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Council holds first reading on proposed permit allowing homeowners to block driveways
Summary
A first reading of an ordinance that would allow homeowners to obtain permits letting others park across their driveways drew lengthy debate over enforcement, fees and fairness. Council members proposed amendments including a cap of three permits and a $25-per-vehicle fee.
The council held a first reading on Ordinance No. 15 on March 11, a proposed change to Paterson Code chapter 435, article 4, that would let homeowners apply for permits allowing designated vehicles to park across a driveway without receiving a ticket.
Sponsor Councilwoman Davila told the council the measure grew out of resident complaints about receiving tickets when they parked in front of their own driveways because of limited curbspace. Under the draft ordinance discussed at the workshop, a homeowner could request up to three permits. Permits would be issued through the Department of Public Works and must match a vehicle’s license plate to the property where it is registered; the draft as presented does not permit vehicles registered at other addresses to use the permit.
Councilwoman Mims proposed an amendment during the workshop to cap permits at three vehicles and to assess a $25 fee per vehicle permit as a modest revenue measure; Mims said such a fee would help offset administrative costs. “The 3 just add the charge. $25 fee per car,” she said. Council members raised questions about enforcement: how officers would verify a plate in the field, whether patrol officers would have access to an up-to-date database, and whether discretion could undercut enforcement when vehicles are left in place for days.
Opponents and some council members warned that passing the ordinance without an enforcement plan could produce uneven application and asked whether the administration could provide a report on how similar programs are handled in nearby municipalities. Councilman Jackson and others pressed the administration to ensure officers would be able to implement the change and to provide data on how many residents this would affect.
Council members agreed the item should go forward for a second reading, and several requested that DPW and the police department prepare implementation details — including a database and enforcement protocol — before the ordinance returns for final consideration.
Ending: The ordinance remains at first-reading stage. Council members urged staff to return with enforcement plans, estimated impact and technical details; Mims’ proposed $25-per-permit amendment and the three-permit cap were discussed as likely changes to the draft.
