Answers to the questions that came up most often during the Community Workshops and planning hearings.
Transportation plays a key role in the creation of sustainable communities. Planning a mixed-use village adjacent to public transportation is known as a “Transit Village,” and is an excellent model for Smart Growth because it matches growth with public infrastructure and public transit investments.
The transit village in North Brunswick will include a new train station and bus service for NJ TRANSIT commuters. It will serve as the town center for North Brunswick Township, creating an authentic main-street neighborhood and providing a sense of community for residents of all ages — a focal point for concerts, festivals, fireworks, town-wide events, and parades.
Walkable and bikeable civic spaces will offer residents the opportunity to socialize in the plaza, relax in pocket-park areas, and shop or grab a bite to eat at a sidewalk café. A full-service hotel will serve both business needs and residents as a popular choice for special events, meetings, and hosting out-of-town guests.
A proposed new train station is the catalyst for the North Brunswick Transit Village. The longest stretch on the Northeast Corridor Line without a train station lies between Princeton Junction and New Brunswick. Building a station in North Brunswick will provide an extraordinary solution to commuters for much-needed access to NJ TRANSIT and its network, and will bring significant benefits to all area residents.
The proposed transit village is a shining example of a Smart Growth redevelopment project. It adheres to the core principles of Smart Growth by planning a mixed-use community with walkable neighborhoods, mass-transit accessibility, sustainable economic and social development, and preserved forested open space.
A North Brunswick Transit Village will significantly increase the municipal tax base and positively affect revenue flow for the Township — a “positive ratable.” Over the past decade, property taxes have increased in many areas of New Jersey, including North Brunswick. The transit village will provide an opportunity to reverse this trend by generating a profitable new tax ratable for the Township.
The transit village is designed and will be privately owned and operated as a self-sustaining community that maintains many services independently. All roadways, for example, will be private roads. This means the transit village will have limited impact on municipal services.
The transit village will be a higher-density, walkable community offering a wider range of residential housing types for both rental and sale. Rental apartments will be an especially important option for young professionals, empty nesters, and senior citizens looking for a 24/7 downtown lifestyle. Townhome-style streets for those interested in owning will feature hidden garages and front steps leading to the sidewalk, much like many venerable old American towns.
A published study by Rutgers University found that Transit-Oriented Developments (TOD) do not result in large numbers of additional school-age children, and in fact produce far fewer school-age children than developments with larger single-family homes. When school revenue is compared to school costs in the proposed North Brunswick Transit Village, the result is a very substantial revenue surplus.
Before any new businesses open, the Developer will make very significant improvements to three intersections in the vicinity of Main Street. Route 1 at Aaron Road, Commerce Boulevard, and Adams/Cozzens (from Route 27 to Route 1) will receive costly upgrades at no cost to taxpayers. These privately funded improvements, including new traffic signals, will greatly reduce congestion in the local area and allow the roadways to accommodate the new development and the train station.