Missing Element In Plainsboro Center##M:[more]##
As a Plainsboro resident who is a daily commuter to the Turnpike, I have had ample opportunity to observe the development of the Village Center whose progress you highlighted in the December 16 issue of the News. Certainly the concept of a town center that encourages idling away an afternoon amid shops and eateries is an amenity that will make Plainsboro more attractive.
From Bill Sanservino’s article, I gather that I will soon be able to grab a nosh, do my hair, nails, and grocery shopping, run errands, frame my pictures, get a book to read while grabbing a nosh, as well as a variety of other things. In short, I’ll be able to do everything a long-haul commuter needs to do on her way home except the single most important thing: get gas.
After dodging hungry Hummers for an hour and a half on the turnpike, I now must add at least another half hour to my journey home in order to detour to find a gas station. Currently, my choices are limited to a station on Route 130 in Cranbury which, because it is the closest to the turnpike exit, is backed up into traffic at rush hour; cutting cross country to Princeton Junction, which entails long delays at various intersections not designed for the current volume of traffic; or worse, the dreaded parking lot that is Route 1 South to the station at Harrison Street. Other options are longer drives north on routes 130 or 1.
I can understand why the referenced 1998 plan for the Center, which did include a gas station, met with disapproval. After all, the Center is to be a pretty village and no one wants to live next to such an overtly commercial establishment. But who says that a necessity like a gas station has to be plunked in the middle? Surely there must be sufficient space available in strictly commercial areas for this amenity?
Plainsboro is home port to an armada of commuters and even for those who stay local, a car is a necessity to reach the scenic Village because there are no sidewalks to allow intrepid walkers access to the shopping destinations. Development of the town focuses on more housing, which means more cars, which means gas.
If I have to drive away from Plainsboro to fill my tank, I will run my errands where I find my gas, pretty village center or no.
Nell Whiting
Sayre Drive
Editor’s note: We have no news of a new gas station, but Plainsboro is proceeding with plans for the new library. See page 15.
West Windsor Village:
Smart Planning
I was proud to participate in a great show of democracy at the West Windsor Council’s meeting when it discussed the resolution to designate the area around the Princeton Junction train station as an area in need of redevelopment.
This meeting was portrayed by some as a showdown and a fight between two camps: those in favor of a transit village and those who oppose it. That is far from the truth. What I heard that night was that everybody supports the development of downtown Princeton Junction. The questions that were asked emphasized that we don’t really know how are we going to get there. There was apprehension about what such a complex project means to the residents of West Windsor.
Residents were shocked to discover the extent of powers the law authorizes the Township once the redevelopment designation is granted while there are no guarantees that the State has the funds to contribute to this project even if it is approved.
I applaud the Mayor and the Council for their sincere intentions to include the residents in an open process and to avoid using eminent domain unless it is for “public needs” and efforts to explain these intentions in a second resolution. In this resolution, the Council needs to be specific about what it will or will not do. The resolution should include how the Township plans to cooperate with residents, that it will exercise eminent domain only for roads and schools and only as a “last resort,” that it will have a transparent process with cost/benefit assessments, and will communicate with West Windsor residents regarding the planning and progress of the project. It should also move fast to endorse the second resolution before receiving those powers.
We have to ensure that the process is indeed open and is well thought out before it is too late. The Township needs to appoint an independent body, in addition to a redevelopment agency, to oversee the planning process and audit various aspects of the planning process before any money is spent and contracts are signed and not after mistakes are made. We have to learn from the mistakes made in other places such as Atlantic City, Long Branch, and Hamilton.
Let’s put our efforts together so that the project is completed in a way that is beneficial to the residents of West Windsor as well as to the developers. West Windsor has a golden opportunity to do it right and become a beacon to the rest of the country.
Hemi Nae
11 Wycombe Way, Princeton Junction
WW, Not Hamilton
I wish to thank Harley Pickens who, in a recent letter in this paper, clarified for us that while the West Windsor-Plainsboro school district is a top school district in the State of New Jersey it is not always THE number 1 school district. The point of my letter, however, is that developers eager to get their hands on the proposed West Windsor transit village consistently underestimate the number of school children that will be generated in West Windsor since they use average numbers generated across New Jersey by other transit villages that are not nearly as attractive as West Windsor to parents seeking schools for their kids. Just look at Hamilton, where the redeveloper there estimated 30 students where taxpayers are now finding 300.
Harley’s other point deals with the $500,”000 that had been authorized in earlier budgets as part of our contribution to the Grover’s Mill pond clean-up, a sum that has now escalated to $1.2 million instead, roughly the level needed to clean up the contaminated areas near the transit village.
My point here is that when West Windsor allows others, in this case DEP but in the case of the transit village the redeveloper, to drive our development, West Windsor taxpayers need to be vigilant in overseeing just how much the redeveloper is making off the taxpayers. Let’s not get Hamiltoned.
Farrell Delman
102 Bear Brook Road
Mind Your Leaves
In your December 16 issue, Richard Moody complained about the leaves in his neighborhood streets being plowed onto the homeowners’ property and sidewalks.
The leaves and yard debris are not supposed to be in the streets and gutters in the first place. They are to be placed between the curb and sidewalk, not in the gutters and streets, where they block storm drains and runoff. Furthermore, they are not to be put out until the Saturday before the scheduled week of pickup, but before the Monday of pickup.
