Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press council on blighted strip mall, train horn noise and other neighborhood concerns
Summary
Multiple residents raised public-safety and quality-of-life issues during public comment, including a burned, fenced strip-mall site they said is hazardous, repeated train horn noise early mornings, and concern over removal of mature street trees. Council and staff said they are pursuing enforcement and remediation options.
During the Sept. 30 public-comment period several residents brought neighborhood issues to the Fair Lawn Mayor and Council.
John Bennett described a burned strip-mall property near the municipal area that has been fenced but left with debris and a deep pit; he called it a public-safety hazard and urged stronger enforcement or barricading similar to other local sites. Borough officials said the property has been the subject of ongoing staff review and that options — including declaring the area in need of redevelopment or using municipal code enforcement tools — are under consideration.
Several residents raised tree-removal concerns at length. Michael Spader and neighbor Karen Curlin said multiple large, mature trees on adjoining properties have been cut down recently; they argued the borough’s current mitigation (requiring replacement plantings or payment to a tree fund) does not adequately replace long-standing canopy trees and urged stricter enforcement and penalties for failure to replant. Deputy Mayor and councilmembers acknowledged the public frustration, noted a revised tree ordinance had been adopted earlier in the year to tighten oversight, and said the borough has contracted an arborist and will review planting plans and enforcement timelines.
A resident also urged the council to pursue remedies for repeated train horn noise. The speaker said horns are blown many times outside of the federally required minimum and that a ‘‘quiet zone’’ carries municipal liability if an accident occurs. Council members and the borough’s risk manager explained that establishing a quiet zone can shift liability to the municipality and that insurance coverage and risk considerations have limited the borough’s ability to unilaterally designate a quiet zone; council members said they will contact New Jersey Transit and state representatives about horn use and study feasible mitigation.
Council members thanked residents for raising these issues and said staff will continue to coordinate building, legal and public-works resources to address dangerous sites, tree-planting compliance, and noise complaints. The borough manager noted administrative and legal steps are under review and that redevelopment designation, fines, or compelled corrective work are among the enforcement tools being explored.
