Council member shows video of repeated no-parking incidents by church van on Chestnut Street

A Northvale council member presented video evidence and described repeated incidents in which a church van stopped in a no-parking zone on the east side of Chestnut Street, at times near a fire hydrant and with children present.

The council member said the van "unloads, doesn't stay long," but that drivers sometimes assume the no-parking zone is available for drop-offs. The member told the council the conduct occurred in conjunction with pickups and that there were "children outside of Chestnut Street in no parking zone." The speaker said the incidents were captured in video exhibits labeled 72 and 73 and that the chief's records document the events.

Walking through Exhibit 72, the speaker said the vehicle stood in a no-parking area, possibly blocking a fire hydrant, for several minutes before making a pickup. The speaker said an ensuing exhibit shows the black vehicle making a pickup after an extended period of illegal standing. The record, as described in the meeting excerpt, indicates a warning may have been issued; the speaker said the details are documented in the chief's records.

The council member characterized the van's behavior as inappropriate for an area where children congregate, saying it "should know better." The excerpt did not record a formal motion directing staff to take enforcement action or identify a disciplinary outcome. The speaker said they were "on the fence" about whether to take additional steps after reviewing the video.

The meeting excerpt did not include a response from the church named in the account, a recorded enforcement action beyond a possible warning, or a formal vote by council members on follow-up enforcement.