PIACS to File New Zoning Application Without Private School

The next hearing for the proposed Princeton International Academy Charter School (PIACS) in front of the South Brunswick Zoning Board of Adjustments will occur in December, with an entirely new application. The new application will be for PIACS alone, as the school's spokesman said the private school proposed to share the location with PIACS has found a new location in Kingston.

"We're submitting a new application and we will have new counsel, so we're starting everything new basically," said PIACS spokesman Parker Block.

The initial application from developer 12 P & Associates, LLC for the proposed location of PIACS at 12 Perrine Road, called for the charter school to share the 11.70 acre site with the 

Numerous issues have been raised throughout about concerns over the two schools sharing facilities and whether wear and tear for shared uses, such as playground equipment, would be billed to the appropriate school. There were also issues raised by zoning board members about the 

With the removal of YingHua from the application, Block expressed confidence that the zoning process would go more smoothly.

"(YingHua) found a different location so they won't be part of the process," he said. "We think things will move much more efficiently with the new application."

In June, PIACS was granted a one-year planning extension from the New Jersey Department of Education for the 

While he expressed some concern about starting the process over and opening up the hearings for a repeat of testimony from previous hearings, Block said the strategy of the school districts affected by PIACS is to continue to try and extend the hearings as long as possible.

Block said PIACS is hoping a decision in the would prevent school representatives from participating in the hearings.

"We're hoping what happens (with the lawsuit) will help, because a large part of the (zoning) hearings have been taken up by the school districts," he said. "We'll have our side prepared. We know their game plan is to run out the clock. They don't need to win, they just need to not lose before the clock runs out."

The next hearing for PIACS has not yet been scheduled, but Block said it will occur in December.