The Princeton Junction Neighborhood Coalition held a community forum on May 3 to help clarify its own position with regards to the redevelopment project being undertaken by the township of West Windsor.##M:[more]##
The meeting featured an analysis of Hillier’s financial analysis of the income and expenses generated by the project. Virginia Manzari, who has an MBA but repeatedly said, “I’m no expert,” gave a presentation of the analysis.
Hillier’s projections assume that taxes on the housing, retail, and office buildings created by the redevelopment will create an annual surplus of $7 million. That income would allow the township to bond between $108 and $114, the amount required to pay for the infrastructure and amenities in the proposal.
Manzari speculated on several scenarios that could result in the township losing profits. She said the surplus could be as low as $2 million per year, significantly reducing the amount the township could borrow. “Our taxes could increase by 17 percent to make up that difference. This is a huge financial risk,” she said.
“I’m also opposed to the way Hillier’s presentation used scare tactics,” said Manzari, referring to the planner’s projections on what would happen if the township were to do nothing. Hillier showed a slide of sprawling overdevelopment during his presentation, and said the township’s current zoning would allow the developers to decide what to build in the train station area.
“The market forces wouldn’t support this level of development,” said Manzari. “We could change the zoning to prevent that, and we could buy more open space to make sure it doesn’t happen.”
PJNC president Susan Conlon said the group will send a letter to council prior to the May 21 public comment session. She said members of the group will attend the meeting to express their views to council. She says the PJNC meeting, like the “open mic” session, was organized in response to residents feeling as though they had not had an opportunity to give enough input at the redevelopment workshops.
“You always feel as though you’re just an audience member when someone in a position of authority is always presenting,” said Conlon of Hillier’s workshops. “We’re not authority. We’re just citizens.”
Conlon clarified misconceptions about the group’s position. “We’re not opposed to the redevelopment. If people decide they want whatever level of development, that’s what should happen. We’re in favor of a better process. If we arrive there, at least we will have gotten there by using the best possible decision-making.”
