Council wants to stop commuter parking
on certain streets
BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer
Sayreville officials are looking to stop commuters from parking on several residential streets near bus stops.
An ordinance introduced last week by the Borough Council would restrict parking on portions of 22 streets near bus stops to permit-only.
The action comes in response to concerns voiced by residents of Laurel Park at council meetings in recent months. Residents who live on Spruce Lane, Pinetree Drive, Locust Lane and Ernston Road first approached the council in March, saying that commuters regularly speed and park on their roads.
In addition to those streets, parking would be restricted to permits on portions of Brook Avenue, Olsen Street, Old Spye Road, First Street, Feary Place, Second Street, Applegate Place, Morgan Avenue, Cliff Avenue, Singer Court, Marcia Street, Karen Street, Johnson’s Lane, Cori Street, Holly Drive, Kierst Street, the west side of White Oaks Drive, and an unnamed road from Ernston Road to Donna Street.
Council President Thomas Pollando said the locations were recommended by the borough police department.
“The police made [the list] up, and we have taken into consideration the complaints we have heard at council meetings and through letters we received. This does not mean that we cannot add or subtract from the list from time to time. Nothing is concrete. We need time to check, but we will modify it depending on the situation,” Pollando said.
Borough Attorney Brian Hak developed the ordinance in consultation with the police department.
Pollando said the significance of the issue has increased over the years as the number of commuters increased.
“More and more people going to New York need parking,” Pollando said. “We need to rectify this.”
Pollando said he hopes the state Department of Transportation funds an $800,000 commuter lot proposed at the intersection of Washington Road and Main Street by the Dunkin’ Donuts.
“We need to put in the effort,” Pollando said, “but it takes time. It is not happening quickly enough. We need to have our engineer, the DOT and our commuter advisory board working on this so we can resolve these issues. We need to get everybody involved to make this happen.”
The problem, he said, is not going away anytime soon.
“More people are taking the bus and more people are leaving their cars parked on Ernston Road in front of residents’ houses. This issue needs to be resolved as quickly as possible.”
When the council introduced the ordinance July 10, though, Republican Mayor Kennedy O’Brien expressed reservations.
“I ask that the governing body hold off on this ordinance. It still has some flaws in it, some streets that are not included,” he said.
O’Brien said he is also concerned that some residents may be unaware that they will need a permit to park their cars in front of the their homes. He noted that he thinks the council, mostly Democrats, is overreacting to a smaller problem and making it a bigger one.
O’Brien called for the ordinance to be tabled until September so notices can be reissued to those living on the affected streets and to allow time for the traffic advisory board to discuss the matter further.
While some residents of streets in the ordinance have complained that commuters are infringing on the enjoyment of their homes, O’Brien said others who do not have a problem would also be required to get a permit. And with many residents on vacation in the summer, he would prefer that the matter be held off until the fall.
“Since it affects so many people, it is only fair that more people know how this is going to affect them,” O’Brien said.
Democratic Councilman Rory Zach noted that the introduction of the ordinance allows for public comment before the measure is adopted.
“We can amend the ordinance to include additional streets,” Zach said. “I see no problem with introducing the ordinance.”
Democratic Councilman Dennis Grobelny said residents on those streets requested that the council take action. He added that between now and the adoption of the ordinance, the public will have the opportunity to comment.
The council approved the introduction in a 5-1 vote along party lines.
Republican Councilman John Melillo voted in dissent, saying he agreed with O’Brien that there are streets the ordinance neglects. He further said he thinks the problem will only be transferred to neighboring roads.
“You are putting [commuters] on the corner and there will be more on these other streets,” Melillo said. “We are pushing them onto other streets.”
Democratic Councilman Daniel Buchanan said the council’s concern is the potential hazard posed by excessive parking in neighborhoods with bus stops, making it difficult for fire and other emergency vehicles to get through.
“Our concern is residents’ safety,” Buchanan said. “There are people parking in our neighborhoods, trying to beat other commuters to the stop to get on the bus before other commuters, and causing a hazard for others in town. We do not want someone to be put in danger when we have the ability to prevent it.”
Buchanan said there would be no charge for permits, which residents would obtain at borough hall.
The commuter advisory board expressed its needs regarding commuter lots and parking in the borough at a meeting several months ago, said Buchanan, who collaborated on the ordinance with Hak and Grobelny. Grobelny focused on the needs of law enforcement, while Buchanan looked at commuters’ needs.
Buchanan said he will ask that the council not restrict parking during certain time frames, to allow residents to have visitors park on the streets. He added that visitor passes will be available to affected residents.
A permit would likely be required during daytime hours from Monday through Friday, so residents are not restricted from streetside parking during weekends and evenings, Buchanan said.
Buchanan said the VFW parking lot and the future commuter lot by the Dunkin’ Donuts on Raritan Street would give residents two more commuter lots to ease parking issues.
Beginning July 31, the VFW hall will rent out spaces on a daily basis and possibly monthly, depending on commuters’ needs. Academy Bus will add an additional stop at the VFW hall on Jernee Mill Road between the Winding Woods stop and the Colony Club stop, according to Buchanan.
“I worked with Councilman [Stanley] Drwal on that one,” Buchanan said. “The commuter advisory board requested that there be more commuter lots, since Old Bridge has one that Sayreville residents are [no longer] able to use.”
The ordinance is slated for a public hearing and possibly a vote on final adoption Aug. 14.