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West Orange council approves popup-party rules, expands cannabis hours and moves shared-services contract; several items pulled for follow-up
Summary
Council adopted a popup-party ordinance and amended cannabis operating hours, approved a multi-year animal-control shared-services contract with Essex Fells (with some dissent), and completed ABC license renewals; several bills and resolutions (library signage, vendor invoices, telecom charges) were pulled for additional review.
On final action, the West Orange Township Council voted on several ordinances and resolutions after public comment and staff presentations.
Ordinances and votes - Popup-party ordinance (Ord. 2968-26): Council approved the ordinance after a planning-board consistency review and legal review; Council voted 3–1 (Koviaak yes, Ruden yes, Williams no, Scarpa yes). The ordinance allows the township to regulate short-notice outdoor gatherings; legal staff said some drafting clarifications are advisable and offered a closed-session memo on enforceability. - Cannabis hours amendment (Ord. 2973-26): Council voted unanimously to amend permitted operating hours for licensed cannabis retailers; roll call was recorded as unanimous in favor. - Restricted parking zones (Ord. 2978-26): Introduced on first reading; the council directed staff to proceed with drafting and enforcement coordination with police.
Resolutions and other actions - Shared-services animal-control contract (Res. 17426): After debate, council approved a multi-year shared-services agreement with Essex Fells for animal-control services. The vote carried over dissent from at least one council member who preferred a shorter contract term and more review; the council noted the contract includes a 60-day termination clause and that shared services help with grant eligibility and operational continuity. - Multiple vendor bills and procurement items were pulled for further documentation including tax-appeal contractors (Blau & Blau; Born, Null & Kenyon), several small landscaping invoices tied to property maintenance, and an AT&T telecom bill pending an audit of unused lines.
Licensing - ABC licensing renewals and conditional renewals were approved (resolutions 793–795). One renewal included special hours restrictions and remote video access conditions agreed as part of a stipulation to avoid further appeals.
Follow-ups Councilors requested: documentation of the 2021 Clarion/Essex Green settlement payment for library signage, vendor invoices and performance records from outside contractors, a telecom usage audit, and a capital-prioritization package related to Ten Rooney HVAC needs. The administration agreed to provide the requested materials and to prepare ordinance language for the parking pilot with enforcement provisions.
