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There is actually a major planning application in front of the Princeton Zoning Board of Adjustment tonight. For the proposed 190-room hotel at 20 Nassau St! Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81796334084
The Zoning Board are continuing their hearing from December. It is not clear if there is going to be public comment tonight, or if it will be continued again, but I am ready to YIMBY it. https://walkableprinceton.com/2020/08/21/graduate-hotel-concept/
Extremely detailed hearing. They are currently discussing the numbers of decibels of noise in the surrounding neighborhood from the chirp when somebody locks their car in the parking garage .
The applicants witness just said "Moving on to slide 126..."
Detailed shadow studies now. This is a really professional application.
Architect Josh Zinder points out that the sign on the new hotels will have a "sign height/facade ratio" of just 31%, as opposed to 43% for the existing historic-preserved Lahiere's Restaurant sign on Witherspoon St.
It's a really good-looking building. The four-story + dormer bit at the front is original from ~1920. The bit at the back would replace, and be much larger than, existing run-down 1-2 story structures. They need a variance for floor area...
Zoning Board chair Stephen Cohen says that he thinks that the proposed addition has too much bulk facing the neighboring residences on Bank St. Some Bank St neighbors have been lobbying to downsize the hotel.
Cohen sounds like a firm 'no'. He says he think there is too much bulk, the new wing is too big, too close to the property line, and too tall.
Bank St NIMBYs are hitting hard now in public comment...
My buddy David Keddie, founder of 'Walkable Princeton' ( @walkprinceton) is speaking now. He says he is in favor of greater density in towns like Princeton "everybody who stays in a hotel on Chambers St is a person who can walk to businesses in town".
A Bank St NIMBY is now saying that vibrations from construction will cause tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to his home, and suing the contractor will be a big burden. 
He's now talking about "potentially lethal dust".
He's now talking about "potentially lethal dust".
This NIMBY is now somehow linking dust from construction at the site to COVID-19. I'm not sure how that works...
OK, I got my YIMBY comment in! My points were: (1) having a large hotel will help activate the downtown and provide business to the merchants. (2) it doesn't make sense for visitors to Princeton to stay in Route 1 hotels, so that we lose the ratables but get the traffic, and...
...(3) the proposed building looks absolutely great and would enhance the town. I hope it gets approved.
A Bank St neighbor just shared this weird Powerpoint He is reiterating the Historic Preservation Commission report, which is a litany of NIMBY complaints. The proposed hotel is not in a historic district, but it is near one.
He is reiterating the Historic Preservation Commission report, which is a litany of NIMBY complaints. The proposed hotel is not in a historic district, but it is near one.
People should not be allowed to use Powerpoint with their public comments. This guy is just giving a rambling lecture now, accompanied by a lengthy slide deck.
He's still going!!!
This guy's public comment has now gone on for over 20 minutes.
Over 30 mins now, this NIMBY has been at it.
Here is his latest slide.
PLEASE EXPLAIN
Here is his latest slide.
PLEASE EXPLAIN
This guy has now been speaking for over 40 minutes. This is absolutely unbelievable. The Chair of the Zoning Board is allowing him to engage in an unmoderated back-and-forth discussion with the witnesses and panelists.
"I'm actually getting tired" says the NIMBY, after 49 minutes of testimony. Unbelievably, the Zoning Board is now going to continue the meeting to another date, when he will be allowed to continue his filibuster...
I am always amazed at the farcical things that happen at Princeton land use meetings, but this is the first time I have actually seen a NIMBY filibuster an entire meeting...if I was the applicant I would be *furious*.
