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North Caldwell tables proposed blasting ordinance after residents and developers raise concerns
Summary
After public comment from residents, consultants and counsel for a developer, the Borough Council voted unanimously to table Ordinance O-1-2026 (Blasting) to March 24, 2026 for further revision and review of state preemption and technical details.
The Borough of North Caldwell opened public hearing on Ordinance O-1-2026, proposed to add Chapter 109 (Blasting) to the municipal code, and then voted to table the measure until its March 24, 2026 meeting.
Residents voiced support for limits and pre-blast surveys. North Caldwell resident Alicia Amil said she supported “the limits on frequency and permitted times of day” and favored conducting pre-blast surveys. Attorney Katherine Coffey, representing Toll NJ I, LLC, told the council she had submitted a February 23, 2026 letter raising legal objections, saying the “New Jersey Explosives Act maintains jurisdiction over explosive and … supersedes any other ordinances on this topic.” Blasting consultant Matthew Ryan of Rock Work, Inc. flagged several technical issues he said are not fully addressed in the draft, including how pre-blast photographic inspections are documented and how the ordinance handles misfires and mandated stop times in adverse weather.
Borough Counsel Jarrid Kantor answered procedural and statutory questions during the hearing and said the borough intends to “supplement without superseding the state rules.” Councilman Matthew Atlas said the ordinance’s goal was to “supplement state regulations and minimize health, safety and welfare impacts” and emphasized that the proposal “is not site-specific but would apply to any blasting activity.” Councilman Arthur Rees stated he intended to abstain from voting on the ordinance because of his Planning Board role; nevertheless, the motion to table O-1-2026 to March 24, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. passed unanimously with five affirmative votes. Kantor confirmed that no additional public notice would be required for the continued hearing.
The council asked staff and counsel to rework the ordinance language to address technical and statutory concerns and added the matter to Executive Session for anticipated litigation related to blasting. The tabled status preserves opportunity for additional resident input and for the borough to reconcile local protections with state-level blasting regulations before a future vote.
