1	Princeton, New Jersey Plan for Downtown & Its Neighbors Thinking about Zone 4
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7	Spiritual Witherspoon
8	Living & Breathing Witherspoon
9	Mind & Body Witherspoon
10	Governmental Witherspoon
11	Concerns, Interests raised by the Residents “Cultural Preservation” of the neighborhoods Cleanliness & Over-occupancy Affordability Neighborhood shopping Parking & Traffic Bike/walk to Downtown The Witherspoon Street Corridor
12	“Cultural Preservation” “We have worked to keep our neighborhood in a wonderful condition.” “I am tired of hearing people criticize, we need to get people talking about the really good things, so that we can build on what we have.” “Getting a community to do asset mapping really helps to organize themselves.”
13	Over-occupancy & Cleanliness “I am offended by the way they (renters and landlords) keep their properties.” “Glass, roofing tiles, cars left on the lawn, a stove, leaves, garbage are problems.” “the value of this real estate has become in renting - not owning.” “I resent the fact that I have to monitor my neighbor.” “There are over 30 or 40 people living in one house . . . And 10 garbage cans in front on one home.” “Township residents must have individual contracts for garbage pick-up. This has an impact on the streets in those areas.”
14	Affordability “We have not provided housing for the people who make the town work.” “We haven’t come to grips with the fact that the guy who works at the middle school has to live in Ewing.” “We know how to create affordable housing . . . Maybe PF can address this.” “What is being done to prevent having the entire JW neighborhood bought up? “Other people are coming to our neighborhood wanting our properties [because] we have worked to keep our neighborhood in a wonderful condition.”
15	Shopping “A lot of the neighborhood businesses have closed down since the Professor map was made. This is troubling” “The only new business is the tattoo parlor” “How can we attract new businesses into the neighborhood? “The major thing here is that residential and commercial are so closely integrated” “Should we change the parking requirement?” “Why can’t you make it advantageous for people who live there to have a store with tax abatement” (R. Goheen)
16	Shopping
17	Parking & Traffic “On-street parking is needed for the stores and churches.” “The jitney is a great idea. It could serve all the neighborhoods.” “If you walk on Witherspoon Street, you take your life in your hands.” “I am concerned about a remote parking lot on Twp. Property. It will add even more traffic, and the open space should stay.” “Closing the Valley Rd. connection to Rte. 206 has added traffic to Witherspoon Street.”
18	Bike/walk to Downtown “There should be an opportunity to make Witherspoon multi-modal so that you can as easily walk, bicycle, take a transit vehicle, drive a car.” “To re-design the street would be essential.” “The idea of a jitney is an idea whose time has come.” “Walkability is wonderful.” “Witherspoon is not only historic, it is used as a major thoroughfare for pedestrians & bicyclists. Many ride bicycles on the sidewalks.” “We need to design this street so that it is inviting to all modes of transportation.” “We need to be able to walk across Rte. 206 safely, to get to town.”
19	Connection to Downtown
20	The Witherspoon Street Corridor
21	The Witherspoon Street Corridor A Bridge “Witherspoon is a bridge between the JW community & the downtown.” A Gateway “Witherspoon is a gateway for probably half the people in Princeton to the downtown area.” Multi-modal Witherspoon could be the first truly multi-modal street in Princeton, allowing pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and drivers to function on the same street far more comfortably and efficiently than they do today.” Retail “We have the opportunity to recover some of the important stores we have lost, those that are an essential part of any healthy community.” Multi-family housing “We must also look at the possibility of stimulating multifamily housing to strengthen the diversity of the community.”
22	Concerns, Interests raised by the Large Institutions Hospital Recreation Department School Board
23	Hospital Limited space for larger treatment equipment People are healthier & spend less time in hospital because of advances Always diversifying, growing 82% of clients are regional, 18% are local No control over ambulance services (and the noise of sirens): talk to the ambulance services (Note: Hospital Master Plan is currently being reviewed by the Planning Board.)
24	Recreation Department Pool, offices, tennis, basketball are located at Community Park South. Playing Fields concerns: Built on landfill- constant settling Need more fields Purchased Coventry Farms & Greenway Meadows The location (Community Park South) is great. It is a teen center that is a model for the nation. Children come from the west side of Witherspoon Street: they must be able to cross safely.
25	School Board We park our buses on the Valley Road Municipal lot: Is this the best use of that property? We may need more nursery schools. Our central offices are at Municipal Complex but are moving across the street. Witherspoon Street is, for us, an “axis for the town.”
26	Tools to accomplish these objectives Zoning & Code Enforcement Street Redesign Jitney Service Civic Improvements Private Funding Source, Local Ownership
27	Zoning Map
28	Zoning & Code Enforcement Borough Zoning R-4: Uses permitted: Parking: One family dwellings 1 space per unit Two family dwellings 1.5 spaces Attached dwellings 1 space Multiple dwellings 1.5 space per apt. Churches, schools, libraries RB: Uses permitted: Parking: One family dwellings 1 space per unit Two family dwellings 1.5 spaces Attached dwellings 1 space Multiple dwellings 1.5 spaces per apt. Rooming houses Churches, schools Mixed uses: 1.5 spaces per apt. Ground floor business, plus upper floor dwellings Business uses: offices, retail, barbershop, restaurants, laundries, medical offices Code Enforcement Rental (residential) properties are inspected for electrical, plumbing service, heat, maintenance, number of residents per unit Use façade maintenance ordinances on commercial properties Use sign ordinances on commercial properties Mixed-use can be required
29	Street Redesign Cross Section: 2 moving traffic lanes 1 parking lane 3’ (+/-) tree planting edges 5’ (+/-) sidewalks Building setbacks vary Trees are trimmed around the overhead wires. Notes: Appears to be no room for bike lanes. Removal of overhead wires would dramatically change the Corridor’s appearance BUT is expensive. Jitney service can easily be accommodated. Sidewalk & high curbs should be improved. More trees should be selected and planted
30	Jitney Service Facts Requires 10 minute (or less) headway User fees must be nothing or much less than the alternatives. Estimated cost for an 8 hr/day, 5 day/week, 3 vehicle system is at least $500,000 per year – PLUS considerable promotion/advertising expenses, especially at startup. Vehicles must be attractive, comfortable & easily identifiable. Locations served & schedule must fit the needs of the various groups of users in town. Existing (75 minute headway) NJT bus is little used. When surveyed, people say they will use a jitney, in reality they do not.
31	Civic Improvements: Good and Bad Examples Regular Garbage pickup Sidewalk maintenance Maintain, preserve, plant street trees Buried overhead utilities
32	Private Funding Source/ Local Ownership Establish equity fund to receive donations Use fund to (e.g.) give very low interest loans to local owners or purchase properties for re-sale Establish Group(s) of local investors to purchase properties Establish deed restrictions re ownership, rental, number of residents etc.
33	A Possible Vision for Zone 4 Preserve the history and culture of each of the neighborhoods Improve the quality of maintenance in the neighborhoods & on Witherspoon Increase local/resident home & business ownership Protect & preserve the existing institutions along the street in a way that they are integrated in the life of the community Increase the shopping vitality to better serve the adjoining neighborhoods Make the sidewalks of Witherspoon comfortable, attractive, & safe for pedestrians of all ages
34	Community Master Plan: Elements Goals Land Use Housing Circulation Utility Services Community Facilities Open Space & Recreation Historic Preservation Conservation Implementation
35	Next Month . . . Zone 3: YM/YMCA/ Merwick/Stanworth Plus: More about Traffic & Parking