To the Trustees of Princeton University:
Regarding the development of Princeton Nurseries
On January 11, 2001, Princeton University Professor Henry Horn gave a presentation on the environmental constraints of Princeton Ridge. Following the lecture a discussion ensued about the potential for an Arboretum on the Princeton Nursery lands in Kingston.
The Nursery lands were purchased by Princeton University in 1986, when the estate taxes on the property ensuing from the deaths of John Flemer and his father, William Flemer, within two years of each other, were too high for the family to absorb. The property was assessed as development land in the US #1 corridor. The land was sold to pay the taxes. While there were several potential buyers, the Flemer family decided to sell to the University, believing the University would make the most sensitive use of the property.
The land has characteristics that are unique. The Nursery is on the overlay edge of the Zones 6 and 7 of the middle Atlantic states. The soil types here are especially rich and ideal for growth of all manner of farming, including trees and landscape materials. In this climate, the hardy azaleas and rhododendron, magnolias and multitudes of other species flourish together with the northern forest woods of birch, beech, oak, maple, and aspen. This meeting of two zones allows the production of the widest variety of silviculture, and when coupled with the excellent soil conditions make it a special site, ideal for growing trees and plant material.
Returning as a veteran of World War I, William Flemer knew about these features. He had researched the east coast to find a prime place with ideal conditions for establishing the Princeton Nursery. This enterprise grew to be the largest commercial nursery in the United States and in the world. Princeton University purchased the Nursery lands, which more than doubled the total acreage of university lands, and placed the stewardship of the property in the University's investment division portfolio. Now we are witnessing the outcome of that decision. The lands are divided and a real estate developer of "upscale" condominiums has gained approvals to build 220 housing units, to be called Tuscan Villas. To the best of our knowledge, no consideration has been given to the unique environmental characteristics of this beautiful land. No consideration has been given to possible use other than development. The property has only been considered as vacant space, available for development.
Further, and more importantly, no consideration has been given to the regional impact of development of the Princeton Nurseries land. Plainsboro has given its approval. But note that central Plainsboro Township is located across Route 1. No consideration of regional traffic flow has been mentioned. There are no development-linked requirements for public transportation. Development today focuses on adequate parking spaces and adequate drainage to cope with runoff which results from the surface area of the earth which will be covered up. No consideration has been given to the need in the region for unpaved areas where water can percolate and recharge our groundwater supplies. (The abundance of available water on the Nursery lands led to the establishment of the Kingston Water Company, which sold water to the local communities, before being purchased by Elizabethtown Water Company for addition to it's regional resources of drinking water serving two million people in central New Jersey.) No consideration has been given for the need of the region to have places where people can be still and quiet, can walk and be human, so that when they re-enter their automobiles, road rage might be contained.
Alternatives exist. However, they are radical ideas in Princeton University's continued quest to build its financial coffers. These alternatives require an investment in the region, in the human factor, in regional planning. There are many residents within the University and in the neighboring communities who suggest that the University should consider the development of an Arboretum on that site. Other Ivy League universities have Arboretums: Harvard has the Arnold Arboretum, Yale has the Plantations which are part of the School of Forestry, Cornell and Penn have extensive arboretums, and Columbia has a historic relationship with the New York Botanical Gardens as a teaching resource. Not only could the area be an arboretum, it could be used as teaching space. We strongly recommend that Princeton University seriously consider the extraordinary features and location of the Princeton Nursery lands, and divert the development of these last few acres of open space.
As sprawl consumes the rich agricultural lands of the Princeton, Kingston, Plainsboro, Montgomery, Lawrence, West Windsor region, nothing will be left but developments that are being built with approvals from the many discrete municipalities that have jurisdiction individually over the region. Already graduates "coming back, coming back to Old Nassau" see the landscape changed from tranquil farmlands and villages to housing developments, business parks and strip malls, totally clogged with traffic, and experiencing gridlock at the morning and evening commuter times. What F. Scott Fitzgerald describes as "Princeton, the phoenix rising in the ashes of (industrial) New Jersey" is fast becoming the vanished, vanquished landscape.
