CLARK, NJ - Clark Township Council adopted an ordinance Monday night setting a three-hour parking limit on 20 spaces at the municipal building complex on Westfield Avenue, responding to complaints from seniors who said students from Arthur L. Johnson High School and others had been filling the lot all day.
The issue came to a head after residents raised concerns about parking access during senior events and community gatherings. Councilman Brian P. Toal said he personally heard the frustration firsthand at a recent event.
"I went to a function in town for the Russian Orthodox Easter Festival at the Prince House and got an earful from a resident who was a senior citizen having a problem parking for the senior meetings because of all the other cars being there," Toal said. "Mrs. D, thank you for saying what you had to say. I sat and listened to it, and now we're going to make it work — so your issue is resolved."
A resident at Monday's meeting asked where specifically the restricted spaces would be located, noting the difficulty of finding parking during the week.
Council President William F. Smith said the 20 spaces will run along the main driveway starting at the first left turn entering the complex, continuing up toward the marked spots near the tennis and pickleball courts.
"The high school students have their own spots they're supposed to park in," Smith said. "If they're not parking legally, the police will take care of any problems."
Ordinance 26-16 amends Clark's parking code to designate the 20 spaces for three-hour maximum parking, freeing them up for residents conducting business at the municipal building and attending community events.
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