By John Tredrea, Special Writer
LAMBERTVILLE —An ordinance repealing Lambertville’s garbage collection fees to residents and merchants was adopted by City Council Monday night.
There was no public comment on the measure, which was made possible when Lambertville voters OK’d a referendum on April 27 asking that those fees to be put back into the regular tax base.
The referendum was needed to allow the city to exceed the tax levy cap set by the state. The ordinance eliminates the fees for the full 2011 calendar year.
The ordinance says that the approximately 115 property owners who did not pay their garbage collection fees for 2010 must still pay the fees in order to have liens removed from their properties. The fees were required for pickup of more than four bags of garbage.
Also adopted Monday night was a bond ordinance that appropriates $45,000 for the purchase of an SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) for the Lambertville Police Department.
”The main thing is to be able to get up these hills in town,” Police Director Bruce Cocuzza said of the need for the SUV. There was no public comment on the ordinance before the adoption vote.
Also adopted without public comment was an ordinance establishing one handicapped parking space in the York Street parking lot adjacent to city hall. Renovations and the addition of an elevator at city hall have made the building ADA (American Disabilities Act)-compliant. The new parking spot will be near the elevator shaft entrance and will be limited to use by those visiting the city hall lot, at 18 York St., from 9 a.m.-9 p.m., seven days a week. There is a two-hour time limit on use of the spot.
COUNCIL ALSO:
— Introduced an ordinance creating a handicapped parking space, and accompanying curb cut that will allow installation of a ramp, at 31 Jefferson St. The measure is scheduled for a public hearing and adoption vote on July 18.
— Introduced an ordinance amending the city’s ordinance, adopted in 1994, regulating construction on steep slopes. The mayor and planning consultant, Tim Corzun, said this measure would give the city more control by requiring a variance, rather than a waiver, from the city Planning Board, for builders seeking exceptions to the ordinance.
”Requiring a variance would allow us to use the stricter standards of the state land-use law,” Mr. Corzun said.
The amendment also would require builders to post a bond before beginning work. This means that, if excavation or other work were left unfinished, the city would have the money in hand to complete the job.
A key intent here, Mr. Corzun said, is “to protect those downhill” of where the work is taking place. “It gives us more control and allows better planning,” he said of the proposed amendment, adding that “most of the vacant land left in town is on steep slopes.”
”Our main goal is to affect subdivisions, not single family homes,” said the mayor. He noted that, if the amendment passes, the option to cluster development on the flat portion of properties with steep slopes would be retained. The proposal was recommended for adoption by the city Planning Board, he added.
A public hearing and adoption vote on this measure is scheduled for July 18.