We appeal to you as a trustee to act to protect and preserve this unique habitat and environmentally treasured place from development. Your stewardship of Princeton University entails not only fiscal responsibility, but also prudent planning for the future generations. Preservation of the land and protection from development will insure that Princeton University will have the resources to implement new programs and contribute to the solutions necessary for global warming and climate change, as well as the social and medical challenges of the future. As Taxol from the yew tree was discovered to treat many kinds of cancer, so other pharmaceutical uses of substances in trees will be found from continuing research. Global warming can be influenced, and recent studies (NY Times 2/6/01, International p.A6, Andrew C. Revkin) conclude that by protecting existing forests and planting new ones, countries could blunt warming by sopping up 10 to 20 percent of the heat trapping carbon dioxide that is expected to be released by smokestacks and tailpipes over the next 30 years. Preservation of the land will also ensure that the quality of life in the area will continue to be cherished and sought after. The use of regional planning may serve as a model for other communities across the country, making a real contribution to Princeton in service to the world.
President Shapiro spoke in 1998 about having a dream, about Princeton University in the next century. I too have a dream, that this area which I call home, will not become so crowded and over-developed as to destroy the very characteristics that make it an attractive place to live. To protect this environment requires a change in how we approach open space and valuable land. The University might make a substantial return on its "investment" in the Princeton Nursery property by selling the land to a developer who will build numerous single family homes. Alternatively, the University could do something different. The Nurseries could become a park, and/or a research area for students which is more accessible (via the towpath) than Stony Ford and provides a different environment. The University could recover some of its investment by selling the development rights. Governor Whitman has made a point of supporting the preservation of open space in New Jersey. Princeton University might listen to the reasons she has made this pledge.
Finally, if Princeton University is determined to develop the land, why not be forward thinking and create a real town, with some services, like a grocery store, and sidewalks and bike paths. Or build a few modest homes, and use them for faculty recruitment. But please do not go forward with multiple residential and/or commercial development of that property. You have maximized Princeton's dollars at the James Forrestal Campus. Please preserve the quality of life in this area by considering alternatives to traditional building on vacant land. Please revisit the policy that puts decisions on the use of Princeton University lands with the investment arm of the University, without consideration of academic and research needs, and the negative impact of development on the region.
Very truly yours,
Rosemary Blair
Princeton-Kingston Rd.
Delaware and Raritan Canal Coalition
Shirley M. Caldwell Tilghman, the new president of Princeton University,
has some choices to make in the next few weeks that will affect Princeton
for decades to come.
Every day, it becomes more evident that our explosive suburban growth is coming at a terrible price. For two generations, we have fled our cities to manicured, car-addicted suburbs. No area has experienced more of this "sprawl" than Princeton. But the suburban dream is becoming a nightmare: interminable traffic delays, air and water pollution, crowded schools, and soaring property taxes--not to mention the deadly effect on farming, nature, and energy resources.
Amazingly, just as almost every thinking person has come to recognize
that sprawl is destructive, Princeton University has increased its development
activities. Exempt from the taxes regular citizens pay, with a $9
billion endowment that's the highest per enrolled student of any university,
Princeton has, through its Forrestal Associates arm, acquired thousands
of acres of farm and nursery land, and begun developing it. Its latest
development will erect 220 three-story apartment units on 60 magnificent
open acres that overlook the D&R Canal state park. It's textbook
sprawl, the kind that values the aesthetics of neat rows of shiny Mercedes
to the sight of a hawk soaring above a meadow. When the apartments
are completed, the University plans to add a staggering 3 million square
feet of office space next door. This huge complex, on what was once
Princeton Nurseries, will generate thousands of new auto trips daily, which
helps explain the University's behind-the-scenes maneuvering on behalf
of the environmentally destructive Millstone Bypass and Route 92 projects,
publicly financed
driveways to the University's massive corporate campus.
In addition to paving over meadows and adding further congestion, noise, emissions, and runoff, the development may well sound the death knell for the historic village of Kingston. That's because of the plan to re-align and widen scenic Mapleton Road to accommodate the increased traffic. Rather than channeling traffic onto Route 1, Plainsboro and the University have designed access to the proposed complex from what is now a two-lane country road that leads to the even narrower Academy Street in Kingston. The traffic funneled into Kingston will be a nightmare for the people who live along Academy Street, for commuters who already face delays here, for cyclists and walkers along the D&R Canal State Park--a nightmare for everybody except the University, which stands to pocket millions in profits.
