To the Editor:

The Township is entering the final stages of updating its Master Plan. As noted in a letter in Town Topics by the Planning Board chairs [“Proposed Master Plan Suggests Way for Town to Grow Responsibly, Incrementally, Equitably,” Mailbox, November 1], the document “presents a vision, assumptions, and guiding principles” that addresses community priorities. That includes land use. The land use map presented in the Master Plan shows up to 20 units per acre on small lots in neighborhoods outside of downtown. However, we’ve been reassured by the Planning Board that the Master Plan does not rezone Princeton or lay the foundation for uncontrolled population growth. “It is a policy document that does not by itself transform local laws and practices.”

Concurrent with the formulation of the Master Plan over the last year or two has been the construction of three 4-story housing developments abutting the Princeton Shopping Center. These will consist of about 650 units, and house perhaps 1,500 people, representing 5 percent of the present population of Princeton, within about a six to nine block square area. This will significantly change the complexion of the neighborhood. A development of 250 units is contemplated for the TRW Campus off Stockton Street. While I have not read it, I can’t imagine that the previous Master Plan envisioned this current development.

Master Plans or not, our town is changing drastically, and it happens despite our best laid plans. Princeton has a significant history and a special character because of that history. It is that character that draws many residents here to make their homes. We need to be careful about what we do here so that character is preserved.

I applaud the openness and discussion which has accompanied the formulation of the Master Plan and the development at TRW. This has not been the norm until recently. Though there may have been many Council meetings related to the development around the shopping center, almost every person I’ve talked to in my Littlebrook neighborhood was not aware of the planning and are quite disturbed by the new building. This development has helped Princeton meet its affordable housing needs and possibly saved the shopping center from failure. Those are good things. However, while there is belief that apartments in these new developments can provide reasonable cost housing to folks who that will work in town, the reality is that these are free market apartments whose rents will reflect the high sale costs of houses in Princeton and will serve many people who would like to live here but work elsewhere.

The bottom line is that our town leaders need to continue to be as open about what is planned for town, and, as crucially, that we all work to keep aware of what is happening in Princeton (either via local media, or through the weekly municipal emails) so that we can let our leaders know how we feel about it. If we don’t, we won’t know what we might wake up to — Master Plan or no Master Plan.

Gary Maltz
Braeburn Drive