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Yesterday, my family and I gave up our Wednesday evening to attend a meeting of the West Windsor Planning Board and submit public comments. The anger and concern from West Windsor residents were palpable as Chairman Gene O’Brien called the West Windsor Planning Board’s meeting into session. An estimated 200 hundred people showed up (at a meeting that typically attracts fifteen), many carrying signs that read, for example, “Save Clarksville,” “Don’t Pave West Windsor,” and “Princeton Jct Not Warehouse Jct”. As the floor was opened for public comments, regarding Bridge Point’s application to build seven warehouses (5.5 million square feet) on the former “Howard Hughes” tract, it was obvious that the overwhelming majority of residents were against the proposal. A diverse group of residents made comments, often heated, from representatives of the Sierra Club, Watershed Institute, and Quakerbridge Mall to lifelong residents and high school students. Common themes from the public comments (which can be viewed on YouTube here) included residents’ concerns regarding the volume of trucks passing by schools as well as the proposal's negative impacts on air quality, property value, future flooding, and more. More than one resident accused the mayor and his running mates of deliberately misleading residents during their recent re-election bid claiming that no warehouses would be built. Another resident questioned if the mayor being in the warehouse business (relative to food) in Piscataway was a conflict of interest. The mayor dismissed his concerns and refused to answer any questions stating that he would make a statement after the public comment was over. Turns out, that will be on June 29th, along with the vote, because it didn't happen as planned on Wednesday. I guess the people won the night.
Of all the comments (which were all very compelling), two things really stuck with me. One was a gentleman’s concern that these warehouses would forever change the character of West Windsor. "If you lose your character, the resident asked the board, what do you have left? ...nothing!" he answered. The other thing that jumped out at me was the unity among the residents. Residents frequently clapped and cheered for their neighbors’ comments and in those moments, I felt truly united with my fellow West Windsorians. Even though we all came to the meeting with different concerns and from different walks of life, we were united in our opposition to the proposed warehouses. Only one man tried to speak in favor of the project and he was booed out of the place.
The residents came to the meeting with a shared goal and the Board’s response only strengthened their unity. Chairman Gene O’Brien treated many residents contemptuously and cut some folks off exactly at the three-minute mark (the time limit for public comments) while allowing other residents to continue past their allotted time.
At 10pm, in a response to a question, the Chairman said that he intended to deliberate and vote on the application that night, and therefore would be extending the meeting past 10 pm. The residents booed, demanding another week of public comment and more time for residents and the planning board to consider the implications of moving forward with the proposal. The Chairman shouted for a return to order and continued with hearing public comments. He said a few weeks was enough. The crowed booed again.
The most dramatic moment of the evening came when some residents tried to speak twice, something that was promised by Chairman O’Brien at the May 25th planning board meeting (watch this!). Chairman O’Brien, repeating that he wanted the board to deliberate that night, blocked residents from speaking more than three minutes, reneging on his word. Personally, I found it outrageous that residents who have lived and paid taxes in this town for decades were being prohibited from sharing more than three minutes of their perspective on a proposal that would directly impact their quality of life in so many ways. Many residents shared these perspectives and as one resident put it: “if I can’t have two minutes to speak, it’s unfair, it’s ridiculous, it’s anti-democratic.” Hearing Chairman O’Brien sharply telling residents they “will not be heard again” drove home the importance of civic engagement in local politics. How can the West Windsor local government be trusted to act “for the people” if the elected and appointed officials don’t allow residents to voice their concerns? I came away from this meeting deeply concerned for a future where carcinogenic diesel fumes reduce our quality of life because of the breakdown of democracy in our town. This is our future and our town. Our local government is the voice of the people, and the people have spoken. Keep warehouses out of west Windsor!