Kingston isn't the most fashionable neighborhood. Not many university
professors or administrators live in Kingston. But university plant
and
maintenance workers do. Police and firemen live in Kingston.
Secretaries, staff and graduate students. There are Kingston residents
who have lived here all their lives, who have retired after 25 and 30 years
of service to the University. They deserve better than to be brushed
aside so that commuters can have faster, easier access to the newest office
campus and so the University can further enrich its endowment. Kingston
does not want to die. It wants to keep living--its people have worked
hard and earned the right to keep their village a decent place to live.
The real village of Kingston may, ironically, be destroyed so that the
phony outlet-and fast-food failure that is Forrestal Village might live.
Unless this plan is modified and re-oriented to Route 1 where it belongs, the apartments and the millions of feet of office space that are coming soon will destroy Kingston. A great institution of learning has its moral compass askew if it does not pursue its goals, including its fiduciary agenda. Princeton's new President, Shirley Tilghman has an opportunity to rethink Princeton's relationship to the community. It will not be easy. It means rethinking assumptions and challenging entrenched interests. It will require courage. But it's the right thing to do.
Princeton is a powerful institution. Can it be a great and good
one, too? We cheer your teams, type your memos, fix your boilers, prune
your trees, serve your meals, patrol your streets. Please, Princeton:
spare our village.
Anne Zeman
George Luck
Co-chairs
Joint Advisory Task Force for the Village of Kingston
My name is Richard Barrett. I am on the Board of Trustees of the D & R Canal Coalition. The D&R Canal Coalition is a citizen advocacy, nonprofit organization founded in 1973 which works actively to protect, preserve, and develop the D&R Canal State Park. This unique Park is (1) a ribbon of continuous land - a Greenway - across central New Jersey, (2) a source of historic sites, (3) a focus for artistic and natural science activities, and (4) a place of peace, beauty, and recreation. The land adjacent to the D&R Canal State Park is currently threatened by explosive development engulfing central New Jersey. Farmlands, historic towns, and charming country roads are being lost or radically changed as condominiums, malls, office complexes and housing developments cover the land. Because the Canal Park is such an important and desirable element in the quality of life of our region, the Coalition joins with those attempting to divert such radical changes away from the Park and into more appropriate areas and so preserve the Park.
The D & R Canal Commission was created pursuant to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park Law of 1974, N.J.SA. 13:13A-1 et seq. The Commission is authorized to do two things:
1. Prepare and adopt a Master Plan for the physical development of the D& R Canal State ParkThe third objective of the Master Plan for the D&R Canal in 7:45 is to maintain the Park as an historical resource:
2. Establish review zones in which it will review all private and public projects that impact on the Park and insure that these projects conform as nearly as possible to the Master Plan
The Park's historic character is derived as much from the context through which the Canal flows as from the Canal structures. That context -the area that can be seen from the Canal and its towpath-should be preserved in a manner that reflects its historic nature.
This dovetails with NJ State Planning Goal 7 in The New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment Plan affirming:
The essential elements of Statewide Policies for Historic, Cultural and Scenic Resources are to protect, enhance, and, where appropriate, rehabilitate historic, cultural and scenic resources by identifying,evaluating and registering significant historic, cultural and scenic landscapes, districts, structures, buildings, objects and sites and ensuring that new growth and development is compatible with historic, cultural and scenic values. These policies are designed also to protect and enhance the natural and visual values of scenic and historic values of scenic and historic corridors by promoting the management of new growth and development in ways that complement scenic and historic values associated with these corridors and by using a variety of preservation techniques.
