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Residents press Stockton council on Route 29 safety, parking and transparency in public comments
Summary
At the Oct. 21 Stockton Borough Council meeting, residents urged action on Route 29/Bridge Street safety, speeding and parking on Main Street, and raised transparency questions about permitting and missing minutes; the council agreed to explore traffic-calming measures and investigate remote meeting options to reduce costs.
Several Stockton residents used the Oct. 21 public-comment periods to press council members on traffic safety, parking and transparency.
A resident identified as Paznack said neighbors should be notified when building permits are issued and raised questions about stormwater rules and a steep-slope ordinance he believes was not followed near his property. Laura Lutten of South Main Street asked the council to consider stop signs, speed-limit signs and weekend parking kiosks to slow traffic and generate revenue; she also asked that faded parking lines in the large railroad parking lot be repainted.
Mayor Aaron Lipsen introduced New Jersey State Police officers earlier in the meeting to discuss safety where Bridge Street meets Route 29 and at the Route 523 junction; residents asked officers about the types of accidents occurring and about speeding enforcement and weekend traffic increases. The council discussed traffic-calming ideas, including blinking lights.
Public commenters also raised transparency concerns: Mike Odenwald told the council he has sought to present an economic-development plan and said minutes regarding the cannabis ordinance appear to be missing; Attorney Lisa Maddox told the meeting the borough was reviewing the ordinance and licensing options and that staff was "looking at everything in the ordinance." The minutes do not record council granting Odenwald additional presentation time.
Separately, councilmembers discussed potential relocation or virtual delivery of meetings and agreed to investigate costs of holding meetings via Zoom to reduce expense. The minutes show no final decision on meeting location.
