PRINCETON, NJ – The work on Princeton’s master plan continues with a series of listening sessions and an open house scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., in the Princeton Municipal Building located at 400 Witherspoon Street. The events will give the public an opportunity to come listen to ideas, ask questions, and contribute in a meaningful way to Princeton’s future.
“We’ve scheduled nearly a dozen hour-long listening sessions in preparation for the open house later this month,” said Princeton Senior Planner Justin Lesko. “Any member of the public is invited and encouraged to drop in and share feedback and ideas about future land use, mobility, conservation and economic vitality. We are hoping to engage communities in areas of town that might not have been represented through previous surveys and events – for example, students and parents at Princeton High School, Spanish-speaking residents, and in the Western section of Princeton.”
The following listening sessions, which will include a presentation on the master plan interspersed with discussion questions, are scheduled throughout the community in Spanish and English, as well as online:
- Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 5:30 p.m., Frist Campus Center Tabling Session
- Tuesday, Sept. 12, 8:00 p.m., Online Listening Session via Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82568106152?pwd=Rm95eUhOV2o4NTl4QWFJaFNOUEVaUT09)
- Wednesday, Sept. 13, 6:00 p.m., Eastern Side (Riverside/Jugtown) Listening Session, The Jewish Center of Princeton, 435 Nassau Street
- Thursday, Sept. 14, 8:30 p.m., Sesión de Escucha Del Plan Maestro en Español: Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church, 124 Witherspoon Street
- Saturday, Sept. 16, 9:00 a.m., Witherspoon-Jackson Listening Session: Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street
- Monday, Sept. 18, 12:00 p.m., Elm Court Listening Session, Harriet Bryan House, 310 Elm Road
- Tuesday, Sept. 19, 9:00 a.m., Central Business District Listening Session, Nassau Inn, 10 Palmer Square
- Wednesday, Sept. 20, 11:00 a.m., Princeton University Farmers Market Tabling Session, Firestone Library, 1 Washington Road
- Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7:00 p.m., Princeton High School/Princeton Middle School Listening Session, PHS Black Box Theater
- Saturday, Sept. 23, 12:00 p.m., Western Side Listening Session, Monument Hall, 1 Monument Drive
The series of listening sessions is the next step in the process of ultimately updating Princeton’s master plan, an important legal document and the community’s vision for how and where growth should occur. Following the September 27 open house, a master plan introduction will be made to the Planning Board on October 19. Then, a hearing on the master plan is scheduled for November 9 at the Planning Board Meeting.
“The open house is an opportunity for people to learn about the master plan process, existing conditions, and highlights from last year’s public surveys. The Municipality of Princeton Planning Department and members of the Master Plan Steering Committee will be on hand to answer questions,” said Lesko.
More information about the elements of the master plan, timeline, meetings and events, and project team can be found at https://engage.princetonmasterplan.org/.
About the Princeton Master Plan
The Princeton Master Plan is a document, adopted by the Planning Board, which sets forth the policies for land use as envisioned by the municipality. This includes the character and location of new development and redevelopment, as well as mobility 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.
Per New Jersey’s Municipal Land Use Law, which lays out the role and powers of the Planning Board, all municipalities must adopt a municipal master plan. Thus, the master plan is both an important legal document and a community’s vision for how and where growth should occur. To view archived municipal master plans including the 1996 Princeton Master Plan including the 1996 Princeton Community Master Plan, its 2001, 2007 and 2017 reexaminations, and all adopted and readopted elements, visit https://www.princetonnj.gov/339/Master-Plan.
For more information, visit at https://engage.princetonmasterplan.org/.