PIACS Application Returns to Zoning Board Thursday

Testimony for the Princeton International Academy Charter School (PIACS) will continue Thursday (Feb. 23) evening before the South Brunswick Zoning Board of Adjustments.

Testimony on a new application for PIACS began in December, after the private school that was previously proposed to share the location with the charter school found a new location in Kingston.

December's hearing was the first before the zoning board since the unsuccessful lawsuit filed by PIACS against the South Brunswick, Princeton and West Windsor-Plainsboro school districts. On Nov. 18 2011, the Office of Administrative Law ruled against PIACS in their lawsuit against the three school districts. The suit alleged the misuse of public funds and the use of governmental positions by the three districts to fight the opening of PIACS.

The new site plan for the 44,827-square-foot building calls for 25,351-square-feet to be used for educational purposes, while the remaining space would be unused pending future expansion. The building's current office and warehouse space are to be converted into classrooms. An 11,000-square-foot playground will also be constructed with a 4-foot high fence surrounding it.

A reconfigured traffic pattern into the school calls for an entrance on the east side of the property to separate cars and buses as they arrive, with buses moving towards a student drop off area. Vehicles would exit the property on the west side.

The school's main entrance would be designated for students arriving by bus, while a side entrance would be designated for students dropped off by their parents. An estimated 80 percent of the 170 students who would begin at PIACS in the first year of operation would be bused in. Within four years, PIACS’ enrollment is expected to grow to 290 students in the K-5 school.

Engineer Elizabeth Dolan presented a traffic impact study that remained a major point of contention throughout the hearing. Plans for the school call for Perrine Road to be widened from 12-feet to 20-feet across the frontage of the property. However, concerns were raised about traffic backup from the Perrine Road-Schalks Crossing Road intersection, which is approximately 480 feet from the school entrance.

PIACS testimony still needs to prove that the road can handle the traffic impact the school would have, said zoning board engineer Frank Antisell during the last meeting.

At tonight's hearing, testimony is expected to be heard on the proposed charter school's floor layout and planning.

The zoning hearing is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. this eveing in the auditorium at the South Brunswick Senior Center.