Change to code would put a limit on how long piles of soil can remain on properties.
By: Melissa Edmond
Responding to a resident’s request for soil regulation, the Borough Council introduced an amendment to its property maintenance code at Monday’s meeting.
North 16th Ave resident Michael Fiure attended several borough meetings in the fall and summer to voice his concerns about three piles of soil that had been on his neighbor’s property since late May.
He asked the borough to adopt a property maintenance ordinance that created regulations for soil on borough properties. He also wanted the council to have the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) check the soil for contamination.
"I’m sure we would not let a builder in this town just dump something and let it sit for three or four or five months. We shouldn’t let property owners do it either," Mr. Fiure said at the Sept. 12 council meeting.
Borough Administrator Gary Garwacke said Mr. Fiure’s neighbor has a permit to build a house and that is why the soil has been on the person’s property.
"Unfortunately the house owner isn’t working as quickly as we had expected. The person hasn’t started to do any work. The dirt is still there currently," said Mr. Garwacke.
According to the amendment, soil stored on borough property can only be for construction purposes, needs to meet state soil standards, and can only stay on the property for up to two months.
However, there could be instances where the property maintenance officer could allow the soil to stay on properties longer if the dirt is being used for a construction site, according to Mr. Garwacke.
"The ordinance originated with Mr. Fiure’s complaints but it’s something that we really needed to do," said Mayor Angelo Corradino in a phone interview on Wednesday. "A pile of dirt takes away from the aesthetics of a neighborhood. We understand construction sites need to do this but there should be a time limit."
The public hearing for this ordinance will be Dec. 12.