Bill Exempting Private Colleges, Universities from Local Zoning Tabled

A bill vehemently opposed by Mayor Dawn Zimmer that would exempt private non-profit colleges, like Stevens Institute of Technology, from local zoning and planning requirements has been tabled by the New Jersey State Assembly Budget Committee, Princeton Patch reported.

Assembly Bill No. 2586 (Senate Bill No. 1534) is effectively dead for this legislative session, although it could be revived in the future, said Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert, who has opposed the bill's passage.

"It sounded like there was some movement to put it back on the agenda and we heard of some amendments that were being worked onto it, but they pulled it," Lempert said. 

The bill passed 26-8 in the Senate last June and was referred to the Assembly's Higher Education Committee the following month, but had been stalled for nearly a year before being transferred to the Assembly's Budget Committee last week.

"We're obviously really pleased," Lempert said. "We had thought the bill had died a quiet death and we were all shocked and surprised last week when we saw that it was back on the agenda and that it had come to this committee — which was also unusual because last year it was in the higher education committee. So there was lot of concern, we didn't know if the fix was in to push it through under the radar."

Those who support the legislation say it aims for parity between public and private colleges. Currently, public colleges need only to provide a courtesy review to local planning officials, while private institutions are subject to all local land use laws.

Robert Durkee, vice president of Princeton University, has voiced his support for the bill. Last year he said University officials have worked well with the Regional Planning Board, even when the costs of review add significantly to the project cost.

“If this bill becomes law, we would continue to consult with the Planning Board and its staff on major projects and we would hope to benefit from their perspectives and suggestion,” Durkee said. 

But detractors argue that rather than provide parity, the legislation would only offer private institutions unchecked development.

"For government to hand over decision-making authority on important public issues to private entities based on the hope that they will act responsibly is completely and totally irresponsible," Zimmer wrote in a strongly-worded letter sent Monday to the bill's sponsors and members of the Budget Committee.