Theological Seminary Redevelopment Plan Adopted By Princeton Council
PRINCETON, NJ – On Monday, the council voted to adopt the Redevelopment Plan for the Princeton Theological Seminary Properties.
The redevelopment plan calls for 238 residential units with 20 percent set aside as affordable housing units, to be built on Stockton Street at Hibben Road.
About 13 percent of the affordable dwelling units shall be affordable to very-low-income (VLI) households earning 30 percent or less of the median income; 50 percent of the affordable dwelling units will be affordable to low-income households earning 50 percent or less of the median income and the remaining units will be affordable to moderate-income households based on the most recent regional income limits.
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Several opponents of the plan attended the meeting and spoke up during the public portion section.
One resident said the project was “too huge, too damaging environmentally.”
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“Before you vote, can you insist that the developer ensures irreplicable trees remain per the Planning Board’s recommendation? They also requested that you be specially mindful of the regrading plans which could impact trees and topsoil as well,” a resident told Council.
Robert F. Simon of the Herold Law firm in Warren, NJ spoke on behalf of The Princeton Coalition for Responsible Development, the group that has been opposing the plan.
He told the council that his office had filed a protest petition earlier in the day. “By virtue of the protest petition, any adoption of the proposed ordinance cannot be acceptable with a vote of two-thirds of all members of governing body,” Simon said.
The protest petition also provides affected property owners with unwanted or ill-considered change, Simon said.
After the public comment, Mayor Mark Freda opened the floor to council discussions and members addressed several concerns and allegations.
“This is a very, very expensive project and you all in this neighborhood are fortunate that you are getting this and not some of the stuff that was built in other parts of town,” Councilwoman Mia Sacks said.
“I realize that you think it’s too dense, you don’t like it but one of the things we have to learn is that we don’t deal in the realm of the ideal, we have to deal within the framework of reality of the choices that are open to us.”
Council voted 6-0 in favor of the ordinance.
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