Several Statewide Policies within the Plan give specific guidance:
The D & R Canal State Park is recognized in The NJ State Development and Redevelopment Plan as an Environmentally Sensitive Planning Area (PA5) and a Critical Environmental/Historic Site (CEHSS ).The D & R Canal Commission, is a state commission and its decisions must conform with the NJ State Development and Redevelopment Plan. The State Plan places special emphasis on greenways and historic corridors; most important is the D.& R. Canal which, with its towpath and adjacent parkland, form what has been called a "green spine for central New Jersey" making connections in time and space. The importance of preserving the historic context of the canal can not beLocate and design public and private infrastructure improvements to protect historic resources and their settings from the immediate and cumulative effects of construction and maintenance of these improvements. Manage development and re development to maintain, complement and enhance scenic and historic values within identified scenic and historic corridors. Participate in the coordination of State, regional and local government identification and delineation of scenic and historic corridors throughout the state and take the necessary steps to protect them. Design infrastructure and other site facilities to satisfy their functional purpose while contributing to local character and sense of place. Minimize site disruption, respect the physical, scenic and historic assets of a site,and use every possible opportunity to meet all relevant State Plan goals
The Princeton Nurseries Historic District is a significant part of the historic rural agricultural area which provides the historical context of Kingston Village and the Canal?s environment, as well as its buffer. It lies in both South Brunswick and Plainsboro Townships. A portion of the site lies on one of the Crossroads of the American Revolution: the Heathcote Brook bridge on Mapleton Road, currently being replaced by Middlesex County, is the site of a much earlier bridge used by General George Washington and his army on the way to the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778. Mapleton Road was already indicated on John Dalley's map of 1745. The Federal Government is providing millions of dollars to protect,preserve and enhance the Crossroads.
The Princeton Nurseries Historic District was declared eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in an opinion by the NJ State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). In determining the significance of the district for eligibility, the NJ Office of Historic Preservation made the following statement:
"The district is notable for the remarkably consistent picture it presents of a specialized agricultural practice, little changed in appearance and basic methodology since the early 20th century. Combined with Carnegie Lake and the Delaware and Raritan Canal on the western boundary of the district, the nursery fields provide valuable green 'breathing space' in an area rapidly undergoing transformation to multi-unit housing...[T]he district's greatest significance lies in the rare environmental and aesthetic experience it creates."Unfortunately, much of the originally identified Princeton Nurseries Historic District has been lost to development; it is, therefore, all the more important to preserve the remaining open land and, especially the scenic historic Mapleton Road corridor including the road itself, which should not be altered.
The preservation of the Mapleton Road view corridor is important to preserve the historic context, of both Kingston Village and the canal area - as a link from the past to the present to the future, and as a means of protecting the quality of life in the village and the region. Today agriculture may no longer always feasible, but it is important to preserve the greenbelts which offer the opportunities for open space and recreation. In addition, greenbelts provide a protective buffer for the village and the canal and a reminder of the area's agricultural past in a time of intensive development and change. Mapleton Road in its present configuration maintains the historic ambience and context and, as has been proposed, would be eligible for the State Scenic Highway Program.
The Canal regulations state that proposals for new or road improvements in Zone A should not adversely affect the historic features, character, or substantially increase vehicular traffic to roads adjacent to the Canal. There has been a great deal of speculation concerning traffic data in regard to the proposed application. At a minimum, according to Mr. Amon's interpretation of the figures, traffic will increase in excess 10%. If Mappleton Road were a state road, the applicant would be subject to NJ State Highway Access Code, approved in accordance with the NJ State Highway Access Management Legislation of 1987 and the state plan. Under those regulations, traffic increase in excess of 10% at peak hours is considered significant. It must be emphasized that the potential negative traffic impact and "intrusion into the historic Delaware & Raritan State Park review zone" is why the Scudders Mill Road extension directly south was opposed by the Commission.
To summarize: there are definitive reasons why the D & R Canal Commission, in keeping with its regulations, under N.J.SA. 13:13A-1 et seq., should not issue a Certificate of Approval for the widening and realignment of Seminary Road. The proposed roadway changes would substantially change the character of physical features within a portion of the Canal?s setting and diminish the integrity of significant historic features in this portion of the Canal.
In keeping with our stated mission, the D & R Canal Coalition is
particularly concerned about the changes wrought from cumulative and incremental
changes within the A Review zone. In 1997, the Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ) published the results of research concerning cumulative effects
in Considering Cumulative Effects. CEQ was established by Congress with
passage of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, to implement
and administer NEPA. In the study, the Council found that ?evidence is
increasing that the
most devastating environmental effects may result not from the direct
effects of a particular action, but from the combination of individually
minor effects of multiple actions over time.? This is what William Odum,
in 1982, described as the "tyranny of small decisions." In this light,
the commission must recognize that what you are faced with today is not
a small decision. Governor Whitman recognized this when she considered
the impact of the Millstone Bypass' potential adverse impact on the region's
historic resources, including the D & R Canal State Park and said:
"We must convince ourselves that we are taking the route that least affects
the area's environment and character."
