Okay, >> we're gonna uh sorry, we're going to start. All right, welcome to our meeting. It is June 8th, 2026. >> This is a meeting of the mayor and council of Princeton, New Jersey. Madame Clerk, could we have the meeting
statement, please? Notice of this meeting was provided in accordance with the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act and state regulations governing public meetings, including the time, date, and location of the meeting and clear and concise instructions to the public for accessing
the meeting and making comments. In addition, the agenda and all related materials were posted electronically and made available to the public on Princeton's meeting portal in advance of the meeting. >> Thank you. Brian's going to do the uh land acknowledgement tonight.
>> We gathered today on the land of the Len Lape. As members of the Princeton community, we aspire to show appreciation, respect, and concern for all peoples and our environment. We honor the Lape and other indigenous caretakers of these lands and waters,
the elders who lived here before, the indigenous today, and the generations to come. >> Thank you. We have roll call, please. >> Mr. McDonald >> here. >> Mr. Cohen is absent. Miss Peron Lamrose >> here.
>> Miss Saxs >> here. >> Miss Frogga >> here. >> Mr. Nulan >> here. >> Mayor Frida >> here. Thank you. All right. All right, if you're able, please stand and join us in the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice. >> Okay, thank you. Uh, first up, two sets of minutes to approve if someone Thank you, Brian. Is
there a second? Thank you, Laticia. Any questions or comments on the minutes? All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> Okay. Council announcements or reports? Anybody have anything uh you want to
bring up tonight? Oh, I'm sorry, Leon. I just want to announce or reannounce that the Arts Council Porchfest will now take place on September 26th. I believe that's the right date. So standby is is going to
be, you know, hopefully a lot better weather and uh we just want everybody to come out and have a good time moving from neighborhood to neighborhood communicating in fellowship and listening to some good music. Just want
to let everybody know September 26th. Thanks. >> Thank you, Le Brian. Yeah, I would just note um if I can that uh Eden's and Triumph have restarted the pop-up beer gardens uh began this past
Friday and will continue for the next 14 weeks with music at all the uh different uh Fridays and uh good community turnout and a great place to just uh mix and mingle and uh enjoy a late Friday
afternoon. >> Thank you. Also, oh, I'm sorry, Michelle. Yes. >> Um, so just uh so the um public knows, there are um some World Cup events that are happening with Experience Princeton.
The first will be June 20th. Uh that will be at the Monument Park uh area. The next one will be on uh June 28th at the shopping center and then July 14th will be downtown at Hallfish Palmer Square. Uh so look for more details uh
coming up but if you want to put a note on your calendars. Thanks. >> Thank you. Also this Friday at noon uh Spirit of Princeton is having their flag day ceremony uh right here on the plaza right out front. Um all right. Anybody
else? I'm sorry. >> There's a lot happening in June. So if we haven't mentioned uh Junth is now a municipal holiday. Uh, so our offices will be closed on on on that Friday, Junth. And then we have a flag raising on June 18th. So I wanted to mention
that. Um, and also in June, we'll um we'll be uh, you know, so we'll be having that. And what else was I going to say? I forgot now. Never mind. >> There's a lot happening. >> Go ahead. There's a lot going on in June. Yeah. Oh, and the Princeton Festival. That was the other thing which
has already started. That's at Morvin with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. So, you can check the calendar of events, but there's something pretty much every night, Friday, Saturday, and Sundays, uh, starting last weekend and running through to June 21st. Thank you. That was it. Very important. Thanks.
>> There you go. All right. Anybody else? All right. Um, anything. All right. Cool. All right. All right. So, we're having a presentation about metered parking rates, Spring Street garage permit rates, and Spring Street
garage hourly parking rates. >> Thank you, Mayor. There should be a presentation that's coming up soon. Technology is great when it works and when it doesn't look at settings.
