Delanco residents push back on plan to shift waterfront permit-parking to 'sunrise'

Delanco Township residents urged the Township Committee on July 13 to retain existing overnight permit-parking hours on Delaware Avenue, saying the proposed change to allow parking from "sunrise" would be subjective and could revive noise, trespass and safety problems that restrictions had reduced.

The public-comment period featured multiple residents who said the current restrictions have worked for years. "It would be a shame to roll back these hours," said Nancy Al Rust, a Delaware Avenue resident, who said sunrise is too subjective and that the current 8:00 a.m. start has helped limit late-night gatherings and trespass. Jay Cohen, who said he has lived on Delaware Avenue for 38 years, recalled calls to police and instances of people selling drugs and setting off fireworks before the restrictions were adopted: "So this is an example of something that's not broken," he said.

Why it matters: Committee members must weigh competing duties — protecting residents who live adjacent to the riverfront and ensuring equitable use of public streets across Delanco's roughly 5,000 residents. Mister Bartlett apologized for an earlier remark characterizing Delaware Avenue residents as "elitist," saying his comment was meant to reference discussions during the ordinance's 2013–14 adoption, not current residents. "If anyone believes I was labeling an entire neighborhood, I apologize and that was never my intent," he said.

Township Administrator Deb and several residents advocated keeping the current hours or modestly adjusting them to a fixed time. "Sunrise falls at different times in the fall and winter — it's pitch black," said Lynn Whitney, who suggested a set morning hour such as 7:00 a.m. instead. Committee member Fern also proposed considering a 9 p.m.–7 a.m. permit window to align with the township's noise ordinance and avoid midnight-to-dawn ambiguity.

Committee response and next steps: Mayor Kate said she would not take official action at the July 13 meeting because Committee Member Seuss was absent and the mayor believed Seuss should participate in the vote. The committee agreed to revisit Ordinance 2026-11 at the next meeting on August 3. In the interim, several members asked staff to draft alternatives that would allow resident-permit access more broadly across Delanco and to consider targeted solutions for Hawk Island parking.

Context and details: Clerk Bev Russell collected multiple emailed comments before the meeting both for and against the change; many urged preserving the current restrictions and suggested allowing resident permits townwide rather than expanding daytime access. The discussion also included suggestions to add one handicap space at street ends to improve accessibility during events.

The committee will return to Ordinance 2026-11 at its next scheduled meeting, Aug. 3, when all members are expected to be present.