The Princeton Council has renewed its agreement to lease a parking lot from Rider University at the former Westminster Choir College campus, allowing business employees to park in the lot off Franklin Avenue.
The Council’s initial lease expired Aug. 31. The new lease between the town and Rider University began Sept. 1 and ends Aug. 31, 2023. The town pays $2,000 per month to lease the 193-parking space lot.
Westminster Choir College, which is part of Rider University, vacated its Princeton campus and moved to Rider University’s Lawrence Township campus in 2020.
About 50 permits have been issued to business employees to park in the lot, officials said. Use of the parking lot is restricted to Princeton business employees and the Princeton Public Schools.
Overnight parking is not allowed. Permit holders may park in the lot from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., but no parking is allowed between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., officials said.
The new lease agreement expands the purposes for which the parking lot can be used, according to a resolution extending the lease agreement between Rider University and the town. The resolution was adopted at the council’s August meeting.
Under the new lease, the Princeton Public Schools or the town may hold events in the parking lot, provided that officials notify Rider University at least 10 days in advance, according to the agreement.
Also under the new lease, small commercial vehicles – box trucks that are less than 12 feet long, vans and pickup trucks – may park in the lot, in addition to cars and SUVs (sport utility vehicles). Garbage containers also may be parked in the lot, but the owner must clean up the area at the end of the day.
Princeton High School students may park daytime Monday through Friday, with the written permission of the Princeton Public Schools and the municipality. Princeton Public Schools employees may park in the lot.
Business owners may buy a maximum of 10 permits for their employees. The permit fee is $30 per month and must be purchased for three months at a time.
The $30 monthly fee will be waived for Princeton Public Schools employees and students. Princeton High School and Princeton Middle School are across the street from the choir college campus.
Leasing the parking lot from Rider University was one of the recommendations made by the Princeton Permit Parking Task Force, which is seeking to find a balance between employee, visitor and resident parking.