>> Yeah, just video settings. Keep hiding it in new places. Oh, there we go. >> Okay, getting closer. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Good evening, Mayor and Council. Um, for those of you in the
audience, I am Deanna Stockton, deputy administrator of the Department of Infrastructure and Operations as well as municipal engineer. >> Hey, Deanna. Yes. I think you just need to keep that microphone closer. People on Zoom won't be able to hear you. >> Thank you. Thanks for that reminder. Uh,
so included in the agenda packet are a memo, a copy of this presentation, and a copy of a draft ordinance. Those are um included on pages 29 to 53 of the agenda packet. Tonight, I'll be walking you
through the proposed updates to Princeton's parking fees and related res uh regulations. So to start with a broader context, Princeton has a mix of parking resources that includes the Spring Street garage,
metered on street spaces, metered municipal lots, Palmer Square private garages, and university parking. Um the proposal tonight is not just about raising rates in isolation. And it's about managing the shared parking system
in a way that works for visitors, residents, and local businesses. Princeton parking rates have not changed since 2019 except for the 90minute zone that was added in 2024. So this proposal
is the first change in seven years. Um during that same period of time, the costs of running the system have gone up and demand for parking has continued to increase, especially downtown. The recommendations in front of you are
consistent with the parking principles that Princeton has followed since the 2018 parking system overhaul. The goal is to encourage turnover in the most desirable spaces, keep more remote parking more affordable, review our
rates regularly, and use parking revenue to support public improvements and municipal services in Princeton. And that includes the loop buses, additional trash collection in the CBD, street sweeping, storm water
management, landscaping, and tax relief along with the everyday costs of operating the parking utility. Looking at the financial side, parking revenues support a wide range of municipal services and the parking utility has to keep rate with the
increasing operating and capital costs. We've seen expenditures increase 16% over the period from 2021 to 2025 in the form of higher staffing costs, utility costs, parking app costs,
transit support costs, streetscape maintenance needs, and tax relief while activity in the central business district continues to grow. These are the main drivers behind the recommended fee adjustments.
So on the parking the metered parking side, we're recommending rate increases for the 30 minute, 90inut, three-hour, all day Princeton station and omnibus parking zones. We're also proposing a
new higherpriced inner threehour zone in the areas where the demand is strong strongest while keeping a lower priced outer three-hour zone so that there is a difference based on location. This is um illustrated um as we go
through these next slides. This slide shows the proposed parking zone modifications. In general, the changes are intended to better match rates and regulations to actual use patterns, including reducing
emphasis on areas that are under utilized and focusing pricing where demand is strongest. So um on the left side of the slide you see where the proposed inner three-hour
zone is shown in the yellow orange color um and the existing 90minute zone will remain in place. Um on the right side is where the outer threehour zone will remain um at a slightly lower cost than
the proposed inner three-hour zone. Okay. So, and again on this slide, the uh all day parking zone will remain as a lowerc cost option for people who expect to stay longer and are willing to park
further from their the most dem in demand locations. That distinction is part of the overall strategy of using different rate levels to help distribute demand across our parking system. Um the holiday metered parking we have
uh in two sections of the code references to the holiday metered parking. Our intent here is not to change the existing practice for holidays, but rather to make the code clearer by bringing the language
together in one place and confirming that both the fee suspension and time limit suspension continue to apply on the listed holidays for metered parking. Uh on this slide, we're focusing on uh
the proposed um Spring Street garage daily rate changes. We're recommending a simpler structure where we would have a daytime rate of $2 per hour from 8 am to 10 p.m.
a maximum daytime charge of $28 and a flat over overnight rate of $5 from 10:00 p.m. to 8 a.m. We're also deleting the separate holiday garage rate and formally codifying up to two hours of
library validation parking. Here uh we are reviewing the monthly permit rate for the Spring Street garage. The recommendation is to increase the monthly permit from $180 to $225.
This reflects the value of the monthly garage access, helps us keep pace with operating costs, and keeps it within the range of comparable local parking options. And um for the metered parking, we we've
provided the um regional comparison that's shown on the screen now for a typical three-hour visit. Um, and it shows that Princeton's proposed pricing range remains within within competition
when compared to our peer communities and nearby parking options. So, if council is comfortable in moving forward, the proposal will be to introduce the draft ordinance on June 22nd and uh there would be following a
public hearing on July 13th. We would uh recommend that the rates do not become effective until uh September 1st. And these, as as I've noted throughout the presentation, uh these
rates are intended to keep Princeton's parking system practical, fair, and financially sustainable while continuing to support the broader public services that parking revenues help fund. With that, I can answer any questions.
