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Council to clarify park permits, waive fees for civic nonprofits and raise small-event threshold
Summary
An ordinance committee recommended waiving park permit fees for civic and 501(c)(3) nonprofits that demonstrate local contributions, raising the event threshold so gatherings under 15 people need no permit, and removing a separate trail permit; council asked staff to draft clear language.
The borough’s ordinance committee proposed several changes to the park permit code aimed at simplifying event permitting and supporting local nonprofits. Administrator Michael summarized the committee’s recommendations: a discretionary waiver of permit fees for civic and 501(c)(3) organizations that can show prior contributions to Pompton Lakes, a clearer definition of what constitutes an "event," raising the no-permit threshold to 15 people, and removing a separate permit requirement for trail use.
Council members cautioned about wording and cross-town organizations qualifying for waivers; they discussed how to define 'civic' and how to ensure that the fee waiver benefits groups that serve the borough specifically rather than outside organizations. The committee also recommended defining attendee thresholds (up to 25 people categories were discussed) and suggested that small, informal gatherings (for example, a family birthday at a playground) should not require permits.
Council asked staff to prepare a draft ordinance for review that includes clear criteria for nonprofit waivers and event definitions before the next meeting.
