Residents fed up with tight parking in North Bergen are in luck. The Board of Commissioners introduced a series of ordinances designed to make street parking easier for residents, at their June 27 meeting.
One ordinance would reconfigure the town’s permit parking program, adjusting when non-residents can park and for how long.
Non-residents without permits would get only three hours of free courtesy parking between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day on township streets, unless stated otherwise. Residents would still be able to obtain overnight parking permits for visitors, as before.
“Everybody felt that three hours was a good time for people to come visit,” Parking Authority Director Bob Baselice said of the restriction. He stressed the overall program is subject to changes.
The town is also including limited commercial permitting, including business commercial. These will designate where certain commercial vehicles can park in town, depending on the permit type.
Alternate side parking pilot program
The Parking Authority is also addressing parking-challenged areas about which residents have complained.
In one case, they plan to introduce a special alternate side parking program.
One side will restrict parking to residential permits only; the other side will allow residents, other permit holders, and courtesy parking.
These include Dell Avenue, between 40th and 49th streets; 50th to 54th streets, between Kennedy Blvd and Tonnelle Avenue; and the Woodcliff area.
Seventieth Street through 74th, west of Tonnelle Ave, will allow courtesy and residential parking only. Seventy-ninth between Bergenline and Blvd East will only have permit parking, and no courtesy period.
Zoned parking permits—meaning parking only for people who live in the area—are also coming to the Dell Avenue area, near the light rail station, and the Woodcliff area.
Traffic controls
The town also looks to regulate traffic and parking controls along 40-49th streets between Dell and Tonnelle Avenues.
That area is heavily commercial, with some residences, and North Bergen is looking to protect resident spots from large trucks and improve traffic flow.
One turning restriction would limit traffic heading east on 40th Street to making right turns onto Tonnelle Avenue. Parking would also be prohibited on that street’s south side, between Dell and Tonnelle.
Other changes include designating 42nd Street between Dell and Tonnelle as a westward one-way street and banning parking on Dell Avenue, south of 40th Street.
“Everybody felt that three hours was a good time for people to come visit.” – Bob Baselice
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Regulating taxicabs
Another introduced ordinance would cap the number of taxi business licenses in town to 20. Currently, there are 18 such active licenses, according to Town Attorney Tom Kobin, who personally worked on the ordinance.
The cap will help the town better regulate taxi businesses. The ordinance would also clarify that applicants would have to disclose certain crimes to the town. Some time ago, Kobin said, there was an applicant with a criminal history, and officials were unsure whether or not the person was qualified, because the previous ordinance was too vague.
Applicants would also have to state where they will park their taxicabs in town. If adopted, it would ban cabs coming from other parts of the state and cruising for fares in North Bergen. At least three local taxicab businesses gave feedback to the town on the ordinance, Kobin said.
The hearings for all the aforementioned ordinances will be held July 18.
Possible affordable housing?
One resolution passed at the meeting recommends 6004 and 6110 Tonnelle avenues as areas in need of redevelopment.
The spaces are open pieces of property that are blighted, according to Township Administrator Chris Pianese.
He said that the town is considering re-purposing them as affordable housing. They are already located near North Bergen Housing Authority buildings. “It seems to be the only things that would work there,” Pianese said.
Serviceman nominates commissioners for award
The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) awarded Mayor Nicholas Sacco, town commissioners, Police Chief Robert Dowd, and Police Captain Robert Farley Jr.. its Patriotic Employer Award at the meeting.
The ESGR is a Defense Department program that provides cooperation and understanding between employers and their National Guard employees.
The honor came after Army National Guard Sgt. Eric Crafton nominated officials. Around 10 years ago, Crafton was working for the town’s DPW, when he became interested in serving the armed forces. DPW Commissioner Frank Garigulo encouraged him to enlist and backed his efforts. In 2012, the North Bergen Police Department hired Crafton as an officer. He was appreciative of the township’s support.
“Not every public service employee has that support from their employers,” Crafton said. “Based on all that, I thought it was appropriate for you all to get the Patriot Award. Thank you for your support.”
Hannington Dia can be reached at hd@hudsonreporter.com