The schedule is posted on the West Windsor Township website (westwindsornj.org) or you can call the township. Pickup is every four weeks, according to your area’s pickup schedule. If everyone followed the rules and regulations, the township would not look like a perpetual compost pile and the snowplows would have no problem plowing the streets when it snows. Kathy Murray
20 Lorrie Lane, West Windsor
Christmas Kudos
Kudos to Euna Kwon Brossman, the four Mercer county rabbis, and Pastor Paul Lutz for explaining the real meanings of the holidays we celebrate, and for trying to restore some normalcy to this time of year (The News, December 16). I hope this pervasive political correctness is exposed for what it truly is: ridiculous. I’m praying for peace on earth, but until then, I’d like that triangular-shaped evergreen to be called a Christmas tree once again.
Paul Neiheiser
Plainsboro
Editor’s note: For a follow-up concerning the menorah in West Windsor, see page 17.
WW-P Referendum:
Student Perspective
With the district referendum only a month away, I find that one voice is lacking — that of the students. We are the ones who will be directly affected by the referendum, and if you ask any student in any school in West-Windsor Plainsboro, they will affirm that the referendum is a good thing for our district.
The West Windsor-Plainsboro School District was founded in 1969. Since then the schools have undergone extensive decadence and are in need of renovation. As a sophomore from North, I can attest firsthand to the necessity of the two enhancements for North up f or vote on January 24. North is fortunate in that it was constructed only nine years ago, but even my school is not totally exempt from needed improvements.
The first enhancement to North will be the conversion of additional classrooms to science labs. The school is finding difficulty in accommodating all students in lab classes. This year the Honors Biology classes were filled entirely to capacity. As student enrollment progressively increases, we will start finding it difficult to enroll in a laboratory science class.
The “Second Question” on the referendum is the conversion of the North and South football fields into artificial turf fields. This reflects the increasing wear and tear on the current grass field. The artificial turf will allow all sports teams to use the field year-round. Mud and rain problems will no longer be of concern. Maintenance costs for the field will also diminish.
The “First Question” improvements to schools are badly needed. With respect to the high schools, the gross disparity of students between High School North and South has resulted in a very crowded building at South. South’s extreme age compounded with its teeming student population yields a poor learning environment where students hear other classes being conducted while taking a silent test, musicians are forced to study in small enclosed 8’x10’ rooms with low ceilings, and a pool that fails safety inspections and is time-consuming to set up. I don’t attend High School South regularly, but even visiting South for SAT preparatory classes and the occasional debate competition gives me the impression that these renovations are crucial.
The largest counterargument against the referendum is that property taxes in WW-P are ridiculously high and this is a chance for a long-awaited reprieve. I agree. Property taxes are a good extent higher than elsewhere, but then again, our level of education is much higher than elsewhere. But any decrease in taxes if the referendum does not pass is projected to be negligible. The district estimates taxes will only decrease $5 to $10 per month for a house at average assessed value in Plainsboro or West Windsor.
The entire $27.5 million will be financed without additional expense to taxpayers. The state will provide $6.5 million in educational grants for the first question. The board will issue bonds that will take the place of retiring bonds. The district asserts there “will be no tax increase for the debt service portion of the budget as a result of this referendum.”
The facilities referendum is a necessity for our schools. A vote in favor is a vote for a better, higher quality education. We are very proud of our education in WW-P. Let’s keep it that way on January 24. Peter Maa
1 Colonial Court, Plainsboro
North Alumnus: Referendum, Yes
As a 2004 graduate of High School North, I am writing in support of both measures of the facilities referendum taking place on Tuesday, January 24.
The referendum devotes the vast majority of the money to High School South, and it should; there is great inequality between the facilities at North and those at South. South is in particular need of a new auditorium, a space that is so entirely outdated that many of South’s performing arts productions are currently held at North. If this referendum passes, South will be getting a new auditorium, a new gym, renovated arts and classroom spaces, and a few closed classrooms. These additions will go a long way in addressing many of the inequalities between the two schools.
The money spent at High School North will go to needed improvements as well. The classroom space that will be converted into a science lab is currently underutilized. When I was a student at North a year and a half ago, this space, which is the equivalent of two regular classrooms, was used as a resource room where students that needed extra help could meet with tutors and teachers. At any given time, however, I could remember seeing only a handful of students and teachers using the space. A new science laboratory will be a far more efficient use of these classrooms.
I also support the second question of the referendum. These new fields would provide a safer environment in which to play sports, eliminating the uneven grass fields that currently exist. A turf field would also maximize the use of the space. The current grass fields are only used by the football team during the fall season. With a turf field, however, virtually all school athletic teams could use it year round to practice, and many sports teams will no longer need to be transported to area parks to practice due to a lack of space. The turf could also be used by physical education classes, community football teams, and other athletic groups for practices and games. I am sure these new turf fields will prove to be assets to the West Windsor and Plainsboro communities as well.
Normally, a referendum of this size would cause tax increases. This referendum, however, could not have come at a better time. Debt-service payments for previous school construction will be expiring this year and the district estimates that there will be no increased tax burden if this referendum passes. This kind of opportunity does not come around often.
I will be voting by absentee ballot from my college dorm room and encourage other former students and residents to do so as well.
The benefits of the referendum are great. The overall cost to the taxpayer is comparatively low. Pass both referendum questions on January 24. Jeffrey Sun
President, North Class of 2004, Yale University, Class of 2008