>> Deanna, thanks for a great presentation. Very, very well done. Thank you, David. Yes, I echo uh very comprehensive. The only question I have is about the Nassau Street parking east of Harrison. And was
it clear to me what you meant when you said that it was undersized? And also and the other part of the question is are we talking about just eliminating meters or eliminating I mean what what
will be replaced or what will the meters be replaced by? Would it be three-hour free parking like we have in some of the or two-hour free parking like we have in some of the residential zones or some other alternative? And and did you
consider going to all day parking there? Um >> so that area is currently an all day um parking. >> It is all day parking. And so the idea is that it would remain all day parking but it would no longer be metered. uh
the revenue that we receive from those parking spaces I think is less than what it costs to continue to operate and service those meters. Um in terms of the undersized it is a very tight corridor
in there. Um and our parking staff feel uncomfortable when they are servicing those meters in that area just because it is so compact. Um, so the idea is just to um leave it as the all day parking without meters.
>> Okay. Thanks. >> L. >> Yeah. Thanks, Diana. You know, I read over this and we talked today and and I'm I mean, why wouldn't we do this? You know, I guess might be the question. And I think this is the right thing to do.
But I just do not a flag but I just want to like talk to to one issue that I think is important and that is whenever we raise prices right there's an impact on everybody and there's some people that come into
Princeton and shop and they this is what they do and an increase in prices is they just can knock this you know off like that. But you know, you have people that maybe
work for not forprofits coming to church is a one-off just coming into Princeton for a day or two. And it's a different impact on these people. So I just want us to be mindful
that when we make decisions like this that this has an impact on everybody. So that being said, my question is as we raise these prices, what do we have any question or do we have any anticipation about the
allocation? Where are these increase in funds going to go? >> Did either the INO or the finance committee talk about that? >> Yeah, I mean one thing is to improve the transit service in town. you know, we
just added the second um route, the the Loop Express, but I think no one's really satisfied with the level of service that we have even. So, the transit isn't really um serving the
needs of anybody, even those who use it. So, um that would be one major thing, and I'll let other colleagues talk about other things. Yeah, >> thank you. >> Yeah, I mean the the principles in
general are to to turn, you know, have higher turnover and the in the in the denser um middle part of the central business district so that you have, you know, open spaces and so, you know, employees will transit in so that you
have the the new transit loop, which hopefully will help. And then you have the longer term all day parking more on the outskirts but maybe it's not walkable. Um or maybe it's walkable but a little long. So you know you have the the transit. Um but investing
makes a lot of sense. Investing in the cleanliness um you know in the streetscapes. All of that costs a lot of money to for the upkeep. So, it's kind of a balance and hopefully we're giving opportunities for our residents to be able to, you know,
ride the bus or, you know, walk in not as far where it would be less expensive. So, you have, um, you know, the the zones that were in blue, uh, the zones a little bit further out. Um, but, you know, it's a trade-off. And I was going
to make some other mention about the Spring Street garage, but just to answer your question, that's where you really need to invest in that as good, you know, planning principles is to take the funds from parking and invest in that
district. So, um I think that u Deian has done a terrific job with this presentation and the thought through of looking at the high cost of free parking as Donald Shep says and having principles that make sense. Another thing you want to do is you want to
balance that on street parking, convenient parking is more expensive for that convenience than pulling in the garage. Um, so you know trying to to balance that a little bit >> and I appreciate that because I think the important thing is a lot of times
you know and organizationally anybody can do this. A lot of times we we may make a decision to do something we we don't bring it full circle like what what what is the benefit? How does equity build into this? And you just answered that question so I'm glad I
asked it. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Right. Uh yeah, I'd like to make three points and ask one question. Um the first is that there are no rates with one exception, uh no rates are
increasing more than 25% if I remember that slide correctly. Um the one area where there is a a higher increase is the um parking station near the at the dinky the dinky lot um which is going up significantly and where it's still way
below well or well below uh the rate out at the um at the West Windsor uh train station Princeton Junction. Um the since we last raised rates, the consumer
price index is up 32.3%. Um so um some would say that we're not going far enough. In fact, um almost any economist you would talk to would say that the goal is to uh get the balance
uh in check between supply and demand. And um with the Spring Street garage, just as one example, um four or five years ago, there was a waiting list of 150 people wanting monthly permits at $180 an hour. Um the only reason it was
