Caldwell council adopts parking and housing ordinances, amends Local Assistance Board rules

The Borough of Caldwell Council on March 3 adopted three ordinances, including changes to the Local Assistance Board’s membership rules and updates to the municipal code to comply with New Jersey affordable housing requirements.

Council President Buechner proposed two specific revisions to Ordinance 1493-26, which establishes the Local Assistance Board: replacing the word “contiguous” to limit eligibility to residents of Caldwell or West Caldwell and removing the phrase “at least one member shall be a woman” to make the language more inclusive. Resident Sandy Rock said she was pleased to see the ordinance pass and asked whether the board’s services could explicitly include the borough food pantry and the giving tree; Borough Attorney Craig Bossong replied that the board’s bylaws will define the services and could be revised to include those entities. After discussion, the council approved Ordinance 1493-26 as amended.

Ordinance 1492-26, governing “no parking, stopping, or standing,” was read by title, opened for public comment (no speakers) and adopted by unanimous roll-call vote. Borough Attorney Bossong also summarized Ordinance 1494-26 as legislation to ensure compliance with the State of New Jersey’s affordable housing requirements; it likewise was adopted after a second reading and no public comment.

All three ordinances passed on unanimous votes of the council members present. The council did not publish the final amended text for Ordinance 1493-26 at the meeting; Bossong said details of the Local Assistance Board’s services and any additional internal rules will be set in the board’s bylaws.

The council’s actions complete second readings and formal adoption steps for the three ordinances; officials said further administrative steps (bylaws drafting for the Local Assistance Board and any required filings related to affordable housing planning) will follow.