In an area of such historic, scenic and recreational importance, it is essential that the Canal Commission, stewards of this remarkable resource and jewel in the state park system, preserve its character and context. It is also crucial that Princeton University and the Canal Commission do the right thing and to preserve the Mapleton Road scenic historic corridor. The State Plan outlines that: "Unlike the provisions of other 'greater-than-local' state and regional planning statutes, the state Planning Act is based on the nobility of reason and coherence. It relies upon the sense of responsibility and conscience of New Jersey's public and private sectors at the state and local levels to understand and embrace a coherent plan for New Jersey's future."
To : The Trustees of Princeton University
Dear Trustees:
I write on behalf of the Kingston Historical Society (KHS) and the endangered Village of Kingston. The University, through Princeton Forrestal Associates (PFA) proposes a high-density development project for the Princeton Nursery land, near the northern end of Lake Carnegie. This project 220-units of rental residences near a two-lane, rural, historic road and a major re-alignment and expansion of that rural, historic road. The University and its development partners seek to capitalize on an ambiance you will destroy by the very nature of your development.
Approximately ninety residents from seven area communities attended the May 16, 2001 Delaware & Raritan Canal Commission meeting to oppose PFA's proposal. The exceptional size of the opposition prompted PFA to request the Canal Commission to defer a vote on these matters until the June 20th meeting. KHS is not against the development of lands for the fiduciary benefits of Princeton University. These objectives are appropriate as long as the development does not have a negative impact on the University's neighbors.
Kingston : Endangered Historic Site
Preservation New Jersey (PNJ) recently recognized New Jersey's rural villages as among the ten most endangered historic sites. KINGSTON VILLAGE was specifically identified as such an example. Included in PNJ's reasons for the endangerment of New Jersey's rural villages are a) uncontrollable traffic generated by external sources and b) context-insensitive development immediately adjacent to the villages, often in other jurisdictions.
KHS implores the Trustees of Princeton University to a) withdraw the plans to alter the historic roads surrounding the Princeton Nursery , b) move all development of Princeton Nursery to Route One...where it belongs ; and c) have all vehicles from the Nursery lands only use Route One for traffic access, as was done for Princeton Landing.
Mapleton Road is an historic and scenic view corridor. It was one of the paths taken by Washington's troops as the Continental Army traveled to the Battle of Monmouth.
Exacerbating the situation is PFA's additional plan to construct almost 3 million square feet of office / retail space. This proposal would generate 10,000 - 15,000 additional vehicles, many of which will use Mapleton Road and overwhelm the National Historic District of Kingston Village as well as eleven nearby National Historic District communities or sites. Princeton Borough and Township will not be spared. Heavy trucks will aggravate an already bad situation.
Directing traffic to rural, local roads will introduce visual, atmospheric, and audible elements that diminish the integrity of significant historic features in this portion of the Canal and of these National Historic Districts. The result is a substantial alteration of the character of physical features and settings within a portion of the Delaware and Raritan Canal and a degradation of the habitability of adjacent communities. The proposed expansion of Seminary Drive / Mapleton Road and their intersection will substantially expand the noise paths , currently limited to the perpendicular approach to Mapleton Road and the Canal.
Princeton Nurseries has been a unique historical and cultural resource. This site deserves planning which respects its historical, scenic, and natural character.
Princeton University espouses a creed of service to the nation and the world, but appears to have little concern for its neighbors, many of whom work for the University. The University and its real estate development have become a major force in central New Jersey. As one of the nation's great institutions of higher education, one would expect the University act with responsibility to the region and its residents.
With regards,
Corrington Hwong
President Kingston Historical Society
The Delaware and Raritan Canal Park is an easily accessible escape
from traffic, noise, and pollution for the thousands of people-from infants
in backpacks to the elderly with canes-who enjoy it throughout the year.
