JACKSON — The members of the Jackson Township Council have adopted an ordinance that prohibits construction and demolition work at certain times of the day.
Township Council President Martin Flemming, Vice President Andrew Kern, Councilman Alex Sauickie, Councilman Stephen Chisholm and Councilman Nino Borrelli voted “yes” on a motion to adopt the ordinance during the governing body’s April 12 meeting.
The ordinance amends a portion of Jackson’s municipal laws regarding noise and states that no construction or demolition activities will be permitted between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., Monday through Friday.
No construction or demolition activities will be permitted between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. on weekends and on any federally recognized holiday. This prohibition will be enforced regardless of the noise generated as described in Jackson’s noise ordinance.
Municipal officials previously said the newly adopted ordinance addresses a quality of life issue that was brought to the council’s attention by residents who live near the location where a large commercial development is under construction on Route 537.
During the April 12 meeting, Sauickie said, “More importantly, driven by the collective voices of residents from all parts of town, and in some cases, (the residents) are not always on the same side of the issue. It is these kinds of actions where you get input and consensus across all residents that break down barriers of hostility and replace them with bridges of respect.
“Councilman Borrelli and I crafted this (ordinance) one meeting after hearing the pleas of residents, who were at the end of a long line of residents, pleading for help on reducing noise from construction during overnight hours,” Sauickie said, adding that the feedback regarding the legislation has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
“Because it is a quality of life issue for all residents and it is common sense. Residents all over town have families and children who need to sleep and want some sense of peace during off-hours. This ordinance gives it to them,” Sauickie said, adding that the residents’ voices “clearly did not fall on deaf ears.”