East Orange acts to address complaints about parking

In response to resident complaints about confusing overnight parking laws and too many tickets, East Orange may have a comprehensive parking plan next month.

The ordinance, introduced at a council meeting Monday, does not lift the city's 3-year-old parking restrictions between 2 and 6 a.m., but reduces the cost of a parking permit by half.

The ordinance also finalizes the 88 streets in the city where overnight parking will be permitted.

The council restricted overnight parking in 2006, requiring a $300 permit that few residents bought, according to Councilwoman Jacquelyn Johnson who introduced the ordinance Monday. Instead, many residents received numerous overnight parking tickets, about $42 each.

"If you're getting tickets two to three times a week, it adds up by the end of the year," Johnson said.

To address the problem, the council began changing the rules street by street based on complaints, which confused residents and police officers, Johnson said. Monday's ordinance, written after months of public hearings and committee meetings, is the first comprehensive amendment to the plan.

The ordinance reduces the parking fee to $150 per year -- which can be paid in installments -- for the first car registered by a household, $100 for the second car and $75 for subsequent cars. Visitors can purchase permits -- $2 for one night and $5 for weekends -- at a 24-hour kiosk at police headquarters.

How many residents will take advantage of the reduced-price permit has yet to be seen, Johnson said, and not all residents are pleased by the change.

"Most people have driveways in East Orange and some people say they don't want it on their streets," Johnson said. "But there are people who need some relief. There are more cars now, and people are combining households due to the economy."

A final public hearing and vote on the ordinance will take place at the Nov. 9 council meeting. If approved, the new restrictions would be instated in January.

Halley Bondy is a reporter for the New Jersey Local News Service. She may be reached at (908)243-6211 or hbondy@njlns.com.