By Amy Batista, Special Writer
The Borough Council wants to amend its parking ordinance to allow more municipal officials to deal with abandoned vehicles.
Mayor Larry Quattrone said during the council’s Sept. 8 meeting that the problem is with housing inspectors not being able to deal with abandoned vehicles when they are conducting housing inspections.
Borough Attorney Frederick Raffetto noted the current ordinance only gives the police department authority to deal with abandoned vehicles.
The council discussed the parking ordinance’s Chapter 3 “Police Regulations,” section 3-10 “Abandoned or Wrecked Vehicles” and section 3-11 “Parking of Boats, Trailers and Registered Vehicles.”
Mayor Quattrone said he wanted to give housing inspectors the right to inspect vehicles when they are conducting housing inspections.
“What we are finding is when we find a car with designated parking in the back of the houses on grass, we are finding the cars in disrepair,” he said.
Borough Clerk Debra Sopronyi said that the Hightstown Police Department doesn’t have the right to inspect abandoned vehicles if police don’t have a reason to go onto the property where they are parked.
“It’s against police regulations,” she said. “They can only go onto the property if there is a police matter for which they are called and (the vehicle) is in plain view.”
Mayor Quattrone asked what would happen if a resident complained to the Health Department about such vehicles.
Mr. Raffetto said changes in the ordinance would allow inspections of the vehicle and potentially the issuance of a summons.
“We put in some proposed additional language that would authorize other municipal officials to enforce the provisions of these sections,” Mr. Raffeto said.
Mayor Quattrone said, “I think this is a right step in the right direction. I need public support on that.”
Council members agreed to put the revised ordinance on its agenda for the Sept. 21 meeting.
Lynne Woods, resident and Republican candidate for Borough Council, said one of her neighbors has two junked cars in the driveway.
“If we could get rid of the two junked (cars), that would be great,” Ms. Woods said. “She could put her other cars in the driveway. “
Ms. Woods said under the current ordinance the police cannot do anything about the situation.
“Even though the one car is dismantled inside, they are not allowed to go onto the property to look and prove that it is dismantled,” she said. “We have a problem. We have an ordinance we can’t enforce.”
Councilman Charles “Lee” Stults noted that some vehicles in the borough are being used for storage like a shed.