uh 150 is they stopped taking uh names or it would have been much higher. And uh an economist would probably say you should just keep raising the rate until that list goes down to just a couple of dozen um which might be $300 or $350. So
this is going from 180 to $225 is a step. Um but one of the key points in the presentation I think is to uh look at the rates more frequently than every uh 5 to seven years. And I don't know
what the appropriate uh time period is, but you know, it may be as short as a year, it may be as long as as three years, but we need to keep keep looking at this. Um, I also would note that there was helpful data in the presentation that shows that the
utilization of uh parking in the garage and in the metered spaces um has gone up significantly. And um two of the drivers are the uh increase in visitors and in
commuters. So that only a fraction of the increase is going to be borne by residents themselves. It's not an insignificant fraction. That's still significant. It's still something um we should pay attention to. Um and then the
last uh thing is a question which is um as the utilization has grown and as I believe there have been more dates on which the Spring Street garage has put out the signs saying that it's full. Um,
I I wonder if in the next year we might begin to talk more about um, you know, long-term parking capacity in and around the Sporal business district. Um, and I know there have been studies that uh,
describe our technical capacity, but I would distinguish that from the sort of functional capacity of where people want to park uh, whether they live, work, or visit Princeton. And I hope that we can begin to do that because any project to
create uh a new structure anywhere near downtown would probably take many years. Um, and I'm just concerned that, uh, the utilization of parking and the Spring Street garage in particular, um, is going to continue to increase and
they're going to continue to be more times when it is full and people cannot find places to park where they want to park, when they want to be downtown, when they want to be spending money and supporting our merchants.
>> Okay. So, Laticia, >> thank you. Uh, I think I know the answer to this, Diana, but I just, uh, want to, uh, confirm. You mentioned there were some all day parking zones. Is that what are the hours? Does that include overnight parking or is it just during
the day? >> Uh, it is only during the day. There is, uh, in the former bureau and the high school zone, there are prohibitions from overnight parking. So it's all day is considered 20 hours a day.
>> Okay. And that leads to my next comment. Uh I brought this up uh several goal settings and including this year which will be my last goal setting. So, I I really want us to address uh if we're
willing to, I know I am. Uh I know there's support from uh our police department and also I understand from staff uh regarding uh overnight parking restrictions which is basically just a
4hour window of time where uh it it can be just uh inconvenience for those who uh need to move their cars into their driveway if they have the space. And it could be a hardship for those who don't
have the space and may have to rent uh space in a garage or lot to be able to park their car overnight. And it really I know it's a holdover from uh pre-consolidation where the burrow had
this uh ordinance that does not allow for uh for parking from 2 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. And uh but it really does not make sense. Does not make sense. I I know when we've discussed it in the past when
we had formed a permit parking task force that was considered the third rail whenever this came up uh at least that's what it was referred to that um it was uh difficult to tackle because there were two neighborhoods uh the high
school and the western section the high school be we and I live in the high school zone where um and I I consider this is uh for us in the high school neighborhood, we get free permits, four
free permits basically uh that other neighborhoods don't have, including the Witherspoon Jackson neighborhood don't have that benefit of free parking in in our own neighborhood, but except for the overnight parking. The overnight parking, uh we have to remember to move
our car or uh and I've had to do that in the middle of the night, but I'm not the only one. I know I've heard from uh we hear occasionally from residents who are still questioning why we are still enforcing something that during CO we suspended that and from what I
understand there were no issues whatsoever of people being able to park uh overnight. Uh so it's something that I I know staff from what I understand is that staff is waiting
to afford direction from us. Uh and it's something that they they're ready to work on once they get direction from us. Uh I understand I know we had the conversation about one of the challenges may be with dur on street
sweeping. I think some an alternative uh something that we can consider is alternative parking like other cities do when there's uh street sweeping. But we need to have that conversation and we once and for all and say is this
something that we're willing to uh to uh possibly hopefully change that policy. >> Yeah, thank you. Yeah, I I agree. It would be nice depending on the bandwidth
of your world to have that discussion at some point this year if we can. Uh just a a question on on process. So we have the presentation tonight and I know Michelle shared the uh the presentation with the entire board of experience Princeton to help get it out to the
