Passaic council introduces multiple ordinances for July 1 reading, hears resident plea over handicap parking enforcement

At its June 17 meeting, the Passaic City Council introduced several ordinances for first reading on July 1, approved routine consent items and heard a public plea about handicap parking and street storage of vehicles.

Ordinances introduced for first reading (set for July 1) included: - a proposed amendment to the city code (chapter 295) to relocate a bus stop on Broadway; - a proposed residential parking permit ordinance (chapter 295, part 10) setting requirements for neighborhood permits; - an ordinance amending the city’s restricted parking rules for disabled persons to be based on New Jersey license-plate numbers; - a proposal from the council president to amend the mayor’s salary (chapter cited in the meeting); - a revision to carnival, bazaar and fair rules to adjust fire inspection and propane generator device fees; and - an addendum ordinance (chapter 102) to regulate clothing-donation bins, including licensing and maintenance obligations.

Each ordinance was moved, seconded and received affirmative roll calls for introduction to second and final reading on July 1.

Public comment and staff response Resident Wendy, speaking during the public-comment period, said she has lived in Passaic for four months and asked the council to consider installing an 'autistic child' sign near her home because school buses and other drivers sometimes go around stop signs and speed when buses are stopped. She described safety and medical concerns for her nonverbal child and cited limited parking caused in part by a nearby mechanic shop that stores vehicles on the street.

Wendy said: "I have a special needs child. He's on the spectrum level 3. He's nonverbal, and also he has a lot of health issues...when my son's bus stops in front of my house, even though they have the stop sign, they still go around it and speed around it." (public comment excerpt)

The mayor and presiding official directed Wendy to the engineering department and said staff will review her application and verify whether additional handicapped-designated space can be added nearby; the mayor noted a limit in the local rule that no more than 4% of parking on a block can be designated for handicap spaces. City staff also said they are working on an ordinance aimed at preventing mechanics from leaving repaired cars in the public right-of-way overnight and that the police or code officials could enforce towing of vehicles left on the street if they are not moved.

Consent items and votes The council approved routine communications and consent items in grouped roll-call votes. Items 1–10 were approved by roll call with affirmative votes from the council. Items 11 and 12 were approved as well, with recorded abstentions (Councilman Love and Councilwoman Colombo Martinez were recorded as abstaining on that vote).

Mayor’s report and next steps Mayor Hector C. Laura reported that the city’s Juneteenth event took place recently and that ADA sidewalk repairs on Passaic Avenue and downtown are substantially complete, with a list of remaining repairs to be provided to the council the following week. The council scheduled the next meeting for July 1 at noon.

The council adjourned after brief staff remarks and an acknowledgement of retirees and deceased employees.