Volume LXXV, Number 36
www.towntopics.com
Cannabis Task Force Prepares to Propose Ordinance for Dispensaries
Hunterdon Land Trust Marks 50 Years Preserving Local Land . . . . . . . . . . 5 Sukkah Village Princeton Uses Design to Highlight Social Crises . . . . . . . . . 8 Rummage Sale at Trinity Church . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Haunted Yearbook: A Back to School Reverie . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Freshman Yeager Makes Impressive Debut for PU Field Hockey . . . . . . . . 28 Despite Graduation Losses, PHS Boys’ Soccer Looking Formidable . . . . . . . . . 30
Olivia Weir and PHS Field Hockey Primed for Big Season . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach Realtors . .20, 21 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 22 Classified Ads . . . . . . 35 New to Us. . . . . . . . . . 23 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 34 Performing Arts . . . . . 16 Real Estate . . . . . . . . 35 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . 6
Princeton’s Cannabis Task Force (CTF) is preparing to recommend an ordinance for Princeton Council permitting three cannabis dispensaries in town. The CTF is seeking input at two public meetings in the next 10 days, on Thursday, September 9 at 7 p.m. on Zoom (link available on the municipal website at princetonnj.gov) and Saturday, September 18 at 10 a.m. in person, location to be determined, or on Zoom depending on weather and COVID-19. “The purpose of these meetings is to get people to weigh in on the proposed recommendations of the CTF to allow three retail establishments in town,” said Councilwoman and CTF Chair Eve Niedergang in a September 6 phone interview. “We’re reaching out to the public. We want people to be aware of this and the earlier we get input from the public the earlier we can take advantage of that input.” The 23-member CTF, appointed by the municipality of Princeton, chose to opt out on the state’s August 21 deadline for passing ordinances for the cannabis industry in town. Their goal is to prepare an ordinance to opt in at some point this fall. The CTF felt that the community needed more time to solicit community input and develop plans and requirements that fit Princeton’s values and needs. Niedergang explained that the CTF has been considering which of the town’s seven commercial zones might be the most appropriate locations for cannabis dispensaries. The discussion has been lively, she said, but the members seem to be in agreement on moving ahead with public meetings followed by an October recommendation to Council, if possible. The Princeton zones under consideration include the central business district, the northern portion of Witherspoon Street, Jugtown near the intersection of Nassau and Harrison streets, the Alexander Street/Road area, the Princeton Shopping Center, and two areas on Route 206: one south of the Municipal Building near Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad and another near Bottle King. The CTF plans to recommend that cannabis dispensaries follow the same rules that currently regulate liquor stores regarding location (not within a certain Continued on Page 13
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Wednesday, September 8, 2021
Commemorating 9/11, 20 Years Later Saturday marks 20 years since some 3,000 lives were lost when two hijacked airplanes hit the World Trade Center in New York City, another struck the Pentagon, and one crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pa. Nine of the dead were from Princeton and 17 others were from Mercer County. Several area memorial observances are planned, including events in Princeton, at Rider University, and in Hopewell and Montgomery townships. In Princeton, the Princeton 9/11 Memorial Committee will dedicate a permanent memorial at noon on Saturday, September 11. A ceremony will be held outside the Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad headquarters at 2 Mount Lucas Road (inside with COVID-19 protocol in case of rain). The outdoor memorial is comprised of a nine-foot steel beam from the World Trade Center, as well as plaques describing the events of the day, and mileage to the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Shanksville plane crash sites. “We felt that 100 years from now, this will tell the story and have impact,” said Committee Chair William Shields. During the ceremony, the names of the nine Princeton residents who died will be read, and first responders will be honored, said Shields, who explained that the names were culled from various
sources. The fire bell will ring once after each of the nine names; and will sound again for the New York Police Department, Port Authority, Fire Department of New York, and members of the U.S. Intelligence communities. The last bell would be for all who died or suffered as a result of the attacks in the weeks or months following September 11, Shields said. The event will feature speakers, prayer, music, and the police honor guard will post colors. “We think the town will be proud of this,”
said Shields. “We are not closing a chapter but opening it up so others can read it.” The steel beam used in the memorial arrived in Princeton on March 24, 2012, with a safety officers’ vehicle escort, through efforts by past Fire Department Chief Roy James. The beam, which weighs 745 pounds, was placed in storage waiting for an appropriate home, said Shields, until the piece was brought to Princeton Engine Co. No. 1 Firehouse on Chestnut Continued on Page 12
2020 Census Shows Princeton, Mercer Co., NJ, US All Growing in Size and Diversity The population of Princeton is 30,681, in an area of about 18 square miles, with a population density of 1,729 per square mile, according to the United States Census Bureau 2020 results reported last month. The consolidated Princeton population (the municipality was established in its current form with the merging of the Borough and the Township in 2013) grew by about 7.4 percent over the past 10 years, making Princeton the 26th largest town in the state. The racial composition of Princeton is 72.5 percent white, 16.9 percent Asian, 7.5 percent Hispanic or Latino, 5.7
percent Black or African American, and 3.7 percent two or more races. The median house value in Princeton is $866,200, and the median age in Princeton is 33.8 years, 30.7 for males and 39.4 for females. Females make up 49.2 percent of the Princeton population, males 50.8 percent. The population in Mercer County grew by 5.7 percent from 2010 to 2020, with Robbinsville seeing the biggest increase of 13.4 percent to 15,476, followed by East Windsor 10.5 percent to 30,045, West Windsor 8.7 percent to 29,518, Pennington 8.4 percent to 2,802, Continued on Page 13
THE WRATH OF IDA: The remnants of Hurricane Ida caused major flooding and destruction throughout the area last week, and the cleanup continues. People share how they were affected by the flooding in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)
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