Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Sustainability topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
West Windsor council adopts pledge on sustainable land use; resident urges more housing near Princeton Junction
Summary
The West Windsor Township Council adopted a resolution pledging to expand sustainable land use planning. Resident Jacob Schwartz urged the council to allow higher-density housing and diverse housing types near Princeton Junction to support walkability and transit use.
The West Windsor Township Council on April 7 adopted a resolution pledging to continue and expand sustainable land-use planning practices under the Sustainable Jersey municipal certification program.
The pledge (2025-R102) was approved as part of a consent package of resolutions the council voted to adopt unanimously. The resolution commits the township to actions supporting sustainable land use in pursuit of municipal certification.
The adoption followed public comment from Jacob Schwartz of 42 Cranberry Road, who told the council he supported the pledge’s goals but urged the township to allow higher-density housing and a wider range of housing types near the Princeton Junction train station. “When I think about allowing more sustainable land-use patterns, I mostly envision allowing people to build at higher densities than we have before, particularly in the town centers, in order to build walkable and bikeable communities,” Schwartz said. He cited the “more parking lots surrounding our station than any other station on the Northeast Corridor” and said the area around the station was underutilized and could be developed into “a wonderful and walkable town center.”
Mayor Morate responded to the comment, saying the township is working with county partners on walkability improvements near Cranberry Road and plans other changes at the train-station area, including reusing an old school bus garage site as a parking and events lot. The mayor also announced a Department of Community Affairs recreational improvement grant to resurface basketball and tennis courts at Duckhorn Park.
The resolution was listed among consent items the council approved in a single motion; no separate debate on 2025-R102 is recorded in the meeting transcript. The council did not specify implementation steps, timelines, or zoning changes in connection with the pledge during the meeting.
The council’s actions move West Windsor into the Sustainable Jersey certification process; any specific zoning or ordinance changes to enable the housing types Schwartz described would require separate proposals, public hearings and, where applicable, planning-board review.
For more information, the resolution number is 2025-R102 and was adopted as part of the consent agenda on April 7, 2025.
