Commuter Parking Issues Rattle Cedar Grove

Parking issues on Devonshire Road were the dominant issue at Monday night’s Cedar Grove Township Council meeting.

The council discussed a police report concerning parking in the township, focusing on a petition for a two-hour parking limit sign on Devonshire Road.

The report was in response to a petition by Ralph Mazzola and 11 other residents of the street from .

“The police’s recommendation was that there are no safety issues,” Township Manager Thomas Tucci said. He also explained the report looked at a few other streets where commuters park on a Monday, Friday and Saturday.

“It’s a real hassle for us,” a Devonshire resident said during the meetings open session. “I wish there was a Park and Ride so both residents and commuters can be happy.”

“We can’t use our property in front of our houses,” a Union Street resident added. “They park there 12 hours a day.”

Mayor John Zunic suggested the council take time review the report by the next council meeting because they just received the report Monday night. The council might have more questions for the police or ideas for a solution he said.

 “I know it’s frustrating,” Zunic said.

“It’s like kicking a can down the street,” Tucci said, adding putting up signs just results in people parking somewhere else.

The council also discussed a complaint it received about noise issues from the basketball courts on Little Falls Road.

The council was asked to limit hours the courts were open. Currently, the courts are open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“It’s not fair to single out basketball,” Tucci said, suggesting it was best to leave the ordinance the way it is. “We would have to restrict tennis, baseball and softball as well.”

Councilman Robert O’Toole agreed telling the council tennis courts are usually being used when he goes to work and they are located next to the basketball courts.

In other news, the council:
• Gave Tucci permission to submit an administration consent order to the state Department of Environmental Protection before May 1 to start the sewage renovations.
• Approved Township Attorney Thomas Scrivo to represent Cedar Grove for tax appeals in the town.

The next township council meeting is scheduled for May 7 at 7 p.m.