By Cheryl Conway
Local leaders have been discussing a flurry of issues at recent council meetings.
What time are residents allowed to do noisy outdoor work? Why are there no fire hydrants in certain areas? Can homeowners rent their homes as Airbnbs?
While new ordinances are not on the horizon, residents’ awareness of these can perhaps trigger some common sense and consideration for their neighbor and serve as the best solution.
One homeowner, Nancy Reddish of Budd Lake, raised some noise at the Jan. 21 Mt. Olive Twp. Council meeting about a neighbor having a contractor cutting down trees at 8:10 a.m. on a Sunday, with work that continued past 6 p.m.
“Can work begin later?” questions Reddish. “It’s the one day we have to a calm start of the day. Would love it if you could look into it to allow for more hours on a quiet Sunday morning.”
The current ordinance allows for work to be done between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on weekends, according to Mt. Olive Twp. Business Administrator Andrew Tatarenko.
Council President Alex Roman says “7 a.m.? You may want to change that; 9 a.m. is a good start; 12 p.m. sounds too burdensome.” He questions whether it’s fair for homeowners who use noisy blowers have to wait until noon to start their yard work?
Councilman Chuck Aaron adds that landscapers get out there early on summer months, and snowplows are out early for personal driveways so people can get to work.
“I think you got a bad egg,” says Aaron. “We’re gonna stop snowplows from going up and down the road.”
Tatarenko says he will look into the details as to whether contractors need permits for any kind of noisy work. The ordinance is solid though.
“I don’t believe the council will take a further action on changing the noise ordinance,” says Tatarenko. “It is a thorough ordinance and from our understanding the contractor started work in violation of the ordinance.”
Reddish disagrees.
“I stand by the fact that 7 a.m. is rather early for any kind of work on a Sunday,” says Reddish. “There should be some kind of respect for thy neighbor and the neighborhood.”
Aaron says he would like to look into it further and Roman agrees.
“We will reflect on it,” says Roman. “I have a problem telling a neighbor they can’t work on their property.”
No Fire Hydrants
Reddish set fire to another issue that there are no fire hydrants in the Manor House Road area where she lives.
While looking into home insurance, she was advised of her lack of fire hydrants near her property and that there should be one within 1,000 feet. When she inquired why, “We were told a tanker would fill up the water from the lake” if there were a fire.
“This is a very serious and important matter,” says Reddish, especially after the fires that broke out in California a few months ago.
“Why aren’t there any fire hydrants?” questions Reddish. “How is a resident to feel safe?”
Tatarenko’s response was that all of the fire departments in Mt. Olive have tankers filled up with water that would be sent out if a fire broke out. He notes there are some dry lines that are being looked at to determine if they can be activated.
“There are no hydrants period,” says Reddish. She has well water and is connected with American Water co.
“For your neighborhood, we’d have to install a whole new infrastructure to add you to the water system,” comments Roman. “I’m on well water. I live a ¼ mile away from any hydrants.”
Tatarenko says they are conducting a study to look at dry lines and connection to the existing water system.
“The neighborhoods off Manor House Road are serviced by American Water and they don’t have plans to install fire hydrant lines,” confirms Tatarenko. “Our fire departments are well equipped to address fires in areas which are not serviced by fire hydrants.”
Adds Mt. Olive Twp. Mayor Joe Nicastro, “We’d like to have fire hydrants everywhere but that’s not feasible. That’s why they will do a study.”
Roman adds that the last few fires that destroyed structures in town were not from a lack of water.
Adds Labow, “It takes the same amount of time for the fire department to get there whether with a tanker filled with water or fire hydrant.”
Reddish adds her other concern: “Everyone’s house is framing; mine is a log cabin.”
Former Mt. Olive Mayor Rob Greenbaum provides his insight into the concern: “The time and terms in fighting the fire—whether it is a hydrant or a pumper—is no different than other towns. “Fire department is well aware of which areas have hydrants and which don’t. They bring in pumpers and mutual aid companies.
“A study from American Water to see if they’d come into that system would be interesting,” adds Greenbaum. “The system that is in place works as if there were hydrants.”
Airbnb’s in MO ?
Another issue came up concerning short-term property rentals in town.
Resident John Billheimer would like to rent his home out as an Airbnb but is hitting a wall.
“The council should address this before it goes to the planning board,” advises Billheimer. There is a proposal to restrict Airbnbs in Mt. Olive, just like the neighboring towns of Hackettstown, Roxbury, Washington, Mansfield and Rockaway.
“I didn’t’ think there are any Airbnbs in Mt. Olive,” says Roman.
Renting a room month-to-month or even year-to-year is a different issue. Billheimer would like to rent his entire residence on a short-term basis.
“Our ordinance does not specifically address short term rentals such as AirBnBs which our position is that the use is not permitted,” explains Tatarenko. “A resident filed a use variance application with the Planning Board to allow his property on Stephens Mill Road be used in that manner.”
According to Township Attorney Jonathan Testa, rental of residential properties can only be rented to families as restricted for a specific type of use, a residential zone.
Billheimer explains that the planning board wants some parameters in place on what the town wants. Some towns, for example. prohibit partying at these rentals. Chester has no regulations, while Hopatcong has a long list of restrictions.
Greenbaum, who is representing Billheimer, explains “this is a residential use; not looking to put in a convenience store. There are a number of properties that are room rentals or short-term rentals. If you were to prohibit the use of a short-term rental, there would be so many issues. How do you determine what is a short-term rental? How do you prohibit someone from renting out their property?
“If I had been sitting up here the right thing to do would be to regulate it; to register it; to have a fee to move forward; to require inspections of the property—not to prohibit someone from renting out their property on a one month, to six months, to one year to ten years.”
Aaron says that properties would need to be inspected in between rentals to make sure smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, for example, are working.
“What I’m suggesting to the board is to adopt standards to rentals,” concludes Greenbaum. “There’s a percentage of homeowners who want to rent out their properties.”
Cindy Vittitow of Budd Lake advises that council to “Take time to look into it. Open it up for public discussion; build some consensus on what is best for Mt. Olive.”
Chris Keenan of Hackettstown adds, “I’m not against any rentals. It’s not a destination place, it’s a community. How would you feel having a new neighbor every weekend or every 30 days if you have young children around?”
