Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • July 18, 2012 Allendale Officials plan to delete parking near crosswalks by John Koster Allendale Borough Attorney David Bole said he and Police Traffic Officer Todd Griffith would shortly be deciding just which parking spaces to delete from the downtown business district so that enforcement of crosswalk violations can once again be made legal. The actions, which will be taken at a date not yet determined, should solve the problem of motorists who argue that some of Allendale’s crosswalks are not legal. The updates would also solve issues related to police officers who try to enforce traffic safety, and of local merchants who are concerned about the potential hazards to pedestrians. Some drivers have reportedly been taken advantage of a state statute. The Allendale parking spaces are not compliant because some parking spaces do not allow the statemandated distance between the lines for the parking spaces and the crosswalk lines. When pedestrians complain that motorists fail to acknowledge their right of way, the police cannot legally issue a summons unless an incident tales place. An official noted, however, that assault with a motor vehicle is a very serious charge, and the absence of legal crosswalks does not convey any lack of criminality when a motorist willfully strikes a pedestrian who exercised due caution. Late last month, Mayor Vince Barra focused on one crosswalk that he personally believes is not very safe -- the crosswalk near the Allendale Bar & Grill -- because that crosswalk in particular does not have adequate distance between the parking space line and the crosswalk line. Motorists who fail to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk are subject -- when crosswalks are legal -- to two driving points, a $200 fine plus court costs, and 15 days of com- munity service. No such penalties are possible when the crosswalks are not legal and there is no collision. Motorists who strike pedestrians they might have avoided are not protected by illegal crossing arguments. Police file charges against landlord At approximately 6:30 p.m. on July 10, the Allendale Police Department received a call from a man at a West Crescent Avenue residence. The man stated that his landlord had threatened him with a handgun. The dispute had taken place outside the home on the patio. Police arrived and found that the landlord had gone back into the house. Two other residents of the home were evacuated, and officers attempted to make contact with the landlord, who had retreated to his bedroom. When no response was received, the Bergen County SWAT team was requested. Prior to their arrival, the man exited his bedroom and was arrested without incident. He is being held on $50,000 bail. As a result of the incident, police took possession of several weapons, including the handgun used to threaten the caller, and an assault rifle. A large amount of ammunition for the weapons and fireworks were also found in the home and removed. The man was charged with possession of rifle without a firearms purchaser ID card, seven counts; possession of a large capacity magazine, three counts; possession of a sawed-off shotgun; possession of a defaced firearm (handgun); possession of a handgun without a carry permit; possession of an assault firearm; possession of a loaded rifle without legal privilege; possession of metal knuckles; possession of display fireworks; possession of a firearm unlawfully to threaten another; and aggravated assault with a handgun. Water regulations (continued from page 7) have wells on their properties, but Mayor Vince Barra asked that all residents cooperate by reducing lawn and shrub watering schedules. “There are some people in town who water their lawns and shrubs every day,” Mayor Barra said last week. “Any landscaper will tell you that it’s not necessary to water every day.” Barra noted that a number of other area towns have already enacted watering restrictions. The mayor said that, while it is not definite that Allendale would outsource the management of its water department, all options had to be considered. He said the decision to send out requests for proposals did not bind the borough to accept whatever offers arrived. “We will not sell the water department,” Mayor Barra said. He said, however, that water fees comprise an important element of the borough’s tax bill to residents, and that the option of outsourced management is something he and the council wanted to investigate. “Our water bills are an indirect tax on our residents,” Mayor Barra said. “It’s becoming not impossible, but close to impossible, for small towns to operate our water departments.” J. KOSTER