Politics & Government
SP Council Postpones Vote on Brunner Parking
The mayor and council may loosen proposed parking restrictions for Homestead Terrace.
After listening to about 10 comments from local residents during a public hearing Tuesday evening, Mayor Nancy Malool and the Township Council decided to postpone a vote on an ordinance that would create parking restrictions near Brunner Elementary School. The Scotch Plains Police Department presented the proposed restrictions to the council after conducting a traffic study in the area.
Malool said the council is “going to have to look into this further”, and that “we appreciate what the public had to say.” She said further discussion with the Board of Education, the Brunner Elementary PTA, as well as the Police department would be necessary.
Concerned parents of Brunner students lined up to voice their concerns at the hearing. While there was little opposition to restricting parking on Cedarbrook Road, many said they believed limiting parking on Homestead Terrace would intensify, rather than alleviate, existing traffic congestion.
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Malool responded that she and the council could amend the proposed ordinance to adjust the parking restrictions being considered for Homestead Terrace. “We may separate this into two separate ordinances for Cedarbrook Road and Homestead Terrace,” she said.
Residents at the hearing said there are already traffic problems during drop-off and pick-up times around the school. Parents said they have difficulty finding parking and are sometimes forced to park on the next block further from the school (Woodland Terrace). The ordinance, they said, would result in a longer walk for students and additional safety concerns.
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Residents suggested that the council seek out other options to improve traffic and pedestrian safety near the school, such as implementing a designated drop-off and pick-up zone. Others argued that the lack of sidewalks and street signs in the further endangers pedestrian safety.
Many residents who spoke also took the time to thank the mayor and members of the council for visiting the area during the morning rush hour and investigating the matter firsthand.
