Sewage System Sale, Curfew Considered By Gloucester Twp. Council

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — An expanded curfew, a ban on short-term rentals and approval of a referendum for a controversial sale of the township's sewage system will be up for consideration at the next Gloucester Township Council meeting.

The curfew — developed in response to the large fights that broke out during Gloucester Township Day — is the only measure of the three that would take effect if passed on Monday night. Ordinances to move forward with the referendum and ban short-term rentals, such as Airbnb's, are only up for a first reading.

The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Here's more on each ordinance:

Curfew For Minors

Unaccompanied minors would be prohibited from many public places, such as parks and places of amusement, during nighttime hours. Violators would be subject to fines and community service.

During the curfew, juveniles would be banned from loitering, idling, wandering, strolling or playing in public streets, parks, playgrounds, places of business and other "public or quasi-public" locations unless they're with a parent, guardian or other adult caretaker.

Curfew hours would include:

• Sunday to Thursday from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. the following day.
• Fridays and Saturdays from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. the morning after.

Parents and guardians allowing their child to violate the curfew may also need to perform community service.

The proposal came after hundreds of people primarily teens — poured into Gloucester Township Day during the nighttime portion of last month's event, getting into fights at Veterans Parks that spilled into a nearby shopping center that night. Recent brawls involving children around the state have inspired several state bills.

Council members approved the ordinance's introduction last month.

Short-Term Rental Ban

The township would prohibit short-term rentals and bed-and-breakfasts from all residential-use districts under the ordinance up for a first read.

If passed, short-term rentals of residential units would be prohibited, including online services such as Airbnb. Hotels and motels would still be permitted.

Sewage Referendum

The council will introduce an ordinance on whether to hold a vote that would advance the sale of its sewage utility to a private company. Township officials agreed to sell the system to New Jersey American Water for $143 million. But the transaction requires approval from the township's residents, who are set to vote on the matter on Nov. 5, which is election day.

Currently, the township owns its wastewater-collection system, which is managed by the Gloucester Township Municipal Utilities Authority (GTMUA), a public entity. The sale of the sewage system to a private company has sparked public outcry in recent months.

Township officials have said that private utility companies have greater capital, which will allow for quicker repairs and improvements. Critics have speculated that the move will result in higher sewer bills and have noted that Mayor David Mayer works as New Jersey American Water's director of government affairs.

The sale cannot be completed without approval from the township's voters. The ordinance on Monday's agenda will allow the council to formally approve a referendum on the matter in November.

View the full meeting agenda.