business community. But if we're going to introduce this at our next meeting, which is June 22nd, I think you said, at an ordinance introduction, there's no discussion. There's no discussion until the public hearing, which would which would be July
13th. So, I'm curious if we've started to reach out to people, should we perhaps move things back by a meeting and on June 22nd just have this on the agenda in case people show up to talk about it and then introduce it at the next meeting and the following meeting
have the public hearing. That way, just in case there's it's just going to be next meeting, we'd have to say to people, thanks for showing up, but we can't talk about it. So, if we're not going to implement it till December, sorry, September 1st, >> then maybe that would just be a goodwill
gesture whether people show up or not. Just a thought. >> Yeah. >> Which we can discuss offline. We don't have to decide. >> Yeah. I don't think we have to decide that. I That's why I wanted to make sure that there's a heads up that you know there look at the discussion, see what you know, what direction council wanted
to take on it. um and then certainly have um further conversation um and see if there was you know a lot of concern, a little concern and and how to you know how to go from there. Um before we move on though I did I did want to take the
opportunity Brian raised something really important and um I didn't want to let it go and that is uh parking capacity uh parking garage capacity. Uh he mentioned and I was going to mention that there are 150 people on the waiting
list for Spring Street garage and we've stopped taking names. So that is never going we're never going to be able to uh accommodate even the people that are on that list um whether you raise rates or
not. Um there is uh experience Princeton has um contracted for a study uh to look at leasing and obstacles for leasing and this will be something that will be rolled out in the next few months. But one of the things that emerges and it's
a perennial issue is parking, parking, parking. We all know that. But what's happening is it stops some folks from coming in and starting businesses here whether you know small businesses especially um you know the ones the
kinds of things that we'd like to see um and you know Leighton touched on equity and I think that this is something we really need to consider uh how we're going to tackle that. So, I just wanted to mention that, you know, maybe this is just a drop in the large bucket. Um, but
I think it's a step in the right direction, but we definitely are going to need to address the larger picture, the elephant in the room, so so to speak. >> There you go. >> Thanks. >> All right. Anything else on this one? >> Okay. Next up, we have a public hearing
on an ordinance, and that is ordinance 26-20, an ordinance by the Municipality of Princeton regulating bus stops and amending chapter 19 of the code of the bureau of Princeton, New Jersey, 1974. Someone like to Thank you, David.
Michelle seconded. Um, any any questions or comments by anybody up here? This is a pretty simple one. No, no big deal. Is there anybody in the audience or on Zoom that came here to talk about
this one? >> Okay, seeing none, we'll close the public hearing and can we have a roll call vote, please? >> Mr. McDonald, >> yes. >> Mr. Cohen, >> yes. >> Miss Peron Lamrose, >> yes. >> Miss Saxs, >> yes. >> Miss Froga, >> yes.
>> Mr. Nulan, >> yes. >> All right. Now, we have six ordinance introductions. And as I just explained, we don't discuss ordinances when they're first introduced, but we have a public hearing date where they will be discussed in detail. First up is ordinance 26-21, an ordinance of the
mayor and council of Princeton amending ordinance 25-22 establishing the salaries and compensation, excuse me, compensation of certain personnel, the municipality of Princeton. The public hearing is June 22nd, 2026. Thank you, Leticia, for the
motion. Thank you, Michelle, for the second. Uh, roll call vote. >> Mr. McDonald, >> yes. >> Mr. Cohen, >> yes. >> Miss Pearl Ambrose, >> yes. >> Miss Saxs, >> yes. >> Miss Frogga, >> yes. >> Mr. Nulan, >> yes.
>> Ordinance 2622, an ordinance by the Municipality of Princeton increasing Princeton sewer service charges and amending the code of the Burrow of Princeton, New Jersey, 1974. The public hearing June 22nd, 2026. Thank you, Michelle, for the motion. Mia
has the second roll call vote, please. >> Mr. McDonald, >> yes. >> Mr. Cohen, >> yes. >> Miss Peron Lamrose, >> yes. >> Miss Saxs, >> yes. >> Miss Frogga, >> yes. >> Mr. Nulan, >> yes. Ordinance 2623, bond ordinance providing
for various capital improvements in and by Princeton in the county of Mercer, New Jersey, appropriating 10,246,565 therefore and authorizing the issuance of 9,734,235 bonds or notes of Princeton to finance part of the cost thereof. Public hearing
June 22nd, 2026. Ryan has the motion. Leighton has the second. Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. McDonald, >> yes. >> Mr. Cohen, >> yes. >> Miss Peron Lamrose, >> yes. >> Miss Saxs, >> yes. >> Miss Frogga, >> yes. >> Mr. Nulan,
>> yes. Ordinance 2624, bond ordinance providing for various sewer improvements in and by Princeton in the county of Mercer, New Jersey, appropriating 4,766,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of 4,766,000
bonds or notes of Princeton to finance the cost thereof. Public hearing June 22nd, 2026. Thank you, Brian, for the motion. Mia has the second. Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. McDonald. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cohen, >> yes.
