TOWNSHIP OF PRINCETON
DEPARTMENT OF ZONING
OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION

INFORMATION ON FILING A HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN APPLICATION

The application must be accompanied by the required fees (R.S.40:55D-8 and 18: Twp. Chap. 10B-36, amended 3/11/91, and 10B-65).

Please submit SEPARATE checks for fees and escrow, made payable to the TOWNSHIP OF PRINCETON.

In order to ensure expeditious processing of an application, the applicant should be careful to comply fully and promptly with all requirements. The application shall not be deemed complete until the filing or COMPLETE notice together with requisite fees.

If the application is the subject of a preservation plan only, the Historic Preservation Officer has the time frame of 15 calendar days to review the application for completeness. If the application is part of a development application, the administrative officer has a 45 calendar day review period.

Applications shall be assigned for hearing in the order in which they appear on the calendar, (Agenda) except that any application may be advanced for hearing by order of the Commission for appropriate reasons.

Applications must be on file and available for public inspection at least ten (10) days before the date of the hearing.

Submission of a complete and timely application DOES NOT GUARANTEE being placed on the agenda for the next meeting.

The applicant must file a zoning permit application with the preservation plan application. This is to insure that there are no variances in the proposed plan, and that the appropriate application is submitted.

If the submitted survey plan is prepared by other than a licensed surveyor, the applicant must furnish the Commission with an affidavit stating that all the information shown thereon is correct. IT IS THE APPLICANT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO PRE-PACKAGE THE APPLICATION FOR SUBMISSION.

All preservation plans must be submitted with the minimum scale of one inch equals fifty feet and while application forms may be bound, all plans must not be. Architectural plans must be at the minimum a scale of 1/8".

ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

Upon the application being deemed complete, and, if it is determined by the administrative officer or her designee that the preservation plan conforms to the requirements of this Historic Preservation Ordinance, as the case may be, and will not have a significant impact, the administrative officer with the concurrence by the chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission may approve the application.

Each complete application shall be numbered serially and be placed upon the calendar of the Historic Preservation Commission by the Secretary for a public hearing. The Secretary of the Commission will notify applicant of the hearing date and supply suggested forms and/or instructions for notice to interested parties.

APPLICATIONS WHICH ARE THE SUBJECT OF A DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION (SITE PLAN OR SUBDIVISION)

An application which is the subject of a site plan or subdivision and whose site is located within a historic preservation overlay zone or a historic preservation buffer zone must file in addition to the site plan and subdivision application, an application for Historic Preservation Review. These applications will be subject to the forty-five day completeness review period.

IF ANY DEMOLITION OR MOVING OF A STRUCTURE IS PROPOSED

It should be noted that under 10B-272.4.(f) the demolition of a structure in an historic preservation zoning district shall be approved only if the structure cannot be put to a reasonable use and its preservation will impose undue hardship on the applicant. The applicant has further conditions imposed by this section if permission is granted to demolish and then files for a demolition permit. Any such demolition, if approved, shall be performed only upon receipt of a demolition or moving permit which shall be issued by the administrative officer and by the construction code official (a) conclusion of all appeals opposing the approval or expiration or the time provided by the filing of such appeals without an appeal being filed, and (b) applicant has demonstrated compliance with the procedures set forth herein.

The Historic Preservation Commission application requires that a demolition plan must be submitted if any demolition is proposed. The application will no be deemed complete without this plan.

Personal Notice: At least ten (10) days prior to the time appointed for said hearing, the applicant shall give written notice to all owners of property within 200 feet, whether within or without the Township of Princeton and, where required by statute, to counties and municipalities and the State, by sending written notice thereof, sent to the last known address of the property owner as shown on the tax list, or for Township property owners only, by handing a copy thereof to the said property owner or officials. All addresses shall be obtained by the applicant from the current tax records of the Township of Princeton, or from a list of property owners prepared by the appropriate Administrative Officer at the written request of the applicant and the payment of the prescribed fee. (Form BA-4)

Public Notice: At least ten (10) days prior to the date of the hearing, public notice shall be given by the applicant by publication in the official newspaper of the municipality, if there be one, or in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality. Contents of notice of hearing shall include but not be limited to, the date, time and place of the hearing, the nature of the matters to be considered, identification of the property by street address, lot and block numbers as shown on the current tax duplicate in the municipal tax assessor's office, and the location and items at which any maps and documents for which approval is sought are available.

