Page 10 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • May 26, 2010 Franklin Lakes Borough ordinance to regulate equipment noise by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Council has introduced an ordinance that would amend the existing noise prohibitions for construction equipment, and would add regulations for the use of property maintenance equipment within the borough. The amendment regarding construction equipment would prohibits the operation of any tools, equipment, or devices customarily used in construction, drilling, earth- moving, excavating, or demolition work on any weekend or legal holiday, or on weekdays between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. However, in the case of an emergency in the interest of public health and safety, the use of such construction equipment would be permitted during the restricted hours. According to the new section on property maintenance, use of machinery including, but not limited to, lawnmowers, leaf blowers, chain saws, or wood chippers, would be prohibited except on weekdays between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Saturdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. This paragraph also prohibits the use of property maintenance machinery on legal holidays and on Sundays. However, property owners may operate this type of maintenance machinery on their own properties on Sundays between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Property owners would be permitted to use lawnmowers on their own properties on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Sundays and legal holidays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the months of April through October. The use of property maintenance equipment would be permitted at hours otherwise prohibited in this new paragraph in the event of an emergency affecting public health and safety. Property maintenance equipment must always be operated with a functioning muffler. Despite the hours of permitted use, this new subparagraph in the code would prohibit the use of property maintenance machinery in such a prolonged or unusual manner so as to annoy, disturb, injure, or endanger the comfort, repose, health, peace, or safety of contiguous property owners and their lawful visitors. Franklin Lakes Borough Administrator Gregory Hart advised that this ordinance is not targeted to any particular neighborhood, but was drafted to clarify provisions in the current noise ordinance pertaining to property maintenance equipment. “The standard for a violation for property maintenance equipment is the same as for other noise violations and is a (continued on page 25) Budget (continued from page 5) Those mandated costs, according to Hart, total $7.1 million, or 46 percent, of the 2010 proposed appropriations, while the $5.1 million in salaries and wages constitute 33 percent of the proposed appropriations. He emphasized that approximately 80 percent of the 2010 budget is “somewhat fixed.” The major reductions in the budget, Hart said, include a $130,000 reduction in legal costs, $60,000 reduction in buildings and grounds expenses, a $47,092 reduction in mayor and council salaries, a $40,650 reduction in general administration expenses, a $40,500 reduction in engineering costs, a $$36,656 reduction in library costs, and a $21,840 reduction in financial administration expenses. There was a $165,457 reduction in state aid, and $1.2 million of the borough’s surplus was used in this budget, which is $100,000 less than last year. That will allow the borough to maintain a surplus of at least $2 million, which is consistent with the borough’s Triple-A bond rating. There was also $3.1 million in miscellaneous revenues, a reduction of $282,951; and the borough received $703,200 from delinquent taxes, leaving $10,418,446 to be raised through property taxes. In an effort to reduce costs and increase revenues, Hart advised that the borough will make a comprehensive review of all departments, review snow removal operations, attempt to increase cell tower revenue, request the Policemen’s Benevolent Association to renegotiate the 2011 terms of its contract, obtain garbage and recycling bids for once a week collection during the winter and eliminate leaf collections, restructure the class offerings at the borough’s recreation center, change the provider of the 911 dispatch services and consider using the county for all dispatching services in 2011, and review all telecommunications including alarm monitoring and telephone services.