ORDINANCE #2247

An Ordinance Amending the Revised General Ordinances of the Township of Bernards, Chapter 7 “Traffic” Section 3 “Parking”To Prohibit Parking During Certain Hours on Both Sides of Wedgewood Drive, on the West Side of Spring Valley Road from Valley Road to Baldwin Court, and the East Side of Spring Valley Blvd. from Valley Road to ComptonCourt During Certain Hours

WHEREAS, in order to promote the betterment of public safety there is a need to restrict parking during certain times of the year along Wedgewood Drive, and at all times on Spring Valley Boulevard.

NOW THEREFOREBE IT ORDAINED, by the Township Committee of the Township of Bernards in the County of Somerset as follows:

§7-3.4 Parking Prohibited During Certain Hours on Certain Streets

Add new Section d below,

  1. No vehicle shall be parked on any portion of Wedgewood Drive in its entire length beginning from Valley Road to and including the cul-de-sac bulb at the terminus of Wedgewood Drive as designated in Schedule II, attached hereto and made a part of this chapter, during the hours and times designated in Schedule II, unless:
  1. The vehicle is owned or operated by the owner, tenant of, or a visitor, contractor, service or delivery vehicle to a residence on Wedgewood Drive.
  1. Parking on Wedgewood Drive will require a permit from March 15 to October 31. The Township will issue up to five hangtag parking permits for each household onWedgewood Drive. Residents must clearly display hangtags from the rear view mirror of any permitted vehicle. Residents may pass on these permits to future owner or renters of each Wedgewood Drive residence. There will be a $10 per permit replacement fee charged for lost hangtags.
  1. Upon application by a resident of Wedgewood Drive, or his representative, in writing to the Chief of Police, if the Chief of Police shall determine there exists an emergent or unexpected situation or for other good cause shown, such prohibition limitation or hangtag permits would result in undue hardship to the Applicant, the Chief of Police may make an exception to this ordinance. Such exception shall remain in effect only for the period specified by the Chief of Police.
  1. The Township shallerect and maintainregulatory signs to implement the above restrictions.
  1. Permit parking does not override other Township-wide parking rules (e.g.. ban on overnight parking).

Schedule II of Chapter VII, “Parking Prohibited Certain Hours” of the Revised General Ordinances of the Township of Bernards is amended by the addition of the following:

Name of Street / Side / Time Limit / Location
Wedgewood Drive / Both / March 15 to October 31 – seven days a week / Beginning at Valley Drive to and including the terminus of the cul-de-sac bulb of Wedgewood Drive

Schedule I of Chapter VII, “No Parking” of the revised general ordinances of the Township of Bernards is amended by the addition of the following:

Spring Valley Blvd. / West / At all times / Valley Road to Baldwin Court
Spring Valley Blvd. / East / At all times / Valley Road to Compton Court

Explanatory Statement:

The Ridge Baseball Club (RBC) operates a four grass field complex on Valley Road. The complex has a public address system, athletic field lighting, electronic scoreboards, and a full service snack bar. The complex occupies Township owned property which the RBC leases for $1.00 per year. There have been on-going public comments and correspondence from residents near the complex concerning parking overflow in the surrounding neighborhoods. The nature of the comments have been that the RBC event parking constitutes safety hazards, and a degradation of quality of life. Residents have commented on the increasing seasonal duration and frequency of events at the complex. On 7/23/13 the Township Committee directed staff to survey the residents of Everson Place (6 residences), Wedgewood Drive (15 residences), and Essex Place (6 residents) about their concerns regarding event parking on their streets, and their perception of the future impacts that may result from further requested complex field enhancements. There were 17 responses to the 27 surveys mailed to these residents. The majority of Wedgewood respondents (10 to 2) favored permit parking restrictions, while Everson (2 to 2) and Essex (0 to 1) residents did not. All of these residents were informed that the topic of RBC parking impacts would be discussed at the Township Committee meeting of 9/24/13. The Police Traffic division was consulted about instituting permit parking. The goal of this ordinance was to minimize Police enforcement time, and administrative cost and time burdens. The Police felt strongly that Spring Valley Boulevard parking restrictions included were also warranted for public safety.

A review of RBC complex scheduling determined the time frame of the parking restrictions since a fall league involving 26 teams from 23 towns runs exclusively at the complex to 10/27/13. This review revealed traditional spring recreational leagues, spring travel baseball, spring league playoffs, a “Memorial Day Tournament”, summer travel leagues, an “Independence Day Tournament”, a “Super Summer Tournament”, Middle Atlantic Region Playoffs, and the fall league. There were approximately 1,050 events scheduled at the complex in 2013 according to the RBC website.

Bruce McArthur, Township Administrator

September 19, 2013

TOWNSHIP OF BERNARDS

PUBLIC NOTICE

Ordinance #2248 was introduced and passed on first reading by the Township Committee of the Township of Bernards in the County of Somerset on 09/24/2013 and then ordered to be published according to law. It will be further considered for final passage and adoption at a public hearing held at a meeting of the Township Committee at the Bernards Township Library, 32 South Maple Avenue, Basking Ridge, NJ in said township on 10/15/2013, at 8 P.M., when and where, or at such time and place to which said meeting may be adjourned, all persons interested will be given an opportunity to be heard concerning said ordinance. A complete text of this ordinance is available in the Office of the Municipal Clerk, 1 Collyer Lane, Basking Ridge, NJ, from 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. Copies are also available via e-mail from .

By Order of the Township Committee

Denise Szabo, Municipal Clerk

TOWNSIHP OF BERNARDS

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that Bernards Township Ordinance #2247 was introduced and passed on first reading at a meeting of the Township Committee, on 9/24/2013, and was passed on final reading and adopted following a public hearing thereon at a regular meeting of the Governing Body of the Township of Bernards on 10/15/2013.

By Order of the Township Committee

Denise Szabo, Municipal Clerk

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