Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning Parking topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Neighbor raises safety and zoning concerns over regular gatherings at 140 Old Tappan Road
Summary
Resident Mary Ellen Lafrance told the Borough of Old Tappan council that activities at 140 Old Tappan Road — promoted online and attended by dozens — are creating repeated curbside parking, mailbox blockages and potential emergency-access risks and asked the borough to investigate zoning enforcement.
Mary Ellen Lafrance, a resident of 15 Christian Place, told the mayor and council that her block has been increasingly disrupted by large weekend gatherings at 140 Old Tappan Road, which neighbors say appears to be used as a house of worship and event site. "You can't receive your mail because cars are parking and blocking your mailbox," Lafrance said, and she described recent events that included a large tent on the driveway and on-site security.
Council members acknowledged the complaint and recalled prior legal action the borough took related to a house-of-worship zoning question at another site; Mayor Gallagher said the borough had gone to court previously and lost. Councilors and staff pressed for evidence: photographs taken during September and October, social-media event postings and an advertised online calendar that residents say shows large gatherings. A staff member advised that the zoning officer should review court decisions on what constitutes a "house of worship" under local law and that documentary evidence of recurring events may inform enforcement.
Councilors and residents emphasized safety concerns. Neighbors estimated that some events involved dozens of cars — one resident suggested "60" on busier days — and raised the risk that double-sided curb parking could block a lane and hamper fire or ambulance access. The mayor and a councilor agreed to have the zoning officer review the concerns and the available evidence and to report back to the council; photographs were confirmed as having been received by the borough.
The council did not take formal enforcement action at the meeting; members framed the next step as an administrative review by the zoning officer to determine whether the property use and frequency of events meet the legal standard for a prohibited use or a zoning violation. The council also cautioned about balancing enforcement with First Amendment considerations and prior court guidance.
