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Residents urge pause after city erects fence for temporary impound yard on West Second Street; council seeks options
Summary
Residents and council members clashed March 19 after neighbors discovered fencing and apparent staging for a temporary impound yard on West Second Street, a paper street that a 2019 ordinance designated for pedestrian amenities.
Several Bayonne residents urged the Municipal Council on March 19 to halt the city’s apparent placement of an impound‑yard staging area on West Second Street, saying fencing is already in place on land they said had been designated in a 2019 ordinance as a pedestrian mall and an amenity for adjacent properties.
Why it matters: Neighbors said the proposed impound area would be adjacent to homes and a planned redevelopment corridor, create 24‑hour noise and activity and conflict with prior planning intentions for West Second Street. They asked the council for a 30‑day pause, alternatives and an explanation of why they were not notified.
What residents said: Sharon Nudrowski and other residents described seeing a new fence and vehicles staged on the paper street. Nudrowski read the 2019 ordinance language that designates parts of West Second Street for pedestrian mall improvements under NJSA 40:56 and said: “You’ve fenced it in… and it’s going to be used as a pound.” Tracy Fusa, who said her property is about 100 feet from the fenced area, warned the council the location would be “a flashback to the port authority” and would make it impossible to open windows if operations occurred at night.
What the city said: Police and city staff told the meeting the city owns the parcel and that the site was identified after the existing impound area reached capacity. Police said the staging would not operate as a 24‑hour in‑and‑out facility and that most vehicle moves would occur daytime Monday‑Friday. The police representative said the department is constrained by state holding periods and auction timelines for impounded vehicles and that the number of impounded vehicles has increased since COVID.
Council response and next steps: Council President LaPalouse and other members said they were not previously informed of the action and agreed the item required more study. Several council members asked the administration to (1) pause further use of the site for 30 days, (2) return with a list of alternative city‑owned or rentable sites and (3) provide details about operational hours and environmental controls. The police chief said residents could contact him directly with complaints; the council directed staff to compile a list of city‑owned parcels and to explore leasing arrangements with large property owners while a permanent solution is found.
No formal vote was recorded on the impound‑yard issue at the March 19 meeting; council members repeatedly requested additional information and a short pause for further review.
