Princeton council approves disbanding construction appeals board, equipment purchase; introduces 24.85-acre land acquisition

Princeton Mayor and Council on Feb. 24 voted to dissolve the municipal Construction Board of Appeals, approved a five-year equipment purchase agreement for police body-worn cameras and related hardware, passed several routine resolutions and introduced an ordinance to acquire roughly 24.85 acres on Cherry Valley Road.

The council adopted Ordinance 2025-02 to disband the Princeton Construction Board of Appeals, saying the county board now handles the type of appeals the local panel rarely convened for. Councilmembers carried the ordinance by roll-call vote during the public hearing portion of the meeting.

Council members also approved a multi-year purchase of body-worn cameras and related equipment from Axon Enterprise Inc. The contract is procured through New Jersey state contract 17-FLEET-00738 for a five-year term at $174,132.72 per year, the resolution said.

Other resolutions adopted included: releasing $3,300 in inspection fees to Princeton Day School for Field House site work; supporting submission of a $10,000 Sustainable Jersey grant application for a Quarry Park micro-forest project; approvals of budget transfers in accordance with the cited state statute; and authorization of a person-to-person and place-to-place liquor-license transfer for a retail consumption license. One council member recused themselves and temporarily left the room during the liquor-license item.

Separately, the council introduced Ordinance 2025-03, authorizing the acquisition of approximately 24.85 acres of vacant land at 660 and 680 Cherry Valley Road (Block 102, Lots 10 and 11.01 on the Princeton tax map). That ordinance was introduced and scheduled for public hearing on March 10, 2025.

The meeting’s consent agenda, which included four items, was moved and approved as a block without discussion.

The council did not record substantive debate on most of the resolutions; several were moved and seconded with no further discussion and adopted by roll call.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance 2025-02 (disband Construction Board of Appeals): Adopted by roll call during public hearing; no recorded opposition. - Ordinance 2025-03 (introduce acquisition of ~24.85 acres at 660 & 680 Cherry Valley Road): Introduced; public hearing set for March 10, 2025. - Resolution 25-77 (release of inspection fees, $3,300 to Princeton Day School): Adopted. - Resolution 25-78 (support for $10,000 Sustainable Jersey grant for Quarry Park micro-forest): Adopted. - Axon purchase (body-worn cameras and equipment via state contract 17-FLEET-00738): Adopted; $174,132.72 per year for a five-year term. - Resolution 25-81 (budget transfers, NJSA citation noted in meeting): Adopted. - Liquor-license person-to-person and place-to-place transfer (Concert Jasna Plana LLC / license 11-1433-3206-6): Adopted; one council member recused and temporarily left the room.

Why it matters: The disbanding of the local construction appeals board transfers routine jurisdictional appeals to the county level, formalizes Princeton’s use of state contract procurement for policing equipment, and advances the municipality’s proposed land acquisition that will receive a public hearing on March 10.

Council actions were procedural in many cases, with most items approved on motions, seconds and roll-call votes and limited on-the-record debate.