Princeton Approves Professional Service Agreement To Continue Master Plan Consultation

PRINCETON, NJ – On Monday, the Council approved a resolution authorizing a supplemental professional services agreement with architectural firm Clarke Caton Hintz (CCH) for services related to reexamining Princeton’s master plan.

The contract was signed to the amount of $50,000 and is until December 31, 2023.

The firm has been working with the Planning Department on revamping the master plan and the new agreement will allow them to continue the process.

Council had initially provided funding for the master plan rewrite process in 2020, and Clarke Caton Hintz was chosen. Work began in 2022, according to a memo by Municipal Planner Justin Lesko.

The supplemental services requested from CCH in the agreement include three rounds of meetings with subcommittees to discuss the master plan; and listening sessions with community groups that will be conducted by Municipal staff to engage the public in their neighborhoods. CCH will prepare materials and synthesize the input.

“Additionally, the request to move up to $50,000 that has already been allocated to the Master Plan to CCH will cover anticipated cost overruns and other unanticipated costs outside of the scope of the original contract, as well as the aforementioned supplemental services,” Lesko said in his memo.

“The current contract was awarded by Council for $313,000 in February 2022 and extended without changing the amount in May 2023 until the end of the year. The amount remaining at that time was $142,965.01, paid up to February 2023.”

Lesko said the Planning Department was committed to finishing the process and adopting the plan by the end of 2023.

During the meeting, Council President Mia Sacks took a moment to express her appreciate for the hard work put in by Lesko.

Sacks said Lesko “moved mountains” to make the master plan process happen in short time.

With so much already happening around the Municipality, Council had initially thought to defer the process for some time. But with the Planning Board deciding to proceed this year, Lesko was faced with a tremendous burden which he stepped up to, Sacks said.

"We are still on track to warp up by the end of the year, which is nothing short of miraculous,” Sacks said.

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