Mountainside introduces privately‑owned salt storage ordinance; public hearing set for Aug. 20

At its July 16 meeting the Mountainside Borough Council introduced Ordinance 1331‑2024 (Article 1418) addressing privately‑owned salt and solid de‑icing material storage on non‑municipal properties.

The ordinance states its purpose is to prevent salt and other solid de‑icing materials from being exposed to stormwater and to protect public health, safety and welfare. Key provisions in the introduced text include:

• Definitions and purpose for the chapter (Article 1418).

• Temporary outdoor storage rules (allowed Oct. 15–Apr. 15) requiring loose materials to be placed on a flat, impervious surface, maintained in a cone shape, covered with a waterproof impermeable flexible cover extending to the base of the pile, secured against wind, and kept at least 50 feet from surface water bodies, storm drain inlets, ditches, or other stormwater conveyance channels.

• Requirements that containers be sealed when not in use and that the storage site be cleared of de‑icing materials between April 16 and Oct. 14 unless stored in a qualifying permanent structure.

• Weekly inspection and recordkeeping requirements for sites storing materials outdoors, with inspection records to be kept on site and made available to the municipality upon request; residents operating businesses from home that use de‑icing materials are specifically required to perform weekly inspections.

• Exemptions for containerized materials stored within a permanent structure or in sealed, solid‑walled closed containers that prevent precipitation entry and leakage; piles of de‑icing materials are not exempt even if placed within a permanent structure.

• Enforcement by the Zoning Officer, the Police Department and the Borough Engineer; violations must be corrected within 72 hours and each day a violation continues is a separate offense subject to the borough's penalty provisions.

Councilman Rinaldo moved the ordinance for first reading and Councilman Dierkes seconded; the public hearing was scheduled for Aug. 20, 2024. The council’s roll call was unanimous. The meeting record notes the ordinance will be renumbered into the code and that inconsistent ordinances will be repealed as needed. The council did not record any public testimony on the ordinance at the July 16 meeting.