Neptune Considering Saturday Construction Ban Township-Wide
By DON STINE
A township-wide ordinance limiting the hours for construction projects on Saturdays in the summer is being considered by the Neptune Township Committee after a similar proposed ban for Ocean Grove only was presented at a previous meeting.
“I think we should make any such ordinance township-wide and not just for Ocean Grove,” said Deputy Mayor Michael Brantley at the beginning of a discussion on the matter at Monday’s Township Committee meeting.
Brantley said many residents in other parts of the township have the same concerns as Ocean Grove residents regarding noise and traffic generated from construction projects on Saturdays.
“Those people also want to get some rest and sleep a little bit longer (on Saturdays),” he said.
Under the proposed ordinance construction hours will be limited from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturdays and not allowed on Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day. The ban would go into effect for the entire township, not just for Ocean Grove.
Weekday construction project hours will remain the same- 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Sunday construction projects are already banned throughout the township.
Originally proposed by Mayor Randy Bishop as an ordinance banning major construction projects only in Ocean Grove’s historic district on Saturdays, the ordinance was modified after input from various committee members.
Bishop said one of his main focuses on adopting such an ordinance is not only for noise control but also because large construction projects usually bring in many trucks and workers that take up the limited parking available in Ocean Grove on Saturdays in the summer.
Committeeman James Manning Jr. agreed with Brantley.
“Ocean Grove is different from the rest of Neptune but any ordinance should be consistent throughout the township,” he said.
Committeewoman Mary Beth Jahn said that enforcement of such an ordinance may be a problem, especially if a homeowner wants to do some of their own renovations on a Saturday.
“How would this be enforced? she asked.
“It would not apply to taking up a hammer and nails but to heavy construction,” Manning said.
Township Attorney Gene Anthony said the ordinance would have to clearly define what types of projects would be effected by the limited hours on Saturdays.
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