Three Bergenfield proposals address side-yard equipment, certificates of compliance and off-street parking. The Borough posted introduction notices for Ordinance 26-2676, Ordinance 26-2677 and Ordinance 26-2678; the notice for 26-2678 is dated September 2.
Rules under consideration
The Jewish Link reports that 26-2676 would restrict items in required side-yard setbacks, including air-conditioning and heat-pump equipment, generators, pool equipment, electric-vehicle chargers, window wells, steps, covered patios, screening and fences. The outlet says 26-2677 would require applicants to submit a survey no more than five years old and pay additional fees. It would also require a certificate of compliance before a new owner or tenant could occupy a previously used property. According to the report, specified use changes or construction undertaken without obtaining and maintaining the certificate could result in a fine of up to $1,000, up to 30 days in county jail, or both.
The third proposal, 26-2678, would change how required off-street parking spaces are calculated, The Jewish Link reports. The outlet says the change could affect development on small lots and homeowners seeking to add bedrooms.
State parking standards
The available state notice does not establish which Residential Site Improvement Standards parking requirements would apply to Bergenfield projects or additions. A New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Division of Codes and Standards notice says municipalities may petition the Site Improvement Advisory Board for standards that vary from RSIS when needed to preserve or enhance community character. The notice concerns an application by Avalon, not Bergenfield.
Practical concerns and the pending decision
Residents raised concerns about the proposals’ costs and practical effects, according to The Jewish Link. The outlet noted that 50-by-100-foot lots in Bergenfield can leave little room to move equipment out of side yards. Bergenfield Homeowners for Fair Zoning warned that moving prohibited items to backyards could be costly and reduce usable outdoor space.
At an Oct. 6 public session that The Jewish Link reported lasted two hours, residents also raised concerns about safety, affordability and implementation. Borough officials described the measures as addressing quality-of-life and public-safety issues, including emergency responders’ access to backyards, according to the outlet. After Ora Kornbluth called for a pause, council members voted to table all three ordinances until a future meeting. No final action was taken that night.
