Proposal still lacks the necessary four votes for passage.
By: Gwen Runkle
WEST WINDSOR Even though it is highly unlikely a downzoning ordinance introduced a few months ago by the Township Council ever will have the four votes it needs to be adopted, its supporters managed to keep it on the table awhile longer Monday night.
In a 3-1 vote, with Councilwoman Kristen Appelget dissenting, the council kept the public hearing on the ordinance open until April 8.
The ordinance, introduced by Councilwoman Rae Roeder, 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 to 18 percent, with the goal of reducing peak-hour traffic the sites could generate by 40 percent.
Because of a protest filed by Sarnoff in early February, the introduced ordinance, or any similar alternative, now needs four affirmative votes to be adopted.
But since its introduction, the council has been deeply divided with Ms. Roeder, Council President Alison Miller and Councilwoman Jackie Alberts in support and Ms. Appelget and Councilman Charles Morgan opposed.
And at this time, neither Ms. Appelget nor Mr. Morgan seems poised to change positions.
Instead, Ms. Appelget and Mr. Morgan, who was not at Monday’s meeting, hope an alternative ordinance approved by the township Planning Board on Wednesday can break the deadlock.
The alternative creates a research and development zone just for 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 ratio must be devoted to low traffic-generating uses such as hotels, conference centers and research laboratories, provided the facilities do not generate more than one parking space per 500 square feet of floor area.
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.
But while officials from both Sarnoff and Wyeth have voiced support for this alternative, Ms. Roeder, Ms. Miller and Ms. Alberts have said the council needs more time to evaluate the Planning Board’s proposal before it can adequately compare the two ordinances side by side.
They also were concerned that Wyeth’s 640-acre property is not included in the alternative ordinance.
According to the Planning Board, Wyeth was not included 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.
Sarnoff filed its general development plan for a 3-million-square-foot technology campus which calls for just under 21 percent of the property to be developed at the beginning of the year.
So far, Sam Surtees, township land use director, has not deemed the Sarnoff general development plan complete, so a date for review has not been set.