Kingston village defends itself
The well-researched and balanced article of Sept. 18, "University Land Development and a Village's Battle," captures the struggle in which we Kingston village residents are now engaged.
Seeking to preserve our heritage and our quality of life in the face of massive development that threatens to overwhelm us, we find ourselves confronting a most powerful neighbor, Princeton University — a moneyed and mighty Goliath to our modest David of organized citizen, civic association and local government opposition.
The hostile attitudes we face are evident in the comment from David Knights, marketing director of Princeton Forrestal Associates, the University's land development entity: "[Kingston] doesn't do a thing to help itself and it doesn't realize how valuable Princeton University is as a neighbor to it."
In truth, the citizen advocacy "Kingston Initiative" launched by the people of the village five years ago has: 1) Produced a planning blueprint for the future of Kingston that's been lauded by experts for its comprehensive analysis and model recommendations; 2) Won praise from the New Jersey Planning Officials, who recognized these efforts with their Achievement in Planning Award for significant contributions to planning; 3) Secured the first multijurisdictional village center designation — and the first to define protective surrounding greenspace — under the State Development and Redevelopment Plan; 4) Established organizations dedicated to historic preservation, open space conservation and community beautification; 5) Worked with five municipalities — including Princeton Township and Princeton Borough — on the award-winning nomination of the Kings Highway to the National and State Historic Registers; 6) Collaborated with a wide range of municipalities, environmental groups and historical societies to protect the historic and recreational jewel of Central New Jersey — the Delaware & Raritan Canal corridor — for the enjoyment of future generations.
Nor are the people of Kingston — a number of whom work for the University — unappreciative of the role the University plays, economically and culturally, in the region and that which it can play when it chooses to be a good neighbor.
In stark contrast to the University's steamroller mindset, the Kingston Initiative has never opposed development of the Princeton Nurseries properties by Princeton Forrestal Associates. We recognize both the fiduciary responsibilities the University's Trustees and administration have regarding the endowment and the local ratables to Plainsboro and South Brunswick Townships that would be generated by such development.
Rather we have advocated for a smart growth management plan, one allowing for reasonable development of the property while destroying neither the character of the village nor the natural, scenic, historic and cultural resources of the area surrounding it.
Consistent with sound planning theory and practice, we have asked the University to voluntarily agree to restrict further building on the Nurseries properties to the land nearest U.S. Route 1.
We also have asked the University to limit ingress and egress (with entrances and exits on Route 1 only), instead of reconfiguring Mapleton Road near Lake Carnegie and impacting the historic road corridor and the Lake and Canal vistas.
Our request is no mere NIMBYism at work. The concerns we've expressed in testimony to the Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission were repeated by the Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association, the Delaware & Raritan Canal Coalition, the Sierra Club, the Friends of Princeton Open Space and numerous residents of Princeton, Plainsboro and West Windsor.
Reading this letter you might ask, what's this fuss all about? I thought there were going to be only a few cars driving into Kingston from the new apartment complex being built? What's the big deal?
The big deal is the 2.9 million square feet of planned office space whose occupants will use the road developed for the adjacent 220-unit luxury-housing complex. All this will result in an enormous amount of traffic passing through Kingston.
Mr. Knights commented to the 'Prince' reporter that about 10 cars would come into Kingston from the new apartments during rush hour. In fact, thousands of vehicles will pass through Kingston to and from the new office complex via Mapleton Road. Using narrow regulatory interpretation, the strength of self-governance provisions of the municipal land use law and ignoring the reasonable concerns of reasonable neighbors, Princeton-Forrestal has devised a plan to build all of the new road in Plainsboro, next door to Kingston, but emptying on to Mapleton Road and into Kingston.
This is roadway planning at its worst. In the past when intransigence and blindness have guided the wrong-headed policies of the University, it has been students and faculty who have taken the initiative and steered University leadership to paths more consistent with its ideals.
We appeal to the students, faculty, staff and alumni of the University to urge President Tilghman, Provost Gutmann and the University's Trustees to suspend the development plans for the Princeton Nurseries property near Mapleton Road. Instead of clinging to a bad vision, we urge a dialogue and a new approach, one that can serve as a model of town-gown cooperation, leadership and vision not just in New Jersey, but for the nation and beyond.
A great institution of learning that professes service to the nation and to all nations truly cannot carry forth that mission proudly if at the same time its practice at home runs in direct contradiction to its principles. Anne M. Zeman George Luck, Jr. Co-Chairs Joint Citizens Advisory Task Force for the Village of Kingston
Volunteer aid after the attack
Although there has been significant disagreement about what the country should do in response to the recent attacks, Princeton students have been unified in their support for disaster relief efforts and their desire to help. Since Sept. 11, the Student Volunteers Council and Community House have seen a continuous stream of students stopping by their offices and calling to find a way to help. This desire to strengthen our community has been demonstrated not only in the relief efforts but also in our ongoing projects.
Community House received an overwhelming response to its campus-wide relief fund drive to aid the American Red Cross. In addition, Community House volunteers are now launching a project that will work collaboratively with Princeton Young Achievers to help young children find constructive ways to express their feelings about recent events through small group discussions. Hundreds of students have also responded to the Student Volunteers Council's call for volunteers to give blood, staff the local Red Cross call center and donate supplies for rescue workers. In conjunction with the University Ombuds Office, the SVC is now working with local Muslim and Sikh associations to organize volunteers to serve as escorts for people who fear harassment based on their ethnicity. Volunteers from both organizations also staffed the response center at Frist for over a week after the attacks, providing emergency information for students.
Community House and the SVC thank volunteers for their efforts in the wake of the tragedy and encourage students to continue working in the community. The Student Volunteers Council Board The Community House Staff
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