Princeton Ridge - Senior Housing - December 2007

Update: Senior Housing Development on the Princeton Ridge

The Princeton Township Committee voted this month to table a series of amendments that would have likely jumpstarted the development of the senior housing project on Bunn Drive on the Princeton Ridge. Officials say they are likely to take up the amendments again early in the New Year.

Several of the amendments were introduced last month after RMJM Hillier, the developer of the planned age-restricted housing project, made a request to the Princeton Township Committee asking to lower the qualifying age for residents from 62 to 55. The company based its argument on the fact that there are only two 62-and-over senior housing projects in the state and both are unsuccessful. They believe the change is needed to make the project feasible.

The other amendments would have excluded all of the affordable-housing units from the permitted density of the site, reduced the maximum impervious coverage from 40 percent to 30 percent, increased height limits, and required the developer to make all units handicapped-adaptable, as well as donate three acres across the street for the development of future affordable housing.

Additional amendments were introduced at the December meeting-all of which were also tabled- that would have increased the inclusion of moderate- income units from 12 to 24 and raised the amount of common open space from 40 percent to 60 percent. The amendments also made provisions for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards certification and for a preference for township residents.

The development continues to face staunch opposition from environmental groups that claim the site is environmentally sensitive. Conversely, supporters argue that the development would provide the township with the senior housing option that it has so long desperately needed.