materials to make the unscheduled presentation.
During the meeting commission members said the latest iteration of the plan represented a “victory,” in light of earlier plans that called for significant disturbance of the Princeton ridge woodlands due to larger footprints and other features.
Earlier plans called for the destruction of a majority of the property’s 1,400-plus trees, but the latest Hillier plan would cause the destruction of as few as 200 of those trees, according to a report discussed during Wednesday’s meeting.
Also, the development calls for such environmentally friendly improvements as sod roofs to hold storm runoff and the possibility of installing kitchen waste disposal units in each residence.
