Fanwood, Scotch Plains Propose Extending Parking Bans Near Schools

Seeking to prevent dangerous conditions on Birchwood Terrace, Fanwood officials introduced the 90-day extension of a temporary parking ban that would limit parking on particular streets in the borough during a special meeting of the mayor and council on Sept. 1.

The extension of the 90-day measure, which was first introduced in the spring, will allow borough officials the opportunity to study parking patterns throughout the fall, giving them more time to decide on a more permanent measure which may be addressed in 2010. Officials let the original 90-day measure expire in the early summer because of the lack of student parking in the borough during the summer months. The extension will be voted on during the regularly scheduled meeting of the mayor and council on Sept. 8, and could be implemented the next day if it is approved.

While some residents have expressed concern about the measure, council members said that extending the measure for 90 days will give them the opportunity to observe parking patterns during the fall months, enabling them to have more information when they decide how to deal with the situation in the new year.

“The thought that was expressed by the council last month — or the month before, I actually think it was — was that there was no point in keeping it (the ban) in place in the summer because there is no car problem in the summer and once the school year starts, you want to spend another three months to get a history, and then determine if you’re actually going to amend the ordinance,” said Borough Attorney Dennis Estis.

The problem stems from students who want to drive and park their cars when they attend Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. With parking already limited, students will search for spots, sometimes parking on small streets that are already congested.

Resident Joe Nagy asked what neighboring Scotch Plains had done about the matter.

“The Birchwood parking situation, what did Scotch Plains do with this problem?” Nagy asked. “The reason I ask is that I drove around to the streets that were in the range of parking for the kids and they all seemed to be posted with signs. And they seemed to have solved that when they went to an immediate (ban), is that the case?”

“If you go back about three or four years, which is when it sort of bubbled up, some of the parking problem is that Scotch Plains had some additional streets open for student parking,” Council President Donna Dolce said. “What they did is they put the signs up that prohibited parking and that's what pushed the students into Fanwood. And we’ve started this jigsaw of back and forth, where we then put some restrictions on additional streets and it pushes them back to Scotch Plains, so we’re going back and forth. The students will find the shortest distance, and whatever side of the municipal line it’s on, that’s where they’re going. So at this point in time, if we put restrictions on, it may push them back to Scotch Plains.”

Councilman David Valian said the student parking problem had existed in the borough for nearly 20 years.

“The streets near the Board of Education were really getting packed and they were causing a lot of issues there, and I think that was what generated the restrictions,” Valian said, referring to what he asserted was the beginning of the student parking issue.

Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr was not in attendance at the special meeting on Sept. 1.

Scotch Plains also took action during its council meeting Tuesday night to restrict parking near the schools. Amendments to a current ordinance would ban parking on the north side of Evergreen Avenue, between Cedar Street and Sunrise Court, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.. The proposed changes would also restrict parking on both sides of Sunrise Court from its intersection with Evergreen Avenue and running north 130 feet on the west side and 335 feet on the east side.

Mayor Malool stated that the council had received input from Police Chief Brian Mahoney on the safety issues that exist there.

"Essentially what this does is closes a loophole with respect to parking," Malool said. "As it currently reads in the ordinance, the signs around the street provide no parking for certain periods of time when school is in session. It's usually not an issue on half days, but in the way the ordinance is currently worded, it allows for parking on both sides of the street and creates a hazard for children moving to the other side of the street. This closes the loophole during the time school is in session, half day or not, so there's only parking on one side of the street."

Scotch Plains will hold a public hearing and final vote on the issue at its Sept. 22 meeting. The council tabled an ordinance Tuesday that would restrict parking on Crestwood Road.