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Elmwood Park council adopts $400,000 sewer bond and three ordinances, tables tree‑remediation changes
Summary
On Dec. 18 the Elmwood Park council adopted a $400,000 bond for storm and sanitary sewer work and approved ordinances adding handicap parking in Cherry Hill Park and restricting personal recreation devices on turf fields; the council tabled an amendment on lawns/shrubs and private tree hazard remediation for further drafting.
The Elmwood Park mayor and council on Dec. 18 adopted several ordinances and approved a consent agenda of routine resolutions, while tabling a controversial update to lawn and private‑tree remediation rules.
On final reading the council adopted Ordinance 25‑31, a bond ordinance to authorize storm and sanitary sewer improvements and appropriate $400,000 for the project. The public portion was opened and closed without speakers; the council moved to adopt the ordinance and carried the motion on roll call.
Council members also adopted Ordinance 25‑32, which amends borough code to add Cherry Hill Park to the handicap‑parking provisions, and Ordinance 25‑33, enacting borough code section 20‑5 to address the use of personal recreation transport vehicles on borough turf fields for safety and maintenance. All three ordinances passed on final reading after roll‑call votes recorded in the meeting minutes.
Councilwoman Tracy objected to the language in Ordinance 25‑34, an amendment to sections on lawn and shrub height, failure to maintain, and private tree hazard remediation; she moved to table the item for further discussion and said she was not comfortable with language that gives broad discretion to the borough. The motion to table carried and the item will return for additional review and redrafting.
During the consent agenda, the council approved payroll and bills lists, personnel appointments and rescissions, bid awards (including a Green Acres grant item related to Elmwood Drive Park), and resolutions authorizing veteran tax refunds and other routine actions. Multiple members recused themselves from specific consent items and one councilmember recorded a 'no' on an Elmwood Drive Park improvement item; the consent agenda otherwise passed.
Highlights and next steps: Public Works and Finance will begin implementation steps for the sewer bond funding; the Borough Attorney and relevant departments will redraft the lawn/tree remediation ordinance language for future consideration; and the clerk will prepare committee and ordinance timelines for the new year.
