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Northvale resident raises safety and compliance concerns over new parking ordinance near church; asks council to restore prior no-parking condition
Summary
A resident at 13 Rockland Avenue urged the council to revisit ordinance 10932024 and the borough's parking configuration near a local church, citing repeated illegal parking, unsafe pedestrian conditions, and temporary cones left in place since Christmas; he offered photos and video evidence to the borough.
A Northvale resident who identified himself as living at 13 Rockland Avenue told the Mayor and Council during public comment that changes tied to ordinance 10932024 have led to repeated illegal parking, hazardous drop-offs and pedestrian safety risks near a local church.
The resident said the church property, which he said had a previous no-parking condition on Chestnut Street, now experiences frequent curbside drop-offs and parked vehicles between a fire hydrant and Rockland Avenue. He described multiple recent Sundays when vehicles illegally parked or staged for pickups and said the behavior appears to be spreading: when one car remains in a no-parking area, others follow.
The resident recounted specific incidents: illegal parking and drop-offs on consecutive Sundays (including dates around Dec. 15 and Dec. 22 as discussed in his remarks), multiple vehicles parked between the hydrant and Rockland Avenue despite a makeshift no-parking sign, and cones placed by police after services that remained in place for weeks. He said the cones had not been removed since around Christmas, creating the appearance of an ongoing construction zone and raising questions about the borough's plan for permanent signage.
He also described pedestrian hazards where sidewalks are missing between the church fence break and the end of the road, forcing congregants into the travel lane near parked and turning vehicles. The resident said he has taken photographs and is prepared to provide video evidence and has offered to upload large files (for example via Dropbox) so the council and staff can review them.
During the comment the resident said church crossing guards told him they also find the configuration difficult and that at least one crossing guard has discussed raising the issue with the church elders. The resident asked the council to consider reinstating the earlier no-parking condition on Chestnut Street or to install permanent no-parking signage between the hydrant and Rockland Avenue.
A borough staff member confirmed the construction official inspected the church and reported occupancy well below posted maximums; the official also reported resolving some fire-lane violations with the church. The mayor and council said staff would review the resident's evidence and follow up with traffic-control options.
The council did not take an immediate vote or direct ordinance change during the public-comment period; staff follow-up and potential revisions to signage or enforcement policies were indicated as next steps.