The applicant must publish in an official newspaper of the township notice of the proposed demolition, no less than 10 nor more than 15 days prior to the meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission on which the application has been placed on its agenda for action. This time period begins with the filing of a complete application for approval of demolition or moving and once a week for the next three weeks thereafter.

Affidavit of Service: (personal notice) and Affidavit of Publication (public notice) shall be presented to the Commission at or before the day of the hearing to the Secretary of the Commission, preferably before, at the Office of the Historic Preservation.

Notice on Property:

For the entire period beginning with the filing of a completed application for approval of demolition or moving and ending with the issuance of a demolition or moving permit, or with the denial of approval, notice of proposed demolition or moving shall be posed on the lot or structure in a location making it clearly readable form the street.

If demolition is granted:

Any such demolition, if approved, shall be performed only upon receipt of a demolition or moving permit which shall be issued by the administrative officer and by the construction code official after (a) conclusion of all appeals opposing the approval or expiration or the time provided by the filing of such appeals without an appeal being filed, and (b) applicant has demonstrated compliance with the procedures set forth in the historic preservation ordinance.

THE PUBLIC HEARING

At the hearing, an individual may appear for her or himself or be represented by an attorney at law of the State of New Jersey (it is always recommended that applicants seek legal advice in the preparation of the application).

Regular meetings of the Commission are generally held on the fourth Monday of each month at 4:00 P.M. in the Valley Road Building, 369 Witherspoon Street. Please check with the Secretary of the Commission for the scheduled dates.

Filed applications which have been postponed for hearing by the applicant in excess of two (2) months, shall resubmit new sets of application and related documents.

THE OFFICE OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION WILL FURNISH FORMS UPON REQUEST AND IS PREPARED TO GIVE GENERAL ADVICE CONCERNING A SUBMISSION. NEGLECT OR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS SHALL BE DEEMED SIGNIFICANT CAUSE FOR THE COMMISSION TO REFUSE TO HEAR AN APPLICATION.

It is important to note that the Historic Preservation Ordinance (10B-226) states that the criteria and standards in the ordinance are intended to provide a framework within the designer of the improvement is free to exercise creativity, invention and innovation.

Section 10B-272.4 states that a preservation plan be approved only if the proposed action, as may be modified by conditions imposed by the reviewing municipal agency:

1. is compatible with the existing structures and landscape of the historic preservation zoning district;

2. would not adversely affect the ambiance, character, and appearance of the historic preservation zoning district and the relationships among structures and between structures and public ways in the district;

3. would not adversely affect the exterior architectural; features and setting of the structure and its historical and architectural interest; and

4. is consistent with the criteria of Section 10B-272.4.

The Historic Preservation Commission shall conduct a hearing on all preservation plans not approved pursuant to the above, within 45 days of the Administrative Officer's referral of the application to the Commission.

At least 14 days before the date set for hearing, the Secretary of the Commission will give the applicant written notice of the hearing date. In the case of any demolition or moving of a structure, the applicant shall, at least 10 days prior to the hearing date, notify by PERSONAL SERVICE or ORDINARY MAIL, all owners of property located within 200 feet of the lot which is the subject of the application.

Copies of Historic Preservation Ordinance

If you would like additional information, you may refer to the Historic Preservation Ordinance. This ordinance may be purchased at the Township Clerk's Office. In 1996 the Commission published a booklet called Historic Preservation In Princeton Township. Owners in districts are entitled to this booklet without charge simply by asking for it at the municipal clerk's office. All others pay a nominal fee. It is a good guide to the approval process.