The towpath is perfect for walking, jogging, bicycling, and cross country
skiing. Many use the canal for canoeing and kayaking. The park provides
a habitat for at least 160 species of birds, 90 of which nest within the
park.
Your web site (www.dandrcanal.com) touts Kingston as one of the prime "Points of Interest" for those visiting the Canal Park and it notes that it is "one of the more heavily visited spots along the canal."
However, the development, "Villas of Tuscany," proposed for construction in Plainsboro, just next to Kingston, would be within 1,000 feet of the canal. This three-story rental apartment complex, along with the widening of Mapleton Road and the change in configuration of the intersection of Mapleton Road and Seminary Drive will compromise the integrity and beauty of the Delaware and Raritan Canal.
Your charge as D&R Commissioners is "to prepare and administer a land use regulatory program that will protect the Canal Park from the harmful impacts of new development in central New Jersey." It is your mandate to monitor whether "new development could have drainage, visual or other ecological impact on the Canal Park."
"Villas of Tuscany" will destroy the sight-line from the canal and its towpath. The traffic from this development, along with that expected from the proposed development of a 2.9 million square foot office complex just to its north, will increase pollution.
The proposed widening of Mapleton Road (a portion of which today nearly touches the canal) and the reconfiguration of the intersection of Mapleton Road and Seminary Drive will encourage more through traffic-including trucks-leading to increased runoff and pollution of the canal water as well as increased noise and fumes for those walking or boating within the park.
On a recent walk along the towpath, I saw countless turtles (many sunning on logs and several swimming in the canal), two snakes (a small one hitching a ride on one about 2 feet long), goslings paddling after their parents, birds singing in the trees and brush. The D&R Canal Park provides us a precious habitat.
I urge you to deny permission for construction of "Villas of Tuscany"
in its current form and to deny permission for the changes in configuration
for Mapleton Road. It is your mandate to protect the Delaware and
Raritan Canal Park.
Sincerely,
Sandra Shapiro
West Windsor
To members of the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission,
Within the limits of the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission review capabilities there are two issues that command your attention, 1. the road reconfiguration, and 2. the view of the development from Canal Park.
The reconfiguration of the road system at the corner of Mapleton Road
and Seminary Drive has extreme negative consequences on the Canal
Park. Many speakers brought these to your attention on May 16 at the
Commission
meeting. These include:
1.
2.
The second issue is the appearance of the buildings from the towpath. Since the ground elevates sharply from the towpath up to Mapleton Road, and continues to increase in height on the land where the Tuscan Villas are proposed to be built, the actual height of the structures nearest to the Park are in fact 73' higher than the towpath. The elevation of the ground level is thirty feet and the elevations of the housing units are 43 feet.
This problem can be eliminated by requiring that those structures nearest
to the Mapleton Road and Canal Park view be limited to ten feet, as
in a garage, and recess the residences twenty feet behind the garages,(the
depth of a garage), with one story elevations closest to the Road. This
would provide a stepped series of elevations, reducing the impact on the
Canal Park. Any higher structures would be further back in the development,
with the softening of landscape materials and trees concealing the negative
impact from the Canal Park.
Although Princeton University has agreed to preserve the land between
the Canal Park and Mapleton Road, they have not also eliminated the
housing density that is zoned for this land. They have taken that density
allotment and transferred it to the property across Mapleton Road, and
therefor have increased the number of units to 220 on the east side of
the road. The value of the "protected" land is greatly diminished by using
the development rights on an alternative space. When the University originally
announced that it was protecting the 50 acres between the Canal Park and
Mapleton Road, it was not clearly stated that they were taking the development
rights to intensify the number of units on the other side of Mapleton Road.
They have not lost anything in the reconfiguration, and therefor there
is a very limited real gift.
The lack of regional planning contributes to the sprawl exemplified
by this proposed development. Because of the unique review powers of the
Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission, a great contribution to the
health and character of the region can be effected in the review zone.
We urge each Commissioner to consider the overall and far reaching effect
of this development, and work to protect and preserve the treasure of the
most widely used NJ state park, The Delaware and Raritan Canal Park.
Rosemary Blair
Delaware and Raritan Canal Coalition, Chair