1996 PRINCETON COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN adopted - December 12, 1996, amended January 19, 2006 page 74 VII. COMMUNITY FACILITIES ELEMENT The Board acknowledges that some issues regarding school designation have been raised which require further study and may necessitate amendments to the Community Facilities Element. The Board intends to review and evaluate changes to the Community Facilities Element in early 1997. INTRODUCTION The Community Facilities Element of the Master Plan focuses on municipal, educational and cultural facilities needed by current and future residents of Princeton. The principal goal of the element is to ensure that such facilities and services continue to be available as the community grows. The areas of focus include: public infrastructure; public safety; the Princeton Public Library; public health and health facilities; public schools; parks and open space; indoor recreation; cultural facilities and public art. 1996 POLICY STATEMENT Princeton is served by a comprehensive system of municipal services which include public utilities, police and fire protection, emergency services, the public library, public health, public school system and recreational and cultural facilities. The policy of the Community Facilities Element is to: encourage the provision of convenient well-located community facilities; provide adequate municipal facilities for the efficient operation of the community; plan community facilities to serve the needs of all age groups; and, coordinate construction and installation of improvements as part of a comprehensive capital plan. Community facilities must be well planned and well designed to ensure their integration into existing neighborhoods. 1996 - 2001 GOALS I. Provide adequate municipal, educational and cultural facilities to meet the needs of Princeton residents. II. Balance the provision of community facilities against the goals and policies of other elements of the community master plan and ensure that such facilities enhance the quality of life within the Princeton Community. III. Create a sense of place distinctive to the Princeton community by enhancing public areas with art, creating a safe and pleasant pedestrian environment, and linking commercial, educational, and cultural activities. 1996 PRINCETON COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY FACILITIES ELEMENT adopted - December 12, 1996, amended January 19, 2006 page 75 1989 - 1996 CHANGES As recommended in the 1989 master plan, the fire station on Chambers Street has been closed and a new station opened on Witherspoon Street. The Princeton Regional Board of Education has completed a long-range study to address future school needs. Princeton is continuing to evaluate municipal space needs and implementing plans to comply with the American with Disabilities Act. Two parks, Grover Park and Hilltop Park, have been renovated and additional play fields constructed. The 1989 master plan identified various community needs such as expanding the library, planning for an increasing school population and balancing the Princeton Medical Center’s development needs with the desire to protect the surrounding neighborhood. In addition to the needs recognized in 1989, the Planning Board has now identified senior housing, cultural facilities, and public art as additional areas to address. 1996 - 2001 STRATEGIES A. Public Buildings Public Works The municipal Public Works Departments are charged with snow plowing, pick up of leaves, repair of streets, park maintenance, building custodial services, and the repair of all municipal vehicles. Both public works facilities are functional but could use upgrading and modernization. Relocation of the John Street facility is currently underway and will probably be completed by 1997. Relocation of the public works facility on Harrison Street is also recommended. The development of a consolidated facility incorporating the Borough Public Works Department, Township Public Works Department, and the Board of Education Transportation Department at the Sewer Operating Committee (SOC) site was identified as priority in 1989. The need for a consolidated facility (not necessarily at the SOC site) should continue to be pursued. Coordination with the Joint Recreation Board is necessary to ensure that the public works facility is designed to incorporate recreation plans. Municipal Administration Township municipal offices at 369 Witherspoon Street are currently operating at capacity, and the building needs substantial renovation. The Township administrative space needs have recently been evaluated and the need for a new building identified. Currently, the Borough administrative offices are located within the existing facility at One Monument Drive. This facility is inadequate to meet all municipal functions and does not 1996 PRINCETON COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY FACILITIES ELEMENT adopted - December 12, 1996, amended January 19, 2006 page 76 provide for any expansion. Minor interior renovations to better utilize space are proposed for this facility as are renovations to the adjacent Suzanne Patterson Center. Both communities are undertaking improvements to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. B. Public Safety Princeton Borough and Township have their own separate police departments while Princeton University employs a private security force to patrol its campus. The Volunteer Fire Department, serving both municipalities, operates out of three fire stations. Two stations are located in the Borough and one is located in the Township. Both municipalities finance police and fire capital expenditures and operating costs through tax revenues. The municipalities also contribute the approximate cost of salaries for paid employees of the First Aid and Rescue Squad. The First Aid and Rescue Squad is primarily a volunteer organization which operates out of a building located in Princeton Township. All other expenses for the Rescue Squad are funded through community-wide contributions. Police Departments Police protection for the Borough in 1995 was provided by a force of 32 officers, two parking enforcement officers, four dispatchers, two full-time and one part-time clerical employees, and nine school-crossing guards. The force has 11 automobiles and one traffic enforcement vehicle. The Township Police Department is located along with the Municipal Court in the former Township Hall at the corner of Route 206 and Valley Road. The Township has 31 officers, four dispatchers, three secretaries, and 16 school crossing guards. The force has 15 automobiles. Fire Department Fire protection for the Borough and Township is provided by the Princeton Fire Department, a volunteer organization which is managed by the Joint Fire Commission. In 1992 the Mercer Engine Company Number 3 relocated from Chambers Street to Witherspoon Street. In 1995, the Department owned seven fire-fighting vehicles and responded to between 550 and 625 calls for assistance. The Fire Department maintains "mutual aid" agreements with neighboring fire companies to provide for added local fire protection. Since 1989 the Fire Department has instituted a voluntary Knox Box program which places a locked box containing building keys, emergency contacts and other emergency data at the site. The Fire Department has begun changing all fire hydrant threads to national standard threads, and has established a 9-1-1 emergency call system. Rescue Squad 1996 PRINCETON COMMUNITY MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY FACILITIES ELEMENT adopted - December 12, 1996, amended January 19, 2006 page 77 Like the Joint Fire Department, the Princeton Fire Aid and Rescue Squad is a volunteer organization, aided by two paid Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). Its facilities are adequate at the present time. In 1995, the Rescue Squad responded to over 950 requests for assistance. C. Public Library The Princeton Library is located at the corner of Witherspoon and Wiggins. It is heavily used by Princeton residents and patrons in nearby communities, having an average annual circulation of 12.7 volumes per capita. The Library currently has a full-time staff of 23 persons and 39 part-time workers equivalent to 28 additional full-time employees. The collection contains 120,000 volumes with a monthly circulation of 27,000 to 28,000 volumes. The library has 22,000 registered borrowers. In 1996, the Library officially went on line expanding its research capabilities to both the youth and adult branches. The library building is approximately 26,600 square feet. Recently, the governing bodies have agreed on a plan to expand the library. This plan balances the space needs at the library with the individual requirements for parking and traffic circulation in the central business district. The library will be expanded by constructing a two-story addition to the south of the existing library along Witherspoon Street, by infill of the existing library atrium area and constructing a small third story addition atop a portion of the existing building. The large two-story addition will be attached to the south end of the existing building and will be raised on columns to allow for parking at the ground level. A wall is proposed to screen the parking area under the building from street view. The new construction will add 30,946 square feet to the expanded library for a total of 57,606 square feet. At the southern edge of the proposed addition is a walkway that will access the Spring Street Park and Shop lot. A complete reconfiguration of the Spring Street Park and Shop lot is proposed. An easement from PSEG to permit