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Fanwood council advances rewrite of parking rules, targets lawless 'Lot 9' behind Bagel Shop
Summary
The Borough introduced a wide-ranging revision of its vehicles-and-traffic code, renumbering public lots and proposing specific rules for Lot 9 behind the Bagel Shop: limited two-hour customer parking, overnight no-parking, and a large permit-only section tied to a 2009–2010 agreement with Elite Properties; second reading is set for Dec. 1.
Lieutenant Dan CR told the Borough Council on Nov. 17 that staff have drafted a comprehensive rewrite of chapter 280 (vehicles and traffic) that renames borough parking areas (Lot 1–Lot 10) and tightens rules for the privately used public lot behind the Bagel Shop, now designated Lot 9.
"It's like a Mad Max movie. There's no law back there," Lieutenant Dan CR said, describing persistent, unenforced parking behavior in Lot 9 since the COVID period. He summarized the proposal: two rows adjacent to the businesses would be limited to two-hour parking Monday–Friday from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., with a no-parking rule from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. every day to preserve snow‑clearing and emergency access. The larger portion of the lot—about 170–180 spaces—would be permit-only under terms derived from a 2009–2010 agreement with Elite Properties, distributing free permits to residents based on bedrooms.
The proposed permit plan would allocate a permit per bedroom for residents of three covered buildings (listed in the draft as 246 South A, 250 South A and 233 L Grand A). Merchant permits will be issued using the prior distribution as a guide, and larger businesses could purchase additional permits; staff noted employees can use the train-station lot, which offers free parking after noon.
Mayor Mahar and council members emphasized implementation steps. Liz Jeffrey said the borough will not enforce new parking rules until signage and an extensive outreach campaign are in place, including social media, townwide e‑blasts, Everbridge texts and parking notices on vehicles. "We're not going to enforce anything number one until there's adequate signage," she said.
The ordinance was introduced on first reading as O-2025-14R; the clerk announced a second reading and public hearing for Dec. 1, 2025 at 7 p.m. in Borough Hall. Lieutenant Dan CR said staff hope implementation can begin early in the new year and acknowledged some details—merchant permit counts and signage locations—will be refined in follow-up outreach with affected businesses.
Why it matters: Lot 9 serves both downtown customers and hundreds of residents; the combination of two-hour customer spaces and permit-only resident parking aims to balance economic activity with resident access and emergency services. The overnight no-parking window addresses DPW snow‑removal and Fire Department response concerns that were highlighted in staff remarks.
What comes next: Council scheduled the ordinance's second reading Dec. 1; staff also plan business outreach sessions and a phased public-education campaign prior to enforcement.
