By Anne Levin

Princeton Council has unanimously approved a resolution for a professional services agreement with Camiros, a Chicago-based planning firm, for the first phase of a unified zoning code update.

The vote came at Council’s meeting on Monday night, August 25. Justin Lesko, the town’s planning director, told the governing body that the project is a multi-year effort that will cost a total of between $300,000 and $500,000 over three years. The first phase is for an amount not to exceed $83,600.

Thanking Lesko for his work on the issue, Council President Mia Sacks said it is long overdue. Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros thanked Sacks and Councilman David Cohen as well “for working really hard on a weekly basis, and working toward trying to harmonize the codes,” she said. “It’s been a lot of work.”

In a memo to Council before the meeting, Lesko said five proposals were received, ranging from between $249,160 and $653,100. The goal is “to provide services to unify the zoning codes of the former Borough and Township, and provide a single modernized zoning code for the consolidated municipality, as well as update the related sections of the land use code.”

In other actions, Council approved resolutions related to the continued operations of arts organizations at facilities on the former campus of Westminster Choir College. The municipality has owned the campus since purchasing it from Rider University in April.

A license agreement with Rider keeps Westminster Conservatory of Music under the aegis of the University through December 31. Agreements with the Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra and Princeton Pro Musica keeps them on the campus through August 31, while an amended license agreement with Princeton Ballet Society runs through June 30, 2026.

Council introduced ordinances authorizing the lease of a portion of the Community Park Tennis Facility to the Princeton Tennis Program, and creating an affordable housing overlay at a property on Thanet Circle, in furtherance of the Fair Housing Act. Public hearings for both are at the meeting on September 8.

Assistant Municipal Engineer Jim Purcell led a work session on the transit study that has been underway since last year, to design a comprehensive transportation program for the municipality. He asked Council to indicate the next steps to be taken. Further discussion of the program will take place at the next Council meeting on September 8.