West Windsor’s redevelopment planner Bob Hillier told the township of his plans to better educate the public on the finer points of his land use plan. Among his suggestions: a book. ##M:[more]##
Hillier and Bradley Walters addressed the redevelopment steering committee on August 6 in response to their recent request for a plan of action for public education on the project. The township held three public meetings wherein residents participated in the planning process. However, low turnout at the June 4 plan presentation, coupled with an election giving new housing opponents a council majority, stalled the process.
Hillier and the steering committee seem determined to get the project back on track. “We need to move forward as expeditiously as possible. We need to arrive at a consensus, but we are in the middle of a rather amorphous process. We need to define our objectives and our timelines. Otherwise, we could go on and on,” said Planning Board chairman and steering committee member Marvin Gardner.
“But what is consensus?” he asked repeatedly. “What is the ‘eureka’ moment where we can say we have consensus? If we hold these meetings, or a referendum, or a survey, and the majority of residents do not participate, does that send a message that redevelopment is not what the public wants? What is consensus?”
Hillier came closest to answering Gardner’s question. “Consensus is when council and planning board, or planning board and council, I’m not suggesting that either is more important, both agree, in a majority sense, that this is the way we ought to go.”
Hillier architect Bradley Walters later clarified the firm’s position. “We’re looking for the decision to be made by the governing body and the planning board. Those are the ones casting the vote. That is our client at the end of the day. We’re looking for what makes those people comfortable.
Hillier, who said prior to the June 4 meeting that the township as a whole was his client, suggested that it is too difficult to work for such a divergent constituency. “Who is really the client?,” said the planner on August 6. “Usually, we go to a client with three or four plans and a client says, ‘I like A. I don’t like D at all,’ I think there needs to be some of B and C mixed in with A, and they decide what they want. Here, whoever comes to a meeting is our client.”
Gardner answered: “You’re not going to get unanimity in West Windsor. The reality is that there are other stakeholders, we need their input for consensus. We need to achieve co-operation with New Jersey Transit and with InterCap Holdings. We should not get hung up on the educational process. We need to clarify our objectives and our timeframes.”
The steering committee decided that the township will host information sessions this fall, starting as early as October 11. It will most likely be at the senior center or at Grover Middle School. Hillier says three meetings will be enough if the township also publishes and distributes a booklet on the redevelopment. “It will define what the project is and where it is happening. We need to get that book to everybody,” says Hillier.
“It should advocate the redevelopment,” says Hillier. “We should present it as a draft so everyone doesn’t think we’re shoving it down their throats. It will be open to adjustment, and if people have objections, they can come forward with those.”
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh seemed to agree with the idea. “Once people have the book it will be easier to explain.”
Gardner questioned the ability of a booklet to accurately explain the complexities of the redevelopment project. “Are you giving an accurate implication of finances if you do not have a specific plan? People need to understand all of this. It’s subjective. You talk about housing units. We don’t yet have the ruling on how many affordable housing units will be required. The amount of financial power the residents in an area have to support the surrounding businesses is very important when making these financial projections, and you don’t know what those numbers are going to be yet.”
Heidi Kleinman, who has been publicly at odds with Gardner in the last two steering committee meetings, agreed that the book should not be the centerpiece of the public education plan. “There is a perception that enough background work has not been done. We need to spend time on the process council voted on originally,” said the councilwoman. “What you need is endorsement of the plan. Endorsement is not going to happen unless you get through to the residents. This is about getting people to come to the table, to be at the meetings. Right now, people are not comfortable with their understanding of the plan.”
Kleinman said also that she envisions the next set of meetings departing from the lecture style of the charrettes and the June 4 plan presentation. “These meeting should be in the round, you should be walking around, so you are able to engage people,” she said to Hillier.
The steering committee will now review Hillier’s action plan, and will reconvene with questions and suggestions on Monday, August 20, at 1:30 p.m at the municipal building. Hillier says in the meantime his firm will get input from various state agencies in the meantime.
Councilman George Borek, who is a member of the committee, offered his own suggestion: “I haven’t heard a whole lot of talk about public safety. I would like to see someone from the New Jersey Department of Homeland security consulted on the project.”
