SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A South Brunswick resident has launched a petition in an effort to stop the development of a proposed data center on the former Princeton Nurseries site.
According to a report from TapInto Princeton, the proposed center would sit on a 143-acre segment of the old Princeton Nurseries site, which falls within South Brunswick’s jurisdiction.
Since 2024, the proposed center has attracted opposition from residents, but in May 2025, the municipality approved plans for the center, according to the report.
Now, Jordan Isaac, who’s grown up in South Brunswick, has launched a petition to stop the center’s development, which he said “threatens our very way of life.”
“As someone deeply invested in maintaining the essence of our beautiful township, I urge you to stand with me to prevent a project that jeopardizes our community, environment, and infrastructure,” Isaac said.
Within the petition, Isaac outlined their main concerns with the proposed data center, including:
The petition requests measures to prevent these concerns, ranging from a complete environmental impact assessment to enforceable noise limitations, traffic impact studies, long-term operational plans and more.
Isaac is urging local officials to reject or suspend approvals for large-scale data center development proposals within the township and require comprehensive independent environmental, electrical, traffic, noise, and infrastructure impact studies before any approvals move forward.
As of Thursday afternoon, the petition has collected 887 signatures.
“For the reasons outlined above, I strongly believe that the proposed data center development is not in the best interest of South Brunswick Township,” Isaac said. “I implore you to join me in appealing to the South Brunswick Township Council, South Brunswick Planning Board, Middlesex County Officials, and New Jersey State Representatives to take immediate action against this development.”
“Let us come together as a community to safeguard our future and protect the unique charm and character of our township,” he continued. “Please sign this petition to make your voice heard.”
In a phone call with Patch, South Brunswick Mayor Charlie Carley said that environmental issues for any development in the township are managed through the Environmental Commission, Township Planning Board, County Planning Board and state agencies as applications proceed.
He went on to say that the township has an approval process for developments that’s very similar to the process proposed in the petition.
“In New Jersey, you can’t just build a house without layers of review and administration. That’s just the nature of the state,” Carley said. “But I’m glad to see that people are participating in democracy – that they’re expressing their opinion in a productive way, and I’m happy to see that young people are doing so too.”
Carley added that members of their Environmental Commission, Planning Board, etc. grant the township a diversity of opinion on matters like the proposed data center, as well as another layer of oversight for projects.
“I have confidence in the process,” he said. “But at the same time, I’m happy that the petition was produced, because it does help us inform future decisions.”
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