Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • March 23, 2011 Ho-Ho-Kus Council to consider three ordinances for final passage by Jennifer Crusco The Ho-Ho-Kus Council will consider three ordinances for final passage at this week’s public council session (Tuesday, March 22). Ordinance 983 covers the chapter of the borough code pertaining to dogs. If approved as written, this ordinance would require dog owners to immediately clean up after their animals by a sanitary method and remove the waste to the pet owner’s property to be disposed of in a proper receptacle. “In no event shall any person dispose of any feces, dog soil, or any type of receptacle containing same into any public trash receptacle, storm water drain, or sewage system,” the ordinance specifies. In a recent interview, Ho-Ho-Kus Borough Attorney David Bole explained that this regulation had been discussed by the council in 2010 and was introduced in the form of an ordinance at one point. However, Carol Tyler, the borough’s animal control officer, said the previous proposal was too wordy, and the council opted to table the ordinance for further review. Bole told Villadom TIMES that the council’s intent had been to prevent dog owners from disposing of dog waste in public receptacles. Currently, a borough ordinance already prohibits people from depositing waste in the storm or sewer system. Ordinance 983 would update the older ordinance, and would repeal the older regulations, in part. The council will also consider Ordinance 984, which aims to limit the number of pets homeowners may keep; and Ordinance 985, which would require landscapers to register with the borough clerk. Ordinance 984 would limit persons in single-family residences to keeping a total of four cats and/or dogs over the age of six months. Those in multi-family residences would not be permitted to keep more than a total of three cats and/or dogs over the age of six months. These limits include any and all accessory structures on a given property. Those who exceed the allowable number of pets due to the recent birth of a litter of cats or dogs would be allowed to apply for a 90-day waiver, after which time the owner of the animals would be required to comply with the ordinance. Only one litter of offspring would be permitted on a property at any time. “Individuals exceeding the allowable number of cats and/or dogs at the time of the enactment of this ordinance may be permitted, in the discretion of the board of health, to retain said cats and/or dogs for a period of no longer than 90 days from the date of enactment of this ordinance in order to provide an opportunity to find alternative placement for said animals,” the ordinance states. “Any individual granted a waiver of the allowable number of pets under this section shall be required to show diligent efforts to find alternative placement for the excess animals. Upon the expiration of any temporary waiver granted pursuant to this section, the owner shall be required to comply with the limitations stated in this ordinance.” The document also states that, in extraordinary situations where strict enforcement of the pet limit would constitute a hardship for the pet owner, the individual could apply to the Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Health for a pet limit waiver, not to exceed two additional animals. Licensed kennels, pet shops, shelters, and pounds would not be subject to the limitations expressed in the ordinance. Ordinance 985, which was updated and reintroduced last month at the request of the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association, states that the purpose of this measure is “to require certain landscape contractors to register with the borough to ensure that the borough knows the name of such landscape contractors performing services within the borough to assist residents seeking to avoid those who engage in improper or unscrupulous business practices since the borough determines that it is in the best interest of the health, safety, and welfare of its residents for this protective measure.” The amended definitions included in this ordinance include one for “exempt landscape contractor,” which refers to a landscape contractor who is registered as a home improvement contractor pursuant to the Contractors Registration Act, NJSA 56:8-136 et seq. and its regulations. 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