>> Miss Peron Lamrose, >> yes. >> Miss Saxs, >> yes. >> Miss Bragga, >> yes. >> Mr. Nulan, >> yes. >> Ordinance 2625, ordinance appropriating 1,212,000 from the from sewer connection fees for
various sewer improvements and equipment in and by Princeton in the county of Mercer, New Jersey. The public hearing June 22nd, 2026. Michelle's got the motion. Leightton's got the second. Uh, roll call vote, please. >> Mr. McDonald, >> yes. >> Mr. Cohen,
>> yes. >> Miss Peron Lamrose, >> yes. >> Miss Saxs, >> yes. >> Miss Braa, >> yes. >> Mr. Nulan, >> yes. Ordinance 2626, bond ordinance providing for various capital improvements for open space
purposes in and by Princeton in the county of Mercer, New Jersey, appropriating $77,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of se $671,650 bonds or notes of Princeton to finance part of the cost thereof. Public hearing
June 22nd, 2026. Brian has the motion. Michelle has the second. Roll call vote, please. >> Mr. McDonald, >> yes. >> Mr. Cohen, >> yes. >> Miss Peron Lamrose, >> yes. >> Miss Saxs, >> yes. >> Miss Frogga, >> yes. >> Mr. Newan,
>> yes. >> Okay. Thank you. And we're not having any discussion on any of these, but for people in the audience or that watch this broadcast later, there is information in the agenda package on the the the ordinances that are capital uh capital expenditures just so you can see
what they're about. Next up, we have five resolutions. First one is uh resolution 26164, resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing change order number one to the contract with National Water Main Cleaning Company, Inc. for MA
mini system number 36 sewer rehabilitation contract A in the amount of $25,564.70 for a new amount not to exceed 2,84 2,842.70 is there a motion on that? Mia has the motion. David has the second. Questions
or comments? >> All right, seeing none, all in favor please say I. >> I. Resolution 26165, resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing the award of a contract to Pamis Ford, Inc. doing business as all-American Ford of Pamis for Ford
interceptors for use by the police department as an admin vehicle and patrol units for an amount not to exceed $189,08941 utilizing the New Jersey Cooperative Purchasing Alliance contract number BC-B-24-43 is Thank you, Leticia. Leighton's got
the second. Questions or comments? >> I see none. All in favor, please say I. I >> I >> resolution 26166 resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing a contract with Elite Vehicle Solutions for Police Vehicle Upfitting for an
amount not to exceed $98,53729 utilizing New Jersey state contract 17-fleet-49. Leticia has the motion and Leighton has the second. Questions or comments? I see none. All in favor, please say I. I >> resolution 26167
resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing the award of a professional services agreement to Topology NJLC for professional planning services for the development of a redevelopment plan for the West West Minister campus for an amount not to exceed $33,000.
Michelle has the motion. Leticia has the second. Questions or comments? >> I see none. All in favor, please say I. >> I. Next up is the consent agenda, paying bills, alcoholic beverage license is, and poll banners. Uh, Leticia moving
those in block. And David approve seconding that. All in favor of those three, please say I. I. >> Okay. Next up, public comments for items not on the agenda. If anyone here in the room or on Zoom uh has an item to talk about that was not on the agenda, you
could come up to the microphone or raise your hand on Zoom. Uh people have three minutes each to speak and we may or may not uh engage in a back and forth on that. Our usual practice is not to. Anybody in the room have anything for public comment?
Yes, sir. Yeah. You put your hand up, right? Yep. Just come on up. Just say your name, whether you live in Princeton or not, and hopefully a timer shows up on the screen behind me. >> Um hi. Um my name is Perry Jones. Uh I have been on the Princeton uh pedestrian
and bicycle advisory committee for I think like five years. Um I would just like to urge for bike lanes to be put on Harrison um from Nassau Street to the Princeton Shopping Center. I believe that work on this segment is coming up
and the design is currently being worked on before the work goes out to bid. Um there is space for five- foot bike lanes on this segment between the intersections and I just would urge that bike lanes between the intersections be
part of the final design. Uh this is important uh to me and many other Princeton residents and would potentially not cost anything extra mainly just being paint on the pavement. That's all. Thank you for all your work.
