By Anne Levin

On the heels of a series of listening sessions related to Princeton’s Master Plan held in recent weeks throughout the town, the municipality is holding an open house on Wednesday, September 27 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Witherspoon Hall, 400 Witherspoon Street.

Where the listening sessions in different neighborhoods were designed to hear from the public about what should be prioritized in the reworking of the document, the open house is about taking that information to the next step.

“We’re getting to the point now where we’re able to tell back some of the big themes we’ve heard through these events,” said Municipal Planning Director Justin Lesko. “It’s more about getting to what will be in the document rather than what people want to see. But they can still comment. Staff and consultants and members of the steering committee will be there.”

Previous to the listening sessions, the municipality invited the public to take part in an online survey addressing various questions including under-utilized parcels, whether the town should develop a community center, and transportation and traffic issues, among other questions.

The Princeton Master Plan is an important legal document and the community’s vision for how and where growth should occur. All municipalities in New Jersey must adopt a master plan.

The document sets forth the policies for land use as envisioned by a municipality. This includes the character and location of new development and redevelopment, as well as circulation (vehicles, pedestrians, and bikes), hazard mitigation and climate adaptation, conservation, preservation, utilities, public facilities, and other elements of the built and natural environment. Through its various “elements,” which are distinct and yet interrelated, the master plan articulates a vision for the community, informed by the community.

Princeton’s current master plan has been in effect for nearly 30 years. Master plans generally can be expected to be in force for at least 10 years. The existing plan dates from 1996, and was reexamined in 2001, 2007, and 2017.

While the recent listening sessions took place in different neighborhoods with varying demographics, “there were more similarities than differences in what they asked and what they were looking for,” said Lesko. “There were a lot of themes, particularly related to bicycle connections, sidewalk connections, things like that. An interesting one was about how traffic is stalled by the two school pickups and drop-offs, twice a day. They wanted to know if there is any way to relieve that.”

Planning Board Chair Louise Wilson, who attended most of the sessions, said in a release, “We’ve heard from a wide variety of residents: some who own beloved businesses, many who are deeply concerned about the big challenges we face, and some who are truly vulnerable, whose voices are not often heard. Climate and housing are huge concerns. Also equity, natural beauty, the arts, quality of life, public health and safety, and transportation. The insight we gain from public engagement is truly helpful as we get close to final recommendations about land use, mobility, conservation, historic preservation, economic development, community facilities — virtually every aspect of the plan.”

Following the open house, next in the process is an introduction of the master plan to the Planning Board on October 19.  Then, a hearing on the plan is scheduled for the November 9 Planning Board meeting.

More information about the elements of the master plan, timeline, meetings and events, and project team can be found at engage.princetonmasterplan.org.