A junk-laden, unhitched trailer has been parked in front of 90 Bank Street for years.
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank police have begun issuing warning notices to violators of a new law that bans unhitched trailers from borough streets, police Chief Darren McConnell said Tuesday.
William Poku addressing the council Thursday night. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
Adopted unanimously by the council Thursday night and effective immediately, the change to the parking ordinance says no one may “park, leave or store any inoperable motor vehicles or motor drawn vehicles, or trailer on any public streets, parking lots, rights-of-way, lands or premises except in case of emergency, and then for a period of not more than 48 hours.”
As of Tuesday, no violation summonses targeting trailers had yet been issued, McConnell told redbankgreen via email. Instead, he has directed “parking officers and traffic officers to provide warning letters to the registered owners of any trailers found in violation,” he said.
McConnell, who also serves as interim borough manager, said he did not yet have a count of the number of warnings given.
“I felt this was the fair way in which to approach this, since it is a new ordinance and obviously we don’t have signs posted on every street,” he said. “We are keeping track, though, of the notices given, so trailers remaining on the street in violation will start receiving summonses in the coming weeks.”
Prior to the council vote, William Poku, who has had a junk-laden unhitched trailer (seen above) in front of his Bank Street home for years, urged the council to hold off on a vote while a legal challenge to a an ordinance in Westfield makes its way through the legal system.
At the council’s October 12 meeting, Mayor Billy Portman said the Red Bank amendment was the “first step” in addressing complaints about commercial vehicles that block driveways, impede traffic at corners and cause other issues.
“Next up, we’ll take on some kind of commercial vehicle ordinance,” he said.