>> Thank you. >> Wait can excuse me. I didn't connect with exactly the intersection he's talking about. >> Did Did you want to mention specific intersections or are you just talking from Nassau down to meet up with the existing bike lanes?
>> Yeah, >> just the corridor. >> What? >> The whole corridor. >> The whole corridor there. That segment of the corridor. >> Thank you. I'm sorry. Okay. Anybody else in the room have item? Lord.
Okay. Can you hear me? Great. Um, so was parking on the agenda or not? >> Can you just for the So for the minutes, can you just >> I'm sorry. Robin Lefitus, executive director of experience Princeton. >> Go ahead. >> Was parking on the agenda or not on the agenda?
>> Yeah, we had a whole Yes. >> So work session counts as being on the agenda. Okay. Then I have nothing to say, which is very rare. Thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah. And and and and Robin, we we I think what we'll probably end up doing
is having another session where the public, businesses, etc. can chat with us at at the next meeting and then introduce it after that. I think that's where we're headed. But any anybody else in the room? Anybody on Zoom? Oh, I'm
sorry. >> Good evening, everyone. >> Hi. Uh, can you hear me? All right. >> Yes. Um, >> my name is Michelle First and I live at 82 Spruce Street and I'm here to express my anger at the lack of community
engagement regarding the last minute addition of the Spruce Street development in the fourth round. I'm angry because the town dramatically changed the zoning property next door without noticing us
and without hearing anything from the community and the people that live there. I don't think this is right and I actually don't think this is legal either. I'm angry because I wasn't included in a
decision that has major impacts on my life. and on my home. And the excessively permissive zoning as it stands will have my backyard in shade for almost half of
the day. And it's allows for a 45 foot tall wall of building to be built 10 feet away from my property line. I want to be very clear. I want inclusionary housing in my
neighborhood. I want affordable housing in my neighborhood. And I also want to be listened to. I want my voice to matter. I want to feel like I am part of the
community. Simply put, I want to belong because belonging and relationships are the foundations of how we should guide our housing
decisions and procedures. I want that for the people who live in my neighborhood and I want that for our new neighbors who are to come. In fact, I want that for all the people
in Princeton to have because when you don't tell people when their zoning is changing in a clear and accessible way and you don't include them in this process, you take away their voice and their agency
and you create the conditions for conflict, you also create an us against them mentality and the ability for misinformation to flourish. and most unfortunately
for lawsuits to be the only way to engage with the power of the municipality when you're not included. This is not how community is built. This is not how neighborhoods should grow.
And this is not how meaningful change is made. As our town grows and changes, we need real I got to put my glasses on. We need and the need for housing intensifies. We need to create a robust transparent
process for engaging with people. I want to be an advocate for this project, but I simply can't be when it doesn't include the perspectives, influences, and input from the people
that actually live there in the neighborhood. I'm asking you to bring us along. >> Can I Can I >> Oh, yes. >> Are you about >> I I have a few more moments. >> Okay. Well, you're you're about a minute
over, but I want to let you finish, but >> Excuse me. >> I app I appreciate it. I have like two more lines. >> Yeah. >> Um I'm asking you to bring us along and to set real procedures for how the town, the the people and developers engage in
zoning changes. I'm not seeking a victory for my own home, but I want to a victory for the people. I want to share in the victory of of this zoning change. Thank you for listening and I hope that
we can continue this conversation and I plan to come and have my voice heard as much as I can because this means so much to me. >> Thank you. Anybody else in the room have an item? Yeah. Come on up. Introduce yourself and
>> Yeah. Come on. Come up as a group. That's fine. Try to watch the timer. >> Sure. >> Good evening, Mayor uh Freda, members of council and residents. I'm Vivon. I'm a middle schooler from West Windsor, New Jersey.
