Hearing Tonight will Consider IAS Plan to Build Next to Princeton Battlefield

A debate has raged for months in Princeton over the  on land adjacent to the Princeton Battlefield. 

Now it's the public's turn to weigh in on the project, which is currently before the Princeton Regional Planning Board. Tonight's meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Princeton Township Muncipal Complex. 

The special meeting will be the third devoted to the Institute's proposal, which has impassioned proponents on both sides of the issue. 

The Institute hopes to build on land it owns that sits between the Institute and the Princeton Battlefield State Park. 

Institute officials say a lack of available land and skyrocketing home prices mean many fewer members live within walking distance of the residential campus. The Institute proposes building a 200-foot buffer between Battlefield Park and the housing, and in some cases, the buffer would extend to 350 feet. The homes would have flat roofs and constructed of all-natural materials.

But project opponents argue that it is crucial to preserve the property, pointing to those who claim the land in question was the site of Gen. George Washington’s counterattack and first victory against the British during the Battle of Princeton in 1777.

“The planning board can not approve a cluster development unless they make a specific finding that it will not adversely impact the area of the development- the site and the adjoining properties,” attorney Bruce Afran said last month. Afran represents the Princeton Battlefield Society and several individuals who oppose the plan.

So far, nearly eight hours of hearings have been devoted to attorneys presenting their views to the planning board, plus expert witness testimony. 

Last month James McPherson, an emertis professor of history at Princeton University, offered what could be a compromise between the two sides.

He said the Institute’s architect, J. Robert Hillier of Princeton, has agreed to modify proposal as follows:

• moving the tree line away from the edge of Battlefield Park and putting it directly behind the proposed homes, shielding homes from view but maintaining open space.
• Installing a path through the Institute property with interpretive signage to commemorate the Battle of Princeton.
• Providing public access to the buffer zone
• Reducing the size of one house lot to preserve more space