Waldwick council approves parking fee changes, adopts three ordinances on parking and program fees

WALDWICK — The Borough of Waldwick on second reading passed ordinances that amend the town’s parking rules and increase certain municipal fees, prompting residents to voice concerns about affordability and outreach.

At the meeting the council read and then approved Ordinance 2026-07 (amending Chapter 63, parking and lots), Ordinance 2026-08 (updating park-and-ride and paid-parking fees in Chapter 48/63), and Ordinance 2026-09 (raising fees for the Waldwick Junior Police Academy and related police facility charges). Motions to pass the measures on second reading were moved and seconded and carried on roll call. The clerk was authorized to advertise the ordinances as required by law.

Why it matters: The changes include converting the nearby NJ Transit-owned lot to a daily paid format and increasing parking-meter rates and hours—moves the council said are intended to maximize lot use and align permit pricing with neighboring communities after not raising permit fees for “like 20 years,” a council member said during debate.

Residents at the microphone said the changes will hit commuters’ household budgets. "A $250 permit that is now going to cost us roughly about $1,000 a year," said Magdalena Kolumbajewska during public comment, describing a five-day-a-week commuter household and urging the council to consider split or temporary permits. Kolumbajewska also noted the proposed meter rate increase (current street meters cited as $2.75) and a proposed extension of metered hours to 10 p.m., saying those changes and associated app fees would increase users’ daily costs.

Council members and staff replied that the lot is owned by New Jersey Transit and the borough’s options are constrained by that lease arrangement, and that the shift to daily parking responds to underutilization observed since the pandemic and the presence of many people on a waiting list for annual permits. The council highlighted administrative advantages of an automated, metered system for enforcement and public-safety staffing.

What passed: The ordinances passed on second reading by roll call. The resolutions and ordinance votes were recorded in the meeting; the clerk will complete required postings and notices. The ordinances themselves specify fee schedules and will be available for public inspection once advertised.

Next steps: The council authorized the clerk to advertise the ordinances. No effective date was announced at the meeting; the clerk will publish official notices with implementation timing and any further administrative details.