>> And I'm Myra Chry. I think you might know me, Mayor Freda. Um, I actually sent you a letter about my project from school. It was my advocacy project and I decided to extend it. I'm moving into Princeton soon uh this July and I wanted
to start a community project and I started something called the Princeton Policy Review and I got involved my two friends um Vidoula she's from Plainsboro where I currently live and Vivon he's from West Windsor. We're all very civically involved at least we try to be
Vivon especially with the West Windsor Council and Vidoula as well with the Plainsboro Council. she's starting to be as well and I just wanted to come and just civically involve myself within Princeton as I will be an upcoming new resident and I decided to bring them
along. Our project the Princeton policy review is on how affordable housing action plans are going on right now in Princeton with the fourth round obligations and the Mount Lorine doctrine and how it's playing like out along the Princeton corridor essentially
is kind of what we're aiming at. But Princeton municipality is our main focus. >> Yeah. And then along with affordable housing, uh I wanted to know if Princeton has any state obligation or regulations to how many uh affordable
housing units have to be made. For example, in West Windsor, 500 affordable housing units have to be created by the end of the year. I was wondering if Princeton had a similar obligation and Democratic elect Hamway for NJ12 Council
has already vowed to um help townships in uh with their affordable housing and make things more affordable. So I was wondering which obligations Princeton has and how are they working towards it. >> Yeah, I think that question is like what Vivvon just asked was very valid. But um
also to add on another thing I wanted to ask was I think that affordable housing is like impacting lots of people right lots of people who are looking to move in and lots of people who are already there living there and the person who just spoke before me I think she's person she's a person who's already
living there and she talked about how it's impacting her. Um, and so I was just like wondering how exactly are you guys like planning to address every single person who's being impacted, whether it's people work like looking to move in or people whose houses already exist near the new affordable
developments. Um, and yeah, and whatever Vivon said is also a question that we are looking to >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, it's going to be a very long discussion, so we're not going to get into it tonight during this part of the meeting. But, I I would encourage you, as you did before,
>> why don't you email me the questions and we'll figure out how to either set you up with time with with one of the elected officials, our staff to help you understand what our process that what we've gone through and help you with your project. So, we're we're happy happy to do that. >> That's great. Thank you.
>> Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> All right. Well, there's nobody else in the room now. You've all gotten up. So, um, anybody on, uh, anybody on Zoom? Okay, there Adam, there is a hand up. You already got it. And again, just, um,
introduce yourself and then, uh, a timer should pop up on the screen so you can watch that also. Just start with a quote from Octavia Butler. All that you touch you change. All that you change changes you. The only lasting truth is change and God is change. Um I was talking to people about
all of these housing developments that are going in and people say, "Well, changes change happens. you can't expect that the house that you bought will be the house that happens, you know, that that you will have for the rest of your lifetime. And I completely understand
that. Um I'm I understand that Princeton has a lot of work to do to meet our obligation. I know that it's difficult to meet that obligation in a timely manner and that you all have worked very hard to be thoughtful about how it is to be implemented. Um I'm a big fan, for
instance, of what you did at the shopping center. I think as we move, you know, into the fourth round and additional rounds, um, and these projects, housing projects will be moving into more neighborhoods, I really want to uplift Michelle's call to try
and work really thoughtfully with community as much as possible. Now I know that this is like a you know a difficult um line that you have to to draw but you know
as like you know these problems these like this need to meet the obligation is a Princeton community need. It's not just council. I mean, I know that you guys are the ones on the line for it, but as much as we could bring in community members so that we can work
together to to meet this need, I think it would be more successful. And just seeing what has happened in in this situation uh where Michelle is living, I I can understand how it's impacting somebody who deeply
believes in in and and and does it every day in her life to try and make the world a more equitable place. um how if she had been brought in and her family had been brought into this conversation in a meaningful way um you know we we could have maybe done
things much differently and I I would love to see find ways that we can work together to meet this housing obligation to make Princeton more affordable um in in neighborhoods and throughout. I'm not saying that you guys aren't doing a lot because I know you are and I know all
you know the amount of work that you've been doing to try and make uh to meet this obligation is beyond anything I can imagine. But I still would want us to do more to try and make sure we're working with the people of Princeton to meet this
obligation however we can. I didn't prepare notes so I apologize. Thank you for listen and for the work as you do. >> Thank you. All right. Is there anybody else on Zoom that had a comment for an item not on the agenda?
All right. Seeing no hands up, uh, that's it for the entire agenda. Would there >> move to return? >> Is there a second? Thank you, Brian. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Meeting's over. Thank you all. >> All right. the next game.
>> Jo got to see it. Yeah. I almost forgot where my Knicks at, but I said people think I'm a home.